Early Interventionists' Appraisals of Intervention Strategies for Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Peers in Inclusive Childcare Classrooms.

Mounting evidence supports several naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI) for toddlers and preschoolers within inclusive childcare centers and preschools. However, these interventions pose many barriers to community implementation. As part of a larger project to create an adapted NDBI for early educators in childcare centers, we surveyed 101 early interventionists who had worked with a toddler with autism within the last 12 months. Early interventionists rated 22-of-31 NDBI strategies to be significantly more effective for All Toddlers versus Toddlers with Autism. However, when comparing the top 10 rated strategies between groups, there was a large degree of overlap. Moreover, many of these highly rated NDBI strategies are consistent with best practice accreditation and early education standards within the United States.

Examining the relationships of parental stress, family support and family quality of life: A structural equation modeling approach.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that support for families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States has led to reduce parental stress. To better understand the situation in China, it is crucial to evaluate the current status of family support and provide clear evidence of the impact of family support on positive family outcomes. AIMS: This study aims to provide initial evidence to examine these interrelations among family support, parental stress, and family quality of life in mainland China. METHOD: A total of 226 parents of children with ASD completed two questionnaires (Beach Center Family Quality of Life (FQOL) Scale and the Family Support Scale for Chinese Children with ASD) and a demographic family information form. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the interrelation among parental stress, family support, and FQOL. RESULTS: Parents perceived a moderate to low level of family support and FQOL and high level of parental stress. Family support had a direct positive effect on FQOL (ß = .54) and an indirect effect on FQOL through parental stress (ß = .06). CONCLUSION: Resources should be devoted to establishing a family support system that promotes FQOL and buffers parental stress for families of children with ASD.