Progress and Presentations

Research Progress

Phase I: A four-week, small-scale study involving 8 provider, caregiver, and infant/toddler triads from Florida and Illinois was conducted in Year 1 of the EPIC Project.  Children were evaluated as evidencing moderate to severe disabilities.  Their providers and caregivers represented the cultural, linguistic, and economic diversity that is characteristic of urban and suburban communities.  Providers used the initial prototype of our web-based training modules and materials to enhance their knowledge and skills about caregiver coaching generally, and the SOOPR practices specifically.  Through this training, providers learned how to be more intentional in their coaching practices during home visits and how to teach caregivers the 5Q embedded intervention process.  Each home visit was videotaped and initial drafts of fidelity measures were tested during the study period.  Results of this small-scale (try-out) study helped inform revisions and further development of the EPIC training and evaluation materials, as well as refinements in the procedures for coaching and intervention.       

Phase II: In Year 2, a series of three single-subject (SS) studies were conducted in Florida and Illinois involving 12 provider-caregiver-child triads.   The infants/toddlers evidenced moderate/severe disabilities and their caregivers reflected diverse cultural, linguistic, educational, and economic backgrounds from Florida and Illinois communities.  A multiple baseline SS design across play and caregiving routines was used to determine the effect of the caregivers’ use of 5Q and embedded instruction.  Using multiple measures, motor and communication learning targets were identified for each infant/toddler.  Fidelity of providers’ use of the SOOPR coaching process, as well as caregivers’ fidelity in using 5Q embedded instruction strategies, were assessed by coders who rated videotapes of each home visit session.  The impact of embedded instruction on children’s acquisition of learning targets was coded from home visit videos.  Results of the single case study helped inform revisions to our web-based training module content, implementation procedures, coding protocols, and the content of our SOOPR and 5Q fidelity checklists.   

Presentations

January 21, 2014 – FL Validation Panel Face-to-Face Meeting - Tallahassee, FL

January 27, 2014 – IL Validation Panel Face-to-Face Meeting - Chicago, IL

May 6 & May 27, 2015 - Validation Panel Face-to-Face Meeting - Gainesville, FL and Chicago, IL