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| Clinician Delivery of Virtual Pivotal Response Treatment With Children With Autism During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| Monday, May 29, 2023 |
| 5:30 PM–5:55 PM |
| Hyatt Regency, Capitol Ballroom 5-7 |
| Area: CBM |
| Chair: Maria Victoria Dalusong Bundang (Stanford Children's Health) |
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| Clinician Delivery of Virtual Pivotal Response Treatment With Children With Autism During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| Domain: Service Delivery |
| MARIA VICTORIA DALUSONG BUNDANG (Stanford Children's Health), Devon White (Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford Children’s Health, Stanford, CA), Claire Aufderheide-Palk (Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford Children’s Health, Stanford, CA), Grace Werner Gengoux (Stanford School of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) |
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| Abstract: This conceptual presentation describes how the evidence-based Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) model of autism treatment was adapted for delivery via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple features of existing video conference technology were utilized for implementation of PRT motivational strategies with young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PRT is an empirically supported treatment for ASD which can be taught to parents and delivered directly by trained therapists. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the majority of clinical care for children with ASD was transitioned to telehealth delivery, models for parent training had been previously established. However, no model for direct clinician delivery of virtual PRT existed. This presentation outlines practical details of the model developed by our team and provided to a total of 17 families between April 2020 and May 2021. Key lessons from technological adaptations of the PRT motivational strategies are described in order to inform future empirical investigation of this approach. The virtual PRT delivery model can serve as a guide for engaging children in meaningful social interaction and expressive communication practice via video conference software, with implications for expanding access to autism treatment as well as for facilitating distance learning for a wide range of children. |
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