Importance of Caregiver Involvement in Therapy
There is robust research to support the importance of parent involvement in their child’s therapy, both for children with speech-language impairment and children with autism. Researchers have continued to study the association between parent involvement in therapy, improvement in communication skills and behavior, reduction in parent stress, and improvement in caregiver happiness.
This HuffPost article from 2016, entitled Happy to Help: Research Shows How Caregiver Happiness is Critical as More Children Affected by Autism, reviews research from Northwestern and Vanderbilt Universities.
Happy to Help: Research Shows How Caregiver Happiness Is Critical as More Children Affected by Autism
New research from Northwestern and Vanderbilt Universities points to the involvement of caregivers as crucial and also that the happiness level of those involved is a contributing factor in therapy effectiveness.
By Sarah C. Bauer, Contributor
Developmental pediatrician
02/16/2016 12:02pm EST | Updated February 16, 2017
Co-authored with Dr. Aparna A. Labroo and Dr. Megan Y. Roberts
"You are doing a wonderful job...From a mother who knows."
According to media reports, this was a note recently handed to a mother in Washington state at a local diner. The written kindness arrived instead of the bill, after she had finished breakfast with her son who has autism. He had been experiencing a difficult time.
This moment -- countered with stares and expressions of disapproval from others -- underlines a growing awareness of the shared experiences of parents and individuals with autism. It also highlights how we can support parents and individuals with autism as they grow.
New research from Northwestern and Vanderbilt Universities points to the involvement of caregivers as crucial and also that the happiness level of those involved is a contributing factor in therapy effectiveness.
