A Retrospective Analysis of Therapists' Coaching Behavior When Directing Parents to Conduct Behavioral Assessments and Treatments Via Telehealth.

This study looked at how therapists coach parents during online therapy sessions. Five experienced therapists worked with seven families, teaching parents how to do assessments and communication training with their autistic children over video calls. The researchers found that therapists mostly focused on being socially engaging and supportive, and changed their coaching style depending on what part of the treatment they were doing. This research helps us understand what makes good online coaching.

This retrospective study examined coaching behaviors of five experienced behavior therapists directing parents to conduct functional analysis (FA) and functional communication training (FCT) with autistic children via telehealth. Using standardized and novel behavior codes, researchers analyzed therapist behaviors across seven parent-child dyads. Results showed therapists predominantly used social engagement behaviors throughout sessions, with antecedent and consequence coaching behaviors varying between FA and FCT phases. This research addresses a gap in telehealth literature, which has primarily focused on child outcomes and parent fidelity rather than therapist coaching behaviors.

Findings have implications for training behavioral therapists in effective telehealth coaching strategies.

Results inform training protocols for therapists delivering parent coaching via telehealth. Emphasis on social engagement behaviors and phase-specific coaching adaptations should be incorporated into telehealth training programs. Findings support the development of structured coaching frameworks for remote behavioral interventions.

Small sample size with only five therapists and seven parent-child dyads limits generalizability. Retrospective design prevents causal inferences. Sample size not clearly reported in abstract. Focus on experienced therapists may not reflect typical practice patterns.

Research on the delivery of behavioral assessment and treatment via telehealth has focused largely on child outcomes and parent procedural fidelity. By contrast, the behavior of the therapists coaching parents to conduct assessment and treatment has garnered little research consideration. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of behavior therapists' coaching behaviors when directing parents to conduct functional analysis (FA) and functional communication training (FCT) with their young children with autism via telehealth. Coaching behaviors for five experienced behavior therapists across seven parent-child dyads were scored using a combination of standardized and novel behavior codes.

Therapists displayed more social engagement behaviors than any other type of behavior throughout the study, and rates of antecedent and consequence behaviors shifted across the FA and FCT phases. Results are discussed in relation to therapists' goals during behavioral assessment and treatment and the implications for training behavioral therapists to coach parents via telehealth.