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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6258-7435 

Date Available

4-30-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Faculty

Justin D. Lane

Faculty

Sally Shepley

Abstract

Rapid caregiver coaching models are designed to increase caregiver implementation of naturalistic language strategies while prioritizing feasibility for both families and providers. Participants of the current study were caregivers with young children (ages 1-4) with expressive language delays and autism risk or diagnosis. The current study took place in families’ homes and examined whether a predetermined number of brief coaching and feedback cycles was sufficient to produce clinically meaningful improvements in caregiver strategy use. Target behaviors for caregivers included play-based imitation and expansion, responsive language input, and structured teaching episodes designed to expand child communication. Results were variable but demonstrated improvement following the introduction of intervention. The predetermined dosage demonstrated differential effectiveness across participants: one caregiver exhibited moderate maintenance and generalization of skills, whereas the other showed lower levels of maintenance and generalization. Child spontaneous communication increased over the course of the study; maintenance of these gains, however, was inconsistent across participants.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.198

Archival?

Archival

Funding Information

This study was supported by the University of Kentucky through the CURATE Fund from 2025 - 2026. 

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