Identifying Engagement in Children with Autism in the Home Setting

This qualitative study examines perspectives of parents of children with autism related to engagement in the home environment. Increased engagement decreases the likelihood of less productive behaviors. Investigation of engagement in the home setting may provide insights into the development of interventions. Collaboration between parents and professionals is essential for success for children with autism. Using the photovoice method, interviews were conducted with 5 parents of children with autism from preschool through fourth grade. The parent participants were all female. Five questions guided this study: 1) What are indicators of engagement in the home? 2) In what kinds of activities are children with autism engaged in the home setting? 3) How do parents of children with autism identify engagement? 4) What are some things parents do to facilitate engagement? 5) What are some needs and goals of parents in terms of facilitating engagement in the home setting? Findings suggest that children are engaged with objects such as toys, computers and musical instruments. Parents of children with autism identify engagement based on the duration of interactions, the focus of the child and the absence of undesirable behaviors. Parents use a variety of teaching strategies to engage children including physical activity, building on the interests of children, breaking tasks down into steps and facilitating sibling interactions. A major parent goal is independence with a need for consistency across settings and support in dealing with obstacles.