The effectivenness of a parent training program for teaching self-care and domestic skills to mentally handicapped children

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the skill instruction delivered by the mothers whom were included in the Parent Training Program on their mentally handicapped children's şelf çare and domestic skill learning. The study was conducted with three mothers and their children. in order to determine the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable, multiple probe designe across behaviors which is öne of the single subject designs was used. The Parent Training Program consisted of three parent meetings and a home visit, each of which took öne and a half hour. The Program included a Self-Care and Domestic Skills Manual. During the parent meetings: (a) Children's self-care and domestic skill needs were determined, (b) The skills were sequenced, (c) The rewards that would be used in training vvere determined, and (d) For a sample skill, an instruction Data Recording Form was developed. Ali these steps were carried out by the mothers themselves, under the supervision of the researcher. Later, the researcher made home visits. in these visits, mothers practiced teaching of a sample skill by using the sample instruction Data Recording Form under the supervision of the researcher. in the next stage, mothers prepared an instruction Data Recording Form for the three pre-determined skills, and started to teach. The results of the study showed that children achieved the target skills independently and then they continued to use these skills during the follow up phase. These findings indicated that skill instruction conducted by the mothers was effective on their mentally handicapped children's self-care and domestic skill acquisition.