Coaching Via Electronic Performance Feedback to Support Home Visitors' Use of Caregiver Coaching Strategies

Recommended practices for Part C early childhood special education home visitors encourage use of caregiver coaching strategies to enhance learning opportunities within the natural routines of infants and toddlers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent professional development intervention on home visitors' use of specific caregiver coaching strategies and range of routines utilized during home-based intervention. The professional development intervention systematically tested the effects of two brief workshops followed by 6 weeks of coaching via performance feedback that was based on videotaped home visits and delivered via email. A multiple-baseline design across three home visitors and caregiver/child dyads was used to evaluate home visitors' use of caregiver coaching strategies and natural routines. Findings provide support for the use of individualized coaching via performance feedback delivered in electronic format as a means to enhance home visitors' use of caregiver coaching strategies during home visits.