Training graduate students in parent conference skills

Abstract

Twelve graduate students were trained in three categories of parent conference skills: communicating diagnostic information, communicating recommendations, and organizing the conference and interacting with parents. Training done individually with each student consisted of written programmed learning materials plus oral practice. Training effects were measured during role-play and actual parent conferences. Training effectiveness was assessed with a multiple baseline design across three skill categories. Eleven of 12 students exhibited significant skill acquisition and nine generalized skills to an actual parent conference. Professionals and parents of developmentally delayed children attested to the importance and effectiveness of the training program. Results demonstrated that parent conference skills can be operationalized, trained, and generalized to actual conferences.