Guided participation is a term used by psychologists that describes the relationship between children and their caregivers through which a child is able to develop many dynamic abilities. This relationship is developed and maintained through thousands of small encounters on a day to day basis where the child begins to learn about and borrow his caregiver’s perspective to better understand how to navigate the world. This relationship is universally disrupted in families that have children with autism spectrum disorders. Because this relationship is disrupted, the child relies on static forms of learning such as acquisition of rote information, memorization of procedures and leads to restricted interests. These children are unable to manage uncertainty and therefore avoid it.
Because the relationship with the child is not typical, parents often create routines and sameness in an attempt to not rock the boat. Parents end up engaging in instrumental communication (asking questions, giving directions) instead of experience sharing communication (commenting, sharing ideas) as this is what the child will respond to. Parents often overcompensate for their child by doing things for them or telling them what to do instead of providing opportunities for the child to figure things out. The effect of the loss of the guided participation relationship has a lasting impact on both the child and parent.
The goal of Extraordinary Minds Learning Center's parent training is to educate parents about autism and its effect on the guided participation relationship. Parents will be taught how to change the way they are communicating and interacting with their children at home. They will learn to stop overcompensating and create more meaningful communication and social encounters with their child.
Parent trainings will take place in a group of 4-5 sets of parents over the course of 6 weeks. Each session will last 1.5 hours. There will be a one time registration fee of $35 per family.