Caregiver engagement plays an important role in preschool special education (SPED). For culturally and linguistically minoritized (CLM) families, barriers such as limited English proficiency and limited knowledge related to diagnoses and services may negatively impact their experience of the SPED process (Lamorey, 2002; Sturm et al., 2021). The…

Caregivers play an integral role in a child's academic development, including their literacy development (Compton-Lilly et al., 2019; Cunningham, 2021; Edwards, 2004; Edwards, 2016; Smith, 2020; Volk, 2021). One way caregivers have supported their children's literacy development is by assisting them with school activities at home. While some…

This study explored how parents or caregivers of adolescents or adults with mild intellectual disabilities described the influence of faith communities on the Quality of Life (QOL) and its domains of spiritual, social, emotional, and physical wellbeing of their loved ones in this population in South-Central Florida. The QOL model that steered this…

This mixed-methods study aims to determine if the use of video communication can positively impact the self-efficacy reported by caregivers. Three inquiry questions guided the study. First, how can the use of informative, targeted videos influence the self-efficacy reported by a caregiver? Next, how well do caregivers understand what is expected…

For students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and comorbid Intellectual Disability (ASD/ID), effective post-secondary transition services are vital. Despite the research-supported transition success of many individuals with ASD, there is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of suitable supports for those with a comorbid ID. When considering young…

In 2019, a coronavirus strand, SARS-CoV-2, caused a global pandemic of respiratory illness, also referred to as the coronavirus (COVID-19). The U.S. government implemented massive school closures as a non-pharmaceutical intervention to mitigate the spread of the virus. The abrupt pivot to the asynchronous learning model resulted in low levels of…

This study investigated the use of playgroups as a play-based intervention for Early Intervention aged children with developmental delays. Children currently enrolled in Early Intervention National, across New York State, and locally are being provided with fewer services than in prior years due to provider shortages. Children from diverse…

Rationale: Few communication interventions for Latino Spanish-speaking (LSS) families with young children with language impairments and autism have been experimentally tested. "EMT en Espanol" is a culturally and linguistically adapted language intervention that has been effectively implemented by LSS caregivers of children with…

This qualitative study investigated the persistent K-5 opportunity gap faced by Black males from low socioeconomic backgrounds in achieving literacy proficiency. Despite efforts to address literacy rates, Black males continue to experience significant disparities, hindering their academic success. The research aimed to evaluate systems and…

A select few African American families who have a child with a disability have the skills and knowledge to be proactive in the special education process. Special education teams must guide and mentor African American students and their families through the special education process. However, African American families have consistently contended…

Throughout the United States, approximately 2.7 million grandparents are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) created a standard of practice and established policies to equip social workers to support grandparent caregivers. However, grandparents caring for children with autism spectrum…

There is a large body of research that has focused on ways that we can develop preschool-aged children's early literacy and language skills within early childhood educational settings. Evidence supports how important a young child's literacy experiences are on their future reading skills. However, there continues to be little research that focuses…

The current political trends to ban the teaching of race and racism in public schools, to eliminate Advanced Placement African American Studies classes, and to whitewash U.S. history standards, maintain hegemonic discourses, while simultaneously devaluing the teaching of Black histories and sanitizing the legacy of race and racism in U.S. society.…

Behavioral intervention with parent participation is effective in reducing symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but access to intervention is limited. The current study explored whether a novel, self-directed, online program would (a) be comprehensible and acceptable to caregivers of children with ASD, (b) increase caregiver knowledge of…

This dissertation investigated the caregiving relationships between infants and nonparental caregivers in early childcare settings through the lens of attachment and language behaviors. This study sought to provide an opportunity to extend our understanding of the socioemotional factors that influence children's development in their daily lives.…