Adapted CI-NCI for families of Mexican descent (Cycyk et al., 2020)

Purpose: Caregiver-implemented naturalistic communication interventions (CI-NCIs) support the communication abilities of young children with language disorders and enhance the communication behaviors of their caregivers. Yet, few CI-NCIs have been adapted and tested for feasibility with families who speak Spanish at home. This study addresses this gap in the literature by examining the social validity and preliminary outcomes of an adapted CI-NCI program with families who identified as Mexican immigrants and spoke Spanish.

Method: A multiphase cultural adaptation process enhanced the Language and Play Everyday program for Spanish-speaking Mexican immigrant families in the United States. Six families, including eight caregivers and eight toddlers, participated. Caregivers received coaching on the use of language-facilitating strategies within existing home routines. Multiple measures of the social validity of the intervention’s goals, procedures, and outcomes were collected. Changes in caregivers’ reported confidence, knowledge, and use of language-facilitating strategies and children’s receptive and expressive communication were examined to determine preliminary outcomes.

Results: Overall, caregivers perceived many of the intervention’s goals, procedures, and outcomes as socially valid and specified aspects of the intervention needing improvement. Caregivers and children showed modest but potentially clinically meaningful gains in their communication skills following the intervention despite wide individual variability.

Conclusions: Given some recommendations to further adapt the intervention, this CI-NCI appears to be feasible for supporting the communication development of children of Spanish-speaking Mexican immigrant descent. Thus, future research on the efficacy of the intervention is warranted.

Supplemental Material S1. Changes in caregivers’ communicative strategies over time.

Supplemental Material S2. Changes in children’s communication skills over time.

Cycyk, L. M., Moore, H. W., De Anda, S., Huerta, L., Méndez, S., Patton, C., & Bourret, C. (2020). Adaptation of a caregiver-implemented naturalistic communication intervention for Spanish-speaking families of Mexican immigrant descent: A promising start. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(2), 1260-1282. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-19-00142

Publisher Note: This article is part of the Forum: Innovations in Clinical Practice for Dual Language Learners, Part 2.