Effects of the ‘influencing communication and language’ intervention for children and youths with congenital deafblindness and their communication partners

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of the Influencing Communication and Language (IC&L) intervention, a video-feedback intervention aimed at improving the autonomy, communication, and language skills of children and youths with congenital deafblindness (CDB). The IC&L intervention focused on enhancing the support strategies of their communication partners and used an integrated approach based on Erikson's first three stages of psychosocial development and Trevarthen's theory of intersubjective development. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intervention effects were tested with a multiple case study design, involving five children and youths with CDB, and seven communication partners. Interactions of seven pairs were recorded across a baseline, three intervention phases, and a follow-up. RESULTS: Medium to large intervention effects were found for autonomy support strategies and communication support strategies in all communication partners, in both basic and more complex strategies. Additionally, all children demonstrated improvements of ≥10% in communication skills, and a few in autonomy and language skills. Social validity assessments revealed that communication partners rated the value of the intervention as neutral to good and particularly valued its relevance. CONCLUSION: The medium to large intervention effects on autonomy and communication support strategies reveal benefits of an integrated approach for supporting autonomy, communication, and language skills in children and youths with CDB.