Webpage to Promote Accessibility of Evidence-Based Behavioral Interventions to Korean-American Caregivers

By Sunyoung Kim, Emily Gregori, and Veronica Kang, 2021 Public Awareness Grant

Korean-American caregivers—despite being part of the seventh-largest and the fastest-growing immigrant population in the United States—continue to report unfamiliarity with the overall education system and limited awareness of and access to effective behavioral strategies and services to support their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to promote the accessibility of evidence-based behavioral interventions that are widely implemented in home, community, and educational contexts, a webpage consisting of self-directed, caregiver-friendly learning modules will be developed for Korean-American caregivers of children with ASD in their primary language. Prior to launching the webpage, the modules, consisting of 10 evidence-based behavioral interventions, will be piloted with 20 Korean-American caregivers to evaluate (a) the effectiveness, (b) the feasibility, applicability, and generalizability, and (c) the potential need for cultural adaptation within the Korean-American context. The 20 caregivers will complete each module and then participate in individual interviews and complete rating scales. Upon revising based on pilot data, the modules will be made available to the public and will include quantitative and qualitative summary data about the Korean-American caregivers’ experiences and perceptions as well as suggestions for cultural adaptations. Ultimately, the findings have the potential to fulfill a significant need and promote public awareness of behavioral interventions among the rapidly growing Korean-American community.

Sunyoung Kim, Ph.D., BCBA-D, a Korean-born bilingual researcher, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), is focused on EBIs for young Korean-American children with ASD and their caregivers. Emily Gregori, Ph.D., BCBA, is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at UIC. Her research explores the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior for individuals with developmental disability and aims to identify variables that impact the sustainability of EBIs. Veronica Kang is a Korean-American doctoral student in Special Education and is interested in implementing and evaluating social communication skills for Korean-American children with ASD.