The Power of Feedback Loops in Early Intervention

early childhood education early identification early intervention early intervention coaching feedback home visiting parent practice parent support routines based intervention May 18, 2024

It is crucial to consider Feedback Loops in early intervention, particularly for supporting the social-emotional development of children and the well-being of caregivers. In a recent webinar, the importance of feedback loops was emphasized with practical examples and research-backed insights. Here, we will explore what feedback loops are, why they matter in early intervention, and how professionals can effectively facilitate them for families.

Understanding Feedback Loops

A feedback loop involves a cyclical process where an action leads to a response, which then influences future actions. This concept can be applied to various aspects of life, including personal habits and developmental support. The speaker in the webinar illustrated a personal feedback loop related to exercise:

I am a very low energy person, very introverted, quiet. I like a lot of stillness. I don't like to exercise (unless I'm like checking off another box, like, walking with a friend, where I'm also socializing). But I know when I do exercise, I actually have more energy. And then that helps meet other goals physically. So then I have a feedback loop where I have more energy to exercise more. I exercise more. I feel better about myself. I have more energy and I do it again.

This example shows how a positive feedback loop can lead to sustained motivation and better outcomes. Similarly, in the context of early intervention, feedback loops can significantly impact the developmental progress of children and the confidence of their parents.

Feedback Loops in Typical Child Development

In typical child development, feedback loops naturally occur as parents interact with their children. For instance, consider the example of tummy time:

It's tummy time. My child doesn't like it, but when I actually do it, I noticed that they're starting to get stronger. They're starting to lift their head. I'm motivated to do it again. I'm motivated to do it the next day. And then I see my child lift their head a little bit longer, maybe even turn their head. Now the parent is motivated and encouraged to do more tummy time with their child as the feedback loop is intact.

Here, the parent’s actions lead to visible developmental progress in the child, which motivates the parent to continue the activity. This positive reinforcement creates a beneficial cycle where the child's development is continuously supported.

Challenges in Atypical Development

However, for children with delayed, different, or impaired development, these feedback loops may not occur as expected. The child’s responses might be delayed or absent, which means that a feedback loop is not established: Without the expected feedback, parents may stop engaging in certain activities and they may doubt their skills as a parent. This can result in many different feelings like discouragement, concern, grief, isolation, helplessness, and decreased confidence.

The Role of Early Intervention Professionals

Early intervention professionals can play a crucial role in facilitating and creating feedback loops for families in EI. By providing strengths-based feedback and encouraging caregivers' endurance, willingness, and patience, professionals can help parents see the value of their efforts, even if immediate results are not apparent:

We give that strengths based feedback to the parent like, "Hey, that was a really good start. I like the way that you set this up." The parent may starts to feel like, "okay, even if my child is not responding yet, there is something that I am doing right." Our feedback helps the parent understand that their efforts and practice are beneficial (creating a feedback loop), encouraging them to continue using early intervention strategies.

This approach empowers caregivers, helping them to recognize their capabilities and to maintain their motivation. Providing immediate feedback to caregivers and acknowledging small successes can make a significant difference in what they do with their child after we've left.

Research Support for Feedback Strategies

Research supports the use of feedback as an effective coaching strategy for increasing parents' use of early intervention techniques. A study by the Northwestern Early Intervention Research Group (Sone et al., 2023) found that immediate feedback combined with practice was the most effective coaching approach (more effective than other coaching strategies like demonstration, direct teaching, problem solving, and reflection)! This evidence highlights the critical role of feedback in early intervention, emphasizing that professionals should prioritize this strategy to support parents effectively.

Theresa Herbert is sharing in the video above. She is an EI Professional Development Trainer in Florida. This clip was taken from a previous Coach2Coach webinar. You can view the full recording in our EI Expert Insights (Speaker Series)

Reference:

Sone, B. J., Lee, J., Grauzer, J., Kaat, A., & Roberts, M. Y. (2023). Identifying effective strategies to

instruct parents during parent- implemented intervention: The role of parent practice with feedback.