This study aims to investigate the viability and effectiveness of the Hanen More Than Words (HMTW) programme amongst
parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This quassi-experimental study involved 31 children (27 boys,
4 girls; M = 34.58 months, SD = 3.67) who met criteria for ASD and their parents. The measurement was conducted in
three phases; Time 1 (prior to intervention), Time 2 and Time 3 (at three and five months after the intervention begins).
The outcome measures were assessed based on: (1) changes in parental facilitative strategies; (2) the children’s growth
in vocabulary and (3) the progress of communication and social skills. The paired t-test were used to analyze the pre
and post findings within the intervention and control group with p-value
Depending on the severity of their disabilities, children with Down syndrome (DS) and with cerebral palsy (CP) may remain pre-symbolic for prolonged periods of time. When interacting with pre-symbolic children, communication partners have a role in identifying which of their behaviours are communicative, to be able to respond to those behaviours and maintain reciprocal interaction. To date, most research on these children's communication development has been conducted within the context of mother-child interaction. Seldom have they been observed interacting with other family members, and in interactions other than dyadic, despite these interactions also occurring daily.