The Cultural and Linguistic Adaptation of a Caregiver-Implemented Naturalistic Communication Intervention

Adequately addressing the needs of families who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) goes beyond the simple translation of materials and supports. Some researchers have suggested use of a cultural adaptation framework or process to help determine what adaptations should be made to an intervention to make it culturally responsive. The purpose of this article is to describe the cultural and linguistic adaptation process of a naturalistic, caregiver-implemented intervention for children with limited verbal communication skills where caregivers were primarily Spanish-speaking. Data were collected throughout the process from community partners and participants using multiple methods to understand caregivers’ perceptions relative to the effectiveness of the cultural and linguistic adaptations in supporting their participation and use of the program strategies. This project provides the field with one example of how to utilize a cultural and linguistic adaptation process to successfully expand the use of evidence-based practice and interventions within diverse populations.