Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR®)
Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR®) Approach (also known as Floortime™) offers a developmental approach to intervention for children with special needs in partnership with their parents. Intervention is naturalistic, play-based, child-led and adult-facilitated. Pioneered in the 1980’s by Profectum's Clinical Director Serena Wieder, PhD, and the late Stanley Greenspan, MD, the model emphasizes that a child develops in relationships with another. Frequently children with special needs are challenged by neurobiological factors, which make it difficult to participate and enjoy early emotional interactions with their parents. These shared interactions between parent and child that are meaningful, positive and pleasurable create the foundation necessary for all development. DIR®/Floortime™ supports parents in their natural and pivotal partnership with their child promoting their development across areas, including regulation, joint attention, communication and language, motor skills, cognition, ideation and execution, and social problem-solving. “Floortime™” essentially means joining the child where they are, revisiting previously missed growth opportunities and moving forward.
DIR®/Floortime™ has been created by experts in the fields of pediatric medicine, developmental psychology, education, speech and language, occupational and physical therapies, making it the first truly integrated multi-disciplinary approach for children with ASD or other special need.
D defines the fundamental capacities for joint attention and regulation, engagement across a wide range of emotions, two-way communication, and complex social problem solving. These in turn underlie the development of symbol formation, language and intelligence.
I refers to individual differences related to sensory reactivity and regulation, visual-spatial and auditory/language processing, and purposeful movement.
R refers to relationships with caregivers that are the vehicle for affect-based developmentally appropriate interactions. Parents and families are central to this model because of their ongoing opportunities to support their child’s everyday functioning to carry out emotionally meaningful goals based on developmental levels. Cultural and environmental influences are also considered.
Intervention begins with a therapist supporting both the parent and child in engaging in pleasurable, developmentally appropriate, interactions building and strengthening the core relationship between the caregiver and child that supports developmental progress. The treating therapist typically has advanced (preferably certified) training in the DIR®/Floortime™ model and may come from the fields of medicine, mental health, speech and language therapies, occupational and physical therapies, special education and early intervention providers. Parents are typically encouraged to engage in multiple “Floortime™” sessions daily with their child, formally and informally. Progress is measured beginning by establishing a baseline FEAS (“Functional Social-Emotional Assessment Scale”), updated quarterly.
For more information on DIR®/Floortime™or training opportunities please visit, www.profectum.org
DIR®/Floortime™ has been created by experts in the fields of pediatric medicine, developmental psychology, education, speech and language, occupational and physical therapies, making it the first truly integrated multi-disciplinary approach for children with ASD or other special need.
D defines the fundamental capacities for joint attention and regulation, engagement across a wide range of emotions, two-way communication, and complex social problem solving. These in turn underlie the development of symbol formation, language and intelligence.
I refers to individual differences related to sensory reactivity and regulation, visual-spatial and auditory/language processing, and purposeful movement.
R refers to relationships with caregivers that are the vehicle for affect-based developmentally appropriate interactions. Parents and families are central to this model because of their ongoing opportunities to support their child’s everyday functioning to carry out emotionally meaningful goals based on developmental levels. Cultural and environmental influences are also considered.
Intervention begins with a therapist supporting both the parent and child in engaging in pleasurable, developmentally appropriate, interactions building and strengthening the core relationship between the caregiver and child that supports developmental progress. The treating therapist typically has advanced (preferably certified) training in the DIR®/Floortime™ model and may come from the fields of medicine, mental health, speech and language therapies, occupational and physical therapies, special education and early intervention providers. Parents are typically encouraged to engage in multiple “Floortime™” sessions daily with their child, formally and informally. Progress is measured beginning by establishing a baseline FEAS (“Functional Social-Emotional Assessment Scale”), updated quarterly.
For more information on DIR®/Floortime™or training opportunities please visit, www.profectum.org
