Intensive interaction: an evaluation of two different recording formats

Intensive interaction is an approach developed in the UK in the 1990s for children and adults whom staff and parents have often found difficult to engage. The focus is on following the person's lead and in so doing to build a relationship and establish engagement and develop communication. In this study, the authors sought to ascer- tain the value of two different recording methods within a special school. Twenty staff were trained in the approach, ten of whom used a diary format and the other ten used the Engagement Profile (Carpenter and Egerton, 2011). The pros and cons of each are discussed in addition to considering the practical issues of using Intensive Interaction within a school setting. A very important point raised is that regular discussions held between staff on their practice and how they might enhance this, were extremely valuable, irrespective of the recording format and approach used.