A Randomized, Community-Based Feasibility Trial of Modified ESDM for Toddlers with Suspected Autism

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 52; no. 12; pp. 5322 - 5341
• Main Authors: Mirenda, Pat, Colozzo, Paola, Smith, Veronica, Kroc, Ed, Kalynchuk, Karen, Rogers, Sally J., Ungar, Wendy J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - therapy; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - diagnosis; Autistic Disorder - therapy; Behavior therapy; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Canada; Care and treatment; Child and School Psychology; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Coaching; Coaching (Performance); Community service; Community services; Comprehension; Developmental psychology; Early Intervention, Educational - methods; Electroconvulsive therapy; Families & family life; Feasibility; Feasibility Studies; Foreign Countries; Humans; Intervention; Language; Life Satisfaction; Methods; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Parent Participation; Parents; Parents & parenting; Pediatrics; Psychology; Public Health; Quality of Life; Self Efficacy; Testing; Toddlers; Vocabulary Skills; Word Recognition; Canada; Autism; Feasibility; Parent coaching; Preemptive intervention; Community-based
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05390-1

A randomized feasibility trial of a parent coaching (PC) intervention was conducted across 16 community agencies in a Canadian province. Parents of toddlers with suspected autism were assigned to either a PC group (n = 24) or an enhanced community treatment (ECT) group (n = 25). PC participants received 24 weeks of coaching support from community service providers trained in the project. Children in both groups also received available community services and supplementary materials. PC children made significantly greater gains in word understanding and PC parents had significantly higher quality of life, satisfaction, and self-efficacy scores. Results are discussed in terms of the challenges of conducting feasibility studies in community settings and the lessons learned in the project.