Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 9, 2025
Use of a Video Scoring Anchor for Rapid Serial Assessment of Social Communication in Toddlers
Published on: March 14, 2018
Efficacy of parent-mediated communication-focused treatment in toddlers with autism (PACT) delivered via
Lucie Jurek1,2, Pauline Occelli2,3, Angelique Denis3
1Academic department of Child and adolescent neurodevelopmental psychiatry, Hospital Centre Vinatier, Bron, France.
Insights
This study explores telehealth delivery of parent-mediated Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) therapy for autism spectrum disorder. Videoconferencing may improve access to PACT for families in remote areas.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Telehealth Interventions
Background:
- Parent-mediated therapies are recommended for preschool autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Access to evidence-based ASD interventions like the Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) is limited by geographical constraints.
- Videoconferencing offers a potential solution to improve PACT accessibility for underserved families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of a telehealth-delivered, parent-mediated PACT therapy for toddlers with ASD.
- To compare PACT plus treatment as usual (TAU) against TAU alone in improving autism symptoms.
- To assess the impact of telehealth PACT on child skills, parent well-being, and implementation.
Main Methods:
- A single-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 238 toddlers (18-36 months) across six French sites.
- Participants were randomized to receive PACT plus TAU or TAU only.
- The primary outcome was the change in overall autism score on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS) at 12 months.
Main Results:
- This section is to be filled once the study results are available.
- The study is designed to detect significant differences in ADOS scores between the intervention and control groups.
- Secondary outcomes will provide comprehensive data on treatment effectiveness and feasibility.
Conclusions:
- Telehealth delivery of PACT has the potential to enhance access to effective autism interventions for families facing geographical barriers.
- Further research is needed to confirm the long-term benefits and cost-effectiveness of this approach.
- This study will contribute valuable data on the efficacy of videoconferencing-based parent-mediated interventions for early childhood autism.
Introduction:
Intervention in the preschool period is currently recommended for autism spectrum disorder. Therapies delivered by parents are particularly suitable for young children. Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) is a parent-mediated therapy that has shown a significant and sustained impact on autism symptom reduction. However, access to such evidence-based therapies for families is limited due to autism centres located in large urban areas. Using videoconferencing to deliver PACT training to parents may improve accessibility for families living in underserved areas.
Methods And Analysis:
This single-blind randomised controlled trial, involving six sites in France, will investigate the efficacy of a telehealth, videoconferencing-based, parent-mediated PACT therapy on autism symptoms, over a 12-month period. It will compare PACT plus treatment as usual (TAU) against TAU only in a cohort of 238 toddlers (119 per group) aged 18-36 months at inclusion and living with their families more than 40 min away from the specialist centres for autism. Primary outcome will include change of overall autism score on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes will measure change in child skills, child functioning, impact on parents (stress, health, priorities) and implementation characteristics. Repeated measures analyses will be used to test the effect of PACT intervention on the overall ADOS module 1 score over the 12-month study period. Linear mixed models will be used with time, treatment allocation and the interaction between treatment and time as fixed effects and individual variation as random effect.
Ethics And Dissemination:
This protocol (V.5, date: 25 October 2019) is approved by the French National Review Board (reference no 2018-A02516-49). The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04244721.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.