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

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Early intervention is crucial for toddlers with suspected autism.
• Community-based programs require feasibility assessments for effective implementation.
• Parental well-being and self-efficacy are key factors in child development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a parent coaching (PC) intervention for toddlers with suspected autism.
• To evaluate the impact of PC on children's language development.
• To examine the effects of PC on parental quality of life, satisfaction, and self-efficacy.

Main Methods:

• A randomized feasibility trial involving 16 community agencies in Canada.
• Participants included parents of toddlers with suspected autism, assigned to either PC or enhanced community treatment (ECT).
• The PC group received 24 weeks of coaching support from trained community providers.

Main Results:

• Children in the PC group demonstrated significantly greater gains in word understanding compared to the ECT group.
• Parents in the PC group reported significantly higher quality of life, satisfaction, and self-efficacy scores.
• The study identified challenges and lessons learned in conducting feasibility trials in community settings.

Conclusions:

• Parent coaching (PC) is a feasible and effective intervention for toddlers with suspected autism.
• PC positively impacts both child language development and parental well-being.
• Community-based feasibility studies provide valuable insights for program implementation and refinement.