A culturally grounded autism parent training program with Black parents

Area of Science:

• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
• Cultural Adaptation of Interventions
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Parent training programs for ASD often lack cultural adaptation for under-represented communities.
• Black children with autism face disparities in diagnosis and service access.
• There is a critical need for culturally relevant interventions to reduce these gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a culturally adapted parent training program for Black parents of children with autism.
• To assess the program's impact on parent empowerment, engagement, and satisfaction.
• To explore the experiences of Black parents within the autism support system.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a parent training program by The Color of Autism Foundation.
• Program featured a "circle of support" to address racial trauma and utilized Black parents as facilitators.
• Data collected on parent satisfaction, engagement (session attendance), and empowerment levels.

Main Results:

• Parents reported high satisfaction and engagement, attending an average of five out of six sessions.
• Participants reported increased feelings of empowerment.
• Persistent mistrust in medical/research communities and a demand for more Black providers were noted.

Conclusions:

• Culturally adapted parent training, incorporating support circles and peer facilitators, can be effective for Black families affected by autism.
• Addressing racial trauma and building trust are crucial components for equitable autism support.
• Further research should explore parent-provider relationships and the impact of healing circles for Black families.