Supporting caregivers within caregiver-mediated interventions: a commentary on Brown et al. (2024)

A substantial portion of interventions designed to support autistic children are also designed to be delivered by caregivers (i.e. are 'caregiver-mediated'). Brown et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2024) are one of the first groups to critically examine the baseline skills that caregivers bring as they prepare to learn a class of interventions called Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), which are designed to support social communication growth in young autistic children. This commentary commends Brown and colleagues for their focus on caregivers, a linchpin within the increasingly prominent caregiver-mediated process of intervention delivery. However, it is imperative that future research understand the potential adverse effects and supports that are needed to bolster caregivers in this crucial role. We present six recommendations for research on caregiver-mediated interventions that build on Brown and colleagues' work and address these needs, which involve: caregiver supports, equitable samples, community settings, adaptive designs, general principles, and implications for NDBI dissemination.