Development and Validation of a Home-based Psychosocial Intervention Module for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Despite its high prevalence, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents specific difficulties for families, especially in India. Where access to early and affordable treatment is limited. Parents often struggle to manage behavioral and developmental issues due to shortages of trained professionals and high therapy costs. This study aimed to develop and validate a culturally appropriate, low-cost, home-based psychosocial intervention module for parents of children with ASD. This study presents the development and validation of a culturally relevant, home-based psychosocial intervention module for parents of children with ASD in India. Unlike previous research that often focused on clinic-based or resource-intensive interventions, this module integrates evidence-based strategies with parental perspectives and expert input to address real-world challenges in resource-limited settings. Its novelty lies in combining child-focused techniques with parental well-being strategies within a structured eight-session format. By emphasizing accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and feasibility, this work contributes a practical and scalable model that complements existing treatments and bridges critical service gaps.

The study was conducted in two phases between August 2022 and November 2023. Phase I (development of module): The module was systematically developed through literature review, semi-structured parent interviews, and multidisciplinary expert consultations to identify culturally relevant and feasible intervention components. The preliminary module, consisting of eight structured sessions that integrate behavioral, communication, and emotional regulation strategies derived from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and play therapy principles, was developed based on these inputs. Phase II (validation): The drafted module underwent content and face validation by 15 domain experts using structured rating scales, and item-content validity index (I-CVI) values were computed for each session.

The development phase identified key parental challenges, including limited access to therapy, stigma, and financial constraints. In the validation phase, experts rated all module items as highly relevant (I-CVI = 0.86-1.00). Qualitative feedback emphasized the module's clarity, contextual relevance, and practicality for Indian families.

The validated intervention module offers a practical, evidence-based framework for ASD interventions in resource-limited settings. A further pilot study will evaluate its acceptability, usability, and impact on parental outcomes and symptom management.