Co-Designing a Digital Coach-Supported Parenting Program for Internalising Problems in Autistic Children.

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

• Autistic children frequently experience depression and anxiety.
• Parents are crucial in mitigating internalizing disorders in autistic children.
• Existing technology-assisted parenting programs require adaptation for parents of autistic children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To co-design adaptations for the Partners in Parenting Kids program.
• To enhance program relevance and acceptability for parents of school-aged autistic children.
• To empower parents in supporting their child's mental health.

Main Methods:

• Iterative two-phase co-design study with parents (n=5) and service providers (n=5).
• Phase 1: Semi-structured interviews to explore experiences and needs.
• Phase 2: Eight co-design workshops for collaborative program adaptation, analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Phase 1 themes: Parenting challenges, unique parent knowledge, desired program qualities.
• Phase 2 themes: Community connections, autism acceptance, community diversity.
• Identified design implications for the Partners in Parenting Kids-Autism program.

Conclusions:

• Findings offer critical insights into desired qualities of parenting programs for parents of autistic children.
• Key design recommendations for future interventions empowering parents.
• The co-designed program, Partners in Parenting Kids-Autism, addresses unique needs for improved child mental health support.