Parent Training for Early Social Communication Delays Related to Autism

(SibWatch Trial)

Overseen By Lauren Hampton, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin

Disqualifiers: Receiving early intervention services

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

44 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I have to stop taking my current medications to join the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the idea that Parent Training for Early Social Communication Delays Related to Autism is an effective treatment?

The available research shows that parent training programs can positively impact social family life and improve communication in children with autism. For example, the ComAlong program led to small but significant improvements in parents' social life, especially for those with children diagnosed with autism. Additionally, the use of mobile apps like Map4speech has shown that parents can effectively learn and apply communication strategies, resulting in increased spontaneous word and gesture use by their children. These findings suggest that parent training can be an effective treatment for improving communication in children with autism. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What safety data exists for parent training in autism communication delays?

The provided studies focus on the efficacy and outcomes of various interventions for autism, including parent training, but do not specifically address safety data. They report improvements in communication, social interaction, and parental stress, suggesting positive outcomes without mentioning adverse effects. However, none of the studies explicitly discuss safety data or potential risks associated with the interventions. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Is the treatment 'Improving Parents as Communication Teachers' promising for early social communication delays related to autism?

Yes, 'Improving Parents as Communication Teachers' is a promising treatment. It helps parents teach their children better communication skills, which can lead to improvements in the children's social interactions and language abilities. ^{9 10 11 12 13}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Improving social communication outcomes for toddler siblings of children with autism, who are at high risk for multiple language and communication deficits beyond autism, has important public health implications. The proposed study is a pilot sequential multiple random assignment trial of 44 high-risk siblings that examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of an adaptive intervention for social communication. Evaluating effective parent-mediated communication support strategies for toddlers at high-risk supports NIDCD's mission of behavioral research focused on disordered language development and the prevention of health impairments such as communication disorders.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for toddlers who have a sibling with autism and are at high risk for communication challenges. They must not have hearing or vision loss, and their caregiver should speak English well enough to engage in the study's activities. Caregivers need to use English with the toddler at least half of the day. Toddlers already receiving early intervention services cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

I do not have any known hearing or vision loss.

My brother or sister has been diagnosed with autism.

Caregiver is willing to participate in study procedures

Exclusion Criteria

I am currently getting early intervention services.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Initial Intervention

Participants are randomly assigned to either a parent-mediated social communication intervention or monthly monitoring of social communication development.

3 months

Monthly visits

Adaptive Intervention

Participants with delayed social communication skills are re-randomized to continue or add video feedback. Those without delays receive reduced intervention or continued monitoring.

3 months

Monthly visits

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for social communication development and parent implementation of strategies.

4 months

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Improving Parents as Communication Teachers

Trial Overview The study tests an adaptive intervention called 'Improving Parents as Communication Teachers' aimed at enhancing social communication in toddlers at high risk due to having a sibling with autism. It will assess how feasible, acceptable, and effective this parent-mediated support strategy is.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention first Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will first be randomly assigned to a parent-mediated social communication intervention. At month 3 participants' social communication will be evaluated. Participants who present with delayed social communication skills will be randomly assigned to 2 additional treatment options: continue, or add video feedback. Participants who do not present with social communication delays will reduce intervention to a weekly phone call.

Group II: Developmental monitoring first Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will first be assigned to receive monthly monitoring of social communication development. At month 3 participants' social communication will be evaluated. Participants who present with delayed social communication skills will be randomly assigned to 2 additional treatment options: continue, or add video feedback. Participants who do not present with social communication delays will continue to receive developmental monitoring.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Texas at Austin

Lead Sponsor

Trials

387

Recruited

86,100+

Findings from Research

The study tested a new model called Partners in School, involving 26 teachers and 49 parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), aimed at improving communication about evidence-based practices.

Results showed that after participating in the program, both parents and teachers reported better communication and perceived improvements in child outcomes, suggesting that effective communication can positively impact the development of children with ASD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Partners in School: An Innovative Parent-Teacher Consultation Model for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Azad, GF., Marcus, SC., Sheridan, SM., et al.[2021]

A study involving 467 parents showed that the ComAlong intervention, which focuses on responsive communication and AAC strategies, led to small but significant improvements in parents' perceptions of their social life after the program.

The most notable positive changes in social life were observed in parents of children with non-syndromic diagnoses and those with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD, suggesting that targeted communication training can enhance family dynamics and children's social participation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parental perceptions of social life before and after attending a parent training program for children with complex communication needs: the ComAlong example. Backman, E., Åsberg Johnels, J., Thunberg, G.[2023]

The Map4speech mobile application effectively trains parents in naturalistic language interventions for children with autism, showing over 85% procedural integrity in parents' techniques after training.

Children of parents using the app demonstrated increased spontaneous word and gesture use, indicating that mobile technology can enhance communication outcomes in young children with autism.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of behavior modeling training in a mobile app parent training program to improve functional communication of young children with autism spectrum disorder. Law, GC., Neihart, M., Dutt, A.[2019]

In a study of 40 parent couples (80 parents total) involved in speech-language therapy for children with autism, fathers were found to communicate less with therapists and participate less in assessment and planning compared to mothers.

Fathers reported lower satisfaction with parent-therapist communication and planning, highlighting the need for interventionists to engage both parents more effectively in therapy to improve outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent couples' participation in speech-language therapy for school-age children with autism spectrum disorder in the United States. Flippin, M., Hahs-Vaughn, DL.[2020]

A study involving 27 caregivers of children with autism revealed that most parents continued to use communication strategies learned from the Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy-Generalised intervention up to 2 years after the trial ended.

Key factors influencing the use of these strategies included parental confidence and alignment of goals, while challenges such as the child's behavior acted as barriers, highlighting the need for tailored support in future interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using implementation science frameworks to explore barriers and facilitators for parents' use of therapeutic strategies following a parent-mediated autism intervention. Carruthers, S., Mleczko, N., Page, S., et al.[2023]

The 'Autism-1-2-3' intervention, tested over 2 weeks with 17 children, showed significant improvements in language, social interaction, and symbolic play for children with autism compared to a control group.

Parents reported reduced stress levels and perceived improvements in their children's communication and social skills, highlighting the intervention's potential to support families during the waiting period for public health services.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized controlled trial for early intervention for autism: a pilot study of the Autism 1-2-3 Project. Wong, VC., Kwan, QK.[2022]

The parent-assisted blended intervention, called the Growing, Learning, and Living With Autism Group, was effective in improving social communication and self-regulation knowledge in 17 first and second graders with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents, as shown by pre- and post-intervention assessments.

The positive effects of the intervention were maintained at 3 and 6 months after the program, indicating its potential long-term benefits, although the intervention did not significantly improve parent-child interactions as observed in video recordings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy Study of a Social Communication and Self-Regulation Intervention for School-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nowell, SW., Watson, LR., Boyd, B., et al.[2021]

A randomized trial involving 68 preschoolers with autism showed that a multi-component communication intervention, including caregiver training and a speech-generating device, significantly improved joint attention skills immediately after the intervention.

The same intervention also led to improvements in social communication skills four months later, suggesting its potential long-term benefits for children with autism who are minimally verbal.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Multi-component communication intervention for children with autism: A randomized controlled trial. Hampton, LH., Kaiser, AP., Fuller, EA.[2021]

The OPT-In-Early online program significantly improved parents' ability to use effective intervention strategies with their autistic children after 4 months, demonstrating its efficacy in training caregivers.

While the program did not show immediate improvements in children's social communication skills, it suggests that longer use of the learned strategies may be necessary for noticeable benefits in children's development.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An initial trial of OPT-In-Early: An online training program for caregivers of autistic children. Dai, YG., Thomas, RP., Brennan, L., et al.[2023]

A training course for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder significantly improved parents' use of facilitative communication strategies and increased their children's vocabulary size after 7 months.

The study involved 51 children aged 24 to 48 months and demonstrated that the intervention was well-received, indicating its potential effectiveness in enhancing communication skills for both parents and children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A controlled trial of a training course for parents of children with suspected autism spectrum disorder. McConachie, H., Randle, V., Hammal, D., et al.[2022]

The study showed that behavioral skills training (BST) significantly improved the ability of four parents to teach social skills to their children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), as evidenced by direct observation of both parent and child behaviors.

Improvements in social skills were maintained one month after training, indicating that BST is an effective and sustainable method for enhancing social skills in children with ASDs through parental involvement.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent-implemented behavioral skills training of social skills. Dogan, RK., King, ML., Fischetti, AT., et al.[2018]

The intervention 'Improving Parents As Communication Teachers' was effective in enhancing the expressive language abilities of girls with a single older sibling with autism, particularly when the girls were identified as low risk for autism themselves.

The study involved 97 high-risk siblings and their parents, but it did not find significant improvements in parenting stress or effectiveness, suggesting that while the intervention benefits children's communication skills, it may not directly alleviate parental challenges.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

For which younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder does parent-mediated intervention work? Yoder, PJ., Stone, WL., Edmunds, SR.[2022]

A 12-week individualized parent-child education program for toddlers newly diagnosed with autism showed that parents effectively learned naturalistic therapeutic techniques, enhancing their ability to engage with their children.

Children in the program exhibited sustained improvements in social communication behaviors, indicating that early intervention can positively impact developmental outcomes for young children with autism.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can one hour per week of therapy lead to lasting changes in young children with autism? Vismara, LA., Colombi, C., Rogers, SJ.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Partners in School: An Innovative Parent-Teacher Consultation Model for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. [2021]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parental perceptions of social life before and after attending a parent training program for children with complex communication needs: the ComAlong example. [2023]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of behavior modeling training in a mobile app parent training program to improve functional communication of young children with autism spectrum disorder. [2019]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent couples' participation in speech-language therapy for school-age children with autism spectrum disorder in the United States. [2020]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using implementation science frameworks to explore barriers and facilitators for parents' use of therapeutic strategies following a parent-mediated autism intervention. [2023]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized controlled trial for early intervention for autism: a pilot study of the Autism 1-2-3 Project. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy Study of a Social Communication and Self-Regulation Intervention for School-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. [2021]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Multi-component communication intervention for children with autism: A randomized controlled trial. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An initial trial of OPT-In-Early: An online training program for caregivers of autistic children. [2023]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A controlled trial of a training course for parents of children with suspected autism spectrum disorder. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent-implemented behavioral skills training of social skills. [2018]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

For which younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder does parent-mediated intervention work? [2022]

13. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can one hour per week of therapy lead to lasting changes in young children with autism? [2022]