Family Check-Up for Autism

Overseen By Teresa Bennett, MD, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: McMaster University

Disqualifiers: Non-English, Other study, Safeguarding, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

82 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Many children and youth with autism spectrum disorder have high levels of emotional and behavioural problems. Parents play a powerful role in supporting their children's well-being. Research also shows that certain factors (e.g., parent mental health, access to services) can affect autistic children's well-being in important ways. Despite this, autism services rarely ask about, or act upon, the factors that we know affect child and family well-being. We are addressing this problem by testing a program called the Family Check-Up within a large autism service. The Family Check-Up is a strengths-based, family-centred program aimed at improving child well-being by working with parents to identify their family's unique strengths and challenges, set goals for change, strengthen positive parenting, and connect to needed supports.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for children aged 6-17 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who show high levels of emotional and behavioral problems. They must be enrolled in the Ontario Autism Program, live with a caregiver consistently, and have a developmental age of at least 2 years. Parents need to speak English well enough for assessments but can't join if they're in another study or have done the Family Check-Up before.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been living with my caregiver consistently for the past 2 months and will continue to do so.

Elevated emotional and behaviour problems

My child is at least 2 years old in terms of development.

Exclusion Criteria

Current enrollment in another intervention study

Active significant safeguarding concerns (e.g., child acute severe self-harm or aggression, acute parent or child suicidality)

Parent with insufficient knowledge of English to complete assessments

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Family Check-Up

Trial Overview The trial is testing the 'Family Check-Up' program within an autism service setting. This program focuses on enhancing child well-being by empowering parents through identifying family strengths, goal-setting, positive parenting techniques, and connecting them to additional resources.

Participant Groups

Group I: Family Check-Up Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Families randomized to the Family Check-Up arm will be connected with a clinician who will provide the Family Check-Up. The Family Check-Up® (FCU) is an ecologically sensitive, evidence-based intervention that was developed to decrease childhood EBP by 1) assessing known ecological (child, family and contextual) risk and protective factors; 2) engaging parents in a tailored plan to enhance positive parenting and family management skills; and 3) connecting families to a tailored suite of child and family services and supports. Services may include an evidence-based suite of parenting sessions ("Everyday Parenting Curriculum \[EPC\]") created by FCU developers for direct tailoring to the FCU feedback session.

Group II: Treatment as Usual Active Control 1 Intervention

Treatment as Usual participants will be connected to a Family Service Coordinator within the Autism Program, who can direct the family to appropriate services and resources. Services may include consultation on child behaviours, workshops on various topics, parenting programs, Applied Behaviour Analysis, support groups, and group recreational programs. Families in the treatment as usual arm will be offered the Family Check-Up upon completion of the study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

McMaster University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

936

Recruited

2,630,000+

Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation

Collaborator

Trials

380

Recruited

345,000+