Group Based Parent Training for Children With Autism and Disruptive Behaviors

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: "Parent training for disruptive behaviors" manual (Bearss, Johnson, Handen, Butter, Lecavalier, Smith & Scahill, 2018)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04097457

GroupPT ASD

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of the study is to providing parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and disruptive behaviors essential skills to manage their children's behaviors using an evidence based parent training protocol. Beyond the feasibility of delivering an evidence based intervention in groups and with community partners, primary and secondary outcomes in both the children and the parents who participated in the study are assessed during and after the intervention process

Full description

the investigators will deliver parent-mediated, community-implemented, group intervention for parents of young children with autism and disruptive behavior. The intervention is 11-12 weeks and will take place in community settings such as special education schools and community centers.

Within these meetings parents will be given the skills to understand their child's behavior and work to modify those that are clinically disruptive to the child and their environment.

Groups will be facilitated by student therapists under direct weekly supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Data will be collected before, after, and throughout the intervention, primarily by parent-report with one teacher-report measure and two (pre/post) filmed parent-child interactions.

The primary desired outcome is a measurable decrease in the child's disruptive behaviors and an increase in their adaptive behaviors. Although the intervention specifically targets disruptive behavior, we expect to see consequent improvement in a number of linked domains. These represent desired secondary outcomes.

First, as a result of receiving concrete skills and seeing improvement in their child's behavior, as well as due to participation in the group with other families, a reduction in parental stress and an increase in their perceived self-efficacy should occur, as well as a reduction in the stress of the non-participating parent.

Second, after the reduction in disruptive behaviors there should be an improvement in autism symptomatology. Improvements in behavior will allow the child to benefit more from their environments, leading to social and developmental gains.

In the context of the current study, the impact of the intervention on family accommodation is also assessed, hypothesizing that by learning how to analyse and modify behaviors, parents are gaining a broader insight into the impact their own behaviors have on that of their children.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 8 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Formal ASD diagnosis

Exclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 3 patient groups

Parent mediated intervention (PMI) group

Experimental group

Description:

A short term parent training protocol based on behavioral principles, which is delivered by trained therapists. The protocol includes eleven core sessions, a home visit session, follow-up telephone booster sessions and seven supplemental sessions, designed to be delivered to parents in an outpatient and home settings. The protocol is administered to groups of 4 families.

Treatment:

Behavioral: "Parent training for disruptive behaviors" manual (Bearss, Johnson, Handen, Butter, Lecavalier, Smith & Scahill, 2018)

Waitlist control

Experimental group

Description:

Families will be recruited and will fill out measure for 3 months prior to participation and will then join the active intervention

Treatment:

Behavioral: "Parent training for disruptive behaviors" manual (Bearss, Johnson, Handen, Butter, Lecavalier, Smith & Scahill, 2018)

Individual

Experimental group

Description:

A short term parent training protocol based on behavioral principles, which is delivered by trained therapists. The protocol includes eleven core sessions, a home visit session, follow-up telephone booster sessions and seven supplemental sessions, designed to be delivered to parents in an outpatient and home settings. In this arm the protocol is administered individually to families.

Treatment:

Behavioral: "Parent training for disruptive behaviors" manual (Bearss, Johnson, Handen, Butter, Lecavalier, Smith & Scahill, 2018)