None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Children diagnosed with autism can experience difficulties expressing and communicating their emotions, which can be linked to later mental health difficulties. There is evidence that a parent emotion coaching program, called Tuning in to Toddlers, can improve a parent's ability to respond to their child's emotions and impact child behaviours; however, it is unknown whether this program would be suitable for children diagnosed with autism. The purpose of this feasibility pilot is to understand whether it is feasible to deliver this program to families of very young autistic children and family's perspectives and acceptability of this program.
Interventions
The intervention, 'Tuning in to Toddlers’, studied in this trial is a developmentally adapted version of the 'Tuning in to Kids’ program, an emotion-focused parenting program for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The program is based on emotional socialisation theory, integrating attachment, mindfulness, and neurobiological theories and concepts. The Tuning in to Toddlers program has previously been developed and trialled for non-autistic toddlers (ACTRN12615000962538).
The
The intervention, 'Tuning in to Toddlers’, studied in this trial is a developmentally adapted version of the 'Tuning in to Kids’ program, an emotion-focused parenting program for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The program is based on emotional socialisation theory, integrating attachment, mindfulness, and neurobiological theories and concepts. The Tuning in to Toddlers program has previously been developed and trialled for non-autistic toddlers (ACTRN12615000962538). The intervention is parent-mediated; that is, intervention where parents are the primary agent of change for children' development. Children are not participants in this intervention; rather, parents/caregivers are the participants, with therapists providing strategies and tools for parents to implement in their everyday environments. The intervention is manualised, with all sessions including activities to support parental understanding and regulation of their own and their child's emotions. Within the program are five steps of emotion coaching, which provides parents with a model for responding to their child's emotions and supports parental understanding of how to: (a) be aware of their child's low-intensity emotions; (b) view their child's emotions as a time for intimacy and teaching; (c) communicate understanding and acceptance towards their child's emotions; (d) name the feeling; and (e) provide comfort, assist with choices, set limits, provide distraction, or problem solve. The program is psychoeducational, delivered through watching videos, discussion about parental beliefs and experiences of emotions, role-plays, and home activities - all of which facilitate parents' ability to engage in emotion coaching. Home activities are optional and may include using worksheets to help facilitate understanding of the program content. The intervention will be delivered as eight weekly, one-hour sessions, delivered one-on-one to parents, by community-based clinical professionals with sufficient knowledge and experience working with autistic children and families, delivered face-to-face (in a community-based clinic located in Perth) or online via video conferencing software. Two one-hour sessions, delivered at one and two-months post-program, will also be offered as optional 'booster' sessions. Intervention fidelity will be assessed through a checklist completed by the clinician at the end of each session. Adherence to the program will be assessed through participant completion of each session and attrition. Feedback from participants on the program acceptability will be assessed through interviews at the end of the program. Interviews will be semi-structured, using a study-specific interview guide. Interviews will be conducted by a member of the research team not involved in providing the program, lasting between 30 minutes to an hour, and will be audio recorded for transcription purposes.
Sponsors
The Kids Research Institute Australia
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Parent^ of a child: (1) aged between 18 - 48 months of age; (2) diagnosed with autism (autism, or autism spectrum disorder) or awaiting confirmation of an autism diagnosis (following diagnostic assessment); (3) experiencing emotion regulation difficulties (parent-reported). Parent: (1) can attend most planned intervention sessions; (2) can complete the program, questionnaires, and interview in English. ^'Parent' is an inclusive term, referring to anyone who takes a primary caregiving role for the child related to this study.
Exclusion criteria
(1) Unable to attend most planned intervention sessions; (2) Any active court proceedings or special care arrangements; and (3) Parental mental or physical health condition that causes significant distress and or impact on parenting and family life at the time of participation.
Outcome results
None listed