Childhood autism
Conditions
Interventions
Experimental group: Twelve parents or caregivers of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder will participate in weekly parental guidance sessions based on Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (F
s emotional behaviors. Control group: Twelve parents or caregivers will be allocated to a waitlist, but will also undergo assessments (coinciding with the pre- and post-intervention assessments of the
Sponsors
Instituto Brasiliense de Análise do Comportamento
Centro Universitário de Votuporanga - UNIFEV
Eligibility
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Be 18 years or older; both genders; be the primary caregiver of a child with a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (level I, II or III); child aged six to twelve years; child must have an established method of communication with the caregiver such as spoken language, communication board, communication cards or other; reside in Brazil
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Under 18 years old; not proficient in Portuguese; not the primary caregiver of a child with a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder; severe or profound intellectual disability in the child; absence of a reliable method of communication between caregiver and child; comorbid diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder in the child or caregiver; high risk of violence defined as need for serious medical attention in the past two weeks due to dysregulated behavior of the child or caregiver; active suicidal risk or suicide plan according to the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| It is expected to observe an improvement in the emotional regulation of autistic children following their parents’/caregivers’ participation in the parent guidance intervention based on Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP). This outcome will be assessed through the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory (EDI-24), administered at pre- and post-intervention. Verification will be conducted by comparing mean scores and calculating effect sizes (Cohen’s d), considering clinically relevant changes toward reduced emotional dysregulation (expected reductions of approximately 5 to 10 points on the total scale, corresponding to moderate to large effects, d = 0.5). | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| It is expected to identify improvements in psychological and relational variables among caregivers, including emotion regulation skills, autism acceptance, perceived stigma, caregiver burden, relationship closeness, levels of awareness, courage and love, self-compassion, social engagement, emotional acceptance, and depressive symptoms. These outcomes will be assessed using standardized psychometric instruments (e.g., Autism Acceptance Scale for Supporters, Caregiver Strain Questionnaire, Awareness, Courage and Responsiveness Scale – ECCR, State Self-Compassion Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, among others). Verification will be carried out by comparing pre- and post-intervention mean scores and calculating effect sizes (Cohen’s d), considering statistically and clinically relevant changes (expected increases or decreases of approximately 5 to 10 points on the scales, with moderate to large effects, d = 0.5). | — |
Countries
Brazil
Contacts
Public ContactRodrigo Xavier
Instituto Brasiliense de Análise do Comportamento
Outcome results
None listed