A Digital Health Parent-Training Intervention for Children With Social Communication Delays

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a self-directed, online parent-training program designed to help young children with autism spectrum disorder or social communication delays develop important skills during a critical period of brain development. This pilot randomized controlled trial will compare the effects of this digital intervention to treatment as usual, aiming to support families facing challenges like diagnosis delays, long waitlists, and limited access to services. The study also explores how willing parents are to engage with the program to improve their children's communication and daily living abilities. The study includes two groups: one will continue their usual care, and the other will use the OPT-In-Early program, which consists of 14 online modules featuring text, narration, and videos that teach parents naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention strategies. These strategies focus on increasing children's social engagement, communication, adaptive behaviors, and reducing challenging behaviors. Families in the usual care group will get access to the program after completing the study. Participants will be assessed at the start and after four months using measures such as the Motor Imitation Scale, Vineland Scales of Adaptive Behavior-3, and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Additional assessments include goal attainment, quizzes on the program content, and treatment evaluations. Parents must complete two study visits and have internet access to participate. The total study duration for each child and parent is four months, during which researchers will monitor progress and parent engagement.

A Digital Health Parent-Training Intervention for Children With Social Communication Delays