The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a family support program helps Navajo parents and guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other developmental concerns. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the program something families find useful and easy to take part in? * Does the program raise parents' knowledge and confidence in using strategies that support their child's development? * Does the program help children improve in areas such as social communication? Researchers will compare two groups: * One group of parents will join the program right away. * The other group will join the program after waiting. Participants will: * Be randomly placed into the "immediate" or "waitlist control" group using simple randomization. * Take part in sessions led by trained Navajo Family Advisors, who are parents of children with ASD. * Learn and practice strategies they can use at home to support their child * Answer surveys about their experience, knowledge, and their child's progress
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
29
A culturally adapted parent training program delivered by trained Navajo Family Advisors, focused on teaching parents/guardians evidence-based strategies to support their child's development and family well-being.
Department of Health Sciences - Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
Parent Knowledge of Evidence-Based Strategies
Mean score on a parent-report survey assessing comprehension and confidence using strategies taught in the program.
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Child Social Communication
Mean score on the Social Communication Questionnaire (Rutter, Bailey, \& Lord, 2003), a parent-report survey assessing their child's social communication skills.
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Frequency Using Intervention Strategies
Mean score on a parent-report survey assessing the frequency of use of the learned intervention strategies.
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Family Outcomes
Mean score on the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised, a parent-reported measure of their child's strengths, needs, and abilities (Waschl et al., 2021).
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Child problem behavior
Mean score on the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form, an assessment of problematic behavior in children (Aman et al., 1996).
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Service Use
Number and type of services the child has received.
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Autism Parenting Stress
Mean score on the Autism Parenting Stress Index (Silva \& Schalock, 2012).
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Parent Health Literacy
Mean score on the BRIEF Health Literacy Measure (Sand-Jecklin, \& Coyle, 2014).
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
Parent Depression
Parent-reported depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).
Time frame: Immediate intervention group: Baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-months post-intervention. Waitlist intervention group: Baseline, 2-months after baseline, and 2-months after second assessment.
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