This study will evaluate elopement prevention kits for children with autism spectrum disorder who exhibit elopement behavior such as dashing or wandering away from safe settings. Caregivers will be asked to rate how useful individual kit items are at reducing elopement, and to provide feedback about how ESCAPE kits affect their stress levels and ability to engage meaningfully in community settings. This study will also investigate how useful kit items are for various age groups in childhood and adolescence. Information will be used to guide development of a larger elopement prevention program.
open-label feasibility study evaluates the ESCAPE elopement prevention kits for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Kits include safety tools and visual aids intended to reduce elopement behavior. Caregivers assess the usefulness of each item and report on continued use, stress levels, and perceived impact on elopement behavior. Data will inform future large-scale studies.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
65
Kits included high locks / bolts on doors (Wideskall 3" gate door latch), door/window alarm (GE 45117 Wireless Alarm with Programmable Keypad), stop sign visual aid (reusable sticker from stickergenius.com), ID tag (SmartKidsID Child ID / Medical ID shoe tag), Bluetooth tracker (BzT patch), safety harness (Dr. Meter AntiLost Link), temporary tattoos (SafetyTat), an information sheet that includes a disclaimer that kit items should be used as intended by manufacturer, that caregivers should monitor the continued proper use of kit items, and that the use of kit items is not a substitute for proper adult supervision of the child. This sheet also included other commonly-recommended EPM such inclusion of elopement accommodations in the child's individualized education plan (if applicable), informing neighbors and/or local law enforcement about the child's elopement behavior, use of safety gates at home, use of temporary tattoos, social stories, and consideration for swimming lessons.
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Number of Kit Items Still in Use at 3 Months
Count of individual ESCAPE kit items still actively used by caregivers, reported via REDCap survey.
Time frame: 3 months after kit reception
Caregiver-Rated Usefulness of Individual Kit Items
Caregiver ratings of each ESCAPE kit item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Not Useful to 5 = Extremely Useful), collected via REDCap survey 3 months post-kit distribution
Time frame: 3 months after kit reception
Caregiver Perception of Kit Impact
Caregiver report of impact of kit on the child's elopement, caregiver's personal stress related to child's elopement behavior, and financial burden in having received kit items at no cost to them.
Time frame: 3 months after kit reception
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