1. Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the WHO Caregiver Skills Training in Public Health Services in Italy
- Author
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Salomone E., Settanni M., McConachie H., Suma K., Ferrara F., Foletti G., Salandin A., Brown F. L., Pacione L., Shire S., Servili C., Adamson L. B., Salomone, E, Settanni, M, Mcconachie, H, Suma, K, Ferrara, F, Foletti, G, Salandin, A, Brown, F, Pacione, L, Shire, S, Servili, C, and Adamson, L
- Subjects
Male ,Parents ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Autism Spectrum Disorder ,Pilot Projects ,World Health Organization ,law.invention ,Skills training ,Randomized controlled trial ,law ,Statistical significance ,Developmental and Educational Psychology ,medicine ,Humans ,Caregiver skills training ,Parent-Child Relations ,Public health ,Parenting stress ,Mean age ,Parent–Child relation ,Health Services ,medicine.disease ,Child autism ,Caregivers ,Child, Preschool ,Physical therapy ,Autism ,Parenting education ,Psychology - Abstract
Parents of children with ASD (N = 86; mean age 44.8 months; 67 boys) were randomized to either WHO Caregiver Skills Training (CST) delivered in public health settings in Italy or enhanced treatment-as-usual. Primary blinded outcomes were 3-months post-intervention change scores of autism severity and engagement during caregiver-child interaction. CST was highly acceptable to caregivers and feasibly delivered by trained local clinicians. Intention-to-treat analysis showed a large and significant effect on parent skills supporting joint engagement and a smaller significant effect on flow of interaction. Expected changes in child autism severity and joint engagement did not meet statistical significance. Analysis of secondary outcomes showed a significant effect on parenting stress, self-efficacy, and child gestures. Strategies to improve the effectiveness of CST are discussed.
- Published
- 2021