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One core component of the Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised involves supporting parents to change their interaction and communication style with their child. This behaviour change has been found to affect child outcomes. Implementation science methodologies offer a range of opportunities to investigate how interventions are delivered in practice; however, few autism intervention studies have used such designs to explore the behaviour change of parents. We interviewed 27 parents and explored their use of intervention strategies after the Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised trial. We employed the Theoretical Domains Framework and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to systematically explore a range of barriers and facilitators experienced by the parents associated with parents' characteristics, their context and features of the intervention. Our analysis revealed barriers and facilitators across three themes: Motivating Factors, which was further subdivided into Compatibility and Buy-In and Alignment of Goals and Outcomes; Opportunity and Support; Parent Characteristics. Almost all parents reported continued use of the Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised strategies. Facilitators (e.g. parental confidence in using the strategies) and barriers (e.g. child's behaviour) were identified. Consideration of these factors can inform identification of implementation strategies to test in future studies of Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised and other parent-mediated early autism interventions. Many early autism interventions teach parents therapeutic strategies to help them adjust their communication style with their children. Research has shown that this behaviour change in parents leads to improvements in child communication. It is, therefore, important to learn what factors support or hinder parents in their use of therapeutic strategies learned in such interventions. This study set out to interview parents who had participated in a research trial of the Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised intervention. We interviewed 27 caregivers and explored their use of the strategies up to 2 years after the end of the research trial. Qualitative frameworks were used to inform interview questions and data analysis. These frameworks focused on a range of contextual factors, including parents' characteristics, their context and features of the intervention. Parents reported barriers and facilitators to using Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised strategies across three themes: Motivating Factors; Opportunity and Support; Parent Characteristics. One of these themes, Motivating Factors, was further divided into the subthemes Compatibility and Buy-In and Alignment of Goals and Outcomes. Almost all parents reported continued use of the Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy–Generalised strategies. Facilitators included parental confidence in using the strategies and barriers included child's behaviour. Consideration of these factors can inform ways to better support parents in future autism interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability affecting over 1% of UK children. The period following a child's autism diagnosis can present real challenges in adaptation for families. Twenty to 50% of caregivers show clinically significant levels of mental health need within the post-diagnostic period and on an ongoing basis. Best practice guidelines recommend timely post-diagnostic family support. Current provision is patchy, largely unevidenced, and a source of dissatisfaction for both families and professionals. There is a pressing need for an evidenced programme of post-diagnostic support focusing on caregiver mental health and adjustment, alongside autism psycho-education. This trial tests the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a new brief manualised psychosocial intervention designed to address this gap., Methods: This is a multi-centre two-parallel-group single (researcher)-blinded randomised controlled trial of the Empower-Autism programme plus treatment-as-usual versus usual local post-diagnostic offer plus treatment-as-usual. Caregivers of children aged 2-15 years with a recent autism diagnosis will be recruited from North West England NHS or local authority centres. Randomisation is individually by child, with one "index" caregiver per child, stratified by centre, using 2:1 randomisation ratio to assist recruitment and timely intervention. Empower-Autism is a group-based, manualised, post-diagnostic programme that combines autism psycho-education and psychotherapeutic components based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to support caregiver mental health, stress management and adjustment to their child's diagnosis. The comparator is any usual local group-based post-diagnostic psycho-education offer. Receipt of services will be specified through health economic data., Primary Outcome: caregiver mental health (General Health Questionnaire-30) at 52-week follow-up., Secondary Outcomes: key caregiver measures (wellbeing, self-efficacy, adjustment, autism knowledge) at 12-, 26- and 52-week follow-up and family and child outcomes (wellbeing and functioning) at 52-week endpoint., Sample: N=380 (approximately 253 intervention/127 treatment-as-usual). Primary analysis will follow intention-to-treat principles using linear mixed models with random intercepts for group membership and repeated measures. Cost-effectiveness acceptability analyses will be over 52 weeks, with decision modelling to extrapolate to longer time periods., Discussion: If effective, this new approach will fill a key gap in the provision of evidence-based care pathways for autistic children and their families., Trial Registration: ISRCTN 45412843 . Prospectively registered on 11 September 2019., (© 2022. The Author(s).)