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Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the WHO Caregiver Skills Training in Public Health Services in Italy

Semantic Scholar · Article (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders) · ae5bfb59f55cc2e4eeee8e088653113a63b92b91 · Published 2021-10-22 · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · 13 authors

Abstract and citation only, verbatim from Semantic Scholar; full text lives there. All credit to the authors and Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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.

Authors

  • E. Salomone
  • Michele Settanni
  • H. McConachie
  • K. Suma
  • F. Ferrara
  • Giulia Foletti
  • A. Salandin
  • Felicity L. Laura Stephanie Brown Pacione Shire
  • F. Brown
  • Laura Pacione
  • Stephanie Y. Shire
  • C. Servili
  • L. Adamson

Keywords

  • Medicine
  • Psychology

Citation

E. Salomone, Michele Settanni, H. McConachie , et al. (2021). Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the WHO Caregiver Skills Training in Public Health Services in Italy. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Semantic Scholar ID ae5bfb59f55cc2e4eeee8e088653113a63b92b91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05297-x ↗