The Incredible Years Autism Spectrum and Language Delays Parent Program: A Pragmatic, Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common and particularly stressful for parents. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of delivering a parenting program in existing services, and the feasibility of conducting a future large‐scale Randomized Controlled Trial evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention. Parents of children aged 3–8 years with a diagnosis of ASD, or strongly suspected ASD were eligible to participate. A multicenter, pragmatic, feasibility randomized controlled trial was conducted in four specialist children's services in Wales. Families were randomly assigned to receive the Incredible Years® Autism Spectrum and Language Delays (IY‐ASLD) parent program immediately or to a wait‐list, treatment as usual control condition. IY‐ASLD sessions were delivered once a week for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes related to feasibility (recruitment, retention, fidelity, and acceptability). Preliminary outcome analyses were conducted using covariance models controlling for study site and baseline scores. From October 5 to December 19, 2016, 58 families were randomized, 29 to IY‐ASLD and 29 to control. Three parents did not attend any sessions while 19 (73%) completed the program. Fidelity of delivery was high (88%), as was satisfaction with the program. Fifty‐three (91%) completed the follow‐up measures. All 95% CIs for effect sizes included zero in exploratory outcome analyses. This study supports the feasibility of delivering the IY‐ASLD in existing services with good levels of acceptability and fidelity evident. A larger randomized controlled trial is required to examine the effectiveness of the program. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1011‐1022. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of delivering a parenting program for parents of children aged 3–8 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder in existing child services. Recruitment and retention in the study were good and parents rated all aspects of the program positively. Practitioners were able to deliver the program as intended and the measures used for program outcomes were appropriate. A larger study to examine program effectiveness would be feasible.

Development of the Observation Schedule for Children with Autism–Anxiety, Behaviour and Parenting (OSCA–ABP): A New Measure of Child and Parenting Behavior for Use with Young Autistic Children

“…removal of social attention), but may elicit different reactions from autistic children. Furthermore, Williams et al (2020) found that some parents found the child-led play component of the DPICS challenging due to difficulties in getting their autistic child to engage. Measures may therefore require modification in order to be reliable and valid assessments of child and parenting behavior in autism.…”

Parent-Mediated Interventions for Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The control groups consisted of waitlist or other passive control conditions in 11 of the studies ( 31 , 36 , 37 , 42 , 45 – 47 , 49 , 51 , 52 , 54 ); treatment/management as usual in 10 of the studies ( 25 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 39 , 40 , 43 , 44 , 48 , 53 ); an active control with a less extensive educational program, psycho-education, placebo parent-intervention in eight of the studies; and anti-psychotic medicine (risperidone) alone in a single study ( 26 , 27 , 29 , 33 – 35 , 38 , 41 , 50 ). Four studies ( 36 , 41 , 47 , 54 ) either did not report data predefined as primary or secondary outcomes in the present context or did not report data in a manner for them to be included in the meta-analysis.…”

Protocol for a randomized pilot study (FIRST STEPS): implementation of the Incredible Years-ASLD® program in Spanish children with Autism and preterm children with communication and/or socialization difficulties

“…It also focuses on how to use positive discipline to set limits and handle misbehavior. A pragmatic randomized controlled trial has been recently published, supporting the feasibility of delivering this intervention in the UK National Health Service (NHS), and showing good levels of acceptability, compliance and delity to the program (33,34).…”