"Going Mobile"-increasing the reach of parent-mediated intervention for toddlers with ASD via group-based and virtual delivery.
Jessica Brian, Abbie Solish, Erin Dowds and 9 others
PMID 35608785WHAT IT FOUND
Parents who coached their toddlers with autism via virtual groups learned strategies and improved their children's vocal communication just as well as those meeting in person.
Virtual delivery is a feasible option that maintains gains while removing travel barriers for families.
Key findings
01Virtual delivery of parent-mediated intervention resulted in similar improvements in parent strategy use and child vocal communication compared to in-person groups.
02Families in the virtual group attended coaching sessions at higher rates than in-person families, though they completed fewer questionnaires.
03Parenting stress decreased over time in both groups, with a larger reduction seen in the in-person condition, though this difference did not reach statistical significance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was not randomized, and the virtual group was delivered exclusively during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced family availability, stress levels, and data completion rates. High missing data from the virtual group for parent-reported outcomes limits the certainty of findings regarding stress and language. The study lacked a control group, so it cannot determine if gains were due to the intervention or natural development. The satisfaction measure was not adapted for the group format, limiting insights into specific acceptability of the new delivery model.
Declared interests
Co-authors Brian and Bryson co-developed the Social ABCs intervention but receive no royalties. The study was funded by the Alva Foundation, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Kids Brain Health Network, and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that virtual delivery is superior because attendance was higher. The virtual group was run during the pandemic when families were home, which likely inflated attendance and reduced questionnaire completion. The lack of significant differences in primary outcomes suggests virtual delivery is comparable, not better, and the high missing data in the virtual group means parent-reported benefits are less certain.