Mixed Methods Findings from a Stepped Wedge Hybrid Implementation Trial of ATTAIN NAV: A Mental Health Family Navigation Intervention for Autistic Youth.

The analyzed sample was 56 caregiver-child dyads, below the planned 160 families, so the study is smaller than intended. The trial was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a pause in primary care services disrupted recruitment. Navigator turnover occurred, and one navigator was assigned to each condition, so differences between conditions may partly reflect navigator differences. Most outcomes were caregiver self-reports, except navigator fidelity. The qualitative interviews included 14 caregivers and did not explicitly capture experiences with the technology enhancements. Participants were largely privately insured and had relatively similar household income and education, so families with greater socioeconomic distress may not be represented. The paper does not name a single primary outcome, so it is not clear which result was the main test. The trial compared whole conditions, so it did not isolate the effect of each technology component.

The supplied text names the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health as funder and does not include an author conflict-of-interest statement.

Do not conclude that technology-enhanced family navigation is ineffective. The study did not isolate the effect of the technology components, both navigation conditions improved child behaviour and parent activation, and caregivers did not explicitly discuss the technology enhancements.