Trial of Autism Parent Navigator Program

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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To address the dual needs of parents for support in navigating Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) services and maintaining positive family functioning, the investigators propose to test Autism Parent Navigators (APN), an innovative in-home, peer support model for parents with a young child recently diagnosed with ASD.

Official Title
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Test of an Innovative, Scalable Support Program for Parents With a Young Child Recently Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Conditions
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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Autism Parent Navigators
* Behavioral: Peer mentoring


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Parents of children who have been newly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The child will be age 2-6 years and been diagnosed with ASD in the past four months. The child is the first child in the family to be diagnosed with ASD. Parents are not already involved in a parent mentoring relationship. Parents are currently involved in a couple relationship, including same-sex partners, dating couples, adoptive parents and step-parent families. Exclusion Criteria: None

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 2 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Autism Parent Navigators Intervention<br>Autism Parent Navigators Intervention is a manualized, in-home, peer support model for parents with a young child recently diagnosed with ASD. | Behavioral: Autism Parent Navigators<br>* The Autism Parent Navigator program consists of six sessions delivered to parents in the home, supporting adjustment to ASD, accessing services, and coparenting support.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Peer mentoring<br>Peer mentors will offer an equivalent number of in-home or telephone visits for families, providing non-manualized peer support. | Behavioral: Peer mentoring<br>* Six in-home or telephone sessions, depending on family uptake, providing non-manualized general support as usual from parent peer mentors regarding adjustment to ASD.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Count of Service Navigation Behaviors | Engagement with ASD-related Services | 12 month | 
| Parenting Scale (Arnold) | Parenting consistency, warmth | 12 month | 
| CES-Depression | Parent depression | 12 month | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coparenting Relationship Scale (Feinberg, Brown, & Kan, 2012) | Coparenting Support | 12 month | 
| Family Empowerment Scale - FES | Parent Efficacy regarding Service Access | 12 month | 
| PDD-BI | Challenging Child Behaviors: Aggression, Non-compliance | 12 month |