NCT05588570

Coaching Children With Anxiety and Autism Through Telehealth

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 17 (actual)
• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 48 Months – 107 Months
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will examine a telehealth parenting intervention to reduce anxiety in 20 families of children between 4 and 8 years old with autism and anxiety. Caregivers and children complete 12 telehealth treatment sessions. Caregivers and children will complete pre tests, post tests, and 3 month followup assessments that include observations, heart rate monitoring, and caregiver ratings.

Detailed description

This study will examine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a telehealth adaptation of a parenting intervention to reduce anxiety (Coaching Approach behavior Leading by Modeling; CALM) amongst 20 families of children between 4 and 8 years old with autism and anxiety. Our time limited telehealth-delivered adaptation of CALM is called CAT (Coaching Children with Anxiety and Autism through Telehealth). The study will utilize an open trial design with pre, post, and 3-month follow-up assessments including observational measures, physiological measures, and caregiver ratings.

Conditions

• Autism
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	CAT	Treatment includes 12 sessions: 2 caregiver teach sessions, 4 caregiver coach sessions in the child-directed interaction (CDI) phase, and 6 caregiver coach sessions in the DADS (Describe situation, Approach situation, give Direct command for child to join situation, provide Selective attention based on child's performance) phase. Throughout the 12 sessions, caregivers are coached through exposures in which the child is given the opportunity to slowly encounter anxiety-provoking factors. In the first session, caregivers are provided psychoeducation on anxiety and parenting practices and taught PRIDE (praise, reflect, imitate, describe, enjoy) skills, which are aimed at increasing approach behaviors and decreasing avoidant behaviors. In the CDI phase, caregivers are coached live via Bluetooth headset through the PRIDE and active ignoring skills. In the last 5 sessions, caregivers are coached through the DADS protocol while working up the Fear Hierarchy with the child.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-09-23
• Primary completion: 2024-01-31
• Completion: 2024-01-31
• First posted: 2022-10-20
• Last updated: 2024-03-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States