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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04298164

Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based Group Intervention for Parents of Children With a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study is being conducted to look at whether a group programme designed for parents of children with a diagnosis of Autism is effective. The programme is called The START Programme ©- as it aims to provide a Supportive and Therapeutic environment to help parents gain Acceptance and reach Resolution so that they can Take action to live more consistently with their values. The programme was developed by two psychologists in Longford/Westmeath, Ireland, Dr. Michelle Howard and Kara McDermott in 2013, because they identified a lack of therapeutic support for such parents. The programme draws on research and theory from a branch of therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as some other psychological techniques. Individuals who agree to participate in the research will be assigned at random to the intervention or to a treatment as usual control condition. They will be asked to fill out 4 questionnaires, on 3 different occasions, with a 7 week gap between the first time and second time, and a 3 month gap between the second and third time.

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Key information

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder Child Development Disorders, Pervasive Mental Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

HSE Donegal, Donegal, Ireland

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants must be adults over the age of 18 with the capacity to provide informed consent who are willing to take part in all aspects of the study
  • They must have at least 1 child with a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder who is linked in with one of the psychology service sites involved in the study.
  • They must not have completed the START programme before, or be concurrently attending another group based parental intervention.

Exclusion criteria

  • Individuals who are under the age of 18, or who unable or unwilling to provide informed consent for all aspects of the study will be not included.
  • Individuals who are receiving other current group based parental interventions will not be included.
  • Couples may not attend the programme together, as outlined by the Psychologists who developed the programme.

Treatment and study plan

START programme

Behavioral

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based programme for parents of children with Autism

Treatment as Usual

Behavioral

Treatment as usual in outpatient within outpatient psychology services

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in psychological flexibility

    Time frame: Measured before first session of programme (Week 1), at the final session of the programme (Week 7), and at 3 month follow up (12 Weeks after Week 7)

    Measured using the Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Parenting stress

    Time frame: Measured before first session of programme (Week 1), at the final session of the programme (Week 7), and at 3 month follow up (12 Weeks after Week 7)

    Measured using The Autism Parenting Stress Index

  2. Mental wellbeing

    Time frame: Measured before first session of programme (Week 1), at the final session of the programme (Week 7), and at 3 month follow up (12 Weeks after Week 7)

    Measured using The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scales (WEMWBS)

  3. Parent relationship

    Time frame: Measured before first session of programme (Week 1), at the final session of the programme (Week 7), and at 3 month follow up (12 Weeks after Week 7)

    Parent Problem Checklist (PPC)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University College Dublin

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based Group Intervention for Parents of Children With a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Attending a Psychological Service

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Mar 6, 2020
Registry last updated
May 3, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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