Feasibility of a Culturally Adapted Nurse-Led COPE Intervention for Caregivers of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Parents and primary caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently experience substantial psychological distress due to the long-term demands of caregiving, including elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. In Pakistan, limited access to structured caregiver support programs, inadequate mental health services, financial constraints, and social stigma further increase caregiver burden. Although previous parent-mediated interventions conducted in Pakistan have demonstrated benefits for child developmental outcomes, few have specifically addressed the psychological wellbeing of caregivers. The Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) program is an evidence-based, nurse-led psychoeducational intervention designed to improve parental coping, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and confidence through cognitive-behavioral strategies and structured education. This study seeks to culturally adapt the COPE intervention to ensure its relevance and acceptability within the Pakistani context.

The study will employ an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. In the first phase, qualitative semi-structured interviews will be conducted with primary caregivers of children with ASD to identify their educational and psychosocial support needs. Findings from the thematic analysis will be used to culturally adapt the COPE intervention. In the second phase, a pilot randomized controlled feasibility trial will be conducted in which eligible caregivers will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving the culturally adapted nurse-led COPE program in addition to routine hospital care or a control group receiving routine hospital care alone. The intervention will comprise four weekly sessions of approximately 45 minutes each, covering understanding ASD, cognitive restructuring, coping strategies, positive parenting, emotional support, and long-term family resilience.

Baseline and one-month follow-up assessments will be conducted using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to evaluate changes in depression, anxiety, and stress. In addition to clinical outcomes, the study will assess feasibility indicators including participant recruitment, retention, intervention adherence, acceptability, and implementation. Qualitative data will be analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach, while quantitative data will be analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27 with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings will provide essential evidence regarding the feasibility and acceptability of the culturally adapted nurse-led COPE intervention and will inform the planning of a fully powered randomized controlled trial aimed at improving the psychological wellbeing of caregivers of children with ASD in Pakistan.

Inclusion criteria

• Male or female primary caregivers aged 18 years or older.
• Primary caregiver of a child with a confirmed diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• Able to communicate in Urdu.
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
• Available to attend all intervention sessions and follow-up assessments.

Exclusion criteria

• Caregivers currently participating in another structured psychosocial, behavioral, or parenting intervention.
• Caregivers with a diagnosed severe psychiatric illness or cognitive impairment that would interfere with participation.
• Caregivers unable to communicate effectively in Urdu.
• Caregivers who decline or are unable to provide informed consent.
• Caregivers who are unavailable to complete the intervention or follow-up assessments.