Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jan 28, 2020
Date Accepted: Nov 17, 2020
Helping Optimize Language Acquisition (HOLA): Online Parent Training Modules for Latinx Parents of Toddlers at Risk for ASD An Organization for Autism Research Funded Pilot Protocol
ABSTRACT
Background:
Culturally competent parent training in evidence-based intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can provide young Latinx children from underserved communities with early interventional support while they wait for professional services, thus reducing the impact of intervention delays. Providing parents with a brief bilingual training in Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is a strategy that can overcome these barriers and is inexpensive to disseminate. Brief PRT training has been shown to significantly improve joint attention, expressive language, responsivity and adaptive skills in young children with ASD. However, it is unknown whether an interactive, culturally competent online parent training in PRT is effective in a Latinx population.
Objective:
The aims of this study are to develop a smart phone optimized, interactive, culturally competent brief online PRT training curriculum titled, Helping Optimize Language Acquisition (HOLA), and to assess its feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness on parent and child measures for a diverse Latinx population.
Methods:
To this end, we will recruit 24 children (16 to 36 months) at risk for ASD and their parent from East and South Los Angeles and provide them with a series of 6 online learning modules in their choice of Spanish or English. Parents and children will be assessed at three time points; pre-intervention, post-intervention and 6-weeks later.
Results:
As of March 2020 all 6 HOLA modules have been developed and are being reviewed by an advisory committee of parents and educators for refinement. Participant recruitment is anticipated to begin in summer 2020.
Conclusions:
Brief online parent training in evidence-based treatments have the capacity to increase access to culturally competent early communication intervention for young children at risk for ASD. The results of this trial may have particular salience in additional under resourced and rural communities where children have limited access to interventions prior to entering school.
Citation
Request queued. Please wait while the file is being generated. It may take some time.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.