Revisiting an RCT study of a parent education program for Latinx parents in the United States: Are treatment effects maintained over time?

• Published in: Autism : the international journal of research and practice 2022-02, Vol.26 (2), p.499-512
• Main Authors: Zeng, Weiwen, Magaña, Sandy, Lopez, Kristina, Xu, Yue, Marroquín, J Marisol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - therapy; Autistic children; Behavior Modification; Behavior Problems; Child; Clinical trials; Communication; Communication Problems; Communication Skills; Confidence; Dissemination; Educational programs; Empowerment; Evidence Based Practice; Families & family life; Female; Geographic Location; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Incidence; Interpersonal Communication; Intervention; Latin American cultural groups; Maintenance; Mothers; Outcomes of Education; Parent Education; Parenthood education; Parents & parenting; Parents - education; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Self Esteem; Services; United States; Young Children
• ISSN: 1362-3613; 1461-7005; 1461-7005
• DOI: 10.1177/13623613211033108

This study examined maintenance of treatment effects in a culturally tailored parent education program for Latinx families of children with autism spectrum disorder using a behavior maintenance framework. In a two-site randomized waitlist-control study, we compared differences in parent and child outcomes across three timepoints using linear mixed models to determine whether outcomes observed at 4 months after baseline (Time 2) were maintained for an additional 4-month period (Time 3). Parent outcomes included family empowerment, self-reported confidence in, and frequency of using evidence-based strategies. Child outcomes included parent-reported challenging behaviors, social communication impairments, and the number of services received. Participants were 109 Latina mothers (intervention = 54, control = 55) of children with autism spectrum disorder. Results showed that at Time 3, mothers in the intervention groups reported significantly greater confidence in and frequency of using evidence-based strategies, and that their child received significantly more services. Site-specific treatment differences were found in outcomes such as parent-reported empowerment and child social communication impairments. Findings suggest that the intervention for Latinx parents of children with autism spectrum disorder was efficacious and could be maintained, and that site-specific policy and service differences may need to be examined in future research to inform dissemination and implementation. Lay abstract Background: We conducted a follow-up investigation of a two-site randomized controlled trial in the United States. We examined whether the treatment effects in a culturally tailored parent education program for Latinx families of children with autism spectrum disorder were maintained over time. Methods: Using linear mixed models, we compared differences in parent and child outcomes across three timepoints: baseline, 4 months after baseline (Time 2), and 8 months after baseline (T3). Parent outcomes included family empowerment, self-reported confidence in, and frequency of using evidence-based strategies. Child outcomes included parent-reported challenging behaviors, social communication impairments, and the number of services received. Participants were 109 Latina mothers (intervention = 54, control = 55) of children with autism spectrum disorder. Results: After intervention at both Time 2 and Time 3 in both sites, mothers in the intervention groups reported significan