Mobilizing Community Systems to Engage Families in Early Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Detection & Services

Summary

This multisite study will compare the effectiveness of universal screening by 3 community service systems using Autism Navigator, a highly interactive web platform that includes an automated screening tool, information about autism for families, and a professional development course on the early signs of autism and effective evidence-based practice with extensive video footage to rapidly build the capacity for early detection. The investigators will also conduct a multisite pragmatic randomized clinical trial to test the effectiveness of an evidence-based Family Engagement Intervention compared to Autism Navigator Enhanced Practice implemented by the 3 community service systems with children who have a positive autism screen to increase the number of children who are screened, referred for evaluation, receive a diagnosis, and receive community-based EI between 18-27 months of age. This study will impact family engagement in community screening and diagnosis by demonstrating the effectiveness of brief manualized engagement interventions. Findings will advance science by providing researchers with a method for recruiting a community sample, allowing for research at younger ages, which could accelerate science.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Autism Navigator Enhanced Practice

Community service providers will receive training in Autism Navigator for Primary Care, a 6-hour online professional development course with extensive video illustration of the early signs of autism in toddlers, collaborating with families, developmental milestones, screening and referral practices, and early intervention basics. This web-based platform includes an automated screening for communication delay and autism, an automated monthly electronic monitoring, and digital tools for families to address practical obstacles to screening toddlers 9-18 months of age and referral to early intervention.

BEHAVIORAL

Family Engagement plus Autism Navigator

Community service providers will receive a 6-hour training on the use of Motivational Interviewing, an evidence-based counseling method to improve engagement of families who are ambivalent about screening or intervention for their toddler. Community service providers will also receive a 6-hour training with the Autism Navigator for Primary Care professional development course and use of the web-based platform that includes an automated communication and autism screening and monthly electronic monitoring to address practical obstacles to screening toddlers 9-18 months of age and referral to early intervention.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Emory University

  collaborator OTHER

• Weill Medical College of Cornell University

  collaborator OTHER

• Drexel University

  collaborator OTHER

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• Florida State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Amy M Wetherby, PhD · Florida State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2015-12-31

Primary Completion

2021-06-30

Completion

2021-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations