Parent-Mediated Targeted Intervention for Young Children at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions for young children at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may improve key developmental skills and remediate early ASD signs. Parents of 3 children (19, 23, and 26 months old) showing possible early signs of ASD participated. The Parent Observation of Early Markers Scale (POEMS) identified specific child concerns confirmed in baseline observations. Multiple baseline designs across parent and child behaviors evaluated a parent-mediated behavioral intervention, called Parent Intervention for Children At-Risk for Autism (PICARA), to increase targeted developmental skills (e.g., responding to name, imitation, requesting). Parents received individual behavioral skills training in their home 1 hr per week over 12, 18, and 29 sessions, respectively, based on the number of child skills trained and child performance. All parent and child skills improved and were maintained at the 46-, 12-, and 6-week follow-up periods, respectively. With training, parents of young children at risk for ASD may be able to improve child skills deficits often seen in children with ASD.