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Feasibility of Group Parent Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Disruptive Behavior: A Demonstration Pilot

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Abstract

Delivery of interventions in a group format is a potential solution to limited access to specialized services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted an open feasibility trial of group-based RUBI parent training in 18 children (mean age 6.12 ± 1.95 years) with ASD and disruptive behaviors. Parents participated in one of five groups (3 to 4 parents per group). Eighty-three percent of participants completed the 24-week trial. Session attendance was moderate (74.2%). All parents indicated that they would recommend the treatment. Therapists demonstrated 98.8% fidelity to the manual. Eleven of 18 (64.7%) participants were rated as much/very much improved by an independent evaluator at Week 24. Preliminary efficacy findings justify further study.

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Acknowledgments

This research was conducted through the Marcus Autism Center. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the parents and children who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA

    T. Lindsey Burrell, Lawrence Scahill, Scott Gillespie & A. Nichole Evans

  2. Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA

    T. Lindsey Burrell & Lawrence Scahill

  3. JFK Partners School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, 13121 E. 17th Avenue, C234, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Valentina Postorino

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Drive, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Hannah M. Rea

  5. Seattle Children’s Autism Center and Research Institute, 4909 25th Avenue Northeast, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA

    Karen Bearss

  6. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1959 Northeast Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Karen Bearss

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  1. T. Lindsey Burrell
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Contributions

TLB, KB, and LS worked on the conceptualization and design of the study, plan of analysis, and interpretation of results. TLB, VP, KB, ANE, and LS implemented study intervention, completed study assessments, and reviewed treatment fidelity. HMR reviewed treatment fidelity and entered data. SG completed all study analyses. All authors participated in the drafting and revising the manuscript and approved of the final manuscript as submitted.

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Correspondence to T. Lindsey Burrell.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Scahill is a consultant with Roche, Shire, Suupernus, Neurocrine, Janssen, Yamo. He receives royalties from Guilford, Oxford and American Psychological Association.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Burrell, T.L., Postorino, V., Scahill, L. et al. Feasibility of Group Parent Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Disruptive Behavior: A Demonstration Pilot. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 3883–3894 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04427-1

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