Feasibility and Acceptability of a Synchronous Online Parent-Mediated Early Intervention for Children with Autism in a Low Resource Setting During COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Very few studies exist on tele-health models of parent-mediated interventions delivered in low resource developing countries. The global COVID-19 pandemic catalysed a pilot of an online delivery of an evidence-based parent-mediated intervention (Project ImPACT) for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Mumbai, India. Context and culture-specific adaptations were made in program structure and a mixed-methods approach was adopted to evaluate acceptability, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of this model. Quantitative results (n = 12) showed excellent completion rates, with significant improvement in parent fidelity to intervention and child social-communication skills. Analysis of qualitative data from focus groups with parents on completion revealed that parents found the online mode convenient and acceptable, found the synchronous model of sessions especially beneficial and perceived improvements in their own parenting skills and children’s developmental profiles. Though piloted in pandemic times, the results from the study have implications for future service delivery models across similar settings in other developing countries.

KEYWORDS:

• India
• LMIC
• parent-mediated
• project impact online
• telehealth

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Chanchal Patil and Disha Zaveri for their help with conducting the focus groups and special thanks to the families and children for their participation and support during the study.

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the HT Parekh Foundation [CSR grant for 2019-20] towards Ummeed programs.