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Bennett T, Drmic I, Gross J, Jambon M, Kimber M, Zaidman-Zait A, Andrews K, Frei J, Duku E, Georgiades S, Gonzalez A, Janus M, Lipman E, Pires P, Prime H, Roncadin C, Salt M, Shine R. The Family-Check-Up® Autism Implementation Research (FAIR) Study: protocol for a study evaluating the effectiveness and implementation of a family-centered intervention within a Canadian autism service setting. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1309154. [PMID: 38292388 PMCID: PMC10826514 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1309154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Prevalence rates of emotional and behavior problems (EBP) in autistic children and youth are high (40-70%), and often cause severe and chronic impairment. Furthermore, autistic children are also more likely to experience family "social-ecological" adversity compared to neurotypically developing peers, including social isolation, child maltreatment, caregiver mental illness, and socioeconomic risk. These family stressors increase the risk of co-occurring EBP among autistic children and can often impede access to evidence-based care, thus amplifying long-term health inequities for autistic children and their caregivers. In the current autism services landscape, there are few scalable, evidence-based programs that adequately address these needs. The Family Check-Up (FCU®) is a brief, strength-based, and tailored family-centered intervention that supports positive parenting and explicitly assesses the social determinants of child and family mental health within an ecological framework. Studies have demonstrated long-term positive child and caregiver outcomes in other populations, but the FCU® has not been evaluated in families of autistic children and youth. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate FCU® implementation within an established, publicly funded Autism Program in Ontario, Canada, with delivery by autism therapists, to demonstrate sustainable effectiveness within real-world settings. Methods In this study, we outline the protocol for a hybrid implementation-effectiveness approach with two key components: (1) A parallel-arm randomized controlled trial of N = 80 autistic children/youth (ages 6-17 years) and high levels of EBP and their caregivers. Primary and secondary outcomes include child EBP, and caregiver well-being and parenting. (2) A mixed methods implementation study, to describe facilitators and barriers to implementation of the FCU® within an autism service setting. Discussion Scalable, ecologically focused family-centered interventions offer promise as key components of a public health framework aimed at reducing mental health inequities among autistic children, youth, and their caregivers. Results of this study will inform further program refinement and scale-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Irene Drmic
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Julie Gross
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Marc Jambon
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa Kimber
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | | | - K. Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Julia Frei
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - E. Duku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Stelios Georgiades
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Magdalena Janus
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - E. Lipman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Paulo Pires
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Heather Prime
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Caroline Roncadin
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Salt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca Shine
- Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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