Autistic children frequently engage in repetitive and inflexible behaviors, and sometimes these behaviors can significantly interfere with child learning, are associated with long-term functional impairment, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions (e.g., anxiety). However, there is a significant gap in effective interventions that address repetitive and inflexible behaviors. The FITBI Study partners caregivers of autistic children with trained therapists to provide coaching for inflexible or repetitive behaviors that are interfering with parent or child quality of life.
What are the goals of the study?
Researchers at the University of Kansas are currently recruiting for a study that provides parent coaching to address the repetitive or inflexible behaviors of autistic children between the ages of 3 to 9 years old. The Family-Implemented Treatment for Behavioral Inflexibility (FITBI) project partners eligible participants with a trained coach to receive individualized support via telehealth.
What will happen during the visit or online?
If you and your child qualify to participate, you will be partnered with a trained coach to receive free, individualized support. Here are a few important details about the research study:
• The study will primarily take place via a secure telehealth video meeting system. Depending on family proximity, there could be home visits to collect data.
• Caregiver participation includes attending weekly telehealth sessions with a trained coach and completing online surveys and brief interviews about yourself and your child.
• Participants can receive up to $120 in compensation for participating.
• Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups.
• Participants will be recruited from the states of Kansas and Missouri.
How will this help families?
The overall goal of the FITBI Study is to determine whether a new form of family-based intervention for repetitive and inflexible behaviors, delivered using videoconferencing technology, can counter any negative effects of those behaviors and improve positive outcomes for young autistic children. Results from this study could have substantial implications for remotely delivered interventions that address the repetitive and inflexible behaviors of autistic children.