Telehealth Coaching for Families of Children With Autism

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly being diagnosed in children, creating a
pressing need for effective and cost-efficient models of early intervention (EI) services.
Many EI systems are struggling to meet the needs of the increasing number of families of
children with ASD. In rural areas, there is a shortage of EI therapists, and the distances to
reach families results in an inefficient use of professional time and research shows that
rural families of children with ASD receive fewer EI services, which has detrimental effects
on children's developmental trajectories. If occupational therapy interventions for young
children with ASD utilize innovative methods of service delivery in rural areas,
investigators can increase the number of families that receive services thereby positively
influencing child and family outcomes. Therefore, investigators propose to test the
acceptability, cost-effectiveness, and efficacy of a 12 week telehealth intervention for
families of young children with ASD.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Family with a child up to 72 months old with a diagnosis of ASD and primarily spoke
English in the home.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Child has significant visual or hearing impairments or has a known genetic condition
associated with autism (e.g., Fragile X Syndrome).