Testing Scalable Caregiver Interventions for Autism
Starting soon · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Autism, ASD
In brief
Autism spectrum disorder affects 1-2% of children worldwide, yet access to quality care remains limited, especially in underserved communities. Families face systemic barriers such as workforce shortages, high caregiver stress, and a lack of culturally appropriate services. To address these gaps, researchers developed a group-based caregiver training program to improve caregiver well-being and child communication and behavior. Successfully piloted in rural U.S. communities and western Kenya through the AMPATH Program, the intervention showed promising results in reducing caregiver stress and autism severity. Building on this success, a new study will evaluate two delivery models-professionally-led and peer-led-using a rigorous effectiveness-implementation trial. The project applies a reciprocal innovation approach, using insights from Kenya to inform U.S. strategies for scaling community-based autism support. The long-term goal is to reduce disparities in autism care by creating scalable, low-cost, caregiver-driven models. A Community Advisory Panel will guide the research to ensure relevance and impact. This initiative represents a transformative step toward equitable autism services across global and U.S. settings.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07259044
- Run by
- Indiana University
- People needed
- 320
- Starts
- 2026-07-01
- Expected to finish
- 2030-06-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-12-02
Who can join
Age: 2 and older, up to 8. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Caregiver is willing to participate
- Caregiver speaks either Swahili or English
- Child is between 2 and 8 years of age
- Child presents with concerns suggestive of autism
You may not qualify if…
- The caregiver declines to participate
- The child has significant vision or hearing impairment
- The child is not primarily cared for by the enrolled caregiver
Where it is running
- University of Virginia (Virtual) — Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital — Eldoret, Kenya
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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