Managing repetitive behaviours in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): pilot randomised controlled trial of a new parent group intervention.

The team ran a small pilot RCT of an 8-week parent group. The goal was to teach parents how to manage restricted and repetitive behaviors in preschool and early-elementary autistic kids.

Parents met once a week. Staff tracked who showed up and asked them how they liked the sessions. No child outcome numbers are given.

Almost every parent came: 90% attendance. Parents said the program was easy to use and helpful. The paper does not report any change in child repetitive behavior.

Harrop (2015) looked at 29 parent-mediated autism studies and found most skip repetitive behaviors. Grahame et al. (2015) is one of the first pilots to put RRB front and center.

Ip et al. (2024) later copied the 8-week group style but moved it online and swapped the target from RRB to sleep. Their telehealth version worked, showing the format travels.

Sánchez-Luquez et al. (2025) went bigger: 85 families, six-month parent-run VB-MAPP program, large skill gains. Their success builds on small feasibility work like Grahame et al. (2015).

You now have proof that parents will attend and enjoy an RRB-focused group. Use this when you ask for funding or clinic time. Run your own small cohort, track child data, and you could give the field the outcome numbers this pilot did not yet show.