A comparative feasibility study of two parent education and training programmes for autism spectrum disorder in a low-resource South African setting.
In low-resource South Africa, EarlyBird parent training cut parent stress and lifted autism knowledge better than a local course, and experts found it easier to run.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers compared two parent-training courses in a low-income South African town.
One course was EarlyBird/EarlyBird Plus, a British program. The other was Autism Cares, a local course.
They asked parents and experts which one was easier to run and more helpful.
What they found
Both groups felt less stress and learned more about autism.
Parents said their children improved.
Experts rated EarlyBird as the simpler program to deliver.
How this fits with other research
Koegel et al. (2014) ran a parent survey in the United Kingdom and also saw gains after EarlyBird Plus. Their early work supports the new South-African results.
Dai et al. (2023) tried a fully online parent course. Parents learned new tactics, but child social skills did not budge in four to six months. The face-to-face programs in Dawson-Squibb et al. (2020) moved parent stress faster, hinting that in-person warmth may speed parent relief.
Busch et al. (2010) blended parent coaching with PRT play tactics in Canada. Kids with IQ above 50 gained about 15 months of language in one year. John-Joe et al. did not track child language, so the Canadian study extends their work by showing large child gains are possible when parent training adds specific teaching strategies.
Why it matters
If you run parent groups in tight-budget areas, EarlyBird is worth trying. It is already planned out, so you spend less time writing lessons.
Parents leave with lower stress and clearer autism facts. Lower stress often means they practice more with their child at home.
Pair the course with simple data sheets. Track one skill per week to see if the child gains match the parent mood boost.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
After a diagnosis of autism, it is an important first step to give families information about autism and skills to help them support their child. These interventions are called Parent Education and Training programmes. Little is known about these programmes or if they can make a difference to families, particularly in countries with few autism resources. In this study, we compared two Parent Education and Training programmes in South Africa. EarlyBird/EarlyBird Plus was developed in the United Kingdom, and Autism Cares in South Africa. We wanted to know if parents found the programmes useful, and if any changes were required. We collected information from parents through questionnaires and interviews before and after the group. We also asked a panel of experts (including parents) to compare the programmes. In total, 18 parents attended the EarlyBird/EarlyBird Plus group and 11 attended the Autism Cares group. Parents found both programmes helpful and made suggestions for improvements. Parents showed less stress, more knowledge of autism, and saw improvements in their children. The expert panel rated EarlyBird/EarlyBird Plus as better because it was more supportive of parents and was seen as easier to run in the country. Our study showed that Parent Education and Training programmes are important, but that researchers must study not only the outcomes but also the implementation needs of these programmes.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2020 · doi:10.1177/1362361320942988