FIRST STEPS: A Pilot Randomized Study Analyzing the Preliminary Efficacy of the Incredible Years for Autism Spectrum and Language Delays (IY-ASLD®).
Online IY-ASLD parent groups, without cultural tweaks or extra support, failed to beat a wait-list in this small Spanish pilot.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers in Spain ran a small pilot trial. They split parents of preschoolers with autism or language delays into two groups. One group joined online Incredible Years classes right away. The other group waited and got nothing for the same length of time.
Parents met on Zoom for the usual IY-ASLD lessons. Staff tracked parent stress, mood, and child problems before and after. The goal was to see if the web course helped families feel better.
What they found
At the end, both groups looked the same on almost every measure. Parent stress, depression, and child behavior scores did not budge. The only blip was that treated parents used a few more positive words when talking about their child.
In short, the online course showed no real-world payoff in this tiny sample.
How this fits with other research
McIntyre (2019) tested the same Incredible Years program in person with U.S. families. That study cut child problem behavior and harsh parent commands. The Spanish online copy did not, hinting that face-to-face groups or local culture may matter.
Magaña et al. (2020) also worked with Latino parents, but added cultural lessons. Their program lifted parent confidence and child social skills. Fátima et al. skipped those tweaks, which may explain the flat results.
Agiovlasitis et al. (2025) ran online coaching in India and saw quick parent gains that faded. The Spanish trial never even reached that first bump, suggesting web-only formats can stumble without local flavor or extra support.
Why it matters
If you run parent groups for autism, do not assume a canned web course is enough. Add local examples, Spanish cultural hooks, or brief stress-reduction warm-ups like Safer-Lichtenstein et al. (2023) did. Keep an eye on parent engagement and plan booster check-ins so any early wins do not slip away.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
PURPOSE: Having access to parenting interventions in the early years is key to improve developmental outcomes of children with neurodevelopmental problems. The Incredible Years® Parent Program has been adapted for families of children with autism or language delays (IY-ASLD®). The aim of this study is to analyze the preliminary efficacy of the intervention in the Spanish public mental health services. METHODS: The FIRST STEPS study is a multicenter, pilot randomized controlled trial. Sixty-two families of children with autism spectrum disorder and preterm children with communication and/or socialization difficulties (aged 2-5 years) were recruited. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the intervention was performed online. A generalized estimating equations model was conducted. RESULTS: No significant differences in parental stress ([Formula: see text] = 2.01, [Formula: see text]0.640), depressive symptoms ([Formula: see text] = - 1.42, [Formula: see text]0.437), child psychopathology ([Formula: see text] = 0.74, [Formula: see text]0.886) ), positive parenting [Formula: see text] = 2.25, [Formula: see text]0.076) or total expressed emotion ([Formula: see text] = - 0.10, [Formula: see text]0.605) were found between groups at T2. In terms of expressed emotion at T2, a significant interaction was observed between positive comments at T1 (a subscale of the expressed emotion tool) and study group ([Formula: see text] = 0.75, [Formula: see text]0.007). CONCLUSION: Future studies should analyze the efficacy of the program using a larger sample. Families showing higher levels of expressed emotion might need more support during the therapy groups to improve this variable. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for the study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (ID number: NCT04358484. Unique Protocol ID: PIC-220-19).
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026 · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00334.x