The AMOR Method: Resilience Training for Parents of Children With Autism

NCT03513419 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 45774
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

We will evaluate whether a resilience training program which includes group and individual parent training will be effective in improving optimism and resiliency in parents of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). By observing the level of parent optimism and resiliency before and after intervention, we will be able to determine whether the intervention is effective in improving parent resilience.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRISC) from Baseline to week 8

  No subscales, total score only, 25 items total, 0-4 Likert Score Range: 0-100 Low resilience score (PTSD \& grief populations) = 45 or lower; Average/Normal resilience score (general population) = 45-80; High Average/Elevated resilience score (yogi \& meditation teachers) = 81-100 Higher total scores reflect higher levels of resilience.

  Baseline, week 8

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) from Baseline to week 8

  Baseline, week 8

• Change in Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) from Baseline to week 8

  Baseline, week 8

• Change in Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) from Baseline to week 8

  Baseline, week 8

Study Arms (2)

AMOR Method

EXPERIMENTAL

The AMOR Method: The parent resilience training involves a series of eight weekly 90-minute group sessions, as well as three individual sessions. Group session content includes training in mindfulness, grief and loss processing, acceptance and committed actions, optimistic thinking, and resilience through the use of didactic training, group discussions, and homework assignments. Individual session content will center on additional and individualized training in grief and loss processing, optimistic thinking, and maintaining resilience over time.

Behavioral: The AMOR Method

Wait List

NO INTERVENTION

Participants assigned to the waitlist will continue stable treatments and will be offered the opportunity to participate in the treatment after completion of the 8-week trial.

Interventions

The AMOR Method BEHAVIORAL

The parent resilience training involves a series of eight weekly 90-minute group sessions with up to 8 parents of young children with ASD (4- 10:11 years old) per group, as well as three individual sessions.

AMOR Method

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Parents eligible to participate include parents: a) English-speaking, b) of a child aged 4:0 to 10:11 years, c) with a previous diagnosis of ASD and evidence of current social impairment (SRS-2) and repetitive behaviors (RBS-R), and d) who are able to consistently participate in sessions. Given budgetary constraints, direct diagnostic testing will not be feasible. Instead, child diagnostic status will be confirmed through review of the child's medical record for evidence that the child previously met ADOS criteria for ASD and shows clinically significant social impairment at baseline (SRS-2 T\>65).
• Parents who are not eligible to participate include parents: a) with severe psychiatric, genetic, or medical disorder among parents and/or children, b) taking psychiatric medication, and c) with elevated resilience scores at baseline (Total Score \>80 on CD-RISC). The DSM-5 CCSM will be administered to parents to screen for parent mental illness. Any identified issues on the DSM-5 CCSM will be investigated further by the PI to rule out severe psychiatric disorders.

You may not qualify if:

• a) Severe psychiatric, genetic, or medical disorder among parents and/or children, b) parents taking psychiatric medication, and c) parents with elevated resilience scores at baseline (Total Score\>80 on CD-RISC). The DSM-5 Cross Cutting Symptom Measure (DSM-5 CCSM) will be administered to parents to screen for parent mental illness. Any identified issues on the DSM-5 CCSM will be investigated further by the PI to rule out severe psychiatric disorders. These families will be referred for behavioral consultation (available in our clinic) and then be reconsidered for group participation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Stanford University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Stanford University

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Schwartzman JM, Millan ME, Uljarevic M, Gengoux GW. Resilience Intervention for Parents of Children with Autism: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial of the AMOR Method. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Feb;52(2):738-757. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-04977-y. Epub 2021 Mar 28.

  PMID: 33774741 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Clinical Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 18, 2018
• First Posted: May 1, 2018
• Study Start: May 25, 2018
• Primary Completion: February 29, 2020
• Study Completion: February 29, 2020
• Last Updated: May 7, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)