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. 2025 Jan 7:15:1450455.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1450455. eCollection 2024.

Feasibility of a videoconferencing-based parent-mediated intervention: a mixed-method pilot study

Marie-Maude Geoffray  1   2 , Maeva Bourgeois-Mollier  1 , Maud Maleysson-Baste  1 , Natacha Gallifet  1 , Sara Dochez  1   3 , Gaelle Bonis  1 , Agathe Jay  1 , Lucie Jurek  1   2
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Feasibility of a videoconferencing-based parent-mediated intervention: a mixed-method pilot study

Marie-Maude Geoffray et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents early communication and social challenges, necessitating timely and accessible intervention. Pre-school Autism Communication Therapy (PACT), a parent-mediated intervention, empowers parents to facilitate their child's development. However, accessibility issues often hinder families from accessing evidence-based intervention. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of videoconferencing-based PACT as a precursor for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Methodology: A mixed-methods approach integrated quantitative retrospective measures and semi-structured interviews. Participants included children diagnosed with ASD who received PACT, and PACT-trained professionals with videoconferencing experience. Feasibility was assessed through audio and video quality, internet stability, and session length. Professionals' experiences were analyzed using a qualitative thematic analysis. Autism severity, parent-child interaction, and therapeutic changes were also described.

Results: Nine parent-child dyads and eight PACT therapists were included in the study. Videoconferencing-based PACT intervention proved feasible, with 95.1% of the 41 sessions rated as feasible on the scale. Technical challenges such as audio quality (7.3%) and screen sharing (19.1%) have emerged, which therapists circumvented to maintain intervention quality. Autism severity and parent-child interaction showed positive trends, supported by qualitative findings reporting increased parental confidence and enhanced synchrony. The core components of PACT were successfully adapted to the remote setting.

Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that delivering PACT via videoconferencing is a feasible approach to enhance the accessibility of evidence-based interventions for ASD. Larger-scale research with rigorous controls is required to validate these promising findings. An ongoing multicenter randomized trial aims to address this gap.

Keywords: PACT; autism spectrum disorder; mixed-methods; parent-mediated intervention; videofeedback.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Feasibility of videoconferencing intervention.
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