Using Hybrid Telepractice for Supporting Parents of Children with ASD during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Feasibility Study in Iran

Brain Sciences

Maryam Poursaid-Mohammad¹  Fatemeh Khandani²  Roy McConkey³  SayyedAli Samadi³  Mehdi Foladgar⁴  Shahnaz Bakhshalizadeh-Moradi⁵ 

[1] Director of the Daily Rehabilitation Centre Section, Iranian State Welfare Organization (ISWO), Tehran 25529, Iran;Fariha Autism Education and Rehabilitation Center, Tehran 25529, Iran;Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, UK;Ordibehesht Autism Education and Rehabilitation Center, Isfahan 83714, Iran;Raha Autism Education and Rehabilitation Center, Tabriz 51368, Iran;

关键词: telepractice;    autism spectrum disorders;    COVID-19;    parental-mediated intervention;    Coronavirus;    daycare center;   

DOI  :  10.3390/brainsci10110892

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

During the three-month closure of clinics and day centers in Iran due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) became solely responsible for their care and education. Although centers maintained telephone contact, it quickly became evident that parents needed more detailed advice and guidance. Staff from 30 daycare centers volunteered to take part in a two-month online support and training course for 336 caregivers of children with ASD of different ages. In addition to the provision of visual and written information, synchronous video sessions were used to coach parents on the learning goals devised for the children. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected to understand the acceptability of using telepractice and the outcomes achieved. A low dropout rate and positive feedback from parents indicated that they perceived telepractice sessions to be useful. The factors contributing to parents’ satisfaction were identified. Although the use of telepractice would be a good alternative for caregivers in any future lockdowns, it could also be used in conjunction with daycare center services to encourage greater parental participation, or with families living in areas with no day centers. Further studies are needed to compare telepractice to usual daycare face-to-face interventions, and to document its impact and cost-effectiveness for parents and children.

【 授权许可】

Unknown