Acceptance of Telehealth Therapy to Replace In-Person Therapy for Autism Treatment During COVID-19 Pandemic: An Assessment of Patient Variables

Telehealth Versus Face-to-Face Fine Motor and Social Communication Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Efficacy, Fidelity, Acceptability, and Feasibility

IMPORTANCE

The efficacy of telehealth (TH) interventions needs to be studied.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy, fidelity, acceptability, and feasibility of face-to-face (F2F) versus TH seated play (SP) interventions among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

DESIGN

As part of a larger randomized controlled trial, children were assigned to the SP group and received TH and F2F interventions over 8 wk using a pretest-posttest study design.

SETTING

A research lab or through videoconferencing.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen children with ASD (ages 5-14 yr) were randomly assigned to the SP group and received the intervention F2F or through TH.

INTERVENTION

Children received 16 SP intervention sessions (2 sessions per week for 8 wk).

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Pretests and posttests included standardized fine motor assessments. Video coding compared socially directed verbalization during training sessions. Parents and trainers provided feedback on their experiences.

RESULTS

Seven children received the intervention F2F, whereas 8 received TH intervention. Children in both subgroups showed similar training improvements in fine motor skills and socially directed verbalizations (ps > .01). Parents rated both interventions as acceptable and feasible; however, they reported longer preparation time and effort during TH interventions (ps < .01). Trainers reported greater parental involvement but more communication and technological issues during TH interventions. Fidelity checks indicated fewer reinforcements during TH versus F2F sessions.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

TH intervention is feasible and effective in improving fine motor and social communication performance. Clinicians should reduce parental burden and overcome technological issues. What This Article Adds: This study confirmed the efficacy, fidelity, acceptability, and feasibility of delivering seated play, standard of care interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder via telehealth. However, clinicians should work on reducing parental burden and overcoming communication and technological issues related to telehealth.

Use of Telemedicine for Children in Foster Care

Introduction: Telemedicine studies specific to children in foster care are needed, given unique health care needs and barriers. It is important to utilize lessons learned from telemedicine programs deployed by necessity during the COVID-19 emergency. Objectives: Describe telemedicine health assessments for children in foster care performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compare medical recommendations resulting from telemedicine and in-person assessments. Methods: After navigating barriers specific to children in foster care including consent issues, we implemented a telemedicine program at our specialty clinic for children in foster care when in-person visits were restricted. Outcomes of telemedicine referrals were tracked. After each visit, physicians were asked to rate ability to express themselves, hear and see patients from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) using items from the validated Telehealth Usability Questionnaire. Recommendations for laboratory work, medication, and health services referrals were recorded and compared with 205 patients seen in-person the year prior. Results: From 91 referrals, 83 (91%) children with a mean age of 9 years completed telemedicine visits. Physicians rated receptive and expressive communications more favorably than visual quality. Most telemedicine patients (77%) received a referral for health care services but had significantly lower rates of laboratory work completion, vision referrals, and prescriptions for new medications compared with 205 patients seen in-person. Conclusions: Results suggest that telemedicine was accessible to most patients and highlighted essential in-person components of comprehensive health assessments. Findings could inform ongoing telemedicine applications and advocacy for underserved populations.

Brief Report: Telehealth Music-Enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training in Autism: A Single-Subject Feasibility Study of a Virtual Parent Coaching Intervention

PURPOSE

Telehealth delivery increases accessibility of parent-mediated interventions that teach parents skills and support autistic children's social communication. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), an evidence-based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) focused on imitation skills, a common difficulty in autism, holds promise for telehealth-based parent training. Imitation is also a core component of musical play during childhood and the affordances of musical play/song naturally shape parent-child interactions. We evaluate the feasibility of a music-based, telehealth adaptation of RIT-music-enhanced RIT (tele-meRIT)-as a novel format for coaching parents in NDBI strategies.

METHODS

This single-subject, multiple baseline design study included 4 autistic children (32-53 months old) and their mothers. Parent-child dyads were recorded during 10-min free play probes at baseline, weekly tele-meRIT sessions, and one-week and one-month follow-up. Probes were coded for parents' RIT implementation fidelity, parent vocal musicality, and children's rate of spontaneous imitation.

RESULTS

No parent demonstrated implementation fidelity during baseline. All parents increased their use of RIT strategies, met fidelity by the end of treatment, and maintained fidelity at follow-up. Parent vocal musicality also increased from baseline. Intervention did not consistently increase children's imitation skills. A post-intervention evaluation survey indicated high parent satisfaction with tele-meRIT and perceived benefits to their children's social and play skills more broadly.

CONCLUSION

Implementing tele-meRIT is feasible. Although tele-meRIT additionally involved coaching in incorporating rhythmicity and song into play interactions, parents achieved fidelity in the RIT principles, suggesting one avenue by which music can be integrated within evidence-based parent-mediated NDBIs.

Psychosocial Functioning and the Educational Experiences of Students with ASD during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

Due to their individual developmental and learning needs, adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from a variety of educational, medical, and therapeutic services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these services were discontinued or significantly reduced, which may have resulted in increased difficulties in coping with various areas of life. The purpose of this study was to explore how the pandemic affected the psychosocial and educational functioning of students with ASD. A qualitative, problem-focused interview method was used. The obtained material was subjected to interpretive phenomenological analysis. The study involved 10 secondary school students diagnosed with ASD. The assessment of the effects of the pandemic on the functioning of people with ASD is inconclusive. The respondents noted both negative and positive effects of lockdown. On the positive side, they were able to spend time with their family, isolate themselves from difficult social relationships and feel better. Among the negative effects, adolescents point to difficulties in emotional functioning—increased levels of stress and anxiety, as well as increased feelings of loneliness and difficulties with online education. The study showed the varied experiences of young people with autism during the pandemic, highlighting the significant need to support some of them in terms of their emotional, social and educational functioning.