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Telecoaching Intervention for Children With Autism and Their Parents in Palestine
Sponsor: Arab American University (Palestine)
Summary
Families of children with autism in Palestine may have difficulty accessing early intervention and rehabilitation services because specialized services are limited and families may face geographical, financial, and other barriers. Providing support to parents remotely may help families access professional guidance without needing to travel for every session. This pilot study examined whether an eight-week parent telecoaching program called Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) could be delivered successfully and was acceptable to parents of young children with autism in Palestine. The study also explored changes in children's participation in everyday activities and autism-related characteristics, as well as parents' confidence in supporting their child and their quality of life. Because this was a small pilot study, these outcomes were explored to help plan future research rather than to determine whether the intervention was effective. Parents were assigned to one of two groups. Parents in the telecoaching group received eight individual online coaching sessions over eight weeks, with each session lasting approximately 40-60 minutes. Coaching helped parents identify activities that were important to their child and family, understand difficulties affecting the child's participation, develop possible strategies, try these strategies during everyday routines, and review progress with the coach. Parents in the waitlist group had access to general Arabic-language information and videos about autism through the Sanad Alhayaa digital platform during the eight-week comparison period but did not receive individual coaching. After completing the post-intervention assessment, they were offered the telecoaching program. The study also included interviews with parents who received telecoaching to better understand their experiences, perceived benefits, and barriers to using this form of support.
Official title: Acceptability, Feasibility, and Potential Impact of a Telecoaching Intervention for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Palestine: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
3 Years - 7 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
26
Start Date
2025-02-15
Completion Date
2025-06-21
Last Updated
2026-08-24
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) Telecoaching
Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) is a collaborative, occupation-focused coaching approach that supports parents to identify meaningful participation goals, analyze occupational performance challenges, generate possible solutions, implement strategies within everyday routines, and review progress. In this study, OPC was delivered individually through eight weekly 40-60 minute Zoom sessions. Sanad Alhayaa supported appointment booking, electronic questionnaires, secure individualized resources, and intervention documentation.
General Sanad Alhayaa Digital Resources
General Arabic-language information and videos addressing autism, sensory needs, social interaction, and activities of daily living were made available through the Sanad Alhayaa resource library. This resource access did not include individualized coaching, individualized resource uploads, private clinical messaging, or coaching-session booking.
Locations (1)
Arab American University
Jenin, Palestinian Territories