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Caregiver Training to Support Children With Social Communication Challenges
Sponsor: Western University, Canada
Summary
"More Than Words® - The Hanen Program® for Parents of Autistic Children or Children Who May Benefit from Social Communication Support" is a family-focused intervention program delivered by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The goal of More Than Words is to empower parents to be the main facilitator of their child's social communication development, which increases the child's opportunities to develop social communication skills in everyday situations. It is one of the programs offered to families who receive services from Ontario's Preschool Speech and Language program, although some regions are not able to offer it at all or are only able to offer a shortened version of the program. The Hanen Centre recently made updates to the More Than Words program to allow it to be delivered virtually (online) and to align with the latest evidence. Past research has found some evidence that the More Than Words program is effective, but knowledge is needed about the latest version of the program, including how effective it is when delivered online. It is important to understand who this program works best for and why. The purpose of the current study, called a pilot study, is to test a study plan that could be used in a future large study to answer these questions. In this pilot study, the investigators will test procedures for comparing the outcomes of families who receive the More Than Words program to families who have not yet received it. Additionally, procedures for understanding varying responses to treatment will be tested. The study aims to determine whether the methods used for recruiting families, delivering the program, and monitoring progress are practical and function as expected in preparation for the future large-scale study.
Official title: The More Than Words® Program for Parents of Young Children With Social Communication Challenges: A Pilot Pragmatic Randomized Waitlist-Control Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
Any - 47 Months
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
72
Start Date
2025-05-06
Completion Date
2026-07
Last Updated
2025-05-11
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
The Hanen Centre's More Than Words® program
The Hanen Centre's More Than Words® program is a globally used, parent coaching intervention delivered by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to parents of children who have social communication challenges, which includes children with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of autism. The training program is designed to provide parents with the tools, strategies, and support they need to help their children reach their full communication and social interaction potential.
Locations (1)
Western University
London, Ontario, Canada