A Longitudinal RCT of P-ESDM With and Without Parental Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction: Impact on Child Outcomes.

This study looked at whether teaching mindfulness to parents would improve outcomes for their autistic toddlers receiving early intervention. 63 families received parent training in the Early Start Denver Model, with half also learning mindfulness techniques. All children showed some improvement in autism symptoms and development, but adding mindfulness training for parents didn't provide extra benefits for the children.

This RCT examined whether adding Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for parents enhanced outcomes in the Parent-implemented Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM) for young autistic children. 63 children under 36 months and their parents received 12 P-ESDM sessions, with half of parents also receiving MBSR training. While the overall sample showed modest improvements in autism severity, cognitive abilities, and adaptive skills over time, there was no significant additional benefit for children whose parents received MBSR compared to P-ESDM alone. The study suggests that while P-ESDM may be beneficial, adding parental mindfulness training did not enhance child outcomes in this sample.

P-ESDM shows promise for improving outcomes in young autistic children. However, simply adding parental mindfulness training may not enhance child benefits. Future interventions should focus on more immediate parent-child interaction changes to better understand optimal intervention combinations.

Small sample size (63 children), short follow-up period, and focus on distal rather than proximal outcome measures. The study may not have captured more immediate changes in parent-child interactions that could mediate longer-term benefits.

This randomized controlled trial (NCT03889821) examined Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in conjunction with the Parent-implemented Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM). A previous report described improved metrics of parental distress (Weitlauf et al. in Pediatrics 145(Supplement 1):S81-S92, 2020). This manuscript examines child outcomes. 63 children with ASD (< 36 months) and their parents received 12 P-ESDM sessions. Half of parents also received MBSR.

Longitudinal examination of whole sample means revealed modest improvements in autism severity, cognitive, and adaptive skills. There was not a significant time × group interaction for children whose parents received MBSR. Future work should examine more proximal markers of child or dyadic change to enhance understanding of the impact of providing direct treatment for parents as part of early intervention initiatives.