Realist evaluation of a transdisciplinary mealtime management service for autistic children.

This study looked at what makes mealtime support services work well for autistic children. Researchers talked to parents and therapists to understand their experiences. They found three important things: having different types of health professionals work together as a team, customizing support to fit each child and family's specific needs, and helping parents understand what to expect from the service. These findings can help create better mealtime support programs for autistic children.

This qualitative realist evaluation examined factors contributing to the effectiveness of a transdisciplinary mealtime management service for autistic children. Researchers interviewed 6 caregivers and 10 therapists to understand their perspectives on service delivery. The study identified three key factors driving service effectiveness: different health professionals from various disciplines working collaboratively, adapting interventions to individual child and family needs, and managing caregiver expectations. The findings provide insights into what makes mealtime services successful and can inform the development of more effective interventions to support autistic children's well-being and development.

This research addresses an important gap in understanding how to deliver effective mealtime support services.

Findings suggest mealtime services should incorporate transdisciplinary teams, individualized approaches, and clear caregiver communication. Results can inform development of evidence-based mealtime intervention protocols and service delivery models for autistic children, though further research with larger samples and outcome measures is needed.

Small sample size with only 6 caregivers and 10 therapists interviewed. Single service evaluation limits generalizability. Qualitative design provides perspectives but cannot establish causal relationships. No comparison group or outcome measures reported.

Mealtimes and eating can be difficult for autistic children. A service where different professions work together is required to address the varied and complex mealtime difficulties of autistic children. Little is known about what is needed for such services to be effective. We interviewed six caregivers of autistic children who were engaged in a mealtime service and 10 therapists who are involved in delivering the service to understand their perspectives on the factors that were driving the effectiveness of the mealtime service.

We found that different health professionals from different disciplines working together, focusing on adapting intervention to the child and family and managing expectations of the caregiver were important in contributing to outcomes of the mealtime service. The findings of this study can be used to inform the development of more effective interventions and services to support the well-being and development of autistic children.