Understanding Parent Perspectives of Preemptive Intervention for Toddler Siblings of Autistic Children

Infant/toddler biological siblings of autistic children are at a higher likelihood for language delays and/or autism than siblings of typically developing children. There is strong face validity for preemptive interventions, those delivered before a delay is identified, yet previous research has indicated that these approaches may not be effective for all, and there are known difficulties with recruitment in this population. Frequent developmental monitoring may be one reasonable alternative to potentially burdensome preemptive interventions. This U.S. survey study aimed to understand parents’ perspectives on the needs, preferences, and factors associated with different options for supporting younger siblings before a diagnosis can be made. One hundred forty-three survey responses indicated that parents are willing to participate in virtual preemptive interventions or developmental monitoring protocols. Concern for their child’s development was related to parenting self-efficacy such that greater parenting self-efficacy predicted those who had concern for their child’s development and those willing to participate in intervention. Parents highlighted challenges with current systems for developmental monitoring, lack of support during a stressful time, and a need for more information regarding their child’s development. There is a need for a more tailored early support strategy for addressing the high likelihood for language disorders in this population that incorporates parent characteristics and preferences for participation.