Human Factors in Technology-Mediated Autism Intervention: A Caregiver-Centered Framework

Access to autism intervention services is shaped by persistent structural constraints, including limited availability, cost, and service continuity, which often require caregivers to assume expanded roles in supporting their children’s development. This study examines how such constraints contribute to the emergence and persistence of caregivers as proxy interventionists and how technology-mediated systems support or partially support these roles from a human factors perspective. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed across two phases. The first phase integrated quantitative caregiver and service provider surveys with qualitative interviews to examine service access, early technology adoption, and satisfaction patterns during periods of disrupted service delivery. The second phase examined post-adoption contexts through caregiver and service provider qualitative interviews to understand sustained caregiver-mediated practices, technology use, and associated cognitive, emotional, and coordination demands. An empirically grounded conceptual framework was derived to organize relationships among structural access constraints, role redistribution, technology-mediated interaction mechanisms, and human factors demands. The findings highlight the need for human-centered digital systems that provide structured guidance, coordination support, and accessible intervention resources. This work contributes to the design of scalable, technology-mediated support systems for autism care and offers practical implications for user-centered digital health interventions.