What is the purpose of this study? Dr. Geraldine Dawson and researchers at the University of Washington want to learn more about the benefits of early intervention with young siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The information gained in this study may improve methods of early detection and intervention for infants who may be at risk for developing autism and lead to better outcome for these young children and their families.
How can I participate? What are the criteria?
Families with:
- A child who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder AND,
- A younger sibling 6 months old or younger* AND,
- Who live within 1.5 hours of the University of Washington
*Both children must have the same biological parents
What does participation in the study mean?
- Comprehensive infant evaluations at the University of Washington Autism Center for 6-month-old siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder and follow-up evaluations at 12-months and 24-months of age.
- Developmental screening for the older sibling.
- Completion of questionnaires and phone interviews for parents.
- Random assignment to an assessment and monitoring intervention group or a University of Washington intervention group.
What is the time commitment for participation in the study? You will be asked to complete several questionnaires, respond to a number of questions over the phone and participate in assessment visits at the UW Autism Center when your infant is 6, 12, and 24 months old. At each time point, the questionnaires will take approximately two hours, each phone call lasts approximately two hours, and we will ask that you schedule 4-6 one hour visits to the Autism Center. If your infant is randomly assigned to the UW intervention group you will receive 9-10 hours of parent training that may be followed by a more intensive 12 month intervention for 12-month old infants showing signs of risk for autism.
What will my family get out of the study?
- All families will receive developmental evaluations of their infant at 6, 12, and 24 months along with a detailed clinical report.
- All families will receive advice regarding appropriate intervention services. Families who are assigned to the UW intervention will receive parent training and, if appropriate, more intensive intervention for their infant free of charge.
- Information regarding your children’s developmental profile that can be used in educational planning.
- Advice and referral information regarding your children’s development and behavior.
- Compensation for parking and a $25 check for each assessment visit.
What are the risks to participating in this study and what safeguards are in place to minimize any risks? This study is approved by a human subjects committee at the University of Washington and all efforts are made to minimize any potential risks. There are no known psychological or physical risks associated with any of the procedures. One potential risk is that your infant or child may become bored or fussy during the session. All researchers are experienced in working with children with autism and young infants and every effort will be taken to keep your child engaged and minimize boredom or frustration. You or your child may indicate a desire to discontinue a task or withdraw from the study at any point during participation for any reason and your wish will be honored immediately with no consequence to you or your infant.
Who are the investigators involved in this project?
The members of the research team involved in this project are:
Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
Sara Jane Webb, Ph.D.
Annette Estes, Ph.D.
Andrew Meltzoff, Ph.D.
Jean Kelly, Ph.D.
Michael Murias, Ph.D.
Jamie M. Winter, Ph.D.
Cathy Brock, M.A.
Lindsey Sterling, M.A.
Lauren Elder, B.S.
Karen Burner, B.A.
Erin Kipple, B.A.
Vanessa Hus, M.S.
Whom should I contact to get involved? To learn more about this study, please contact our Project Scheduler, Erin Kipple at our toll-free number: 1-800-994-9701
University of Washington,
Early Connections Study,
Box 357920, Seattle, WA 98195
phone: 1-800-994-9701
email: emh2@u.washington.edu
We are also looking for younger siblings (under 12 months of age) of children with autism to participate in our new study examining brain development. Please visit the link below for more information regarding this study and how to participate. http://www.babysibsimaging.org/UW/home.html
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