Collaborating with an autism community advisory board to develop a family-based, neurodiversity-affirming intervention: PCIT-Autism.

BACKGROUND: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has been effectively implemented for autistic youth and their families who need help reducing disruptive behaviors, promoting language development, and enhancing the parent-child relationship. However, like most autism-based interventions, the PCIT protocol was originally adapted for (rather than with or by) the autism community. A new wave of intervention research calls for input from autism advocates throughout each phase of the research process. The present study signifies the first step in the development and implementation of a pilot PCIT program with autistic youth and their families (i.e., PCIT-Autism). METHODS: Academic researchers collaborated alongside an Autism Community Advisory Board (CAB) comprised of autistic adults (N = 10) and caregivers of autistic youth (N = 14) to understand the current state of therapeutic services and their values for the development of an intervention to address autistic youth aggressive behaviors, when present. RESULTS: Five primary themes were generated from qualitative interviews with the Autism CAB related to psychological interventions: (1) Barriers to Accessibility, (2) Effectiveness, (3) Therapist Competence, (4) Topics, and (5) Format. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations from the Autism CAB encouraged a hybrid (in-person, group-based + individualized telehealth), time-limited PCIT model which incorporated autism-affirming psychoeducation and practice, childcare, as well as opportunities for community-building.