View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Prevention and Reduction of Anxiety in Autistic Preschoolers Through an Autism-Specific Parent-Mediated Intervention: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Short and Longer Term Outcomes.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Prevention and Reduction of Anxiety in Autistic Preschoolers Through an Autism-Specific Parent-Mediated Intervention: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Short and Longer Term Outcomes.
Authors: Adams, Dawn (AUTHOR), Malone, Stephanie (AUTHOR), Dargue, Nicole (AUTHOR), Keen, Deb (AUTHOR), Rodgers, Jacqui (AUTHOR), Simpson, Kate (AUTHOR), Wicks, Rachelle (AUTHOR), Bullot, Ashleigh (AUTHOR), Rapee, Ron (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Feb2026, Vol. 56 Issue 2, p447-463. 17p.
Subjects: Anxiety prevention, Family psychotherapy, Mental health, Statistical significance, Research funding, Autism, Statistical sampling, Pilot projects, Parent-child relationships, Questionnaires, Treatment effectiveness, Randomized controlled trials, Uncertainty, Descriptive statistics, Asperger's syndrome, Psychology of parents, Data analysis software, Disease complications, Children
Abstract: Anxiety is a common co-occurring condition for autistic preschoolers. Whilst there has been extensive research evaluating anxiety prevention/reduction interventions for neurotypical preschoolers, such research is limited for autistic children. Fifty-seven parents of autistic 4–5-year olds, with varying levels of anxiety, participated in a randomised controlled trial of an autism-specific, parent-mediated intervention (CLK-CUES) to prevent or reduce anxiety in autistic preschoolers. Baseline, short-term (post-intervention) and longer term (12 months follow-up) assessments included child anxiety (ASC-ASD-P and PAS-R), intolerance of uncertainty, and parent well-being. (Trial registration ACTRN12620001322921). There were no reports of harmful effects of the intervention or trial. Linear mixed models show a significant group x time interaction for ASC-ASD-P Total score and the Uncertainty subscale with medium and large effect sizes. Post-hoc analyses show a significant decline for only the intervention group in anxiety (specifically, anxiety around uncertainty) from pre-post intervention, maintained at one year follow-up. There was no change on the PAS-R or other ASC-ASD-P subscales. CLK-CUES shows promise as a way to prevent and reduce anxiety in young autistic children, specifically anxiety related to uncertainty. Trials with larger samples are warranted. Findings also highlight the importance of using measures designed for autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 191290380
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Prevention and Reduction of Anxiety in Autistic Preschoolers Through an Autism-Specific Parent-Mediated Intervention: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Short and Longer Term Outcomes.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adams%2C+Dawn%22">Adams, Dawn</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Malone%2C+Stephanie%22">Malone, Stephanie</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dargue%2C+Nicole%22">Dargue, Nicole</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Keen%2C+Deb%22">Keen, Deb</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rodgers%2C+Jacqui%22">Rodgers, Jacqui</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simpson%2C+Kate%22">Simpson, Kate</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wicks%2C+Rachelle%22">Wicks, Rachelle</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bullot%2C+Ashleigh%22">Bullot, Ashleigh</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rapee%2C+Ron%22">Rapee, Ron</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Autism+%26+Developmental+Disorders%22">Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 56 Issue 2, p447-463. 17p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety+prevention%22">Anxiety prevention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+psychotherapy%22">Family psychotherapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+significance%22">Statistical significance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism%22">Autism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+sampling%22">Statistical sampling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pilot+projects%22">Pilot projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent-child+relationships%22">Parent-child relationships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+effectiveness%22">Treatment effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Randomized+controlled+trials%22">Randomized controlled trials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Uncertainty%22">Uncertainty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asperger's+syndrome%22">Asperger's syndrome</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+parents%22">Psychology of parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disease+complications%22">Disease complications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Anxiety is a common co-occurring condition for autistic preschoolers. Whilst there has been extensive research evaluating anxiety prevention/reduction interventions for neurotypical preschoolers, such research is limited for autistic children. Fifty-seven parents of autistic 4–5-year olds, with varying levels of anxiety, participated in a randomised controlled trial of an autism-specific, parent-mediated intervention (CLK-CUES) to prevent or reduce anxiety in autistic preschoolers. Baseline, short-term (post-intervention) and longer term (12 months follow-up) assessments included child anxiety (ASC-ASD-P and PAS-R), intolerance of uncertainty, and parent well-being. (Trial registration ACTRN12620001322921). There were no reports of harmful effects of the intervention or trial. Linear mixed models show a significant group x time interaction for ASC-ASD-P Total score and the Uncertainty subscale with medium and large effect sizes. Post-hoc analyses show a significant decline for only the intervention group in anxiety (specifically, anxiety around uncertainty) from pre-post intervention, maintained at one year follow-up. There was no change on the PAS-R or other ASC-ASD-P subscales. CLK-CUES shows promise as a way to prevent and reduce anxiety in young autistic children, specifically anxiety related to uncertainty. Trials with larger samples are warranted. Findings also highlight the importance of using measures designed for autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=191290380
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10803-024-06570-5
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 447
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety prevention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Family psychotherapy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical significance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pilot projects
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent-child relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Treatment effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Randomized controlled trials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Uncertainty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Asperger's syndrome
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of parents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Disease complications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Prevention and Reduction of Anxiety in Autistic Preschoolers Through an Autism-Specific Parent-Mediated Intervention: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Short and Longer Term Outcomes.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Adams, Dawn
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Malone, Stephanie
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dargue, Nicole
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Keen, Deb
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rodgers, Jacqui
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Simpson, Kate
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wicks, Rachelle
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bullot, Ashleigh
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rapee, Ron
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 01623257
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 56
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders
              Type: main
ResultId 1