Caregiver Training to Support Children With Social Communication Challenges

What this study is about

"More Than Words® - The Hanen Program® for Parents of Autistic Children or Children Who May Benefit from Social Communication Support" is a family-focused intervention program delivered by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The goal of More Than Words is to empower parents to be the main facilitator of their child's social communication development, which increases the child's opportunities to develop social communication skills in everyday situations. It is one of the programs offered to families who receive services from Ontario's Preschool Speech and Language program, although some regions are not able to offer it at all or are only able to offer a shortened version of the program. The Hanen Centre recently made updates to the More Than Words program to allow it to be delivered virtually (online) and to align with the latest evidence. Past research has found some evidence that the More Than Words program is effective, but knowledge is needed about the latest version of the program, including how effective it is when delivered online. It is important to understand who this program works best for and why. The purpose of the current study, called a pilot study, is to test a study plan that could be used in a future large study to answer these questions. In this pilot study, the investigators will test procedures for comparing the outcomes of families who receive the More Than Words program to families who have not yet received it. Additionally, procedures for understanding varying responses to treatment will be tested. The study aims to determine whether the methods used for recruiting families, delivering the program, and monitoring progress are practical and function as expected in preparation for the future large-scale study.

Who can join (things the study team will check)

✅ You may be able to join if…

• The child is under 48 months of age at the time of study enrolment.
• The child has delays in social communication and play skills according to the clinical assessment of the child's community SLP.
• The parent (or other primary caregiver) has a smart phone, tablet, or computer with webcam and internet access to attend the virtual MTW sessions and complete study measures
• The parent is available to attend the 13-week virtual MTW program (which includes 9 online group sessions on Saturday mornings or Monday evenings).
• The parent is comfortable communicating and filling out forms in English.

Where this trial is running

• Western University, London, Ontario, Canada

Who to contact

Janis Oram, PhD, S-LP(C) · 519-661-2111 · janis.oram@uwo.ca

It's completely normal to call and ask questions before deciding anything. Mention the study ID: NCT06909279.