Boston University Charles River Campus
This study will inform the development of a brief online program to help parents better understand and respond to anxiety-related behaviors in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability, and learning disorders). Many neurodiverse children experience high levels of anxiety, which can appear as avoidance, emotional distress, or challenging behaviors that are difficult for parents to interpret and manage. The purpose of this research is to evaluate EMPOWER-ND with its digital, single-session intervention (SSI) that provides practical parenting strategies for addressing anxiety-related behaviors in neurodiverse children. Parents of eligible children aged 5-14 with neurodevelopmental conditions will be invited to enroll in the research study.
A pilot study will be conducted to test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of EMPOWER-ND to improve individual-level variables. Project EMPOWER-ND is a modified version of the original, evidence-based Project EMPOWER, a web-based, SSI to reduce caregiver accommodation and promote approach-oriented caregiving for children with anxiety. Project EMPOWER-ND builds parent capacity to identify child avoidance behavior, attempts to accommodate child avoidance, and sample responses at various levels of challenge, to promote child approach behavior.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult parent or primary caregiver of a child between the ages of 5-14 years. * The child has a clinical diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or a related neurodevelopmental condition. * Resides in the United States. * Able to read and understand English, as the survey and study materials are provided in English. * Has reliable internet connectivity and access to a device that can accommodate videoconferencing Exclusion Criteria: • If any of the inclusion criteria are not met
The intervention has 5 core components: (1) psychoeducation on anxiety in the context of neurodiversity; (2) psychoeducation on the cycle of anxious avoidance and accommodation; (3) identifying "sweet spot" challenges; (4) teaching validation and empathy for encouragement; and (5) how to troubleshoot common challenges.