Parenting with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Germany
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Being a Parent with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Strengths, Challenges and Adaptation of a Mentalization-based Parenting Program
Overview
In many individuals, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is recognized and diagnosed late in adolescence or even in adulthood, despite the presence of long-standing impairments and distress. One area that has received little attention so far is research and interventions in clinical practice that relate to the experienced realities of parenthood for autistic adults or offer support in this context. The few existing research findings in this field suggest that parents with ASD might face specific challenges. At the same time, there is a lack of empirical research on the experiences autistic adults have with parenthood, whether they perceive a need for specific support services, and, if so, what those services should look like. To fill this research gap, this study aims to examine the mental health, needs, and strengths of parents with ASD. Particular focus will be given to parental stress and difficulties in the areas of mentalization and emotion regulation, which can increase the risk of psychological comorbidities. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study will investigate to what extent an already established parenting program or an adaptation thereof might be suitable to address the specific requirements of autistic parents and enhance their parenting skills.
Primary outcome measures
- Mentalization [Time frame: Baseline assessment]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Autistic Traits [Time frame: Baseline assessment]
- Parental Quality of Life [Time frame: Baseline assessment]
- Parental mental health [Time frame: Baseline assessment]
- Children mental health [Time frame: Baseline assessment]
Eligibility criteria
In- and exclusion criteria for the study population:
Inclusion criteria
- Parents who fulfill the main diagnosis of ASD, including atypical autism (ICD-10: F84.1) and Asperger syndrome (ICD-10: F84.5)
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Have a child aged 0 to 6 years
Exclusion criteria
- Below-average general cognitive ability (according to clinical impression)
- Lack of German language skills
- Severe visual or hearing impairment (uncorrected)
- Serious neurological and psychiatric illnesses (e.g., epilepsy, psychoses)
- Acute suicidal tendencies (according to clinical findings)
Eligibility Criteria for the Control Group
Inclusion criteria
- Parents without a lifetime main diagnosis of a psychiatric illness (ICD-10-GM-2016: F10 - F69)
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Have a child aged 0 to 6 years
- Matched to the study group in terms of age and gender
Exclusion criteria
- Above-mentioned psychiatric diagnoses
- Below-average general cognitive ability
- Lack of German language skills
- Severe impairment of vision or hearing (not corrected)
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
Germany · 1 center
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf — Hamburg
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06502054 · LPEK-0765