{"id":1506,"date":"2019-07-18T10:34:30","date_gmt":"2019-07-18T09:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/reach-asd\/?page_id=1506"},"modified":"2023-07-19T14:40:11","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T13:40:11","slug":"information-for-professionals","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/reach-asd\/information-for-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Information for professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” module_class=”main-navigation” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”dark”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_menu][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_class=”header-image-section” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|” custom_css_main_element=”padding-top:0px” transparent_background=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding=”||0px|” custom_margin=”||0px|” parallax_method_1=”off” module_class=”header-image” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/reach-asd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/192\/2019\/07\/inormation-for-professional-banner.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ border_color_all=”#ffffff” custom_margin=”0px|||” animation_direction=”left” use_border_color=”off”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.74″ custom_padding=”||0px|” transparent_background=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding=”||0px|” custom_margin=”||0px|” parallax_method_1=”off” module_class=”breadcrumbs-row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Breadcrumbs (do not remove)” module_class=”breadcrumbs” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”left” custom_css_main_element=”border-bottom: 1px solid #ececed;” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\nREACH-ASD<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ specialty=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ transparent_background=”off”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax__hover=”off” parallax_method__hover=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_sidebar area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ show_border=”off” admin_label=”Left Nav Sidebar” module_id=”left-nav-menu” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ remove_border=”on”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax__hover=”off” parallax_method__hover=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax__hover=”off” parallax_method__hover=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”left” use_border_color=”off”]<\/p>\n

Information for professionals<\/h1>\n

Thank you for your interest in the REACH-ASD trial. We want to ensure that effective support services are available to families and children following an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis.<\/p>\n

This page provides useful information about the REACH-ASD trial for professionals such as psychiatrists, paediatricians, speech and language therapists and mental health practitioners.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”3.17.6″ border_color_all=”#ffffff” use_border_color=”off”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”How are parents affected by their child\u2019s ASD diagnosis? ” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n

The period following a child\u2019s ASD diagnosis can be disorientating for many parents. Parental emotional responses to the diagnosis are diverse and often multifaceted and parents often find themselves navigating a new and complex landscape of information, advice and service structures. The incidence of clinically significant parental mental health need around this time is 20-50%. Improved parent wellbeing is important in and of itself, but is also likely to result in downstream benefits for the child and family and a more effective uptake of subsequent evidenced-based parent-mediated interventions known to bring long-term benefits for the child with ASD and parents alike. Professionals are often aware of the needs of parents in the post-diagnostic period but do not have a framework or the resources to support them effectively. <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Are evidence-based services currently available for parents of children diagnosed with ASD? ” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n

Following diagnosis, current evidence supports the effectiveness of some specific pre-school intervention strategies on parent and child communication. Previous work led by our group has shown the long-term benefits of a parent-mediated, video-aided communication intervention (read more here<\/a>). However, there has been little research into the effectiveness of service provision in the immediate post-diagnostic period.<\/p>\n

There is no formal evidence base for parental post-diagnostic ASD psychoeducation support within the UK. Observational studies suggest preliminary support of manualised psychoeducation programmes like EarlyBird, ASCEND and Cygnet. Anecdotal clinical reports are also of good acceptance. Internationally there have been a small number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of psychoeducation with generic\/child outcomes and one RCT with a treatment effect on parental mental health.<\/p>\n

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has a growing evidence base for effectiveness in adult mental health. ACT shares lineage with cognitive-behavioural interventions and shows similar general effectiveness. ACT holds particular relevance to the distinct psychological task faced by parents in these circumstances due to:<\/p>\n