Autism Caregiver Coaching in Africa
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11381694 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Duke University-led project helps parents and non-specialist workers in South Africa use caregiver-supported autism strategies to help young children with autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $323,595 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH127573-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381694 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with autism aged up to around 60 months and their families in South Africa who are served within the public education system.
✕Less likely to help
Children or families in settings without access to caregiver-mediated interventions or in non-public-sector contexts may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project adapts a caregiver coaching approach for Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions so non-specialist early childhood workers in South Africa can deliver it within the public sector. It will test how well the core coaching, training, and ongoing support work in a real-world setting to improve outcomes for autistic children and their families. The study uses a Type 1 hybrid design to measure both how well the intervention works and how it can be implemented sustainably in a resource-limited system. The focus is on children up to 60 months who previously had limited access to evidence-based autism services.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, caregivers and non-specialist providers could deliver effective autism support at scale, improving child development and family well-being in Africa.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows caregiver-mediated NDBI approaches can be effective when delivered by non-specialists in similar settings, but this specific adaptation in South Africa is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Franz, Lauren — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Franz, Lauren
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Autism Caregiver Coaching in Africa for Young Children
A Duke University-led project in South Africa aims to help young children with autism by training caregivers to deliver proven coaching strategies through non-specialist providers.
-
Understanding how Latino caregivers engage with early autism services
This project looks at how Latino families engage with early intervention services for children with autism to improve access and quality of care.
-
Caregiver coaching in South Africa to support young autistic children
This project trains local early-childhood workers to coach caregivers so they can help autistic children (around 0–11 years) build communication, behavior, and daily-living skills.
-
Understanding how caregivers perceive infant cries to identify early signs of autism
This study is looking at how parents and caregivers understand and react to their babies' cries to see if certain sounds might help spot early signs of autism, with the goal of improving support for children who may be at risk.
-
Helping Latino caregivers get the most from early autism services
This project works with Latino families of very young children with autism to strengthen caregiver involvement and improve the quality of early intervention services.
-
Caregiver coaching for young autistic children in South Africa
This project trains local early childhood workers to coach families so young autistic children in South Africa get practical, culturally adapted support at home.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.