Autism Caregiver Coaching in Africa for Young Children
Official title: Autism Caregiver Coaching in Africa
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11580298 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
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) | $248,706 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH127573-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11580298 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are autistic children in South Africa, up to around 60 months old, and their caregivers who can participate in a caregiver-delivered intervention.
✕Less likely to help
Children who do not have access to caregiver coaching or who cannot engage with the training schedule may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on caregiver-delivered Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions to support very young children with autism in a public-school setting in South Africa. It will test a minimum, practical implementation package—core coaching techniques, caregiver training, and ongoing coaching supports—delivered by non-specialist early childhood workers within the existing education system. The study combines effectiveness data with real-world implementation insights to see how well this approach works in a resource-limited public sector. By focusing on what is feasible in local clinics and schools, the research seeks to accelerate access to evidence-based autism interventions for families who currently have few options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, caregivers and non-specialist providers could more reliably support young autistic children, improving communication, behavior, and daily functioning within the public system.
How similar studies have gone: Past studies show caregiver-delivered NDBIs can be effective in other settings, but this study tests implementation in an African public-sector context.
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.
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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.
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Autism Caregiver Coaching in Africa
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.
-
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.
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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.
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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.