Caregiver coaching for young autistic children in South Africa
Autism Caregiver Coaching in 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.
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 ID | NIH-11112538 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your family joins, trained non-specialist early childhood practitioners will coach you on everyday ways to support your autistic child's learning and communication using a program adapted for local languages and culture. The coaching is delivered through existing community and education services so it happens where families already go. Researchers from Duke University and the University of Cape Town will follow participating children and families to see how the coaching helps child skills and family routines while also checking how easy it is for the system to keep the program running. The project aims to create a scalable model that could reach more families across South Africa and similar settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are families of young autistic children in South Africa who can receive coaching through local early childhood or education services.
Not a fit: Adults with autism, children outside the targeted age range, or families who cannot access participating community programs may not get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give families a practical, scalable way to improve young autistic children's communication and daily skills using locally available workers.
How similar studies have performed: Caregiver-delivered NDBI approaches have improved child outcomes in many high-income settings, but their use by non-specialists in African community systems is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Franz, Lauren — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Franz, Lauren
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 below.