Helping Latino caregivers get the most from early autism services
Official title: Characterizing Latino Caregiver Engagement in Early Intervention Services for Autism
Funded at California State University Long Beach · NIH-11163559 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project works with Latino families of very young children with autism to strengthen caregiver involvement and improve the quality of early intervention services.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California State University Long Beach NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Long Beach, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $187,772 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM154679-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163559 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Caregivers of Latino children under about 3 years old who are receiving or eligible for early intervention services—especially families connected to programs in the Long Beach/California area—are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Families without a child under age 3, those not involved in early intervention, or families outside the study area may not receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
As a Latino parent of a child under age 3, I would be asked about my experiences, beliefs, and day-to-day involvement with early intervention. The team will look at both attitudinal items (for example, what I expect from treatment) and behavioral items (like attendance and in-session participation) to understand engagement. They will work with families and local early intervention programs to identify barriers and supports that affect how caregivers are involved. The goal is to use what they learn to help programs deliver better, more family-centered care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help Latino families get higher-quality early autism services and improve developmental outcomes for young children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts have helped Latino families access early services, but targeting caregiver engagement to improve service quality is less tested and this work is building on that gap.
Where this research is happening
-
California State University Long Beach
Long Beach, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Caplan, Barbara J — California State University Long Beach
- Study coordinator: Caplan, Barbara J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.
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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.
-
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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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.