Feasibility of a videoconferencing-based parent-mediated intervention: a mixed-method pilot study

Marie-Maude Geoffray; Maeva Bourgeois-Mollier; Maud Maleysson-Baste; Natacha Gallifet; Sara Dochez; Gaelle Bonis; Agathe Jay; Lucie Jurek

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1450455

Feasibility of a videoconferencing-based parent-mediated intervention: a mixed-method pilot study

Front Psychol. 2025 Jan 7:15:1450455. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1450455. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Marie-Maude Geoffray^{1

2}, Maeva Bourgeois-Mollier¹, Maud Maleysson-Baste¹, Natacha Gallifet¹, Sara Dochez^{1

3}, Gaelle Bonis¹, Agathe Jay¹, Lucie Jurek^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Le Vinatier Hospital, Bron, France.
² RESHAPE U1290, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.
³ Baby Lab, ISC, CNRS UMR 5229, Bron, France.

Abstract

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents early communication and social challenges, necessitating timely and accessible intervention. Pre-school Autism Communication Therapy (PACT), a parent-mediated intervention, empowers parents to facilitate their child's development. However, accessibility issues often hinder families from accessing evidence-based intervention. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of videoconferencing-based PACT as a precursor for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Methodology: A mixed-methods approach integrated quantitative retrospective measures and semi-structured interviews. Participants included children diagnosed with ASD who received PACT, and PACT-trained professionals with videoconferencing experience. Feasibility was assessed through audio and video quality, internet stability, and session length. Professionals' experiences were analyzed using a qualitative thematic analysis. Autism severity, parent-child interaction, and therapeutic changes were also described.

Results: Nine parent-child dyads and eight PACT therapists were included in the study. Videoconferencing-based PACT intervention proved feasible, with 95.1% of the 41 sessions rated as feasible on the scale. Technical challenges such as audio quality (7.3%) and screen sharing (19.1%) have emerged, which therapists circumvented to maintain intervention quality. Autism severity and parent-child interaction showed positive trends, supported by qualitative findings reporting increased parental confidence and enhanced synchrony. The core components of PACT were successfully adapted to the remote setting.

Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that delivering PACT via videoconferencing is a feasible approach to enhance the accessibility of evidence-based interventions for ASD. Larger-scale research with rigorous controls is required to validate these promising findings. An ongoing multicenter randomized trial aims to address this gap.

Keywords: PACT; autism spectrum disorder; mixed-methods; parent-mediated intervention; videofeedback.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The study benefited from the financial support of CH Le Vinatier (CSRN04) and a grant by the Caisse Nationale de solidarité pour l’autonomie (CNSA) as part of the call for projects launched for IReSP (Institut de Recherche en Santé Publique) in 2016 in collaboration with the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) (IReSP-17-Autisme3-16).