Behavioral Parent Training to Address Feeding Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Trial

The purpose of this study was to pilot a newly developed manualized behavioral parent training program (PT-F) for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and feeding problems, and test the feasibility and initial efficacy of the treatment in a small open trial. Parents of a sample of 14 young children diagnosed with ASD, with an average age of 4 years, were enrolled in this study. Parents participated in a 9-session program delivered individually over the 16 weeks of the study. Outcome measures of feasibility, fidelity, and efficacy were collected. Parent attendance and satisfaction were high as was treatment fidelity. The Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory was significantly reduced over the trial as were disruptive behaviors. Finally, significant reduction in parenting stress was observed over the course of the study. Results support the feasibility and initial efficacy of this PT-F program for children with ASD and feeding problems. Additional research to include randomized trials are necessary to confirm these initial findings.