Parental attitudes to a telehealth parent coaching intervention for autism spectrum disorder

Introduction: This study examined the potential feasibility of tele-delivered parent coaching in a rural area of Italy through a survey of parents’ attitudes towards this type of intervention. Methods: Parents of all children up to six years of age registered with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder at the clinic catering for the area were invited to take part in the study. The final sample consisted of 43 parents. Results: Parents with worse Internet skills and those who reported lower levels of satisfaction with currently received services were less likely to be willing to enrol. There was a trend for parents with lower self-efficacy to be less likely to enrol. Educational level, previous experience of video-calling, travel time to the clinic and child’s level of ability were not associated with the choice of enrolment. Discussion: Implications for strategies to contrast barriers to adoption and strengthen implementation plans are discussed.