Vanoncini Monica, Cattaneo Martina, Falcone Gloria, Fioravanti Mariachiara, Leonardis Giulia de, Zampini Laura, Salomone Erica
Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, U6 Building - Room 4077 (4th floor), 20126, Milano, Italy.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2025 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-06890-0.
The use of mobile technology to support clinical practice (mHealth) has the potential to support access to caregiver-mediated interventions for autistic children, improving accessibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. However, rarely stakeholders' perspectives have been integrated in the development of mHealth tools. This study aims to investigate stakeholders' needs, attitudes, and expectations regarding a to-be-developed mHealth caregiver-mediated intervention based on the WHO Caregiver Skills Training program.
We conducted focus groups and interviews with 13 caregivers and 14 clinicians.
Thematic analysis identified four main themes: "Usage scenarios", "Purposes", "Threats to app success", and "Strategies for app success". Stakeholders emphasized the need for an app that could support caregivers at different stages and roles, regardless of previous exposure to in-person CST. Stakeholders expected an app that could integrate psychoeducation, support home practice, and promote psychological wellbeing. Perceived threats to the app's effectiveness pertained to the self-directed delivery, in absence of a therapist; while strategies proposed to counter such threats included incorporating engaging content, gamification and customization features, and overall ease of use of the app.
Findings are discussed in relation to the development of a prototype based on caregivers' needs and recommendations from expert clinicians. Future directions involve conducting formal usability testing of the initial prototype and evaluating the app's acceptability and effectiveness.
利用移动技术支持临床实践（移动健康）有潜力支持自闭症儿童获得由照顾者介导的干预措施，提高可及性、可扩展性和成本效益。然而，在移动健康工具的开发过程中，很少将利益相关者的观点纳入其中。本研究旨在调查利益相关者对基于世界卫生组织照顾者技能培训计划开发的移动健康照顾者介导干预措施的需求、态度和期望。
我们对13名照顾者和14名临床医生进行了焦点小组讨论和访谈。
主题分析确定了四个主要主题：“使用场景”、“目的”、“应用成功的威胁”和“应用成功的策略”。利益相关者强调需要一款能够在不同阶段和角色上支持照顾者的应用程序，无论其之前是否接触过面对面的照顾者技能培训。利益相关者期望一款能够整合心理教育、支持家庭实践并促进心理健康的应用程序。对应用程序有效性的感知威胁涉及在没有治疗师的情况下的自主交付；而提出的应对此类威胁的策略包括纳入引人入胜的内容、游戏化和定制功能，以及应用程序的整体易用性。
结合照顾者的需求和专家临床医生的建议，对研究结果进行了关于原型开发的讨论。未来的方向包括对初始原型进行正式的可用性测试，并评估该应用程序的可接受性和有效性。
