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Valutazione di un programma di educazione terapeutica per donne incinte con un primo figlio con diagnosi di disturbo dello spettro autistico (AUTMER)

4 novembre 2026 aggiornato da: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

Valutazione di un programma di educazione terapeutica per donne incinte con un primo figlio con diagnosi di disturbo dello spettro autistico (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous set of severe developmental abnormalities of the nervous system characterized by deficits affecting social interactions and verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as the presence of restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and atypical sensory manifestations . ASD affects approximately 1% of the general population (Elsabbagh et al., 2012). Studies of siblings of individuals with ASD show that ASD is present in 7-20% of the offspring in families where a child has had a diagnosis of ASD and this prevalence increases if there are two diagnosed children.

Several studies show the benefits of interventions targeting parents' interaction strategies in the early phases of development of infants at high risk for ASDs, in reducing the risk itself or its severity. Very early intervention, due to the presence of significant brain plasticity at these stages, may be particularly effective in changing these emerging trajectories, from a "preventive intervention" perspective that would aim to mitigate developmental risk and alter prodromal symptom trajectories, rather than eliminate a condition.

Our hypothesis is that the implementation of a specific therapeutic education program during a new pregnancy in the mother of a child with a diagnosis of ASD (MER Program) could improve the mother's well-being, increase parenting communication skills, and thereby improve interaction with the newborn at high risk for ASD. If the infant is affected, it may also reduce the symptoms of the disorder. Indirectly, it could also improve the well-being of the other parent involved in the interaction.

The M.E.R (Mères Ecoute Ressources) programme is a therapeutic education intervention aimed at mothers of children with ASD during a new pregnancy. This programme, which is being piloted in France and Europe, involves a number of dimensions, both educational and behavioural (strategies for stimulating the baby, use of specific communication and interaction tools) and psychological (reduction of stress, anxiety, etc. in the mother).

The programme comprises 8 one-to-one sessions lasting 1.5 hours every 15 days. The first and last of these are for assessment purposes, with the 6 intermediate sessions constituting the support. The structure of the programme and the sessions is based on what is recommended in therapeutic education. The sessions can take place on the hospital site or by teleconsultation (remote consultation used in the context of healthcare).

Panoramica dello studio

Stato

Reclutamento

Condizioni

Intervento / Trattamento

Descrizione dettagliata

Randomized controlled trial with deferred start, French multicenter stepped-wedge type.

The start date of the intervention in each center will be done by randomization, defining 2 periods: a control period located before the start of the intervention, and an experimental period located after the start of the intervention.

This design allows the principal investigating team to train the centers associated in turn with the intervention, and to have a control group with structured follow-up but without intervention.

All subjects will be included before 26 ADT and assigned to the control or experimental group, depending on the time of inclusion and the randomization of the center to which they belong.

The follow-up will be conducted in 2 phases: 1. during pregnancy and 2. After the birth of the child.

Subjects included were pregnant women who already had a child with an ASD diagnosis, the second parent if present, and the newborn at risk for an ASD diagnosis.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of an innovative therapeutic education program (the MER program) versus control in pregnant women with a first child followed for ASD on the quality of interaction strategies of the mother-infant dyad at 10 months postpartum.

The primary endpoint was the caregiver non-directiveness subscore of the Manchester Assessment of Caregiver-infant Interaction (MACI) scale at 10 months postpartum. This subscore is both the most sensitive to intervention and predictive of ASD diagnosis.

The first secondary objective is the evaluation of the effect of the MER versus control program on:

  • maternal pregnancy-related anxiety (PRAQ-R2 score) ;
  • Anxious and depressive symptomatology and quality of life (WhoQoL-Bref score) in the mother and the second parent during pregnancy (EPDS score) and up to 20 months of age of the newborn (HAM-Anxiety and HAM-Depression scores);
  • perceived stress related to pregnancy (ALES score)
  • mother-infant interaction at 10 and 20 months (MACI score and subscore);
  • autistic signs in at-risk infants at 20 months (ADOS Toddler score);

The second secondary objective was to study variables that could impact the effect of the intervention, including

  • adherence: compliance with sessions, satisfaction of participants (PEI-Parent score) ;
  • other variables that could modulate the effect of the intervention: sociodemographic variables (socioeconomic level, family configuration, number of children); clinical profile of the mother (intellectual efficiency (Raven's PM score), psychiatric comorbidities (DIGS, SRS score)); clinical profile of the child already diagnosed (ADI-R and ADOS score; developmental level); clinical profile of the infant at risk (gestational age, MSEL, IBQ-R and ECBQ scores).

The third secondary objective was to describe the barriers and levers to the implementation of the intervention.

Characteristics related to the implementation of the intervention (recruitment, uptake, fidelity, and implementation) will be collected, as well as the profile of mothers who did not participate in the project.

Tipo di studio

Interventistico

Iscrizione (Stimato)

165

Fase

  • Non applicabile

Contatti e Sedi

Questa sezione fornisce i recapiti di coloro che conducono lo studio e informazioni su dove viene condotto lo studio.

Contatto studio

Backup dei contatti dello studio

Luoghi di studio

      • Paris, Francia, 75019
        • Reclutamento
        • Hôpital Robert Debré
        • Contatto:

Criteri di partecipazione

I ricercatori cercano persone che corrispondano a una certa descrizione, chiamata criteri di ammissibilità. Alcuni esempi di questi criteri sono le condizioni generali di salute di una persona o trattamenti precedenti.

Criteri di ammissibilità

Età idonea allo studio

Da 18 anni a 70 anni (Adulto, Adulto più anziano)

Accetta volontari sani

No

Sessi ammissibili allo studio

Femmina

Descrizione

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Mothers of children with a diagnosis of ASD, in pregnancy (before the 26th week of amenorrhea);
  • The diagnosis of ASD of the older child has been made, according to the DSM IV-TR or DSM 5 criteria, formalized by a diagnostic evaluation including if possible: the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ADOS, and/or ADI
  • Informed consent from mother and sec

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of a clearly identified and unstabilized severe psychiatric disorder in the mother (confirmed by medical interview and DIGS questionnaire conducted at the time of the inclusion visit) and/or intellectual disability;
  • Engagement in another form of individual therapeutic intervention.
  • Refusal of either parent (for child assessment, primary criterion)
  • Parents not proficient in French language
  • Persons (mother or second parent) under legal protection, guardianship or trusteeship, persons deprived of liberty, under court protection, under psychiatric care, under constraint, admitted to a health or social institution for purposes other than research
  • Persons with cognitive disorders or intellectual disabilities

Piano di studio

Questa sezione fornisce i dettagli del piano di studio, compreso il modo in cui lo studio è progettato e ciò che lo studio sta misurando.

Come è strutturato lo studio?

Dettagli di progettazione

  • Scopo principale: Prevenzione
  • Assegnazione: Randomizzato
  • Modello interventistico: Assegnazione parallela
  • Mascheramento: Separare

Armi e interventi

Gruppo di partecipanti / Arm
Intervento / Trattamento
Nessun intervento: control group

Pregnant women followed by the center in the period before the intervention is implemented (the start of which is determined by randomization)

Sperimentale: experimental group

Pregnant women followed by the center during the period after the intervention is implemented (the start of which is determined by randomization)

The M.E.R program is a therapeutic education intervention for mothers of children with ASD during a new pregnancy. This program, which is a pilot in France and in Europe, involves several dimensions, both pedagogical and behavioral (strategies for stimulating the baby, use of specific communication and interaction tools) and psychological (reduction of stress, anxiety, etc. in the mother).

It includes 8 individual interviews of 1h30 every 15 days. The first and the last one are for evaluation purposes, the 6 intermediate sessions constitute the accompaniment. The structure of the program and the sessions are based on what is recommended in therapeutic education. The sessions can take place on the hospital site or teleconsultation (remote consultation used in the context of healthcare).

Cosa sta misurando lo studio?

Misure di risultato primarie

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Manchester Assessment of Caregiver-infant Interaction (MACI) "caregiver non-directiveness" subscore
Lasso di tempo: 5 months after delivery

mother-baby interaction in the experimental group versus the control group at 5 months postpartum.

This subscore is the most sensitive to intervention and predictive of ASD diagnosis.

5 months after delivery

Misure di risultato secondarie

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised2 (PRAQ-R2) subscore
Lasso di tempo: between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation

To evaluate the effect of the MER program on maternal anxiety related to pregnancy

between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation
Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised2 (PRAQ-R2) subscore
Lasso di tempo: at 3 months after intervention

To evaluate the effect of the MER program on maternal anxiety related to pregnancy

at 3 months after intervention
Appraisal of Life Events Scale (ALES)
Lasso di tempo: between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation

Perceived pregnancy-related stress in the mother.scale with a list of adjectives, rated on a five-point Likert scale)

between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation
Appraisal of Life Events Scale (ALES)
Lasso di tempo: at 3 months after intervention

Perceived pregnancy-related stress in the mother.scale with a list of adjectives, rated on a five-point Likert scale

at 3 months after intervention
Edimburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Lasso di tempo: 10 months after birth

used to assess the risk of postnatal depression and is useful for identifying the presence of anxiety symptoms.The threshold retained for the French validation is 10.5, above which a depression is possible and below which the risk is very low.

10 months after birth
quality of life score-Bref (WhoQol-Bref)
Lasso di tempo: 10 months after birth

WHOQOL-BREF includes 26 items that measure the following broad domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment.

10 months after birth
parental anxiety score (HAM)
Lasso di tempo: 10 months after birth

hetero-questionnaire with 14 items, measuring both the psychic (mental agitation and psychological distress) and somatic (physical complaints related to anxiety) expression of anxiety. Each item is rated on a Likert scale from 0 to 4 (total range 0-56, where <17= mild anxiety; 18-24= mild to moderate; 25-30 moderate to severe)

10 months after birth
mother's intelligence quotient
Lasso di tempo: between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation

measured by Raven's Progressive Matrices

between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation
Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)
Lasso di tempo: between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation

to refine the evaluation of social difficulties in a dimensional way

between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation
Wechsler Mullen scale
Lasso di tempo: between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation

developmental level of the ASD child

between 11 weeks and 26 weeks of gestation

Collaboratori e investigatori

Qui è dove troverai le persone e le organizzazioni coinvolte in questo studio.

Sponsor

Investigatori

  • Investigatore principale: Anita Beggiato, PHD, APHP

Studiare le date dei record

Queste date tengono traccia dell'avanzamento della registrazione dello studio e dell'invio dei risultati di sintesi a ClinicalTrials.gov. I record degli studi e i risultati riportati vengono esaminati dalla National Library of Medicine (NLM) per assicurarsi che soddisfino specifici standard di controllo della qualità prima di essere pubblicati sul sito Web pubblico.

Studia le date principali

Inizio studio (Effettivo)

13 maggio 2025

Completamento primario (Stimato)

13 marzo 2029

Completamento dello studio (Stimato)

13 agosto 2029

Date di iscrizione allo studio

Primo inviato

11 ottobre 2021

Primo inviato che soddisfa i criteri di controllo qualità

22 ottobre 2021

Primo Inserito (Effettivo)

2 novembre 2021

Aggiornamenti dei record di studio

Ultimo aggiornamento pubblicato (Effettivo)

9 novembre 2026

Ultimo aggiornamento inviato che soddisfa i criteri QC

4 novembre 2026

Ultimo verificato

1 novembre 2026

Maggiori informazioni

Termini relativi a questo studio

Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio

  • APHP191096

Informazioni su farmaci e dispositivi, documenti di studio

Studia un prodotto farmaceutico regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti

No

Studia un dispositivo regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti

No

Queste informazioni sono state recuperate direttamente dal sito web clinicaltrials.gov senza alcuna modifica. In caso di richieste di modifica, rimozione o aggiornamento dei dettagli dello studio, contattare register@clinicaltrials.gov. Non appena verrà implementata una modifica su clinicaltrials.gov, questa verrà aggiornata automaticamente anche sul nostro sito web .