(PS4-74) The Influence of Parent Characteristics on Multiple Dimensions of Parent Engagement in Early Autism Intervention

Parent engagement in child treatment is linked to improved child outcomes. Recent work suggests parent engagement consists of multiple dimensions (e.g., therapeutic alliance, treatment expectations, attendance, between-session practice, and in-session parent participation engagement [PPE]). Most studies examine individual dimensions, limiting understanding of how they are related. Prior work also suggests parent sociodemographics, stress, and self-efficacy impact engagement, but little is known about patterns of influence on distinct dimensions. This study examined the interrelations of engagement measures and their association with parent characteristics. Early intervention (EI) providers were recruited from an RCT examining the effectiveness of an early autism intervention and were randomly assigned to training in caregiver-implemented Reciprocal Imitation Teaching (CI-RIT) or the waitlist-control group. Children on their caseload between 16-30 months with early signs of autism were recruited with their primary caregiver. At intake, parents reported on sociodemographics (e.g., marital status, race/ethnicity, education), parenting stress and efficacy, and motivation to change parenting behavior. For 4 months, attendance at weekly EI sessions was documented and parents reported on therapeutic alliance quality at the conclusion. On 3 occasions, parents described frequency of practice at home and EI sessions were recorded for observational coding of PPE. Pearson correlations examined relationships between engagement measures; only parent motivation and frequency of practice at home were significantly associated (r(109)=.34, p< .001). Multilevel models investigated the influence of parent characteristics on individual engagement dimensions, controlling for study condition. Results indicated differential patterns of associations between parent characteristics and engagement dimensions. Higher parenting efficacy predicted stronger therapeutic alliance (t(23)=2.50, b=.23, p</em>=.02), higher education predicted greater motivation (t(136)=3.12, b=3.81, p=.002), minoritized race/ethnicity predicted lower frequency of practice (t(40)=-1.97, b=-.39, p=.06), and living with a spouse/partner predicted higher PPE (t(43)=2.92, b=.50, p</em>=.006). No parent characteristics significantly predicted attendance (b=-.03-.08; p=.17-.81). Findings indicate the need to consider multiple engagement indicators when assessing and promoting engagement rather than individual dimensions alone. Providers may consider incorporating motivation-building strategies to promote at-home practice. In addition, understanding how parent characteristics influence engagement dimensions may inform individualized methods to increase parent engagement in early autism intervention and support child outcomes. Data collection is ongoing to increase power. Further research is needed to reduce barriers to distinct parent engagement dimensions, particularly for minoritized and single-parent families.