This project will run as a parallel stream of research, to develop and evaluate therapies that can then be implemented very early in life for infants identified as showing early signs of autism. iBASIS-VIPP is a "prodromal" intervention, a parent mediated therapy that aims to reduce the long-term disability associated with autism. IBasis-VIPP is a parent-mediated, video-aided feedback therapy which aims to optimise social and communication development in infants aged 9-14 months by helping parents understand and adapt to their infant's communication style. The therapy involves 10 sessions over a 5-month period. A full-scale clinical trial of the iBASIS-VIPP is being undertaken across dual sites, in Perth and Melbourne, with a sample size of infants with the following considerations: (a) Sample size is adequately powered to enable definitive conclusions to be drawn regarding the efficacy of this therapy; (b) Participating infants are determined to be at "high likelihood" for autism due to showing early behavioural signs. Concurrent operations across two sites in Australia also facilitates future trialling of the effectiveness of iBASIS-VIPP - testing whether the expected benefits observed within this efficacy trial will remain when therapy is delivered within local community services - and subsequent translation into community practice.
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Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism