Training and pilot implementation of the World Health Organization's caregiver skills training program in Egypt

Funding Sponsor

U.S. Department of State

Fifth Author's Department

Psychology Department

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2025.202659

All Authors

Sarah Dababnah Alaa T. Ibrahim Afiqah Yusuf Eman Gaber Heba W. Kotb Hadeer Elshafey Mayada Elsabbagh Sherine Ramzy Stephanie Eskander Andrea Theis Aya Elsherif Pamela Dixon

Document Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Research in Autism

Publication Date

9-1-2025

doi

10.1016/j.reia.2025.202659

Abstract

There are numerous challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to access timely and appropriate autism-related care. The small body of research in Egypt finds a dearth of adequately trained professionals and services for young autistic children and their caregivers. This brief report summarizes efforts to engage local and global partners to train Egyptian professionals to deliver the World Health Organization's Caregiver Skills Training program, a caregiver-mediated intervention (nine group and three individual sessions) designed explicitly to fill in the global gap of autism services. We used qualitative and quantitative methods to assess local professionals’ perspectives on the intervention, the implementation climate, intervention delivery, and future training of non-specialists. We trained 16 full-time public health employees on the intervention, who reported on their confidence to deliver the intervention, strategies to train non-specialists, and knowledge of which children would benefit. They also reported on potential barriers implementing the intervention. Our research underscored the value of having a range of local and global partners to collectively address provider and intervention shortages in resource-limited countries.

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