Comparing individual and group modalities of a parent training program for caregivers of autistic children in Argentina: a mixed-methods study

Objectives This comparative mixed-methods intervention study examined the impact and acceptability of Parents Taking Action (PTA), a culturally adapted caregiver training program for families of autistic children in Argentina and compared outcomes between individual and group delivery formats.Methods Nineteen caregivers of autistic children completed the intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to receive the eight-session PTA program individually (n = 10) or in groups (n = 9) through live online sessions. Quantitative measures assessed family outcomes, parenting self-efficacy, depressive symptoms, and autism knowledge before and after the intervention. Qualitative data from focus groups and interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results Caregivers reported significant improvements in family outcomes, advocacy skills, support systems, depressive symptoms, and autism knowledge. Most significant findings showed moderate to large effect sizes. Our repeated-measures ANOVA indicated no significant interaction between delivery formats over time indicating that the two delivery formats did not differ significantly in the magnitude of change produced. Qualitative findings indicated high acceptability and social validity. Caregivers described the program as highly needed in Argentina and highlighted increased empowerment, practical strategies, emotional support, and the accessibility of the online format.Conclusions The culturally adapted PTA program showed promising outcomes and high acceptability among Argentine caregivers of autistic children. Individual and group formats appear to offer distinct, complementary benefits rather than one format being superior to the other, suggesting that implementation decisions in low-resource settings may be best guided by caregiver preferences, logistical constraints, and program goals. Adequately powered future studies are needed to confirm whether either format produces superior outcomes at scale.