Article
Psychology, Developmental
Anna Milgramm, Laura L. Corona, Cortney Janicki-Menzie, Kristin Christodulu
Summary: This study describes a community-based, group-format parent education program for families of children newly diagnosed with ASD. Parents reported reduced parenting stress, increased knowledge and empowerment, and high levels of satisfaction after participating in the program. The paper discusses implications and future research directions for this type of parent-focused intervention.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Ashley Rohacek, Emily L. Baxter, William E. Sullivan, Henry S. Roane, Kevin M. Antshel
Summary: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit challenging behaviors. This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of a novel brief behavioral parent training (BPT) for caregivers of 5-9 year old children with ASD. The results showed that the BPT was feasible and acceptable, leading to reduced challenging behaviors in children with ASD.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Lucie Jurek, Kathy Leadbitter, Bruno Falissard, Cyrille Colin, Sandrine Touzet, Marie-Maude Geoffray
Summary: While the effectiveness of parent-mediated interventions in the field of autism spectrum disorder is well established, there is limited information on the experiences of parents involved in these interventions. This systematic review synthesizes qualitative evidence and explores the experiences of parents participating in parent-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. The findings highlight the balanced nature of parents' experiences, including positive outcomes, emotional struggles, and implementation difficulties. Based on the results, the study proposes ways to improve the implementation of parent-mediated interventions and future research in the field.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Richard H. Cole, Michael S. Elmalem, Panayiota Petrochilos
Summary: In a cohort of adults with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), the prevalence of autistic traits and alexithymia is reported, along with the associated psychiatric comorbidity. Furthermore, it is explored whether alexithymia mediates the association between autistic traits and comorbidity.
JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Tobi Graucher, Yana Sinai-Gavrilov, Yaniv Mor, Shay Netzer, Eyal Y. Cohen, Linoy Levi, Tzlil Birenboim Avtalion, Judah Koller
Summary: Disruptive behaviors are common in children with autism, and they have a negative impact on the quality of life for both children and their families. Parent-mediated interventions provide a cost-effective and accessible way to reduce these behaviors. This study examined the effects of a group-based intervention called RUBI, delivered both face-to-face and virtually in Israel. The results showed a reduction in disruptive behaviors across both intervention groups, with over 50% of treatment-responders showing reliable change. This study is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of RUBI outside the US among a sociodemographically diverse population in both in-person and virtual contexts.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Emily Pattison, Nicole Papadopoulos, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Emma Sciberras, Harriet Hiscock, Katrina Williams, Jane McGillivray, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Susannah T. Bellows, Deborah Marks, Patricia Howlin, Nicole Rinehart
Summary: The study examined the long-term and moderating effects of a behavioral sleep intervention for autistic children. The intervention showed sustained improvements in child sleep, with greater reduction in sleep problems reported by caregivers compared to the control group. The benefits were found to be greater for children taking sleep medication, children of parents without psychological distress, and children with greater autism severity. These findings can inform treatment decisions and identify subgroups that may require additional support.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Education, Special
Robyn Garnett, Bronwyn Davidson, Patricia Eadie
Summary: The study investigated the effects of a telepractice-delivered communication intervention program for groups of parents, showing improved parental responsiveness and increased child social communication behavior. These changes were maintained during the post-intervention phase, supporting the application of telepractice for delivering group-based early intervention programs.
RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Ashleigh Hillier, Joseph Ryan, Abigail Buckingham, David Schena, Alexa Queenan, Andrea Dottolo, Marlene Abreu
Summary: This study investigates the concerns and support parents of high schoolers with ASD have regarding the transition to college, highlighting prominent themes of social skills, executive functioning, academics, campus living, and support services as key areas of focus.
PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Lennart M. Oblong, Alberto Llera, Ting Mei, Koen Haak, Christina Isakoglou, Dorothea L. Floris, Sarah Durston, Carolin Moessnang, Tobias Banaschewski, Simon Baron-Cohen, Eva Loth, Flavio Dell'Acqua, Tony Charman, Declan G. M. Murphy, Christine Ecker, Jan K. Buitelaar, Christian F. Beckmann, EU AIMS LEAP Grp, Natalie J. Forde
Summary: This study integrates structural and functional brain properties to identify novel brain-organisation phenotypes of autism. Using multimodal MRI and behavioral data, the study finds that functional phenotypes drive associations with autism.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Yael G. Dai, Rebecca P. Thomas, Lynn Brennan, Molly S. Helt, Marianne L. Barton, Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, Deborah A. Fein
Summary: Early intervention with parent participation is crucial for children with ASD. A novel online program for caregivers, based on behavioral, naturalistic, and developmental principles, has shown effectiveness in teaching interventions and improving children's skills and behavior. The program was well-received by parents, with most finding it clear, enjoyable, and useful.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Education, Special
Kate Tsiplova, Jathishinie Jegathisawaran, Pat Mirenda, Karen Kalynchuk, Paola Colozzo, Veronica Smith, Wendy J. Ungar
Summary: This study aimed to compare the costs between parent coaching and enhanced community treatment for treating young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The results showed that families in the parent coaching group used fewer services, resulting in lower costs. These findings have important implications for improving treatment options for young children awaiting an ASD diagnosis.
RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kamrun Nahar Koly, Susanne P. Martin-Herz, Md Saimul Islam, Nusrat Sharmin, Hannah Blencowe, Aliya Naheed
Summary: The systematic review of 23 studies showed improvements in parent and child skills following parent-mediated intervention in South Asia. Additional evaluations and development of locally customized parent-mediated programmes are needed to support the development of feasible interventions for South Asian countries.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Laura A. A. Prieto, Benazir Meera, Ashlyn Barry, Gayatri Swarup, Jennifer Asmus, Byungmo Ku, Kristi Roth, John T. T. Foley, Luis Columna
Summary: The study examined the effects of a parent-mediated physical activity intervention on the fundamental motor skills of autistic children. Three groups were randomly assigned, including a workshop group, an online group, and a control group. The results showed that the in-person group had the largest effect sizes on locomotor and ball skill scores, followed by the online group, and then the control group. The findings suggest that parents can play a significant role in helping their autistic children acquire fundamental motor skills.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Jennifer Kurzrok, Eileen McBride, Ruth B. Grossman
Summary: This study suggests that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder gain greater autism-specific parenting self-efficacy when they are more involved in their child's therapy and are more satisfied with intervention-related training. Feeling pressure related to being caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder can undermine this self-efficacy, but the severity of the child's symptoms does not limit parents' confidence. There is an opportunity for providers to help parents feel more confident in managing the complexities of parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder by fostering involvement in treatment and creating more satisfying training experiences.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Victoria Grahame, Linda Dixon, Sue Fletcher-Watson, Deborah Garland, Magdalena Glod, Jane Goodwin, Zoe Grayson, Saoirse Heron, Emma Honey, Rebecca Iversen, Adetayo S. Kasim, Ashleigh Kernohan, Ehsan Kharatikoopaei, Ann Le Couteur, Leila Mackie, Ayesha Mathias, Helen Probert, Deborah Riby, Priyanka Rob, Leanne Rogan, Sarah Thompson, Luke Vale, Eamonn Walls, Elspeth Imogen Webb, Christopher Weetman, Faye Wolstenhulme, Ruth Wood, Jacqui Rodgers
Summary: The study is a clinical and cost-effectiveness, multi-site randomised controlled trial comparing the Managing Repetitive Behaviours (MRB) parent group intervention with a psychoeducation parent group Learning About Autism (LAA) for families of young children with autism. The primary outcome using generalised estimating equation will compare the proportion of children with improved RRB between the two groups.