A Strength-Based Approach to Parent Education for Children with Autism

Background: Currently, the vast majority of empirically supported early intervention programs for children with autism include a parent education component. Despite the ubiquitous nature of parent education programs in autism treatment, relatively few studies directly address how parent education should be conducted. The literature on parent variables for parents of children with autism, such as stress and depression, suggest that treatments that facilitate positive adaptation to the child’s disability may be beneficial.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a strength-based approach to parent education on parent and parent-child interaction variables.

Methods: An alternating treatments design was employed to compare the effects of therapist statements that highlighted the child’s deficits vs. therapist statements that emphasized the child’s strengths. These two approaches to parent education were evaluated on the following measures: (1) parent affect following therapist statements, (2) parent statements regarding child behavior, (3) parent affect during parent-child interactions, (4) parent stress during parent-child interactions, (5) parent playfulness, and (6) physical affection.

Results: The results indicate that parents displayed improved affect and decreased levels of stress immediately following therapist statements and during parent-child interactions in the strength-based approach. Additionally, in the strength-based condition, parents demonstrated more playfulness and physical affection toward their child.

Conclusions: Results are discussed in terms of implications for parent education programs, parent well-being, and parent-child interactions.