Spectrum Disorder?
Natasha Arastehmanesh, OTS & Evelyn Babaroudi, OTS
Touro University Nevada, School of Occupational Therapy
Inclusion criteria:
Children and adolescents (0-19 years old) with autism
spectrum disorder
Intervention or treatment program implemented by an
occupational therapist, or any professional qualified
such as psychologist or trained therapist
Child may present with similar features to autism but
may not have diagnosis (social interaction, verbal
communication, restrictive repetitive behavior)
Comorbid disabilities
Exclusion Criteria:
Articles published before the year of 2004
Adults with autism or any population other than children
and adolescents
Studies not available in full text.
Databases Searched
Google Scholar, EBSCO, CINHAL, PubMed
Key Search terms
Autism Spectrum Disorder, parent education, parent
training, compliance
Evidence Table
Study Design/Methodology of Selected Articles
II
III
IV
Qualitative Studies
Other
TOTAL:
Contact Information:
Ot16.natasha.arastehmanesh@nvv.touro.edu;
Ot16.evelyn.babaroudi@nv.touro.edu
Increased compliance
Improved social communication skills
Improved parenting confidence
Reductions in aggressive behaviors
Increased parent involvement
Increased positive social interaction with
siblings
Improvement in short term cognitive & adaptive
functioning
Level of
Evidence
Methods
10
Retrieved from:
http://www.bestforautism.com/images/Slideshow-homepage/5.jpg
Implications for OT
The clinical and community-based practice of OT:
The constraints of time and money can steer
parents away from participating in a parent
education program.
Brief & low cost parent training programs,
implemented in clinical and community-based
settings, can allow therapists to actively engage
parents in the delivery of treatment.
Program development:
Many parents do not have the available resources
and time to partake in a program that is extensive
in nature.
Implementing parent training programs that are
short, cost-effective, and readily available will
address these shortcomings.
Societal Needs:
Short term and cost-effective programs will help
address societal needs (i.e. finances & time
constraints).
The use of parent training may shorten the
amount of visits the child will need on a weekly
basis and therefore meet societal needs.
Healthcare delivery and policy:
Educating primary care health care professionals
on the effects of parent training programs in
helping parents deal with disruptive behaviors will
be of beneficial value.
Pediatricians, and psychologist/psychiatrists can
play a key role in promoting child health by
encouraging parents to complete a parent training
program.
Education and Training of OT Students:
Educating and training OT students on how to
structure and lead a parent training workshop
should be implemented in the curriculum.
Refinement, revision, and advancement of factual
knowledge or theory:
This theory can be advanced through more
research such as randomized control trials
including larger sample sizes.
Also studies should examine the effect of parent
education on children with varying symptoms from
mild to severe.