Direct and Indirect Changes in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Parents After a Social Skills Intervention

Background: Youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have severe deficits in sociocommunicative competence, which can lead to mental health problems and difficulties in school and social environments (Little, 2001). Parents of children with ASD also experience difficulties, and have a higher risk for parenting stress and psychological distress than parents of typically developing children (Baker-Ericzén, Brookman-Frazee, & Stahmer, 2005). It is important to evaluate how social skills programs can benefit both youth and parents.

Objectives: This study examines psychological changes in children and parents following participation in a 10-week hospital based social skills intervention that involves both child and parents. Areas of anticipated improvement for youth included increases in social skills and decreases in problem behaviours (direct outcomes), and increases in self-esteem and in friendships that formed during group (indirect outcomes). It was hypothesized that parents would also experience a number of indirect outcomes, including being more able to cope with the difficulties associated with raising a child with ASD, increased empowerment, and increased knowledge of ASD.

Methods: Thirty-five youth between the ages of 6 and 14 years of age (M = 10.56, SD = 2.09) and their parents participated in the social skills group. Pre-post data was collected from both youth and parents on measures of social skills and problem behaviors using the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (SSIS; Gresham, & Elliott, 2008). Children also completed the Self-Perceptions Profile for Children (Harter, 1985). Parents completed questionnaires on their own feelings of parenting competence, psychological acceptance, and empowerment.

Results: Children experienced significant increases on the Social Skills Standard score according to both parents, t(18) = -2.46, p = .02, d = -.56, and children, t(27)= -2.11, p = .04, d = -.40. Children reported significant increases in their overall self-worth, and 81% of parents reported that their child had made a friend with another child in the social skills group. Parents did not report significant decreases in child problem behaviour. With regards to parent experiences, parents reported increases in psychological acceptance, t(24) = -2.50, p = .02, d = -.50, and felt significantly more empowered in utilizing services within their communities, t(25) = -3.05, p = .005, d = -.60. Parents did not report a significant increase in their feelings of parenting competence, t(25) = -.11, p = .91, d = -.02, however there was a significant increase in their knowledge of ASD, t(24) = -3.67, p = .001, d = -.73.

Conclusions: There is evidence that social skills groups can be beneficial to children with ASD. The current study suggests that social skills groups can also offer indirect benefits for children and for parents, including increases in child self-esteem, and parent feelings of acceptance and empowerment. Future research is needed to understand the reciprocal nature of child and parent variables in parent-involved social skills training programs.