The Characteristics and Results of Parent Training Interventions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: The role of parents in taking care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is critical. This systematic review aimed to investigate the characteristics and results of parent training interventions for autistic children.
 Methods: All relevant studies were searched using Boolean operators such as "AND" and "OR" with the keywords such as “Autism Spectrum Disorders,” “Autism,” “Autistic disorder,” “Asperger syndrome,” “Rett’s syndrome”, “Childhood disintegrative disorder”, “Non-specific pervasive disorder”, Parent*, Education*, train*, teach*, indoctrinate*, and instruct* in electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Web of knowledge, and also via manual searching in relevant journals, checking the reference list of articles, expert contact, and grey literature from 1 Jan 2000 to 30 Feb 2020. The retrieved studies were screened and reviewed then quality assessed by CONSORT checklist. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis method.
 Results: Eventually, 53 articles were considered in which 1758 parents with autistic children participated. Overall, 49 studies were conducted in high-income countries, 19 at home, 25 in training centers, 14 carried out only in training way, 39 in training along with practices and assignments, 30 individual interventions, and 21 in groups. Moreover, the effectiveness of interventions was studied in both parents and children groups. The results for parents show direct and indirect favorable impacts of interventions on them. The results for the children indicate direct and indirect favorable effects of the parents-based interventions on the child and the symptoms of their disorder.
 Conclusion: According to the included studies, parents-based training interventions significantly impact parents and their children's behavior.

Effectiveness of a training program among parents of preschool children with ASD in Tunisia: a randomized controlled trial

“…In an ideal scenario, when parents' training incorporates practical elements such as video clips and interactive workshops, it enhances the training experience and leads to more significant improvements in their skills and outcomes. These hands-on approaches facilitate a deeper understanding and application of the strategies taught, ultimately contributing to the positive results observed in this study (Tabatabaei et al, 2022).…”

“…Indeed, parent training serves as a valuable tool in aiding parents to, effectively, manage their child's disorder, concurrently alleviating the burden of negative emotional states. Furthermore, through education and active involvement in their child's development, parents not only gain valuable insights but also witness incremental progress, fostering a sense of optimism and hope for the future (Tabatabaei et al, 2022).…”

A Preliminary Evaluation of an Online Parent Training Based on Self-Determination Theory Aimed at Digital Parenting

“…These programs, known as parent training, aim to enhance parenting skills and foster healthier parent-child relationships, thus leading to improved behavioral outcomes in children (Grolnick et al, 2009;Lundahl et al, 2006;Sanders et al, 2012). Parent trainings have been considered a best evidence-based practice in treating a range of childhood disorders, including autism (Byrne et al, 2023;Deb et al, 2020;Lichtle et al, 2020;Tabatabaei et al, 2022), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Doffer et al, 2023;Lee et al, 2022;Marquet-Doléac et al, 2024), disruptive behavior disorders (Beelmann et al, 2023;Bloss et al, 2022;Zarakoviti et al, 2021), and emotion-regulation problems (Zalewski et al, 2020). Despite their established efficacy, parent training interventions have not been systematically deployed to specifically target or prevent behavioral issues related to children's engagement with technologies, such as screen time management and online safety (Danet, 2020), and their application in this field thus remains largely unexplored (Saccà et al, 2022).…”

How can we help a student with Asperger syndrome to avoid the illusion of linearity?

“…But they have difficulty understanding content of mathematical word problems, even though they have well-developed reading skills (Peklari, 2019). Children into ASD, which includes children with Asperger syndrome, may have higher levels of verbal intelligence than typically developing children (Tabatabaei et al, 2022). They use a rich vocabulary without often understanding meaning of words, making it difficult for them to understand the context of written texts.…”