Publication year
2011
Citation Title
A strength-based approach to parent education for children with autism.
Journal Name
Journal of Positive Behavior
Journal Volume
13
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
178-190
DOI
10.1177/1098300710384134
Summary
There are multiple approaches to parent education. This study used a small sample (N = 3) of children with autism and their mothers to investigate different outcomes when providing parent education through strengths-based versus deficit-based approaches. Though there is difficulty making firm conclusions because of the extremely small sample size, there did seem to be benefits to the strengths-based approach.
Key Findings
When educators used a strengths-based approach to parent education, parents showed more positive emotions and parent-child interactions were enhanced.
Parents tended to make more negative statements about their children and show more negative emotion when educators used a deficit-based approach to parent education.
Due to the study design, researchers were not able to identify whether the two approaches were associated with different child behavior outcomes.
Implications for Military Professionals
Use strengths-based language when speaking with families about their children
Work with children and youth to help them identify their own strengths
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide workshops for parents of children with special needs to help them identify their childrenÕs strengths
Train program staff regarding the possible impact of different ways of talking about children with special needs and their challenges
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage training for professionals who work with military families with children with special needs regarding how to use strengths-based communication
Continue to support programs that aim to assist military families that include individuals with special needs
Methods
The first three families who contacted a university autism center seeking parent education services were included in the study.
Parent and child behaviors were rated before parent education began and were again rated throughout the course of parent education sessions and when the sessions were finished.
Educators provided parents strategies to increase children's communication while framing the child's behavior as a deficit or as a strength; they alternated between these approaches every ten minutes.
Parent and child behaviors and interactions during the intervals of the deficit-based approach were compared to behaviors and interactions during the strengths-based approach.
Participants
Participants were three two-year-old children with autism and their primary caregivers.
Two of the children were White and one was Asian American; all three children were male.
All three parents were the child's mother. Two were 30 years old and one was 34 years old.
Limitations
Children in the study were three two-year-olds with autism; because of the very small and specific sample, results cannot be generalized to a wider population.
Families who were included in the study were seeking out parent education programs, and they may differ from other families in ways that may influence results.
Educators alternated between strengths- and deficit-based approaches every ten minutes; this is likely too short of a time to see meaningful differences in parent and child response.
Avenues for Future Research
Replicate this study with a larger, more diverse sample and with longer periods of each approach
Invite a wide range of families to participate in a study examining the efficacy of a strengths-based approach
Compare an education program that is completely strengths-based to a neutral education program or a control group
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Despite the ubiquitous nature of parent education in autism treatment, relatively few studies directly address how parent education should be conducted. Given that the literature on parental well-being suggests that treatments that facilitate positive parental adaptation to their childÕs disability may be beneficial, this study examined the impact of a strength-based approach to parent education. An alternating treatments design was used to compare the effects of therapist statements that highlighted the childÕs deficits versus those that emphasized strengths. These two approaches were evaluated on the following measures: parent affect, parent statements regarding child behavior, and the quality of parentÐchild interactions. Results indicate that parents displayed improved affect, made more positive statements about their child, and also exhibited more physical affection toward their child during the strength-based approach. Findings have implications for autism programming, parental coping, and parentÐchild relationships.
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