Abstract
The OT-ParentShip program offers a research-backed protocol for OTs to support parents of autistic adolescents. A pragmatic randomized controlled trial found that OT-ParentShip significantly improved parental resilience, self-determination, and functioning of parents and adolescents.
Primary Author and Speaker: Batel Wachspress
Contributing Authors: Shlomit Tsafrir, Adina Maeir, Tal Mazor-Karsenty
Parents of autistic adolescents are at risk for low parental competence and decreased sense of autonomy, facing challenges in parent-child relationships. OT-ParentShip an intervention program for these parents, employs a comprehensive multidimensional approach to address various factors affecting the functioning of both the parent and their adolescent. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of OT-ParentShip in promoting parental resilience and self-determination, as well as parent and adolescent functioning. Two group, pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Thirty-nine participants were recruited, 21 were randomly assigned to OT-ParentShip intervention (research group) and 18 to an online psycho-educational intervention (control group). Results were analyzed before intervention (T0), immediately after (T1) and three months post intervention (T2), measuring perception of performance, parental resilience and self-determination aspects. Significant improvement was found in performance and satisfaction at daily functioning from T0 to T1 for parents and adolescents in both groups, and a significant time X group interaction effect was found indicating a greater improvement in the research group. A significant time X group interaction effect was detected in parental resilience, the research group exhibited a significant improvement in this area, in contrast to the control group. The research group exhibited significant improvement in self-determination aspects from T0 to T1 compared to the control group, along with a time X group interaction effect in the competence index. Results were maintained three months post intervention (T2) in the research group. OT-ParentShip program offers a research-backed, structured protocol for OTs to support parents of autistic adolescents. Results validate OT-ParentShip’s effectiveness, demonstrating enhancement in parent and adolescent attainment of functional goals and improved parental resilience and parental self-determination.
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