Parental perceptions of change during early intervention for autism

Abstract Background. Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often brings important challenges. Parents may experience stress emerging during the pre-diagnosis phase, which persists after diagnosis confirmation as additional responsibilities and challenges arise. In parallel, parents are encouraged to seek support for their child. Though parents play critical roles in early intervention, they are rarely considered as predictors and targets of successful intervention. Moreover, little is known about the effects of early intervention on their sense of efficacy and their well-being. Methods.Focusing on the parents’ perspective six months after receiving their autistic child’s diagnosis, we created a parent-reported questionnaire that inquired about their perception of their child's evolution, their own feeling of parental self-efficacy (PSE) and their well-being. In this observational study, the parents of 130 autistic children (M= 2.51 years old) completed the questionnaire. Of these children, 77 were enrolled in an Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) program after diagnosis, whereas the remaining 53 received community-based treatment (CT). Results. Parents reported more positive perceptions regarding their child’s evolution, their PSE, and their well-being in the 6 months following diagnosis confirmation when their child showed more developmental progress. Parents of children enrolled in ESDM also indicated higher PSE and well-being and perceived more progress in their children than parents of the CT group. In children with a developmental delay (developmental quotient below 70), parents in the ESDM group reported greater well-being and PSE compared to parents in the CT group. Conclusions. Objective developmental gains and ESDM are two important factors positively influencing parental perceptions toward their child and their own PSE and well-being. Parents in the ESDM group with more severely affected children also report greater PSE and well-being, suggesting the benefit of this program.