Wirksamkeit des Stepping Stones Triple P Elterntrainings als zusätzliche Intervention in der Behandlung von Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen - Effekte auf das Erziehungsverhalten

This study explored the effect of the Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) group parent training on parent-child interactions in families of children with Autism-Spectrum- Disorders (ASD) with a focus on parenting behavior. Significant aspects of parent-child interactions and especially parenting are the concrete parenting behavior, parental selfefficacy and parenting stress. Parenting behavior plays a significant role in the emergence and maintenance of externalizing and internalizing disorders. Parental selfefficacy is strongly associated with parenting behavior and has shown to mediate the association between adverse environmental factors and the development of children. Stressed parents frequently use dysfunctional parenting strategies and are impaired in their mental health in the long-term. Reciprocal relations and coercive processes can lead to chronification of behavioral disorders. Behavioral parent trainings have shown to be an effective and economic intervention for behavioral disturbances and affect parenting variables in a positive manner. ASD are considered to be neurodevelopmental disorders and frequently come along with a series of comorbid somatic and psychological abnormalities. Parents are especially challenged by comorbid behavioral disturbances. For parents of children with ASD, similar influences on parenting can be assumed, as for parents of children with behavioral disturbances. Some studies have already shown that behavioral parent trainings can be a reasonable intervention in the treatment of ASD. Studies with an objective ascertainment of parent-child interactions via observations are scarce. In the present study 16 parents of children with ASD took part. Within a waitlist-controlgroup design, parenting variables were assessed three month before, shortly before and shortly after the parent training. Structured observations, which were implemented shortly before and after the parent trainings, provided additional information about changes in parent-child interactions. For this purpose an existing observation system was adapted. This is the first study on the effectiveness of the SSTP group parent training in the treatment of ASD, which includes a structured observation of parent-child interactions. Results suggest significant changes in self-rated parenting behaviors for overreaction. Additionally there was an increase in positive strategies for praise in the observation of parent-child interactions. Parents reported a relevant reduction of parenting stress. For further parenting strategies and for parental self-efficacy the results were ambiguous. The SSTP parent training was accepted by the participants. 9 The results provide additional evidence for the effectiveness of the SSTP parent training on parenting behavior and parenting stress in the treatment of ASD. The impact on the development of the children and on mental health of the parents is discussed. Methodological shortcomings within the parent-child observation system provide hints for further applications.