None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Building Bridges Triple P is a parenting program designed to help parents who have an adolescent with a developmental disability. The program aims to assist parents in their caring role and equip them with skills to address their adolescent’s emotional and behavioural problems. Building Bridges consists of four group and four individual telephone sessions, held over eight weeks. The program is open to all carers in the adolescent’s life. The program addresses a number of areas of concern for parents and an accredited Triple P facilitator will run the sessions. The groups will use a mix of discussion, practice and home based activities to address parenting practices, adolescent emotional and behavioural problems and symptoms associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Topics of discussion in the parenting group will include, understanding adolescents’ behaviour, encouraging independence in your adolescent, promoting positive family interactions, managing problematic behaviours, helping adolescents to manage their emotions and self care for carers. We are looking for carers of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. It is important that you are not participating in any parenting interventions at the same time. If you express interest in the program, you will be required to complete a short screening questionnaire over the phone. If you are eligible for the program, you will asked to attend the Curtin University Health and Wellness Clinic to complete a 90 minute interview. During the interview you will complete a booklet of questionnaires and you will be asked to complete the booklet of questionnaires again at two predetermined times following the Building Bridges program. The final booklet of questionnaires will be given to you three months after the parenting group has finished. Each booklet of questionnaires is estimated to take you approximately 60-90 minutes to complete. If you agree to participate, you will be required to attend four parenting group sessions at the Health and Wellness Centre at Curtin University. You will also be asked to complete four telephone sessions with the therapist at the same time as attending the parenting group. Other Triple P programs have demonstrated a variety of benefits for parents of teenagers and children with a disability, including improvements in child behaviours, positive parenting skills, parenting confidence, child relationships, and reduced parental stress. It is anticipated that Building Bridges will result in similar improvements. Results from the study are likely to improve the accessibility of the program to a wide range of parents that require positive parenting assistance.
Interventions
The Building Bridges program consists of four 90-minute group sessions and four 30-minute follow-up telephone sessions over four weeks. Group and telephone sessions are open to carers of an adolescent with autism spectrum disorder. The four group sessions will be held weekly and will be strengthened by weekly telephone sessions. During both group and telephone sessions, topics such as understanding teenager’s behaviour, encouraging independence in teenagers, promoting positive interactions, mana
The Building Bridges program consists of four 90-minute group sessions and four 30-minute follow-up telephone sessions over four weeks. Group and telephone sessions are open to carers of an adolescent with autism spectrum disorder. The four group sessions will be held weekly and will be strengthened by weekly telephone sessions. During both group and telephone sessions, topics such as understanding teenager’s behaviour, encouraging independence in teenagers, promoting positive interactions, managing problematic behaviour, helping teenagers to better manage their emotions and the importance of self care. Each group session will involve direct teaching components, rehearsal of skills, evaluation and homework exercises. Homework exercises include monitoring targeted behaviour and testing skills learnt in the group. It is envisaged that homework activities will not exceed 5 minutes per day. Potential participants will be recruited via a flyer displayed at various community and disability services in the Perth metropolitan area. Participants who express interest will undergo a 15-minute telephone screening interview to assess for eligibility. Participants who do not meet the exclusion criteria will be posted an information pack containing a confirmation of assessment letter, participant information sheet and consent form. Researchers will emphasise that all important carers in the adolescent’s life are encouraged to attend the intervention. Prior to the assessment, participants will complete both the Family Background Questionnaire as well as the ABAS III to examine their adolescent’s level of adaptive functioning. In addition, the Social Communication Questionnaire will be completed to screen for ASD related symptoms. During the assessment session, participants will be assisted to commence completing their Parent Daily Report Checklists and Goal Achievement Scales. Participants will be invited to attend the first session where they will be required to complete the outcome measures (CAPES –DD, Parenting Scale, PAFAS- A and DASS-21) immediately pre- and post-intervention, and at three month follow up. Each family will receive a workbook detailing the key principles covered in each session and telephone support will be provided. Telephone support is provided to each family three days after each session and will consist of a 30 minute call to address any questions and solidify group learning. Both group and telephone sessions will be conducted by two provisionally registered psychologists who have received specialised support from Dr Trevor Mazzucchelli, an accredited Triple P trainer and clinical psychologist. Register of attendance will be recorded in each client file, in the form of detailed client notes, to log both attendance at the group and participation in telephone sessions.
Sponsors
Dr Trevor Mazzucchelli
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Primary purpose
Prevention
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
The eligibility criteria for participation will be that the participant is a parent or carer of an adolescent aged 12 to 16 years who has received a diagnosis of ASD. A specialist or certified health professional (e.g., paediatrician) must have confirmed the adolescent’s primary diagnosis to meet criteria.
Exclusion criteria
The nature of the group requires that participants demonstrate adequate literacy ability (e.g., able to read a newspaper without assistance) and this will be assessed during screening. Families who have attended a Triple P intervention group in the previous month, or who are consulting another professional for their adolescent’s problematic behaviour, will be excluded from the study. However, participants who are not eligible will be directed to appropriate alternative supports. Parents and carers who report experiencing major psychopathology, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or those at high risk of suicide or self-harm will be excluded from the study. In the case of a participant presenting with significant self-harm or suicide risk, suicide risk assessment guidelines (NSW Department of Health, 2004; Crisis Support Services, 2005) and clinic safety procedures will be enacted. Individuals will be directed to appropriate support services and follow up contact will be provided.
Outcome results
None listed