Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sibling Relations
Conditions
Keywords
Psychoeducation, Siblings, Sibling Relationship, ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Psychoeducational Program, Autism, Adult Siblings
Brief summary
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel psychoeducational program for adult siblings of autistic individuals, aiming to improve autism-related knowledge, well-being, resilience and sibling relationship outcomes, while also highlighting the need for tailored supportive interventions for this population. The psychoeducational program will be implemented in adult siblings of people with ASD and its effectiveness will be assessed. We expect that after the intervention, participants in the intervention group will demonstrate improvements in the study outcomes compared with participants in the control group, and that some of these improvements will be maintained at the three-month follow-up. We further expect that the participants' level of caregiving involvement with their autistic sibling will be associated with the effectiveness of the intervention. No risk is identified.
Detailed description
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental lifelong disorder of which prevalence has been significantly increased through the decades. As a result, the rise in autism prevalence has been accompanied by a parallel increase in the number of individuals who have autistic siblings, a group estimated to number in the millions. Although supportive interventions have demonstrated benefits for family members, existing research has primarily focused on autistic individuals and their parents. Consequently, evidence regarding interventions specifically designed for adult siblings remains limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel psychoeducational program for adult siblings of autistic individuals, aiming to improve autism-related knowledge, well-being, resilience and sibling relationship outcomes, while also highlighting the need for tailored supportive interventions for this population. The psychoeducational program aims to enhance understanding of autism, encourage emotional expression and a sense of belonging, improve family and sibling communication, and provide practical strategies for everyday challenges. A parallel-group randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline, post-intervention and three-month follow-up will be conducted among adult siblings of autistic individuals across Greece (voluntary participation). Participants will be randomly allocated (1:1) to the intervention or control group. The intervention comprise six free-of-charge online psychoeducational sessions and one follow-up session and will be delivered by two social workers certified in autism psychoeducation, whereas the control group will complete questionnaires only. We expect that after the intervention, participants in the intervention group will demonstrate improvements in the study outcomes compared with participants in the control group, and that some of these improvements will be maintained at the three-month follow-up. We further expect that the participants' level of caregiving involvement with their autistic sibling will be associated with the effectiveness of the intervention. No risk is identified. This study is part of a doctoral thesis in progress at the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HELMEPA), Department of Social Work. The study is expected to start in April 2024 and to be completed about six months later.
Interventions
OTHERPsychoeducational program for ASD
6 psychoeducational sessions and one follow-up session for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sponsors
Hellenic Mediterranean University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Intervention model description
Interventional groups and Control groups
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
were: (i) age 18 or older, (ii) having one sibling with a clinical diagnosis of ASD, (iii) no self-reported neurodevelopmental diagnosis, (iv) no prior participation in a psychoeducational program for autism and v) able to understand and communicate in Greek.
Exclusion criteria
were: (i) having more than one sibling diagnosed with ASD, and (ii) residing outside Greece. Participants were also required to have access to the internet and a device capable of participating in the online audiovisual sessions.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Psychoeducation effectiveness on the knowledge of ASD | 6 months | The evaluation of psychoeducational program effect on knowledge of ASD is going to be evaluated throw the "Participatory Autism Knowledge Scale" questionnaire (29-item scale) will be used. The original validation studies demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, showing good internal consistency. The standardization and adaptation of the questionnaire into Greek has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. |
| Psychoeducation effectiveness on siblings relationship | 6 months | A newly developed research measure, designed specifically for this study to assess negative emotions and attitudes of adult siblings toward their autistic sibling. The questionnaire's name is "Adult Sibling Relationships and Autism Spectrum Questionnaire (ASRQ-AS) " - 31-item scale. The standardization and adaptation of the questionnaire into Greek has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. |
| Psychoeducation effectiveness on resilience of siblings of ASD | 6 months | The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was developed to assess an individual's ability to recover from stress and adversity. It can also be used to examine factors and outcomes associated with resilience in both mental and physical health, identifying individuals who may benefit from supportive or therapeutic interventions. The internal consistency (Cronbach's α) of the BRS demonstrates good reliability as well as in Greek version. |
| Psychoeducation effectiveness on the well-being of siblings of ASD | 6 months | The evaluation of psychoeducational program effect on the well-being is going to be evaluated throw the questionnaire "PERMA-Profiler" (23-item scale). The scale has demonstrated adequate reliability and validity in assessing well-being - Cronbach's α values. |
Countries
Greece
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORCHARALAMPOS DEPASTAS, PhD stud.
Hellenic Mediterranean University
Outcome results
None listed