Parenting Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum and Disruptive Behavior Disorders: Opportunities for Cross-Fertilization

Abstract

Empirical support exists for parent training/education (PT/PE) interventions for children with disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). While the models share common roots, current approaches have largely developed independently and the research findings have been disseminated in two different literature traditions: mental health and developmental disabilities. Given that these populations often have overlapping clinical needs and are likely to receive services in similar settings, efforts to integrate the knowledge gained in the disparate literature may be beneficial. This article provides a systematic overview of the current (1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) empirical research on PT/PE for children with DBD and ASD; attending to factors for cross-fertilization. Twenty-two ASD and 38 DBD studies were coded for review. Literature was compared in three main areas: (1) research methodology, (2) focus of PT/PE intervention, and (3) PT/PE procedures. There was no overlap in publication outlets between the studies for the two populations. Results indicate that there are opportunities for cross-fertilization in the areas of (1) research methodology, (2) intervention targets, and (3) format of parenting interventions. The practical implications of integrating these two highly related areas of research are identified and discussed.

Clinical Practice Pathways for Evaluation and Medication Choice for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Although best studied in typically developing children with ADHD, 19 there is 1 large RCT of methylphenidate in children with ASD. 32,33 Only 49% of children in this study displayed a therapeutic response compared with 69% in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) study. In addition, 18% of the children discontinued participation due to adverse events, especially irritability, compared with 1.4% in children with ADHD.…”

Interventions that target improvements in mental health for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders: A narrative review

“…Several reviews have systematically evaluated the effectiveness of these programs on outcomes specific to children with ASD, such as improvement in language skills, development of social skills, and behavior management (Brookman-Frazee, Stahmer, Baker-Ericzén, & Tsai, 2006;Matson, Mahan, & Matson, 2009;McConachie & Diggle, 2007;Patterson, Smith, & Mirenda, 2012;Schultz, Schmidt, & Stichter, 2011).…”

“…For example, Brookman-Frazee et al (2006) reviewed parent training and parent education interventions that primarily focused on managing and improving child behaviors. However, parental effects were considered collateral outcomes and not targeted directly.…”

Training Parents of Children with Intellectual Disabilities: Trends, Issues, and Future Directions

“…Evidence-based parenting education programs for parents of children with IDD often target the management of conduct disorders, e.g., [38,40,46]; functional or social communication, e.g., [41, 43••]; or early intensive applied behavior analysis (EIABA) for young children with ASD, e.g., [37,39,44].…”