Archive | 2021
Impact of Working Together for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Multifamily Group Intervention
Abstract
\n Background. Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have lower participation in post-secondary education, higher rates of unemployment/underemployment, and continued difficulties with challenging behavior and mental health problems compared to their peers. Multi-family psychoeducation emphasizes education and problem-solving with the goal of improving outcomes for the individual with the disability.Methods. Using a randomized waitlist control design, the present study evaluated a multi-family group psychoeducation intervention, Working Together, for adults on the autism spectrum without intellectual disability (n=40). Five waves of data were collected at three-month intervals. In this design, families in the intervention condition participated in intervention during the 6 months between baseline and Time 3 data collection; the waitlist control condition received the intervention immediately after the Time 3 data collection. We compared these two conditions, intervention group vs waitlist control group, on key outcomes for the adults with ASD: engagement in work, engagement in positive activities, and behavior problems.Results. Results indicated that the Working Together intervention was associated with increases in engagement as well as decreases in behavior problems, particularly internalizing problems. We also found maintenance of the treatment effect through 6 months post-treatment for the intervention group and replication of the treatment effect within the control group after they received the intervention.Conclusion. Working Together is a promising multi-family group psychoeducation intervention designed to improve functioning during adulthood. These findings highlight the need for more intervention services research during adulthood and specifically the need for family-centered supports.