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Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism...
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Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2020) | Viewed by 48845

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sayyed Ali Samadi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Life and Health Science, Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, BT37 0QB Newtownabbey, North Ireland, UK
Interests: Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autism; Parental Based Early Intervention; Parenting Interventions; Developmental Disabilities; Caregiving impacts; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parent-mediated interventions are widely considered to be an effective treatment model for a variety of childhood developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and there is a wealth of research findings to support this justification. In this regard, understanding parents' information needs right after their child’s diagnosis of ASD is a key factor, particularly with respect to the challenges associated with caring for a child with a lifelong disability.

The main aim of this Special Issue of Brain Sciences is to provide a platform for international professionals, researchers, and educators who are engaged in parent-based intervention services to share their latest research. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: challenges associated with parent training for parents of children with ASD, impacts of cultural issues on parental involvement in interventions, individuals with ASD who have benefitted from parent-based interventions, predicting variables (child /other) that determine a child’s response to treatment, essential factors in conducting effective parent training sessions; moderators and mediators of effects and outcome measures for parental involvement in interventions, program components that should be replicated, and facilitating and enhancing outcomes of parental-based interventions for parents and their children.

We invite authors to submit relevant research papers (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches), reviews, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, policy-oriented research, and comparative research.

Dr. Sayyed Ali Samadi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • parent-based intervention
  • parenting intervention
  • parent training

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 169 KiB  
Editorial
The Challenges of Bringing Up a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Editorial for Brain Sciences Special Issue “Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)”
by Sayyed Ali Samadi
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(5), 618; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050618 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2339
Abstract
There is no unique scientific method to guide parents in bringing up a child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))

Research

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13 pages, 323 KiB  
Article
Parental Education and Left Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortical Activity during N-Back Task: An fMRI Study of American Adolescents
by Shervin Assari, Shanika Boyce, Mohammed Saqib, Mohsen Bazargan and Cleopatra H. Caldwell
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(3), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11030401 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3390
Abstract
Introduction. The Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) is a cortical structure that has implications in cognition, memory, reward anticipation, outcome evaluation, decision making, and learning. As such, OFC activity correlates with these cognitive brain abilities. Despite research suggesting race and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such [...] Read more.
Introduction. The Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) is a cortical structure that has implications in cognition, memory, reward anticipation, outcome evaluation, decision making, and learning. As such, OFC activity correlates with these cognitive brain abilities. Despite research suggesting race and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as parental education may be associated with OFC activity, limited knowledge exists on multiplicative effects of race and parental education on OFC activity and associated cognitive ability. Purpose. Using functional brain imaging data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, we tested the multiplicative effects of race and parental education on left lateral OFC activity during an N-Back task. In our study, we used a sociological rather than biological theory that conceptualizes race and SES as proxies of access to the opportunity structure and exposure to social adversities rather than innate and non-modifiable brain differences. We explored racial variation in the effect of parental educational attainment, a primary indicator of SES, on left lateral OFC activity during an N-Back task between Black and White 9–10 years old adolescents. Methods. The ABCD study is a national, landmark, multi-center brain imaging investigation of American adolescents. The total sample was 4290 9–10 years old Black or White adolescents. The independent variables were SES indicators, namely family income, parental education, and neighborhood income. The primary outcome was the average beta weight for N-Back (2 back versus 0 back contrast) in ASEG ROI left OFC activity, measured by functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during an N-Back task. Ethnicity, age, sex, subjective SES, and family structure were the study covariates. For data analysis, we used linear regression models. Results. In White but not Black adolescents, parental education was associated with higher left lateral OFC activity during the N-Back task. In the pooled sample, we found a significant interaction between race and parental education on the outcome, suggesting that high parental education is associated with a larger increase in left OFC activity of White than Black adolescents. Conclusions. For American adolescents, race and SES jointly influence left lateral OFC activity correlated with cognition, memory, decision making, and learning. Given the central role of left lateral OFC activity in learning and memory, our finding calls for additional research on contextual factors that reduce the gain of SES for Black adolescents. Cognitive inequalities are not merely due to the additive effects of race and SES but also its multiplicative effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
20 pages, 2771 KiB  
Article
Parental Education, Household Income, Race, and Children’s Working Memory: Complexity of the Effects
by Golnoush Akhlaghipour and Shervin Assari
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(12), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120950 - 7 Dec 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5437
Abstract
Background. Considerable research has linked social determinants of health (SDoHs) such as race, parental education, and household income to school performance, and these effects may be in part due to working memory. However, a growing literature shows that these effects may be complex: [...] Read more.
Background. Considerable research has linked social determinants of health (SDoHs) such as race, parental education, and household income to school performance, and these effects may be in part due to working memory. However, a growing literature shows that these effects may be complex: while the effects of parental education may be diminished for Blacks than Whites, household income may explain such effects. Purpose. Considering race as sociological rather than a biological construct (race as a proxy of racism) and built on Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs), this study explored complexities of the effects of SDoHs on children’s working memory. Methods. We borrowed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The total sample was 10,418, 9- and 10-year-old children. The independent variables were race, parental education, and household income. The primary outcome was working memory measured by the NIH Toolbox Card Sorting Test. Age, sex, ethnicity, and parental marital status were the covariates. To analyze the data, we used mixed-effect regression models. Results. High parental education and household income were associated with higher and Black race was associated with lower working memory. The association between high parental education but not household income was less pronounced for Black than White children. This differential effect of parental education on working memory was explained by household income. Conclusions. For American children, parental education generates unequal working memory, depending on race. This means parental education loses some of its expected effects for Black families. It also suggests that while White children with highly educated parents have the highest working memory, Black children report lower working memory, regardless of their parental education. This inequality is mainly because of differential income in highly educated White and Black families. This finding has significant public policy and economic implications and suggests we need to do far more than equalizing education to eliminate racial inequalities in children’s cognitive outcomes. While there is a need for multilevel policies that reduce the effect of racism and social stratification for middle-class Black families, equalizing income may have more returns than equalizing education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
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24 pages, 373 KiB  
Article
Emotional Availability and Play in Mother–Child Dyads with ASD: Changes during a Parental Based Intervention
by Silvia Perzolli, Giulio Bertamini, Simona de Falco, Paola Venuti and Arianna Bentenuto
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(12), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120904 - 24 Nov 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3257
Abstract
(1) Background: Parental involvement during intervention with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been demonstrated to be fundamental for children’s developmental outcomes. However, most research focused on child gains especially considering cognitive functioning and symptoms severity, whereas parental and dyadic changes during [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Parental involvement during intervention with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been demonstrated to be fundamental for children’s developmental outcomes. However, most research focused on child gains especially considering cognitive functioning and symptoms severity, whereas parental and dyadic changes during intervention need further investigation. (2) Methods: 29 mothers in interaction with their preschool children with ASD were analyzed through two standardized behavioral and observational measures to evaluate the dyadic Emotional Availability (EA) and play skills before (T1) and after (T2) a parental-based intervention. (3) Results: Results revealed mothers increased affective quality and major awareness in understanding the signals produced by the child, that in turn was more responsive, involving also using more complex play strategies. Interestingly, the role of specific factors able to predict parental characteristics was investigated, pointing out the important contribution of mothers’ perceptions of having a difficult child and child language communicative abilities. (4) Conclusions: the study enhances knowledge about child and caregiver variables that impact on dyadic outcomes, identifying important target areas to be addressed during intervention. Further, our results suggest that a parental-based intervention supports and facilitates improvements in both children’s and caregivers’ affective quality and cognitive abilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
14 pages, 265 KiB  
Article
Using Hybrid Telepractice for Supporting Parents of Children with ASD during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Feasibility Study in Iran
by Sayyed Ali Samadi, Shahnaz Bakhshalizadeh-Moradi, Fatemeh Khandani, Mehdi Foladgar, Maryam Poursaid-Mohammad and Roy McConkey
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(11), 892; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10110892 - 22 Nov 2020
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4977
Abstract
During the three-month closure of clinics and day centers in Iran due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) became solely responsible for their care and education. Although centers maintained telephone contact, it quickly became [...] Read more.
During the three-month closure of clinics and day centers in Iran due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) became solely responsible for their care and education. Although centers maintained telephone contact, it quickly became evident that parents needed more detailed advice and guidance. Staff from 30 daycare centers volunteered to take part in a two-month online support and training course for 336 caregivers of children with ASD of different ages. In addition to the provision of visual and written information, synchronous video sessions were used to coach parents on the learning goals devised for the children. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected to understand the acceptability of using telepractice and the outcomes achieved. A low dropout rate and positive feedback from parents indicated that they perceived telepractice sessions to be useful. The factors contributing to parents’ satisfaction were identified. Although the use of telepractice would be a good alternative for caregivers in any future lockdowns, it could also be used in conjunction with daycare center services to encourage greater parental participation, or with families living in areas with no day centers. Further studies are needed to compare telepractice to usual daycare face-to-face interventions, and to document its impact and cost-effectiveness for parents and children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
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18 pages, 344 KiB  
Article
Reward Responsiveness in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study: African Americans’ Diminished Returns of Parental Education
by Shervin Assari, Shanika Boyce, Golnoush Akhlaghipour, Mohsen Bazargan and Cleopatra H. Caldwell
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(6), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10060391 - 19 Jun 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5474
Abstract
(1) Background: Reward responsiveness (RR) is a risk factor for high-risk behaviors such as aggressive behaviors and early sexual initiation, which are all reported to be higher in African American and low socioeconomic status adolescents. At the same time, parental education is one [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Reward responsiveness (RR) is a risk factor for high-risk behaviors such as aggressive behaviors and early sexual initiation, which are all reported to be higher in African American and low socioeconomic status adolescents. At the same time, parental education is one of the main drivers of reward responsiveness among adolescents. It is still unknown if some of this racial and economic gap is attributed to weaker effects of parental education for African Americans, a pattern also called minorities’ diminished returns (MDRs). (2) Aim: We compared non-Hispanic White and African American adolescents for the effects of parent education on adolescents RR, a psychological and cognitive construct that is closely associated with high-risk behaviors such as the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. (3) Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis that included 7072 adolescents from the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was parent education. The main outcome as adolescents’ RR measured by the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) measure. (4) Results: In the overall sample, high parent education was associated with lower levels of RR. In the overall sample, we found a statistically significant interaction between race and parent education on adolescents’ RR. The observed statistical interaction term suggested that high parent education is associated with a weaker effect on RR for African American than non-Hispanic White adolescents. In race-stratified models, high parent education was only associated with lower RR for non-Hispanic White but not African American adolescents. (5) Conclusion: Parent education reduces RR for non-Hispanic White but not African American adolescents. To minimize the racial gap in brain development and risk-taking behaviors, we need to address societal barriers that diminish the returns of parent education and resources in African American families. We need public and social policies that target structural and societal barriers, such as the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources. To meet such an aim, we need to reduce the negative effects of social stratification, segregation, racism, and discrimination in the daily lives of African American parents and families. Through an approach like this, African American families and parents can effectively mobilize their resources and utilize their human capital to secure the best possible tangible outcomes for their adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
11 pages, 647 KiB  
Article
Promoting the Social Inclusion of Children with ASD: A Family-Centred Intervention
by Roy McConkey, Marie-Therese Cassin and Rosie McNaughton
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(5), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10050318 - 25 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5994
Abstract
The social isolation of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is well documented. Their dearth of friends outside of the family and their lack of engagement in community activities places extra strains on the family. A project in Northern Ireland provided post-diagnostic support [...] Read more.
The social isolation of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is well documented. Their dearth of friends outside of the family and their lack of engagement in community activities places extra strains on the family. A project in Northern Ireland provided post-diagnostic support to nearly 100 families and children aged from 3 to 11 years. An experienced ASD practitioner visited the child and family at home fortnightly in the late afternoon into the evening over a 12-month period. Most children had difficulty in relating to other children, coping with change, awareness of dangers, and joining in community activities. Likewise, up to two-thirds of parents identified managing the child’s behaviour, having time to spend with other children, and taking the child out of the house as further issues of concern to them. The project worker implemented a family-centred plan that introduced the child to various community activities in line with their learning targets and wishes. Quantitative and qualitative data showed improvements in the children’s social and communication skills, their personal safety, and participation in community activities. Likewise, the practical and emotional support provided to parents boosted their confidence and reduced stress within the family. The opportunities for parents and siblings to join in fun activities with the child with ASD strengthened their relationships. This project underscores the need for, and the success of family-based, post-diagnostic support to address the social isolation of children with ASD and their families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
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16 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Parental Education and Youth Inhibitory Control in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study: Blacks’ Diminished Returns
by Shervin Assari
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(5), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10050312 - 21 May 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6514
Abstract
Background: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) youth are at a higher risk of high-risk behaviors compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) youth. Some of this racial gap is shown to be due to weaker effects of parental educational attainment on reducing the prevalence of behavioral risk [...] Read more.
Background: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) youth are at a higher risk of high-risk behaviors compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) youth. Some of this racial gap is shown to be due to weaker effects of parental educational attainment on reducing the prevalence of behavioral risk factors such as impulsivity, substance use, aggression, obesity, and poor school performance for NHBs, a pattern called Minorities’ Diminished Returns. These diminishing returns may be due to lower than expected effects of parental education on inhibitory control. Aim: We compared NHW and NHB youth for the effect of parental educational attainment on youth inhibitory control, a psychological and cognitive construct that closely predicts high-risk behaviors such as the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis that included 4188 youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was parental educational attainment. The main outcome was youth inhibitory control measured by the stop-signal task (SST), which was validated by parent reports on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Results: In race/ethnicity-stratified models, high parental educational attainment was associated with a higher level of inhibitory control for NHB than NHW youth. In the pooled sample, race/ethnicity showed a statistically significant interaction with parental educational attainment on youth inhibitory control suggesting that high parental educational attainment has a smaller boosting effect on inhibitory control for NHB than NHW youth. Conclusion: Parental educational attainment boosts inhibitory control for NHW but not NHB youth. To minimize the racial gap in youth brain development, we need to address societal barriers that diminish the returns of family economic and human resources, particularly parental educational attainment, for racial and ethnic minority youth. Social and public policies should address structural and societal barriers such as social stratification, segregation, racism, and discrimination that hinder NHB parents’ abilities to effectively mobilize their human resources and secure tangible outcomes for their developing youth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))

Review

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16 pages, 2873 KiB  
Review
Evolution of the Autism Literature and the Influence of Parents: A Scientific Mapping in Web of Science
by Noemí Carmona-Serrano, Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero, José-Antonio Marín-Marín and Jesús López-Belmonte
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11010074 - 8 Jan 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4192
Abstract
Parents interventions are relevant to address autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective of this study is to analyze the importance and evolution of ASD and its relationship with the parents (ASD-PAR) in the publications indexed in Web of Science. For this, a bibliometric [...] Read more.
Parents interventions are relevant to address autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective of this study is to analyze the importance and evolution of ASD and its relationship with the parents (ASD-PAR) in the publications indexed in Web of Science. For this, a bibliometric methodology has been used, based on a scientific mapping of the reported documents. We have worked with an analysis unit of 1381 documents. The results show that the beginnings of scientific production date back to 1971. There are two clearly differentiated moments in scientific production. A first moment (1971–2004), where the production volume is low. A second moment (2005–2019), where the volume of production increases considerably. Therefore, it can be said that the subject began to be relevant for the scientific community from 2005 to the present. The keyword match rate between set periods marks a high level of match between periods. It is concluded that the main focus of the research on ASD-PAR is on the stress that is generated in families with children with ASD, in addition to the family problems that the fact that these children also have behavior problems can cause. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
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16 pages, 311 KiB  
Review
Understanding Different Aspects of Caregiving for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) a Narrative Review of the Literature
by Hadi Samadi and Sayyed Ali Samadi
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(8), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10080557 - 14 Aug 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6014
Abstract
Background: There has been a considerable endeavor to understand associated challenges of caregiving for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and to develop the necessary skills and approaches to assist parents of children with ASD. Different studies have been stressed the importance [...] Read more.
Background: There has been a considerable endeavor to understand associated challenges of caregiving for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and to develop the necessary skills and approaches to assist parents of children with ASD. Different studies have been stressed the importance and need for parental involvement in the intervention process to increase positive impacts. Methods: The process of caregiving and the associated challenges should be understood from different aspects to be able to facilitate parent involvement in intervention implementation. In a narrative literature review, ten selected reviews were considered and each review considered a special aspect of caregiving for an individual with ASD. Results: Five main different factors in the available literature and reviews were considered as different themes that needed to be reconsidered in the studies on the impacts of caregiving for an individual with ASD. Conclusions: It is concluded that to facilitate parental involvement in the intervention process, and to support caregivers of this group of individuals this review highlights the need for improved research in some proposed areas in this field and to bridge the gap between research and practice in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connections between Parental Involvement and Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD))
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