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Transitioning Together: A Multi-family Group Psychoeducation Program for Adolescents with ASD and Their Parents

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Abstract

Currently there are few evidence-based programs available for families of individuals with ASD during the transition to adulthood. The present study provided a preliminary evaluation of a multi-family group psychoeducation intervention using a randomized waitlist control design (n = 41). Families in the intervention condition participated in Transitioning Together, an 8-week program designed to reduce family distress and improve social functioning for adolescents. Findings indicated significant improvements in parental depressive symptoms and problem solving from pre- to post-intervention for parents in the intervention condition but not for parents in the control condition. Social interactions also improved for youth in the intervention condition relative to controls. Parents reported satisfaction with the program and particularly valued the opportunity to interact with other families.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from Autism Speaks (Grant #7523; Smith, PI) and the National Institute on Aging (R01AG08768, Mailick, PI). We are extremely grateful to the families who participated in this study; without their generous support and commitment, our research would not be possible. We are also grateful for the support we received from the Waisman Center (U54 HD090256, Messing, PI), UW-Madison’s Clinical and Translational Science Award Program for community intervention research (supported in part by grant U21 RR025011) and the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin.

Author Contributions

All authors conceptualized the study and participated in its design and coordination. LSD performed the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript. All authors read, edited, and approved the final manuscript.

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  1. Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Leann Smith DaWalt, Jan S. Greenberg & Marsha R. Mailick

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  1. Leann Smith DaWalt
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  2. Jan S. Greenberg
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Correspondence to Leann Smith DaWalt.

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DaWalt, L.S., Greenberg, J.S. & Mailick, M.R. Transitioning Together: A Multi-family Group Psychoeducation Program for Adolescents with ASD and Their Parents. J Autism Dev Disord 48, 251–263 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3307-x

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