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Effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P Group Parenting Program as an Additional Intervention in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Effects on Parenting Variables

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Abstract

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often are faced with the challenges of difficult parenting situations. We explored the effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) group parent training as an additional intervention in the treatment of ASD. Parents (n = 23) went through a waiting period and participated afterwards in the training program. We assessed parenting variables via self-report measures. After the intervention, there was a significant reduction of over-reactive parenting behaviors, role restriction and an increase in parental self-efficacy. At follow-up, the effects remained stable and we additionally found a reduction of laxness and less parenting stress. Effect sizes were high (η2: 0.18–0.24). The SSTP, offered as an additional intervention in the treatment of ASD, proved to be effective in enhancing parenting.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Monika Heinzel-Gutenbrunner for statistical advice and Cathleen Kahl for conducting the parent training in Frankfurt/Oder. Special thanks to Gerti Gerber for her help with the data management. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the participation of the parents who took part in the study.

Funding

This work was funded by the German Rhoen Research Foundation (Grant Number Fi_7). The funding organization had no influence on the design and conduct of the study, the collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data, the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Marburg (UKGM), Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Sachs-Str. 6, 35039, Marburg, Germany

    Bastian Schrott, Daria Kasperzack, Linda Weber, Katja Becker & Inge Kamp-Becker

  2. Marburg Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (MCMBB), Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany

    Katja Becker & Inge Kamp-Becker

  3. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Clinic Frankfurt (Oder), 15236, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany

    Roland Burghardt

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  1. Bastian Schrott
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  2. Daria Kasperzack
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  3. Linda Weber
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  4. Katja Becker
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  5. Roland Burghardt
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  6. Inge Kamp-Becker
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Contributions

BS, DK, LW, KB, RB, and IK-B contributed to the study.

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Correspondence to Bastian Schrott.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of the Marburg University; reference number 81/15.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Schrott, B., Kasperzack, D., Weber, L. et al. Effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P Group Parenting Program as an Additional Intervention in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Effects on Parenting Variables. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 913–923 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3764-x

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