Graduation Year

2022

Date of Submission

12-2022

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Craig Bowman

Rights Information

2022 Stiles Q Satterlee

Abstract

For parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the effectiveness of parent training (PT) to target problem behaviors, increase parent knowledge, increase parental empowerment and in turn decrease parental stress is well studied and understood. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions to decrease the distress of parents of children and adults with ASD is also well documented. However, research on PT paired with MBSR interventions is limited. This study proposes to evaluate the effects of combining a psychoeducational PT with MBSR for parents of young adults with ASD. This study employs a randomized control trial with an active control design, with two distinct active control groups. The sample size will be between 120 and 150 participants. Participants will each have a child with ASD who is within 2 years before or after high school exit. The participants will be assigned to one of three groups: an MBSR control group, a PT control group providing information on the adult disability service system, and a treatment group running a PT intervention simultaneously with an MBSR intervention. I predict that the presence of an MBSR intervention will make the PT more effective by reducing stress and thereby increasing engagement with and retention of the parent training material. This result will encourage exploration into the effectiveness of combining MBSR with other types of PTs across many different populations.

Download

This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

Share

COinS