Stress Management for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) report significantly higher levels of stress and distress compared to any other parenting group. Research investigating the effectiveness of stress management programs for this population is limited, however a preliminary study highlights the beneficial effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Twenty-two parents of children with ASD completed a brief one-day ACT workshop targeted specifically to parents of children with ASD. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the workshop in reducing parenting stress and general psychological distress as well as increasing acceptance. Participant outcomes were measured at three assessment points, Time 1 pre intervention, Time 2 post intervention, and at a six-week follow-up, Time 3. Qualitative goal attainment data was analysed to provide additional information regarding parent values and achieving goals in line with these values, two fundamental ACT processes. Participants reported significantly lower levels of parent adjustment problems and depressive symptoms from Time 1 to Time 2 and these decreases were maintained at Time 3. The increase in acceptance from Time 1 to Time 2 was not significant, and parenting stress did not significantly differ between time points. Qualitative data indicated that parents reported an increase in the degree of goal attainment from Time 2 to Time 3. These results suggest the possible effectiveness of a brief ACT intervention for parents of children with ASD but caution must be used due to the small sample size and lack of a control condition. Future research should implement an ACT workshop in conjunction with an effective child-focussed intervention, such as Triple P