Effectiveness and Parent Acceptability of YETI for Children with Autism

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience social communication deficits that have been associated with loneliness, fewer friendships, and less satisfaction with friendships (Bauminger & Kasari, 2000). One in four children also have symptoms such as irritability, arguing, and defiance (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2013). Research studies have shown that social skills group interventions significantly improved youth’s social interactions, such as an increase in communication with peers and greater use of greetings (Barry, Klinger, Lee, Palardy, Gilmore & Bodin, 2003). Further, parents’ acceptability of social skills groups is also important to ensure that the intervention is meeting their child’s needs. Few studies have investigated parents’ views and acceptability of social skills interventions. There were two primary goals of this study: 1) to examine the effectiveness of an individualized treatment program for two children with ASD and disruptive behaviors within a social skills group and 2) to understand parents’ acceptability of Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI), a social skills program. YETI was conducted at a university clinic with 9 children during a one-week intensive treatment that addressed social communication, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. A single-subject methodology was used for the two children to examine if an individualized treatment program comprised of positive attention and structured ignoring reduced disruptive behaviors. A qualitative methodology involving the completion of a survey by 9 parents and an interview of four parents was used to examine parents’ perceptions of YETI. Results of the single subject design revealed that the individualized treatment was effective at reducing one child’s disruptive behaviors. The other child experienced a decrease in his behaviors but not consistent with the addition and removal of the treatment. Qualitative analysis found that overall parents have a positive perception of YETI, with the main suggestion being an increase in the frequency and duration of YETI