Parent Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder : Improving the Quality of Life for Children and Their Families

Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be very challenging, particularly for parents who do not have easy access to psychological treatment. This book presents parent training as a unique approach that is not only more accessible but is also one of the most promising methods for promoting long-term behavioral improvements in children with ASD. Backed by decades of research, parent training is a psychotherapeutic technique in which parents are main drivers of change for their children. The clinician passes knowledge to the parents and teaches them more effective parenting skills and behaviors. This clinical guide shows practitioners how to apply this approach with families of children with ASD. Readers will learn strategies for implementing various assessment and intervention techniques, and for maintaining parental engagement throughout treatment. Individual chapters focus on the most common issues that parents of children with ASD struggle with, including social and communication deficits; disruptive behaviors; sleep disturbances; tendencies to wander off; and key life skills, like feeding and toileting. Vivid case examples demonstrate this clinical guidance being applied in realistic scenarios.