Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | 2452 - Early childhood special education classes designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in ordinary French schools, stress and quality of life of parents |
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| Contribution code | PS03-09 (P) |
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| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
Objectives: Researches had commonly shown that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has a major impact on parental stress and on the family’s quality of life. Parents must cope not only with difficulties caused by the developmental particularities of their child, but also with the concerns of finding adapted education for him/her. In 2014, new specialized classes for three years old children diagnosed with ASD opened their doors in ordinary French schools. A behavioral and educational multidisciplinary treatment is combined with an adapted pedagogy addressing the needs of children with ASD. The program also includes a weekly support and guidance to the parents. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life and stress level of these parents during a year and a half. Materials and methods: 11 parents (5 mothers and 6 fathers) of children aged 3 enrolled in one of those special early education classes were recruited. At the beginning, a socio demographic survey was assessed by each parent. They were also asked to answer self-rating scales three times in an interval of six months since the opening of the class, in order to evaluate possible changes in: 1) parental stress (PSI); 2) perceived stress (ALES); 3) quality of life (EQVPTED). Data were analyzed by non-parametric tests. Results: The results of this 18 months follow-up indicate that half of the parents presented a clinical high level of stress related to their parental role at the opening of the program. Since then, there is a significant decrease in the parental stress and in their difficulties during their interaction with the child diagnosed with ASD. Similarly, the parents’ perception of the negative repercussions of the ASD on their psychological well-being has decreased significantly. Finally, results show no significant difference between parents dealing with only one disabled child or with more disabled children in the family. Conclusions: In conclusion, in context of early educational and social intervention for their child, parents seem to have a decreasing level of stress and their perception of their child become gradually less negative with time. These encouraging results emphasize the importance of specialized early intervention programs in ordinary environment, combined with guidance and help to parents of young children with ASD, in order for them to have more resources and skills to handle the specific needs of their child. |