Characterizing the parent role in school-based interventions for autism: A systematic literature review

Parent-focused intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has garnered considerable evidence of effectiveness for treating core symptoms of the disorder. However, these programs often teach parents discrete skills that may or may not align with school-based interventions. Family-school partnerships (FSPs) are essential for children with ASD given the complex presentation of symptoms characteristic of this disorder. It is unclear how and to what degree current school-based interventions for children with ASD include parents and whether their inclusion is consistent with definitions of parent involvement or FSPs established in the literature. A systematic review of the school-based intervention literature for children with ASD was conducted on studies published between 2002 and 2017. Thirty-six articles met inclusion criteria. Results indicated interventions included parents in ways consistent with both parent involvement and FSPs, though the former model was more common. Findings suggest a need for greater focus on measuring parent behavioral outcomes when evaluating intervention effectiveness and developing or refining interventions to include meaningful family-school partnering. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).