A Randomized Controlled Trial of Peer-mediated Intervention for ASD Children Using Siblings as Therapists
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Date
2023-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine & Sciences
Abstract
Background: Peer-mediated interventions (PMI) promote social interactions and communication along with functional play skills among preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, ASD Siblings spend most of the day with siblings with autism than do their typically developing peers. Moreover, using typically developing siblings as therapists promotes maintenance practice opportunities in natural settings, family support, and encourages generalization of trained skills. Method: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a PMI in ASD by comparing two groups of preschool children diagnosed with ASD and were admitted to our autism Centre, each group composed of fourteen children. PMI was applied to the first group during play therapy sessions for 9-months duration in our autism Centre, where their peer coaches were fourteen-typically-developing siblings of ASD children who received sessions of peer coach training and were encouraged to interact with the fourteen ASD children of the first group using the strategies they learned. Additionally, the PMI was between the ASD child and the sibling of another ASD child, not his sibling. The second group of ASD children received ordinary rehabilitation sessions in our autism Centre during the same period of time. A standardized measurement tool assessed the children of both groups before and after the intervention. Results: Results showed a functional and statistical significant relation between the peer-mediated intervention and the improvement of social interaction, communication and functional play which has been implicated by a statistical significant difference between the two groups of our study. Conclusions: This study contributes to and extends the existing PMI research by using siblings of ASD children with normal intellectual and social-communication abilities in a preschool stage.
Description
Keywords
Peer-mediated, intervention, Autism spectrum disorder, Children, Siblings, Therapist
Citation
Taman Rihab, AlSobie Menahi, AlZahrani Atteya, Azam Walaa, Alhewiti Aesha . A Randomized Controlled Trial of Peer-mediated Intervention for ASD Children Using Siblings as Therapists. International Journal of Medical Research Professionals. 2023 May; 9(3): 11-16