Evaluation of an intervention in the bond between parents and babies siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Grant number: 13/03676-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Psychological Treatment and Prevention
• Principal Investigator: Rogerio Lerner
• Grantee: Julia Garcia Durand
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psicologia (IP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are considered at risk for developmental disorders, due to high recurrence scores among first degree family members. Parents of autism spectrum disorders children, on the other side, show higher prevalence of depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms than parents of children who do not have ASD. This research aims to evaluate an intervention model towards improvements on developmental conditions of siblings of children with ASD and their parents. It is a clinical trial study, in which 30 parents of children with ASD with their babies up to 15 months of age will participate of a 12 month intervention, based on psychoanalytical theory. Other two control groups will be composed for comparison: 1) 30 parents of children with ASD and their babies up to 30 months of age, who will not undergo the intervention; 2)30 parents of children without ASD and their babies up to 15 months. The groups of parents will be assessed before and after intervention for depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms and emotional availability. Babies will be assessed before and after intervention for withdrawn, ASD symptoms and developmental risk. Results among the three groups will be compared. Intervention will be run by the team of researchers at the services where ASD children are treated in order to build competences and strategic alliances with them, promoting the diffusion of knowledge by means of implementing this project of applied research. This research is part of the Research Support Center on Neurodevelopment and Mental Health of University of Sao Paulo. (AU)