title: Long-term outcomes of parent-assisted social skills intervention for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: This study aims to evaluate the long-term outcome of Children's Friendship Training, a parent-assisted social skills intervention for children. Prior research has shown Children's Friendship Training to be superior to wait-list control with maintenance of gains at 3-month follow-up. Participants were families of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who completed Children's Friendship Training 1-5 years earlier. They were recruited through mail, phone, and email. Information collected included parent and child completed questionnaires and a phone interview. Data were collected on 24 of 52 potential participants (46%). With an average of 35-month follow-up, participants had a mean age of 12.6 years. Results indicated that participants at follow-up were invited on significantly more play dates, showed less play date conflict, improved significantly in parent-reported social skills and problem behaviors, and demonstrated marginally significant decreases in loneliness when compared to pre-Children's Friendship Training.
authors.affiliation: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Josh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mandelberg
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Clarissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorospe
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Laugeson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: autism; children; follow-up; intervention; social skills