title: Effect of Parent Training on Adaptive Behavior in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Disruptive Behavior: Results of a Randomized Trial.
abstract: This study examined the impact of parent training on adaptive behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and disruptive behavior.
  
  
  
  This was a 24-week, 6-site, randomized trial of parent training versus parent education in 180 children with ASD (aged 3-7 years; 158 boys and 22 girls) and moderate or greater behavioral problems. Parent training included specific strategies to manage disruptive behavior over 11 to 13 sessions, 2 telephone boosters, and 2 home visits. Parent education provided useful information about autism but no behavior management strategies over 12 core sessions and 1 home visit. In a previous report, we showed that parent training was superior to parent education in reducing disruptive behavior in young children with ASD. Here, we test whether parent training is superior to parent education in improving daily living skills as measured by the parent-rated Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales II. The long-term impact of parent training on adaptive functioning is also presented.
  
  
  
  At week 24, the parent training group showed a 5.7-point improvement from baseline on the Daily Living domain compared to no change in parent education (p = .004; effect size = 0.36). On the Socialization domain, there was a 5.9-point improvement in parent training versus a 3.1-point improvement in parent education (p = .11; effect size = 0.29). Gains in the Communication domain were similar across treatment groups. The gain in Daily Living was greater in children with IQ of >70. However, the interaction of treatment-by-IQ was not significant. Gains in Daily Living at week 24 were maintained upon re-evaluation at 24 weeks posttreatment.
  
  
  
  These results support the model that reduction in disruptive behavior can lead to improvement in activities of daily living. By contrast, the expected trajectory for adaptive behavior in children with ASD is often flat and predictably declines in children with intellectual disability. In the parent training group, higher-functioning children achieved significant gains in daily living skills. Children with intellectual disability kept pace with time. Clinical trial registration information-Randomized Trial of Parent Training for Young Children With Autism (RUBI); http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01233414.
authors.affiliation: Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. Electronic address: lawrence.scahill@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scahill
authors.affiliation: Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bearss
authors.affiliation: Nisonger Center, UCEDD, Ohio State University, Columbus.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lecavalier
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
authors.forename: Tristram
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Swiezy
authors.affiliation: Nisonger Center, UCEDD, Ohio State University, Columbus.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.affiliation: Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
authors.forename: Denis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Sukhodolsky
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Noha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Minshawi
authors.affiliation: Division of Education Leadership and Innovation, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, Tempe.
authors.forename: Kylan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Levato
authors.affiliation: Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta.
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saulnier
authors.affiliation: Yale University.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dziura
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004505:Education, Nonprofessional; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D000066553:Problem Behavior
keywords: adaptive behavior; autism spectrum disorder; disruptive behavior; parent training