title: Training Parents of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Advocate for Adult Disability Services: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: This study presents findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial, testing a 12-week intervention to train parents of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to advocate for adult disability services-the Volunteer Advocacy Program-Transition (VAP-T). Participants included 41 parents of youth with ASD within 2 years of high school exit, randomly assigned to a treatment (N = 20) or wait-list control (N = 21) group. Outcomes, collected before and after the intervention, included parental knowledge about adult services, advocacy skills-comfort, and empowerment. The VAP-T had acceptable feasibility, treatment fidelity, and acceptability. After participating in the VAP-T, intervention parents (compared to controls) knew more about the adult service system, were more skilled/comfortable advocating, and felt more empowered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. Julie.l.taylor@vanderbilt.edu.|Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, PMB 40-230 Appleton Pl., Nashville, TN, 37203, USA. Julie.l.taylor@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Julie Lounds
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3904-3476
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.|Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, PMB 40-230 Appleton Pl., Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hodapp
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Meghan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, PMB 40-230 Appleton Pl., Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
authors.forename: Sydney N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Waitz-Kudla
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, PMB 40-230 Appleton Pl., Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabideau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002651:Child Advocacy / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011209:Power, Psychological; D015397:Program Evaluation; D060305:Transition to Adult Care
keywords: Advocacy; Autism spectrum disorder; Empowerment; Intervention; Parents; Randomized controlled trial; Services; Transition to adulthood