Outcomes Associated with Participation in a Social Intervention for Adolescents  with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Matchullis, Ryan Luke

Outcomes Associated with Participation in a Social Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

dc.contributor.advisor	McCrimmon, Adam W.
dc.contributor.author	Matchullis, Ryan Luke
dc.contributor.committeemember	Nordstokke, David W.
dc.contributor.committeemember	Carins, Sharon L.
dc.contributor.committeemember	Pei, Jacqueline R.
dc.contributor.committeemember	McLuckie, Alan
dc.date	2018-11
dc.date.accessioned	2018-07-09T15:32:50Z
dc.date.available	2018-07-09T15:32:50Z
dc.date.issued	2018-07-06
dc.description.abstract	Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and without intellectual impairment face a myriad of social and relational challenges targeted by many social skills training programs (SSTPs). One such program, the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS), has an existing evidence base supporting the learning of curricular objectives. However, adolescents with ASD have additional challenges that may impact or be impacted by their social difficulties, including potential mental health problems, executive functioning (i.e., cognitive flexibility and inhibition) impairment, and parent-child relationship challenges. The current study expanded on previous research by examining the above-mentioned factors in adolescents who attended PEERS in a Canadian context. After inclusionary criteria were applied and data quality were examined, the final sample included 42 families (78% male), with adolescents ranging in age from 13 years, 6 months to 18 years, 8 months. Participation was associated with initial significant gains in social skills that were not maintained at follow-up. Though no improvements were seen in adolescent participants’ cognitive flexibility, their inhibitory control was significantly improved and maintained. Contrary to hypotheses, no changes in important markers of adolescent mental health were noted. Examination of parent-child relationships revealed significant positive relations between both attachment and communication and the social skills improvements made by adolescents. The findings from this study have important implications for the ongoing delivery of PEERS and provide insight into the relations between improving social relationships and skills for adolescents with ASD and other important secondary outcomes.	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Matchullis, R. L. (2018). Outcomes Associated with Participation in a Social Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/32325	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/32325
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/107103
dc.language.iso	eng
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.faculty	Werklund School of Education
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary	en
dc.publisher.place	Calgary	en
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Autism
dc.subject	Social Skills
dc.subject	Parent Child Relationships
dc.subject	Executive Function
dc.subject	Mental Health
dc.subject	Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills
dc.subject.classification	Educational Psychology	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Psychology--Developmental	en_US
dc.title	Outcomes Associated with Participation in a Social Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
dc.type	doctoral thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Educational Psychology
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopy	true