Effectiveness of Parent Empowerment Program for Children with Autism

Strategic Insights -

Parents of children with autism in Turkiye face significant stress, low self-efficacy, and caregiver burden in meeting their children's complex needs. A new study has evaluated the effectiveness of a parent empowerment program combining parental training and motivational interviewing to support caregivers of children with autism. The research found that the program significantly improved self-efficacy, reduced caregiver burden, and decreased perceived stress in parents of children with autism.

Key Takeaways:

  • A total of 69 parents (intervention = 34, control = 35) participated in a two-group randomized controlled study, conducted between September 2020 and May 2022.
  • The parent empowerment program, including four parental training sessions and two motivational interview sessions, resulted in significantly greater improvements in self-efficacy, caregiver burden, and perceived stress for parents in the intervention group compared to the control group.
  • The program was evaluated using the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale, Zarit Care Burden Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Family Empowerment Scale.
  • Parents in the intervention group showed significant improvements in self-efficacy (t = 5.340, p = 0.001), caregiver burden (t = 8.926, p < 0.001), and perceived stress (t = 7.745, p < 0.001) compared to the control group.
  • The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under the registration number NCT06629974 on October 8, 2024.
  • The research was financially supported by Celal Bayar University.
  • The study was published in the journal Child: Care, Health and Development, 2025;51(5).

Statistics:

  • 69 parents participated in the study (intervention = 34, control = 35).
  • The intervention group showed significant improvements in (t = 5.340, p = 0.001, 8.926, p < 0.001, and 7.745, p < 0.001) compared to the control group.
  • The study was conducted over a period of approximately 8 months (September 2020 and May 2022).

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New Findings Reported from Manisa Celal Bayar University Describe Advances in Autism (Effectiveness of a Parent Empowerment Program for Parents of Children With Autism: a Randomized Controlled Trial). Mental Health Weekly Digest. October 27, 2025; p 490.
  • Effectiveness of a Parent Empowerment Program for Parents of Children With Autism: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Child: Care, Health and Development, 2025;51(5).