A Brief CRAFT Parental Support Program Focused on Helping Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Neurodevelopmental Problems: a Pilot Study

Abstract

Parents who have either young or adult children with autism frequently report high stress levels due to children’s episodes of aggression, self-inflicted harm, and conduct problems. However, the number of evidence-based programs to assist parents of individuals with autism during the transition to adulthood is scarce. A novel treatment option is Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT). CRAFT is a useful treatment package originally designed to engage resistant substance users into treatment by working with their concerned significant others (CSO). The underlying operant-based belief is that environmental contingencies play an important role in supporting an identified patient (IP) to treatment or community/welfare support resources. Furthermore, CRAFT is geared to (re)connect CSOs to formal and informal social and recreational networks and reducing CSOs’ physical and psychological distress. The aim of this cross-sectional pilot study is to examine the unilateral effects of a brief CRAFT intervention on the well-being of both IPs with autism and CSOs. Sixteen CSOs were included in the CRAFT program, consisting of three 60-min group sessions. The CSOs pre-post analyses demonstrated statistically significant improvements with respect to The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). However, no statistically significant improvements were observed for IPs. CRAFT seems a promising approach to facilitate quality of health improvements in CSOs with young or adult children with autism spectrum disorder. However, more research is needed to confirm the role of CRAFT with respect to this diagnostic group.