Mindfulness for adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability: A pilot study.

The present study aims to examine the effects of the MindfulTEA program, an Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBIs) specifically designed for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disability, to reduce behavioural problems. MBIs are effective in improving well-being in people with high-functioning ASD, but little is known about the impact of the MBIs on people with ASD and intellectual disability associated. Fourteen adults (age 18 to 44) with ASD and intellectual disability participated in the program. Results showed a significant decrease in self-injurious and aggressive/destructive behaviours after the MBI. Stereotyped behaviour did not show significant change. Results suggest that the MindfulTEA program could effectively reduce some types of behaviour problems in people with ASD and intellectual disability. MBIs could be a useful alternative to traditional behaviour management interventions for reducing behaviour problems in this population.

Interviniendo en significatividad: eficacia de un programa piloto en la mejora del bienestar emocional de padres de niños con trastorno del espectro autista / Efficacy of a pilot program to improve psychological well-being of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders

La prevalencia de los trastornos del espectro autista (TEA) ha sufrido un aumento notable en los últimos años. Es extensa la literatura acerca del impacto que la crianza de un hijo con TEA tiene sobre el bienestar paterno. Entre los factores implicados, el sentido de coherencia (SOC) ha mostrado ser una variable importante. Dentro del SOC el componente de significatividad, por su conceptualización y su relación diferencial con otras variables, parece ser un componente especialmente relevante. Pese a la literatura previa, no se han desarrollado programas que evalúen ni intervengan ni en SOC ni en el componente de significatividad. Se presenta un programa piloto de intervención en significatividad basado, por su analogía conceptual, en el trabajo en valores de la terapia de aceptación y compromiso (ACT), que fue aplicado a un grupo de padres de hijos con TEA. El programa mostró mejoras significativas diferenciales en significatividad del SOC. Igualmente el grupo que recibió el programa mostró mejoras significativas en malestar, depresión, ansiedad y disfunción social que no se observaron en el grupo control

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased notably in recent decades. There is extensive scientific literature on the impact of raising a child with ASD on parent’s wellbeing. Among the factors involved in parent's wellbeing, the sense of coherence (SOC) has demonstrated to have an important role. Meaningfulness (a specific component of SOC) appears to be a relevant variable to consider because of its own conceptualization and its differential relationship with other variables. However, despite the abundant literature, there is a lack of programs that asses or work in SOC, or in its meaningfulness component. In this work we present a pilot program based on values of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), because of its conceptual analogy, to increase meaningfulness of SOC. The program was carried out with a group of parents of children with ASD. As expected, the group which received the program showed a significant improvement in meaningfulness (not in the other components of SOC), in parental distress, depression, anxiety and social dysfunction