Building Families' Capacities: Community Forums with Parents and Occupational Therapists.

Background. Parents of a child considered to have special needs are at greater risk of stress and exhaustion. Although many occupational therapy interventions can help these children, they often require significant time and energy from families. Purpose. To document the perspectives of parents and occupational therapists regarding ways to offer services that help build families' capacities without overloading them. Method. A qualitative descriptive design guided online community forums with 41 parents and occupational therapists in Quebec, Canada. Findings. Nine key principles to build the capacities of families without overburdening them were identified. These include being sensitive to possible negative impacts of services, avoiding overwhelming the family with information or recommendations, taking the needed time, highlighting the positive, and offering flexible conditions for services. Implications. Our findings help identify how capacity-building rehabilitation services can be offered to families to optimize positive outcomes and minimize harms.

What makes home environments favorable to independence: perspectives of autistic people and their parents.

PURPOSE: Few autistic adolescents and adults manage to integrate a home that enables them to fully exercise their independence, even if that is a desire shared by many of them. Creating residential environments that are favorable to their independence at home is a promising, yet poorly explored, avenue. The aim of this study conducted in Québec (Canada) is to identify the main environmental factors influencing their independence at home from the perspectives of autistic people and their parents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The walking interview method was used to collect the perspectives of 10 dyads composed of an autistic person and at least one of their parents. RESULTS: Participants identified several factors, including: (a) support from parents, (b) support from extended social network, (c) a physical environment that meets one's needs, (d) clear time indicators, (e) opportunities to perform life habits in other settings, and (f) support from professionals. They also gave many examples of concrete ways to implement these factors at home and suggested elements to consider when modifying the home environment. CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the need to involve both autistic people and their parents during the evaluation and implementation of these factors to optimize their benefits. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONModifying the residential environments of autistic people is a promising way to foster their independence at home.The environmental factors of supportive home environments identified in this study can be used as a starting point when designing home environments for autistic people.As the needs and preferences of autistic people vary, they must be involved in the selection and the implementation of modifications in their home environments.Parents have a key role to play to support the development of their youth's independence at home.

Supporting Independence at Home of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Literature Review.

BACKGROUND.: The integration of a life environment enabling people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to fully exercise their independence must be well prepared. PURPOSE.: Review and describe interventions intended to develop the independence at home of people with ASD. METHOD.: The PRISMA method was used to perform a systematic review based on 19 keywords, grouped under three concepts: (a) population age (adolescents and adults), (b) diagnosis (ASD), and (c) independence. FINDINGS.: Seven effective interventions were identified in the 20 selected articles: (a) video self-modeling, (b) video modeling, (c) behavioural interventions, (d) video prompting, (e) transition planning program, (f) training in the use of a cognitive aid, and (g) social skills group. IMPLICATIONS.: The results of this review will help guide practitioners in the implementation of interventions that foster the development of independence at home of people with ASD.