Presentation given by Tatja Hirvikoski, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden) at the Autism-Europe's 12th International Congress 2019: "A New Dynamic for Change and Inclusion", held the 13-15th September 2019 in Nice, France.
Introduction
There are few evidence-based interventions for adults with autism
spectrum condition without intellectual disability (ASC) and their
significant others/family members. The Prisma program entails
manualized psychoeducational groups, designed to provide basic
knowledge about both ASC and available intervention options, as
well as empower the participants and provide an arena for shearing
experiences with similar others. This first study evaluated feasibility and preliminary effects of the Prisma in an outpatient psychiatric and disability services context.
Methods
The Prisma program consisted of four 120-minute weakly structured group session administered at 12 publicly funded outpatient psychiatric and disability services clinics in Stockholm. The participants with ASC (n=56) and their significant others (n=52) completed self-reported questionnaires before and after the Prisma program to evaluate preliminary effects, as well as at the end of each of the four sessions to evaluate treatment satisfaction.
Results
The participants gained significantly improved knowledge on ASC
from pre to post intervention (ASC Knowledge Quiz, large effect),
and improved wellbeing as measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Moreover, the significant others and family members reported improved relationship quality and reduced burden. The Prisma program was considered to be credible and the participants would highly recommend the intervention to others in a similar situation. In the open ended qualitative evaluations, the participants provided us suggestions how to improve the Prisma program, e.g. by increasing intervention components offering possibilities for active participation.
Discussion
The findings in this open feasibility trial provide preliminary support
for good feasibility and preliminary effects of the Prisma program.
We have revised the contents of the program according to the feedback from the participants and are currently conducting a pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled effectiveness trial.
