Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis
Background/Objectives: The literature highlights the importance of parental involvement in autism treatment. However, much research has predominantly focused on child outcomes and cognitive dimensions. This study explores the impact of an early intensive intervention with parental involvement, focus...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Brain Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/133 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850080510079926272 |
|---|---|
| author | Silvia Perzolli Giulio Bertamini Paola Venuti Arianna Bentenuto |
| author_facet | Silvia Perzolli Giulio Bertamini Paola Venuti Arianna Bentenuto |
| author_sort | Silvia Perzolli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: The literature highlights the importance of parental involvement in autism treatment. However, much research has predominantly focused on child outcomes and cognitive dimensions. This study explores the impact of an early intensive intervention with parental involvement, focusing on changes in parents’ affective exchanges. Notably, given the paucity of studies on fathers in the intervention context, this study examines the comparative trajectory of change considering both caregivers. Methods: Twenty autistic preschoolers were monitored for one year during a parental-based intervention. Child–mother and child–father play interactions were coded with the Emotional Availability Scales at baseline and at 12 months. Repeated measures linear mixed-effect models were employed to investigate time and caregiver effects and their interaction. Results: Results highlighted both similarities and differences in change trajectories between caregivers. Parental sensitivity, structuring, and non-intrusiveness significantly increased for both parents with fathers showing more prominent gains in structuring the interaction while being non-intrusive. Child responsiveness and involvement significantly increased, showing similar trajectories with both caregivers. Children were generally more involved while interacting with their fathers. Conclusion: Parent–child interactions with caregivers evolved toward more adaptive exchanges regarding emotional availability for children’s and parents’ dimensions. Fathers appeared to be particularly receptive regarding acquiring structuring abilities and non-intrusive behaviors. Our results underscore the importance of investigating parental features as well as the importance of actively involving caregivers to support distal outcomes and generalization. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-191acdf643154f8aa50652ebe9b8583c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-191acdf643154f8aa50652ebe9b8583c2025-08-20T02:44:55ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-01-0115213310.3390/brainsci15020133Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative AnalysisSilvia Perzolli0Giulio Bertamini1Paola Venuti2Arianna Bentenuto3Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis, and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, ItalyLaboratory of Observation, Diagnosis, and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, ItalyLaboratory of Observation, Diagnosis, and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, ItalyLaboratory of Observation, Diagnosis, and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, ItalyBackground/Objectives: The literature highlights the importance of parental involvement in autism treatment. However, much research has predominantly focused on child outcomes and cognitive dimensions. This study explores the impact of an early intensive intervention with parental involvement, focusing on changes in parents’ affective exchanges. Notably, given the paucity of studies on fathers in the intervention context, this study examines the comparative trajectory of change considering both caregivers. Methods: Twenty autistic preschoolers were monitored for one year during a parental-based intervention. Child–mother and child–father play interactions were coded with the Emotional Availability Scales at baseline and at 12 months. Repeated measures linear mixed-effect models were employed to investigate time and caregiver effects and their interaction. Results: Results highlighted both similarities and differences in change trajectories between caregivers. Parental sensitivity, structuring, and non-intrusiveness significantly increased for both parents with fathers showing more prominent gains in structuring the interaction while being non-intrusive. Child responsiveness and involvement significantly increased, showing similar trajectories with both caregivers. Children were generally more involved while interacting with their fathers. Conclusion: Parent–child interactions with caregivers evolved toward more adaptive exchanges regarding emotional availability for children’s and parents’ dimensions. Fathers appeared to be particularly receptive regarding acquiring structuring abilities and non-intrusive behaviors. Our results underscore the importance of investigating parental features as well as the importance of actively involving caregivers to support distal outcomes and generalization.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/133autismparentsparental interventionemotional availability |
| spellingShingle | Silvia Perzolli Giulio Bertamini Paola Venuti Arianna Bentenuto Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis Brain Sciences autism parents parental intervention emotional availability |
| title | Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis |
| title_full | Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis |
| title_short | Emotional Availability in Autism Intervention: A Mother–Father Comparative Analysis |
| title_sort | emotional availability in autism intervention a mother father comparative analysis |
| topic | autism parents parental intervention emotional availability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/133 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT silviaperzolli emotionalavailabilityinautisminterventionamotherfathercomparativeanalysis AT giuliobertamini emotionalavailabilityinautisminterventionamotherfathercomparativeanalysis AT paolavenuti emotionalavailabilityinautisminterventionamotherfathercomparativeanalysis AT ariannabentenuto emotionalavailabilityinautisminterventionamotherfathercomparativeanalysis |