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- Title
Reductions in Depression and Anxiety Among Autistic Adults Participating in an Intervention to Promote Healthy Relationships.
- Authors
Holmes, Laura Graham; Goebel, Russell J.; Hollingue, Calliope; Zhu, Shuning; Zhang, Handing; Shan, Wuji; Wang, Shicong; Caplan, Reid; Sanchez, Amelia; Wharmby, Peter; Chiang, Melody; Person, Mariah; Rothman, Emily F.
- Abstract
Importance: Some autistic adults experience depression and anxiety related to their social relationships. There is a need for evidence-based occupational therapy interventions that decrease depression and anxiety and improve the health of social relationships for autistic adults. Objective: To determine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum (HEARTS) intervention, a six-session, group-based psychoeducational intervention for the improvement of relationship health. Design: One-group pretest–posttest design with a 3-mo follow-up after baseline. Setting: United States; online intervention through community organization. Participants: Fifty-five adults, ages 20 to 43 yr, with a professional or self-diagnosis of autism and the capacity to independently participate in an online, group-based, participatory class. Intervention: Participants received 6 90-min weekly sessions that addressed healthy relationship topics, including recognizing abuse, meeting people, maintaining relationships, setting interpersonal boundaries, neurohealth for relationships, and ending relationships. A psychoeducational approach that provided education and involved guided discovery and strategy acquisition was used. Outcomes and Measures: All measures were self-administered through an online survey. Depression and anxiety were assessed using instruments from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. Results: Fifty-five participants completed the intervention. Postintervention scores revealed statistically significant improvements in depression and anxiety. Conclusions and Relevance: HEARTS is a promising intervention for improving depression and anxiety among autistic adults and should be investigated further. What This Article Adds: HEARTS offers a potentially effective, nonpharmacological, psychoeducational group-based intervention option to promote healthy relationships for autistic adults. Positionality Statement: This article uses identity-first language (autistic person) in accordance with the preference of autistic self-advocates (Autistic Self Advocacy Network, 2020; Kenny et al., 2016; Lord et al., 2022). Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum (HEARTS) offers a potentially effective, nonpharmacological, psychoeducational group-based intervention option to promote healthy relationships for autistic adults.
- Subjects
UNITED States; ANXIETY treatment; WELL-being; RESEARCH; CONFIDENCE intervals; INTERNET; MOTIVATION (Psychology); ATTITUDE (Psychology); PSYCHOEDUCATION; MEDICAL care; HEALTH outcome assessment; OCCUPATIONAL therapy; PRE-tests &; post-tests; AUTISM; MENTAL depression; INTERPERSONAL relations; RESEARCH funding; QUESTIONNAIRES; SCALE analysis (Psychology); DESCRIPTIVE statistics; STATISTICAL correlation; HEALTH promotion; CISGENDER people; GROUP psychotherapy; ADULTS
- Publication
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2023, Vol 77, Issue 2, p1
- ISSN
0272-9490
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5014/ajot.2023.050108