Parent Involvement in Mental Health Treatment for Autistic Children: A Grounded Theory-Informed Qualitative Analysis.

This study looked at how parents help when their autistic children receive therapy for mental health problems. Researchers talked to therapists and mothers to understand what makes parent involvement successful. They found that parents play five main roles in therapy, and that their beliefs about treatment affect how much they participate. How involved parents get depends on the child's needs, the parent's situation, and other factors around them.

This qualitative study examined parent involvement in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic children aged 8-13 years. Researchers interviewed 17 therapists and 11 mothers to develop a conceptual framework describing successful parent participation. The framework shows that parent involvement varies based on child, parent, and environmental factors, with parents taking on five main roles in therapy. Parents' beliefs and attitudes toward therapy significantly influenced their level of involvement.

This represents the first empirical investigation specifically examining how parents of autistic children contribute to the CBT therapeutic process, providing insights into optimizing family-centered mental health treatment approaches.

Therapists should assess family factors when planning CBT for autistic children and actively work to understand and optimize parent roles. Addressing parent beliefs about therapy early may improve treatment engagement and outcomes.

Small qualitative sample with only mothers represented among parents. Study focused on one specific CBT program and age range (8-13 years). Findings may not generalize to other therapeutic approaches, family structures, or age groups.

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for many autistic children experiencing mental health problems, and parents are particularly involved in their psychotherapy. This study presents a conceptual framework of successful parent involvement in CBT for autistic children. Seventeen therapists (94% female) and 11 mothers were interviewed about their involvement in a CBT program for autistic children ages 8-13 years. The conceptual framework depicts how parent involvement varies depending on child, parent, and environmental factors.

Parents' contributions to therapy were grouped into five main roles. Parents' beliefs and attitudes toward therapy also influenced their involvement. This is the first study to empirically investigate how parents of autistic children contribute to the therapeutic process in CBT.