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Article

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children’s Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia

by
Sing Yee Ong
1,
Samsilah Roslan
1,*,
Nor Aniza Ahmad
1,
Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub
1,
Chen Lee Ping
2,
Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh
1 and
Seyedali Ahrari
1
1
Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan 43400, Malaysia
2
Department of Psychology, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2566; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052566
Submission received: 1 January 2021 / Revised: 23 February 2021 / Accepted: 28 February 2021 / Published: 4 March 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders)
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Abstract

Background: This study evaluates the effectiveness of parent-assisted children’s friendship training intervention for enhancing friendship quality and social skills among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a quasi-experimental study to investigate the effective outcomes of social skills and friendship quality in the pre-and post-parent-assisted CFT intervention phases; Methods: to conduct a 12-week field session, 30 children with their parents were selected. The Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales and the Quality of Play Questionnaire-Parent were used to assess the effectiveness of the parent-assisted children’s friendship training during pre-and post-intervention. A semi-structured interview with parents was conducted at the end of the session; Results: findings revealed that intervention improved the social skills of these children. Additionally, the friendship quality of children with ASD improved before and after the intervention, however, engagement remained unchanged. Parents also showed some sort of improvement after the session as they reported a heightened sense of fear and resistance, awareness, learning and adjustment, change is not easy, and identifying support; Conclusions: there was clear evidence that children with ASD benefitted from parent-assisted CFTs in terms of social skills and friendship quality. However, larger and controlled studies are required to draw firm conclusions about this kind of intervention.
Keywords: friendship skills; social skills; parent-assisted children’s friendship training; children with ASD friendship skills; social skills; parent-assisted children’s friendship training; children with ASD

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ong, S.Y.; Roslan, S.; Ahmad, N.A.; Ayub, A.F.M.; Ping, C.L.; Zaremohzzabieh, Z.; Ahrari, S. A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children’s Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052566

AMA Style

Ong SY, Roslan S, Ahmad NA, Ayub AFM, Ping CL, Zaremohzzabieh Z, Ahrari S. A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children’s Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(5):2566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052566

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ong, Sing Yee, Samsilah Roslan, Nor Aniza Ahmad, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub, Chen Lee Ping, Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh, and Seyedali Ahrari. 2021. "A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children’s Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 5: 2566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052566

APA Style

Ong, S. Y., Roslan, S., Ahmad, N. A., Ayub, A. F. M., Ping, C. L., Zaremohzzabieh, Z., & Ahrari, S. (2021). A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children’s Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052566

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