A double-masked randomised actively controlled trial of KONTAKT™ social skills toolbox for Australian autistic children / Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD in Autism, 30-3 (March 2026)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 30-3 (March 2026) . - p.748-766 Titre : A double-masked randomised actively controlled trial of KONTAKT™ social skills toolbox for Australian autistic children Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD, Auteur ; Elinda Ai Lim LEE, Auteur ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Anna FRIDELL, Auteur ; Christina COCO, Auteur ; Tasha ALACH, Auteur ; Mathew JOHNSON, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.748-766 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : active control group  autistic children  double-masked randomised controlled trial  KONTAKT™  social skills group training Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : To explore the efficacy of KONTAKT™, a manualised social skills group programme, compared to an active control group, 84 autistic children aged 8–12 years were randomised to KONTAKT (n = 43) or ART-Legends, a group-based social art programme (n = 41). Both programmes ran for sixteen 75-min sessions. Primary (Goal Attainment Scaling) and Secondary outcomes (Social Skills Group Assessment, LERID Friendship Scale) were collected at baseline, post-completion, 3-month (primary endpoint) and 1-year follow-up. A weekly survey was also collected to capture children’s enjoyment, motivation and social interaction anxiety while attending their group. Linear mixed modelling indicating significant effects for both groups on the primary outcome GAS (p < 0.001) over time. No Time*Group interaction was observed for GAS or any of the secondary measures at the primary endpoint, except quality of friendship (effect size = 0.67, p = 0.01). The weekly survey indicated higher enjoyment levels from attending KONTAKT compared to ART-Legends. This study found that both social group programmes helped autistic children achieve their personal social goals, with no clear advantage for KONTAKT over ART-Legends. However, KONTAKT’s specific elements were necessary for improving friendship quality. Future research can benefit from exploring and identifying the elements of a social programme supporting enjoyment and helping autistic children achieve their goals.Trial registration: (1) Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12619000994189, registered 12 July 2019, anzctr.org.au; (2) ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04024111 registered 1 December 2019, https://clinicaltrials.govLay Abstract Social skills group programmes such as KONTAKT™ are the most frequently used programmes for supporting the social needs of autistic children in navigating a non-autistic social world. The success of these programmes is largely measured by comparing participants attending a social skills group programme to others not receiving this support or attending another social skills group programme. Therefore, it is unclear whether mere exposure to a supportive social group based on interests is as beneficial as a social skills group programme in supporting the social needs of autistic children. To understand this effect, researchers compared KONTAKT to ART-Legends, a group-based social art programme. While participants in both programmes engaged in free social play, KONTAKT participants also had opportunities to practise their social skills in activities such as roleplays and discussions. Two to three health professionals delivered both programmes to groups of 4–8 autistic children aged 8–12 years. Both programmes were manualised and ran for sixteen 75-min sessions. Overall, 84 children attended the programmes, 43 in KONTAKT and 41 in ART-Legends. A researcher, unaware of the group each child attended, collected data before, then immediately, 3 months and 12 months after the programmes ended. The enjoyment and motivation of attending the groups and the children’s anxiety when socialising while attending the groups were also collected. This study found that both groups made clear progress on their personal social goals and social skills over time. However, children in the KONTAKT group showed better results than those in the ART-Legends group when it came to making friends, enjoying the sessions and feeling less anxious in social situations. Overall, this research suggested that when autistic children take part in a structured social group programme led by trained professionals in a supportive setting, the programme can help them reach their personally meaningful social goals. However, if the aim is related to improving their friendships and having more successful socialisation skills, KONTAKT is superior. Future studies could look more closely at what parts of the programme are most helpful in improving friendship and socialisation skills. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613251414902 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=582 [article] A double-masked randomised actively controlled trial of KONTAKT™ social skills toolbox for Australian autistic children [texte imprimé] / Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD, Auteur ; Elinda Ai Lim LEE, Auteur ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Anna FRIDELL, Auteur ; Christina COCO, Auteur ; Tasha ALACH, Auteur ; Mathew JOHNSON, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur . - p.748-766. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 30-3 (March 2026) . - p.748-766 Mots-clés : active control group  autistic children  double-masked randomised controlled trial  KONTAKT™  social skills group training Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : To explore the efficacy of KONTAKT™, a manualised social skills group programme, compared to an active control group, 84 autistic children aged 8–12 years were randomised to KONTAKT (n = 43) or ART-Legends, a group-based social art programme (n = 41). Both programmes ran for sixteen 75-min sessions. Primary (Goal Attainment Scaling) and Secondary outcomes (Social Skills Group Assessment, LERID Friendship Scale) were collected at baseline, post-completion, 3-month (primary endpoint) and 1-year follow-up. A weekly survey was also collected to capture children’s enjoyment, motivation and social interaction anxiety while attending their group. Linear mixed modelling indicating significant effects for both groups on the primary outcome GAS (p < 0.001) over time. No Time*Group interaction was observed for GAS or any of the secondary measures at the primary endpoint, except quality of friendship (effect size = 0.67, p = 0.01). The weekly survey indicated higher enjoyment levels from attending KONTAKT compared to ART-Legends. This study found that both social group programmes helped autistic children achieve their personal social goals, with no clear advantage for KONTAKT over ART-Legends. However, KONTAKT’s specific elements were necessary for improving friendship quality. Future research can benefit from exploring and identifying the elements of a social programme supporting enjoyment and helping autistic children achieve their goals.Trial registration: (1) Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12619000994189, registered 12 July 2019, anzctr.org.au; (2) ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04024111 registered 1 December 2019, https://clinicaltrials.govLay Abstract Social skills group programmes such as KONTAKT™ are the most frequently used programmes for supporting the social needs of autistic children in navigating a non-autistic social world. The success of these programmes is largely measured by comparing participants attending a social skills group programme to others not receiving this support or attending another social skills group programme. Therefore, it is unclear whether mere exposure to a supportive social group based on interests is as beneficial as a social skills group programme in supporting the social needs of autistic children. To understand this effect, researchers compared KONTAKT to ART-Legends, a group-based social art programme. While participants in both programmes engaged in free social play, KONTAKT participants also had opportunities to practise their social skills in activities such as roleplays and discussions. Two to three health professionals delivered both programmes to groups of 4–8 autistic children aged 8–12 years. Both programmes were manualised and ran for sixteen 75-min sessions. Overall, 84 children attended the programmes, 43 in KONTAKT and 41 in ART-Legends. A researcher, unaware of the group each child attended, collected data before, then immediately, 3 months and 12 months after the programmes ended. The enjoyment and motivation of attending the groups and the children’s anxiety when socialising while attending the groups were also collected. This study found that both groups made clear progress on their personal social goals and social skills over time. However, children in the KONTAKT group showed better results than those in the ART-Legends group when it came to making friends, enjoying the sessions and feeling less anxious in social situations. Overall, this research suggested that when autistic children take part in a structured social group programme led by trained professionals in a supportive setting, the programme can help them reach their personally meaningful social goals. However, if the aim is related to improving their friendships and having more successful socialisation skills, KONTAKT is superior. Future studies could look more closely at what parts of the programme are most helpful in improving friendship and socialisation skills. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613251414902 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=582

Reliability, Validity and Acceptability of the PEDI-CAT with ASD Scales for Australian Children and Youth on the Autism Spectrum / Emily D'ARCY ; Andrew J.O. WHITEHOUSE ; Kerry WALLACE ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS ; Sonya GIRDLER ; Benjamin MILBOURN ; Sven BÖLTE ; Kiah EVANS in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55-7 (July 2025)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 55-7 (July 2025) . - p.2422-2435 Titre : Reliability, Validity and Acceptability of the PEDI-CAT with ASD Scales for Australian Children and Youth on the Autism Spectrum Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Emily D'ARCY, Auteur ; Andrew J.O. WHITEHOUSE, Auteur ; Kerry WALLACE, Auteur ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur ; Benjamin MILBOURN, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Kiah EVANS, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.2422-2435 Langues : Anglais (eng) Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : The PEDI-CAT (ASD) is used to assess functioning of children and youth on the autism spectrum; however, current psychometric evidence is limited. This study aimed to explore the reliability, validity and acceptability of the PEDI-CAT (ASD) using a large Australian sample. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06366-7 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=558 [article] Reliability, Validity and Acceptability of the PEDI-CAT with ASD Scales for Australian Children and Youth on the Autism Spectrum [texte imprimé] / Emily D'ARCY, Auteur ; Andrew J.O. WHITEHOUSE, Auteur ; Kerry WALLACE, Auteur ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur ; Benjamin MILBOURN, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Kiah EVANS, Auteur . - p.2422-2435. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 55-7 (July 2025) . - p.2422-2435 Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : The PEDI-CAT (ASD) is used to assess functioning of children and youth on the autism spectrum; however, current psychometric evidence is limited. This study aimed to explore the reliability, validity and acceptability of the PEDI-CAT (ASD) using a large Australian sample. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06366-7 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=558

“Sharing my life” and “learning about other people”: Exploring the feasibility of SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a social skills group training program for autistic youth, in an Australian high school setting / Benjamin M. JONES in Research in Autism, 131 (March 2026)  

Public ISBD [article]  inResearch in Autism > 131 (March 2026) . - 202825 Titre : “Sharing my life” and “learning about other people”: Exploring the feasibility of SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a social skills group training program for autistic youth, in an Australian high school setting Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Benjamin M. JONES, Auteur ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD, Auteur ; Elinda Ai Lim LEE, Auteur ; Ben MILBOURN, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur Article en page(s) : 202825 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Autism  Social skills  School program  Cultural adaptation Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : This study investigated the feasibility of adapting SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a manualised social skills group training program, to an Australian high school setting, exploring its potential to improve social participation outcomes for autistic high school students. SCHOOL KONTAKT™ was delivered twice per week at four Western Australian high schools, with a total of 69 students participating in the 16-week program. A pre-test, post-test design evaluated changes in participants’ progress toward their desired social goals, social skills, social anxiety, and perceived friendships. Parents and teachers completed surveys focused on emotion regulation and social responsiveness, and students and school staff involved in the program participated in focus groups after the intervention to share their experiences. The students’ individual social goals were evaluated at an additional assessment point, approximately three months after the program ended. Findings suggest the preliminary efficacy of SCHOOL KONTAKT™ in supporting students to achieve their individual social goals, with parents and teachers also identifying changes in students’ social responsiveness. The results suggest that SCHOOL KONTAKT™ is a feasible social skills group training program in an Australian high school setting, with a larger scale study indicated to confirm the outcomes of the current study. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2026.202825 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=581 [article] “Sharing my life” and “learning about other people”: Exploring the feasibility of SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a social skills group training program for autistic youth, in an Australian high school setting [texte imprimé] / Benjamin M. JONES, Auteur ; Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD, Auteur ; Elinda Ai Lim LEE, Auteur ; Ben MILBOURN, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur . - 202825. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Research in Autism > 131 (March 2026) . - 202825 Mots-clés : Autism  Social skills  School program  Cultural adaptation Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : This study investigated the feasibility of adapting SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a manualised social skills group training program, to an Australian high school setting, exploring its potential to improve social participation outcomes for autistic high school students. SCHOOL KONTAKT™ was delivered twice per week at four Western Australian high schools, with a total of 69 students participating in the 16-week program. A pre-test, post-test design evaluated changes in participants’ progress toward their desired social goals, social skills, social anxiety, and perceived friendships. Parents and teachers completed surveys focused on emotion regulation and social responsiveness, and students and school staff involved in the program participated in focus groups after the intervention to share their experiences. The students’ individual social goals were evaluated at an additional assessment point, approximately three months after the program ended. Findings suggest the preliminary efficacy of SCHOOL KONTAKT™ in supporting students to achieve their individual social goals, with parents and teachers also identifying changes in students’ social responsiveness. The results suggest that SCHOOL KONTAKT™ is a feasible social skills group training program in an Australian high school setting, with a larger scale study indicated to confirm the outcomes of the current study. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2026.202825 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=581

Validating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for Autism in a Sample of Australian School-Aged Children on the Spectrum / Maya HAYDEN-EVANS in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55-4 (April 2024)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 55-4 (April 2024) . - p.1424-1437 Titre : Validating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for Autism in a Sample of Australian School-Aged Children on the Spectrum Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Kiah EVANS, Auteur ; Benjamin MILBOURN, Auteur ; Emily D'ARCY, Auteur ; Angela CHAMBERLAIN, Auteur ; Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD, Auteur ; Andrew WHITEHOUSE, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1424-1437 Langues : Anglais (eng) Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Assessing functioning of children on the autism spectrum is necessary to determine the level of support they require to participate in everyday activities across contexts. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a comprehensive biopsychosocial framework recommended for classifying health-related functioning in a holistic manner, across the components of body functions, activities and participation, and environmental factors. The ICF Core Sets (ICF-CSs) are sub-sets of relevant codes from the broader framework that provide a basis for developing condition-specific measures. This study combined the ICF-CSs for autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cerebral palsy (CP) to validate the ICF-CSs for autism in an Australian sample of school-aged children. This cross-sectional study involved caregivers of school-aged children on the spectrum (n = 70) completing an online survey and being visited in their homes by an occupational therapist to complete the proxy-report measure based on the ICF-CSs for autism, ADHD and CP. Absolute and relative frequencies of ratings for each of the codes included in the measure were calculated and reported, along with the number of participants who required clarification to understand the terminology used. Findings indicate that the body functions and activities and participation represented in the ICF-CSs for autism were the most applicable for the sample. However, findings relating to environmental factors were less conclusive. Some codes not currently included in the ICF-CSs for autism may warrant further investigation, and the language used in measures based on the ICF-CSs should be revised to ensure clarity. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06295-5 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=550 [article] Validating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for Autism in a Sample of Australian School-Aged Children on the Spectrum [texte imprimé] / Maya HAYDEN-EVANS, Auteur ; Kiah EVANS, Auteur ; Benjamin MILBOURN, Auteur ; Emily D'ARCY, Auteur ; Angela CHAMBERLAIN, Auteur ; Bahareh AFSHARNEJAD, Auteur ; Andrew WHITEHOUSE, Auteur ; Sven BÖLTE, Auteur ; Sonya GIRDLER, Auteur . - p.1424-1437. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 55-4 (April 2024) . - p.1424-1437 Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Assessing functioning of children on the autism spectrum is necessary to determine the level of support they require to participate in everyday activities across contexts. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a comprehensive biopsychosocial framework recommended for classifying health-related functioning in a holistic manner, across the components of body functions, activities and participation, and environmental factors. The ICF Core Sets (ICF-CSs) are sub-sets of relevant codes from the broader framework that provide a basis for developing condition-specific measures. This study combined the ICF-CSs for autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cerebral palsy (CP) to validate the ICF-CSs for autism in an Australian sample of school-aged children. This cross-sectional study involved caregivers of school-aged children on the spectrum (n = 70) completing an online survey and being visited in their homes by an occupational therapist to complete the proxy-report measure based on the ICF-CSs for autism, ADHD and CP. Absolute and relative frequencies of ratings for each of the codes included in the measure were calculated and reported, along with the number of participants who required clarification to understand the terminology used. Findings indicate that the body functions and activities and participation represented in the ICF-CSs for autism were the most applicable for the sample. However, findings relating to environmental factors were less conclusive. Some codes not currently included in the ICF-CSs for autism may warrant further investigation, and the language used in measures based on the ICF-CSs should be revised to ensure clarity. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06295-5 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=550

---

1 (1 - 4 / 4) Par page : 25 50 100 200