Behavioural Family Intervention with parents of children with ASD: What do they find useful in the parenting program Stepping Stones Triple P?

This study was conducted in conjunction with a randomised controlled trial of the parenting program Stepping Stones Triple P for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The current study concerned examination of the qualitative data arising from the RCT as well as evaluation of the particular parenting strategies that the parents found helpful. The results showed that parents were satisfied with the program, including the partial group format. Further, the majority of participants found the parenting strategies within Stepping Stones Triple P to be helpful, including timeout, physical guidance and blocking. In addition, many of the parents also used the additional strategies of Comic Strip Conversations and Social Stories and the majority of the parents who attempted these strategies found them to be helpful. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed.