Transcript Style D 36 by 54

Perceptions of Social Functioning in Young Children with ASD:
Comparing Parent and Teacher Reports
Michelle B. Jackson, M.A.1, Maile A. Horn, M.A.1, and Elizabeth A. Laugeson, Psy.D.2
1The Help Group – UCLA Autism Research Alliance, 2UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
BACKGROUND
• Research has investigated differences between parent-reports and selfreports of social functioning for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD).
• Less is known about the specific relationship between parent-reports and
teacher-reports of social functioning among children with ASD (Murray, Ruble,
Willis, & Molloy, 2009).
• Among the limited research that has been done in this area, studies primarily
focus on older children (Constantino et al., 2003; White, Koenig, & Scahill,
2007).
• Because practitioners tends to use a multi-informant approach when
assessing young children with ASD (Lecavalier et al., 2004; Jones &
Frederickson, 2010), research examining differences between parent- and
teacher-reports of social functioning for younger children represent a gap in
the literature and should be more widely investigated.
METHODS
DISCUSSION
PROCEDURES
• The finding that parent-reports and teacher-reports on the SRS were only
significantly correlated because of their reports of Autistic Mannerisms
suggests that teachers and parents are in agreement on areas of functioning
that are more outwardly apparent and quantifiable. The agreement between
parents and teachers when specifically assessing Assertion on the SSRS,
another more easily observable area of functioning, supports this conclusion.
Nevertheless, teachers and parents do not appear to be in accordance when
assessing areas of social functioning that are more internal and not as easily
perceptible, as evidenced by lower teacher-reports of Self-Control on the SSRS
in comparison to parent-reports .
• Assuming these findings are accurate representations of children’s social
behavior in different contexts, results suggest that certain social behaviors are
context-dependent. Consequently, interventions targeting better communication
about social functioning between parents and teachers of preschool-aged
children with ASD would be advantageous.
• In addition to implementing these interventions, future studies should seek to
replicate these results with larger samples. Future research may also contribute
to our better understanding of perceptions of social functioning in young
children with ASD by adding qualitative data to assist in further clarifying
reasons for parent-teacher differences.
• Raters completed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Social
Skills Rating System (SSRS) to assess perceptions of children’s psychosocial
functioning.
• Bivariate correlations were done on parent-reports and teacher-reports for the
SRS and SSRS.
• Partial correlations were done as well, in order to control for potentially
extraneous variables.
RESULTS
Table 1. Pearson Correlations of Parent and Teacher Perceptions of
Overall Social Responsiveness on the SRS
PEARSON CORRELATIONS
OBJECTIVES
• This study examines both the differences and similarities in perceptions of
social functioning among teachers and parents of preschool-aged children with
ASD.
• The relationship between parent-reports and teacher-reports of social
functioning on two standardized measures were investigated.
METHODS
PARTICIPANTS
• Parents and teachers of 11 preschool children participated in the study
• Children were all previously diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Children were 3 to 5 years of age (M = 4.14 years; SD = .66)
• Gender: 18% Female (n=2); 82% Male (n=9)
• Ethnicity: 46% Hispanic (n=5); 27% Multi-Ethnic (n=3); 18% Caucasian
(n=2); 9% Asian (n=1)
• Children were students at the Young Learner’s Preschool at The Help Group
in Sherman Oaks, CA
MEASURES
PARENT MEASURES:
• Demographic questionnaire
• Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-P: Constantino & Gruber, 2005)
• Parent Form
• Social Skills Rating System (SSRS-P: Gresham & Elliott, 1990)
• Parent Form
TEACHER MEASURES:
• Demographic questionnaire
• Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-T: Constantino & Gruber, 2005)
• Teacher Form
• Social Skills Rating System (SSRS-T: Gresham & Elliott, 1990)
• Teacher Form
SRS-T: Teacher Total Score
Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
SRS-P: Parent Total Score
Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
SRS-T:
Teacher Total Score
SRS-P:
Parent Total Score
1
.715 *
.013
11
11
.715 *
.013
11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank the families and teachers for their participation
in this study. We are grateful for their generous support of this project.
1
CONTACT INFORMATION
11
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Jackson, M.A.
[email protected] or (818) 778-7133
* p < .05
Table 2. Pearson Correlations of Parent and Teacher Perceptions of
Assertion on the SSRS
REFERENCES
PEARSON CORRELATIONS
SSRS-T: Assertion Subscale
Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
SSRS-P: Assertion Subscale
Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
1.
SSRS-T:
Assertion Subscale
SSRS-P:
Assertion Subscale
1
.685 *
.020
11
11
.685 *
.020
11
1
11
2.
3.
4.
* p < .05
• Results reveal that parent-reports of overall social responsiveness were
significantly correlated with teacher-reports of social responsiveness on the
SRS (r=.715, p=.013). [See Table 1]
• This correlation was no longer statistically significant when controlling for
parent-reports and teacher-reports of Autistic Mannerisms on the SRS
(p=.323).
• Parent-reports did not significantly correlate with teacher-reports of overall
social skills on the SSRS (r=.489, p=.127), due to lower reports of SelfControl (p=.036) by parents.
• Inter-item correlations showed that parent-reports and teacher-reports of
Assertion on the SSRS did significantly correlate with one another (r=.685,
p=.020). [See Table 2]
5.
6.
7.
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Gresham, F.M., & Elliot, S. (1990). The Social Skils Rating System. MN:
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Jones, A.P., & Frederickson, N. (2010). Multi-informant predictors of
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