Analysis of the Use of Parental-Mediated Therapies in the Rehabilitation Management of Autism in Childhood and Adolescence
Erica Aliberti, Lucia Vannucci, Claudia Loreti
Access to intervention for all children with autism continues to represent a challenge, both internationally and in Italy. Health services are struggling to respond fairly and promptly to all children with autism. The causes are to be attributed, on the one hand, to the critical issues present in the various healthcare organizations and, on the other, to the difficulties of coping with the increase in the worldwide prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. Among the treatment methods recommended by Italian guidelines are parent-mediated intervention programmes (PMIs), models which envisage less intensive but equally effective rehabilitation management in the achievement of rehabilitation goals. The purpose of the study was to analyse the state of the art of the use of parent-mediated therapies within the management of autism in community services. An observational study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to 161 health professionals working in Italian public and private health services. The outcome is represented by the extent of the impact of parent-mediated therapies on the organization of healthcare. The questionnaire shows that parent-mediated therapies represent a topic of great interest among health professionals. More than half of the study participants believe that these interventions are more sustainable, due an increase in taking charge and a reduction in the waiting lists for the intervention. In the final analysis, 96,8% believe that PMIs would allow for a rehabilitative take-over in telemedicine. Numerous elements emerge from the study that make us reflect on the importance that parent-mediated therapies can assume within the organization of health services, both at an Italian and international level. The publication of more experimental studies which have larger samples and which evaluate the cost-benefit ratio of the interventions, therefore becomes an essential element in guaranteeing the promotion and continuous improvement of the quality and appropriateness of assistance interventions in autism spectrum disorders.
Keywords
Autism spectrum disorder, Parent-mediated therapies (PMIs), Rehabilitation care, Organization of health services, Training, Sustainability, Telemedicine.
