Social Validity and Preliminary Outcomes of a Mentoring Intervention for Adolescents and Adults With Autism

Lindsey M. Weiler; Annie K. Goerdt; Kalli B. Kremer; Emily Goldberg; Rebekah L. Hudock

doi:10.1177/10883576211073687

Social Validity and Preliminary Outcomes of a Mentoring Intervention for Adolescents and Adults With Autism

Lindsey M. Weiler, Annie K. Goerdt, Kalli B. Kremer, Emily Goldberg, Rebekah L. Hudock

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are vulnerable to declines in social connections and an increase in depression, anxiety, and other co-occurring conditions. This study introduces a novel intervention that matches adolescents and adults with ASD in one-to-one mentoring relationships in an afterschool setting and examines its social validity. In this single-group, mixed-method pilot study, participants were seven adolescent mentees (14–18 years old; 100% male), seven adult mentors (19–33 years old; 71% male), and eight parents of mentees. A combination of project-specific and standardized assessments was used to describe the participants’ perceptions of the program and to assess well-being, self-concept, and social-emotional and behavioral outcomes. Results showed high uptake, program satisfaction, positive ratings of mentoring relationship quality, and desirable pre- to post-test change on several targeted outcomes. This study provides preliminary evidence to support the applicability and utility of a mentoring program for adolescents with ASD by adults with ASD.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	215-226
Number of pages	12
Journal	Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
Volume	37
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10883576211073687
State	Published - Dec 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article:This study was generously supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at University of Minnesota, the Institute for Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health at the University of Minnesota, and the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. This work was also supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project MIN-52-109. These funding sources were not involved in study design, the collection, analysis or interpretation of data, the writing of this manuscript, or the decision to submit the article for publication. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent their official views.

Publisher Copyright:
© Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2022.

Keywords

age
autism spectrum disorders
collaboration
high school
intervention

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/10883576211073687

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abstract = "Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are vulnerable to declines in social connections and an increase in depression, anxiety, and other co-occurring conditions. This study introduces a novel intervention that matches adolescents and adults with ASD in one-to-one mentoring relationships in an afterschool setting and examines its social validity. In this single-group, mixed-method pilot study, participants were seven adolescent mentees (14–18 years old; 100% male), seven adult mentors (19–33 years old; 71% male), and eight parents of mentees. A combination of project-specific and standardized assessments was used to describe the participants{\textquoteright} perceptions of the program and to assess well-being, self-concept, and social-emotional and behavioral outcomes. Results showed high uptake, program satisfaction, positive ratings of mentoring relationship quality, and desirable pre- to post-test change on several targeted outcomes. This study provides preliminary evidence to support the applicability and utility of a mentoring program for adolescents with ASD by adults with ASD.",

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note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article:This study was generously supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at University of Minnesota, the Institute for Translational Research in Children{\textquoteright}s Mental Health at the University of Minnesota, and the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. This work was also supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project MIN-52-109. These funding sources were not involved in study design, the collection, analysis or interpretation of data, the writing of this manuscript, or the decision to submit the article for publication. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent their official views. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2022.",

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Social Validity and Preliminary Outcomes of a Mentoring Intervention for Adolescents and Adults With Autism

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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