Investigation of the effect of Hanen's “More Than Words” on parental self-efficacy, emotional states, perceived social support, and on communication skills of children with ASD

Abstract

This research was an extension of the previous "Hanen's More Than Words" efficacy studies to examine the program's primary effect on parents' emotional states, self-efficacy, interactional behaviors, and perceived social support levels and its secondary effect on children's interactional behavior and language development. The findings of the study confirm that the program has the potential to increase parents' sense of efficacy and the quality of parent-child interactions. The main conclusion is that parents, as the main caregivers, should be involved in the treatment of their young children with ASD.