Changes in Anxiety Following a Randomized Control Trial of a Theatre-Based Intervention for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autor/inn/en	Corbett, Blythe A.; Blain, Scott D.; Ioannou, Sara; Balser, Maddie
Titel	Changes in Anxiety Following a Randomized Control Trial of a Theatre-Based Intervention for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 21 (2017) 3, S.333-343 (11 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/1362361316643623
Schlagwörter	Anxiety; Theater Arts; Physiology; Correlation; Experimental Groups; Pretests Posttests; Play; Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Intervention; Stress Variables; Control Groups; Playgrounds; Interpersonal Competence; Peer Relationship; Likert Scales; Questionnaires; Statistical Analysis; State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Angst; Theaterwissenschaft; Physiologie; Korrelation; Spiel; Autismus; Playground; Spielplatz; Interpersonale Kompetenz; Peer-Beziehungen; Likert-Skala; Fragebogen; Statistische Analyse
Abstract	Increased anxiety and stress are frequently found in children with autism spectrum disorder and are associated with social challenges. Recently, we reported changes in social competence following peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the intervention on reducing anxiety and stress. Participants included 30 youth with autism spectrum disorder (8-14 years old) randomly assigned to the experimental (17) or waitlist control (13) group. Pretest adjusted, between-group differences were analyzed for state-anxiety, trait-anxiety, play-based cortisol, and diurnal cortisol. Pearson correlations were conducted between anxiety, cortisol, and group play. Significant pretest-adjusted between-group differences at posttest were observed on trait-anxiety (F(1, 27) = 9.16, p = 0.005) but not state-anxiety (F(1, 27) = 0.03, p = 0.86), showing lower trait-anxiety in the experimental group. There were no between-group differences on cortisol. There was a significant negative correlation between group play and trait-anxiety (r = -0.362, p = 0.05). Playground cortisol correlated with group play, for the experimental group (r = 0.55, p = 0.03). The theatre-based, peer-mediated intervention not only contributes to improvement in social competence in youth with autism spectrum disorder but also contributes to reductions in trait-anxiety associated with more social interaction with peers. Results suggest that some degree of physiological arousal is essential for social interaction. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01