Effectiveness of the Hanen more than words program for parents of children with Autism spectrum disorder : a pilot study

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of the Hanen More Than Words (HMTW) program amongst parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Hong Kong using a prospective-cohort-study design. Thirty-one Cantonese speaking young children with ASD and their parents were divided into either the HMTW group (n = 26) or the control group (n = 5). The HMTW intervention was provided over 11 weeks. Children’s communication measured prior to intervention (Time 1) and one month after the end of the intervention phase (Time 2) using a standardized assessment tool, Communication and Symbolic Language Scales (Wetherby & Prizant, 1998) were subjected to analyses of covariance mixed-effect-model analyses of variance with pretest performance as a covariate. Parenting self-efficacy (PSE), a putative predictor, was measured at Time 1. Results showed that there was a significant increase in children’s communication and social skills in the HMTW group when compared to the control group. Children of parents with lower levels of Time 1 PSE exhibited facilitated growth in communication and social skills. These findings provided new insight to the effectiveness of the HMTW program in Hong Kong, and demonstrated an important link exists between PSE and the effectiveness of the HMTW program.