The Effect of Instructor-Led and Parent-Led Educational Interventions on Motor Proficiency and Social Skills in Children with Autism
Keywords:
Autism, motor proficiency, social skills, parent-led intervention, instructor-led interventionAbstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents significant challenges in motor development and social skills, profoundly impacting children's communication abilities and social adaptation. This study aimed to examine the effect of instructor-led and parent-led educational interventions on motor proficiency and social skills in children with autism. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of boys aged 7 to 10 years with autism, enrolled in special schools in Mashhad, who were selected using purposive sampling. The assessment tools included the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) and the Stone Social Skills Scale. Participants were assigned to two experimental groups and one control group, with intervention programs conducted over 18 sessions. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and SPSS software. The results indicated that both instructor-led and parent-led educational interventions had a significant effect on improving motor proficiency and social skills in children with autism (p < .001). However, the group that received instructor-led training showed greater improvements in both variables. The findings highlight the importance of intervention programs in promoting motor and social skill development in children with autism. While instructor-led interventions demonstrated stronger effects than parent-led interventions, combining both approaches may offer a more effective strategy for enhancing these children's performance.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Seyedeh Majedeh Azhadi (Author); Mehdi Shahbazi (Corresponding Author); Mahmoud Sheikh (Author)
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