Adherence to treatment in a behavioral intervention curriculum for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Parents (N = 21) of children with autism spectrum disorders responded to a survey on adherence to skills instruction and problem behavior management strategies they had previously been observed to master in a standardized training curriculum based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Survey items were guided by existing models of and research in treatment adherence. Parents reported adherence below observed mastery criteria in five of six skill areas. Three independent variables indexing caregiver perception were significantly correlated with reported adherence: perceived effectiveness as a behavior change agent, confidence in the intervention to produce meaningful change, and acceptance of child in family and community. Perceived confidence significantly predicted adherence in a regression model (p < .05). Implications of caregiver perception in explanatory frameworks for adherence are discussed, and next steps in the measurement and study of treatment adherence in behavior analysis are proposed.