Table 7.
Preliminary effects for all participants and separately for participants with ASD and close relations, respectively
| Outcome measures | Baseline Mean (SD) |
Post-intervention Mean (SD) |
df | t value | Effect size d (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASD knowledge | |||||
| All participants | 12.90 (3.82) | 16.26 (3.01) | 124 | 10.94*** | d = 0.97 (0.71–1.12) |
| Participants with ASD | 12.77 (3.63) | 16.20 (3.54) | 65 | 8.82*** | d = 0.96 (0.59–1.31) |
| Close relations | 13.03 (4.06) | 16.32 (2.29) | 58 | 6.73*** | d = 1.00 (0.61–1.37) |
| ASD knowledge—support/interventions | |||||
| All participants | 3.02 (2.68) | 4.64 (3.06) | 120 | 6.61*** | d = 0.56 (0.30–0.82) |
| Participants with ASD | 2.53 (2.34) | 3.94 (3.09) | 63 | 4.17*** | d = 0.51 (0.16–0.86) |
| Close relations | 3.56 (2.93) | 5.42 (2.85) | 56 | 5.21*** | d = 0.64 (0.26–1.02) |
| QAFM perceived criticism | |||||
| All participants | 12.79 (4.74) | 12.76 (4.79) | 123 | 0.10 | d = 0.01 (-0.24–0.26) |
| Participants with ASD | 12.22 (4.79) | 12.25 (4.75) | 64 | 0.07 | d = 0.01 (-0.35–0.34) |
| Close relations | 13.42 (4.64) | 13.32 (4.81) | 58 | 0.24 | d = 0.02 (-0.34–0.38) |
| QAFM perceived emotional involvement | |||||
| All participants | 13.41 (3.37) | 13.95 (2.71) | 123 | 2.00* | d = 0.18 (-0.07–0.43) |
| Participants with ASD | 13.42 (3.95) | 13.86 (2.79) | 64 | 1.00 | d = 0.13 (-0.22–0.47) |
| Close relations | 13.41 (2.64) | 14.05 (2.64) | 58 | 2.26* | d = 0.24 (-0.13–0.60) |
| QAFM perceived critical remarks | |||||
| All participants | 20.51 (7.49) | 19.91 (7.25) | 123 | 1.25 | d = 0.08 (-0.17–0.33) |
| Participants with ASD | 18.91 (7.34) | 19.17 (7.25) | 64 | 0.33 | d = 0.04 (-0.31–0.38) |
| Close relations | 22.27 (7.33) | 20.73 (7.23) | 58 | 3.12** | d = 0.21 (-0.15–0.57) |
| QAFM emotional overinvolvement | |||||
| All participants | 19.79 (6.37) | 19.40 (5.60) | 123 | 1.01 | d = 0.06 (-0.18–0.31) |
| Participants with ASD | 17.25 (5.84) | 17.57 (5.12) | 64 | 0.55 | d = 0.06 (-0.29–0.40) |
| Close relations | 22.59 (5.75) | 21.41 (5.45) | 58 | 2.40* | d = 0.21 (-0.15–0.57) |
| Anxiety (HADS) | |||||
| All participants | 8.78 (4.70) | 8.27 (4.80) | 125 | 2.38* | d = 0.11 (-0.14–0.35) |
| Participants with ASD | 11.27 (3.88) | 10.38 (4.49) | 65 | 2.88** | d = 0.21 (-0.13–0.55) |
| Close relations | 6.03 (3.94) | 5.95 (4.03) | 59 | 30 | d = 0.02 (-0.34–0.38) |
| Depression (HADS) | |||||
| All participants | 5.53 (4.06) | 4.87 (3.84) | 125 | 3.06** | d = 0.17 (-0.08–0.41) |
| Participants with ASD | 7.23 (4.11) | 6.52 (3.91) | 65 | 2.04* | d = 0.18 (-0.17–0.52) |
| Close relations | 3.67 (3.10) | 3.05 (2.84) | 59 | 2.45* | d = 0.21 (-0.15–0.57) |
| Global life satisfaction (SWLS) | |||||
| All participants | 4.10 (1.51) | 4.23 (1.51) | 125 | 2.05* | d = 0.09 (-0.16–0.33) |
| Participants with ASD | 3.33 (1.40) | 3.53 (1.50) | 65 | 2.12* | d = 0.14 (-0.20–0.48) |
| Close relations | 4.96 (1.11) | 5.00 (1.08) | 58 | 0.59 | d = 0.04 (-0.32–0.40) |
| Acceptance of diagnosis | |||||
| Participants with ASD | 3.70 (1.31) | 3.51 (1.31) | 64 | 2.15* | d = 0.15 (-0.20–0.49) |
| Close relations | 2.15 (1.03) | 2.09 (0.89) | 58 | 0.61 | d = 0.06 (-0.30–0.42) |
| Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) for close relation | |||||
| Objective burden | 0.69 (0.57) | 0.71 (0.67) | 58 | 0.28 | d = 0.03 (-0.33–0.39) |
| Subjective burden | 0.81 (0.57) | 0.70 (0.53) | 58 | 2.23* | d = 0.20 (-0.16–0.56) |
Note: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001
Effect sizes refer to Cohen’s d, parentheses include the 95% confidence interval (CI)