Light on Autism

November 2, 2018

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 414 Centennial Elementary School
Washington DC, 20007 1400 37th St. Evans, CO 80620

To Whom it May Concern,

It is with gratitude and honor that we present Centennial Elementary to the CoBiz Cares
Foundation. Centennial Elementary is a school located in Evans, Colorado and we are committed to
serving the community and children at our school. The rich diversity of our school allows us to serve
children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We provide assistance in the forms of
individual therapy and group therapy for children. Our mission is to provide both children and
parents with the tools and skills they need to support them through this diagnosis and live happy,
healthy, and productive lives. We strive to provide education on ASD as well as provide research-
based training for our staff. Our mission is ideal for CoBiz as we both understand the importance of
providing the assistance needed for families with children on the spectrum and creating awareness
and acceptance for individuals with autism. CoBiz could significantly help us to provide a parenting
program for these parents to support our mission and help change these families’ lives.
In the 2017-2018 school year our school served a total of 547 students. Of these students, 69
have individualized education programs (IEP). Many of these children who have IEPs are also
recognized as students diagnosed with ASD. Researchers found that parents who are raising children
diagnosed with ASD often feel isolated and unaccepted by their friends or family who do not
understand or accept the disorder (Iadarola et al., 2018). This stress can lead to negative outcomes for
the both the children and the parents. Parents’ mental health may decrease as well as their parental
confidence, due to this children are also more likely to be abused or neglected (Child Protective
Services Unit, 2013). This stress can also put a large strain on marital quality time. Northern
Colorado only has one known program that is directed towards assisting parents raising a child with
ASD. Autism is a growing concern and it is necessary to create a program aimed towards helping
these parents.
In order to help address this growing area of need in our society, we gladly present Light on
Autism. This is a six week program focusing on the well-being for parents, as well as educating and
training them. The well-being sessions will address marital quality time, parental confidence, and
healthy coping strategies. The educational lectures and trainings will be led by professionals in the
autism research, teachers who work with children on the spectrum, and specialists. Light on Autism
will improve the lives of the parents and the children by giving the support and tools necessary to
live a fulfilling life. Northern Colorado is in need of a program to help assist these families and Light
on Autism will be the program families yearn for.
We want to thank you for taking the time to learn about our program and we ask for
assistance in the amount of $1,357.88. With this money, our hopes are to start Light on Autism in
September of 2019. For more information regarding our request, please visit our budget, program
information, and complete proposal. Please reach out to Amanda Kinkel, our program coordinator, at
970-348-1150 or at akinkel@greeleyschools.org with further questions. We are delighted to develop
a relationship with your foundation and look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you.
Sincerely,

Emma Fitzgibbons Savannah Bauknecht Danielle Petri Kayti Schlatter Kelli Kolasheski
 Agency Information
Located at 1400 37th St., Evans, CO 80620, Centennial Elementary School is a state
approved K-5 public school and is part of the Weld County School District 6. Founded in 1976,
Centennial has become home to many students from all different backgrounds. Our overarching
mission is to create an academic environment that is collaborative in order to encourage students
to meet high expectations and positively believe in their own abilities to being successful.
With about 650 students attending and 51 active staff members, there is a lot of diversity
among our population. Out of our total student population, 45.7% are considered English as a
second language learners (ELL) and about 86.7% are identified as a minority. Additionally, our
student population consists of about 48% female students and 52% male students. In order to
support our diverse group of students, we provide 19 K-5 classrooms, three Special Education
classrooms, four specials (music, art, PE, media) classrooms and various extracurricular
programs that students can participate in. Some of our diverse programs include Gifted
Education, Lego Robotics, Student Council, Science Fair, Special Olympics and Positive
Behavior Support. These programs allow our students to expand their knowledge and creativity,
while receiving additional support from diverse coaches and specialists. To further support
academic success, we provide students with many resources and specialists that help prevent
behavioral problems and academic failure. Staff members such as interventionists,
paraprofessionals, cultural and language diverse teachers, counselors, all work collaboratively
with our K-5 teachers in order to allow students to receive additional support that is specific to
their needs.
Through the help of grantors, we have been able to provide diverse materials and
advanced curriculum to ensure success among our students. In the past we have received
generous grants from Otter Box, The Success Foundation and Colorado Health Alliance. We also
received a Turn Around Grant for $310,000 for over the course of 3 years. This grant was used to
transform our school into a Teach Like a Champion (TLAC) school. As of 2018, we are no
longer a Priority Improvement or Turn around school. We have seen an immense growth in our
academics and overall school environment thanks to these generous funders.

Problem Statement
Across the United States, autism has continued to rise according to a recent report by the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This report found that in 2014 there were an
estimated 1 in 59 children with autism, which is an increase from a report in 2012, that found 1
in 68 children were born with autism (Rettner and Writer, 2018). Out of the overall prevalence of
ASD ranging from 13.1 to 29.3, 31 percent were classified in the range of intellectual disability
while 25 percent where borderline (Biao et al., 2018). It has been estimated that a ratio of
approximately 4.5 males to 1 female child have been diagnosed with ASD between 2006 and
2012 (Biao et al., 2018).
Parents of children who are diagnosed at a young age often experience many challenges
such as high levels of stress, spousal problems, and poor relationships with their child and
unhealthy family functioning. Research has shown that families of children with ASD
experience higher levels of parental stress than families of typically developing children, or of
families with children diagnosed with other developmental disabilities (Hayes & Watson, 2012).
Unfortunately, the stress and problems among these parents often leads to outcomes such as poor
relationships with the child, abuse and even neglect. A study on children with disabilities found
that children with ASD were more likely to suffer from more severe and intrusive abuse, as well
as a higher likelihood of being repeatedly victimized (Child Protective Services Unit, 2013).
Another study focusing on children in the United States foster care system, reports that children
who are on the spectrum are 2.4 times more likely to enter the system than typically developing
children (Mandell, 2018). Although these negative outcomes are becoming increasingly relevant
for parents and children with ASD, available parental education is a protective factor that can
decrease and eliminate these detrimental results.
Parents of children with ASD often seek educational support for their child, however,
neglect to pursue education for themselves (Lyons, Leon, Roecker Phelps, & Dunleavy, 2010).
Positive parental well-being, healthy family functioning and parental education have been found
to significantly decrease the amount of problems among families of children with ASD
(Osborne, McHugh, Saunders & Reed, 2008). These educational resources for parents often aim
to not only increase the parent’s knowledge of the disorder but allows parents to develop new
techniques on managing their child’s behaviors and increases their overall confidence in their
parenting abilities (Lyons et al., 2010). In a study on the effectiveness of diverse parent
education programs and approaches, parents who attended some type of educational program
reported decreased stress, decreased anxiety and decreased marital problems (Preece &
Trajkovski, 2017). Additionally, Preece and Trajkovski (2017) concluded that of the parents
who sought education, they reported having significantly better coping skills, parent-child
relations, efficacy and overall confidence. Autism Spectrum Disorder is complex and children
with ASD can exhibit various symptoms and behaviors. Gaining education on this would allow
parents to better understand what specifically their child is feeling and sensing, further permitting
them to recognize the reasons for their child’s behaviors.
The program ASCEND is geared towards early interventions and assisting the parents
and children who have ASD (Pillay, Alderson-Day, Wright, Williams, & Urwin, 2011). The
program includes education on what autism is, how it affects children and its “implications for
parenting”. It also educates parents on how to use constructive and positive day-to-day
interventions to maximize the development of the child. Professionals in this program include
child and adolescent psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, community mental health nurses, and
one speech and language therapist. The program lasts for two hours once a week for 11 weeks,
and is within a group setting. The topics covered by ASCEND include mind blindness and the
social world; getting the gist; language and communication; preoccupations and repetitive
behaviors; imagination, time perception and memory; managing behavior; exploring individual
problems and developing strategies (Pillay et al., 2011). The impact of this program is to help
ensure parents are aware of what autism is and the different resources available to help assist
parents in supporting their child.
Research shows that there are various tools that can help parents of children with autism
cope with the stress or anxiety they may be experiencing. Mindfulness is an important
component that strengthens an individual’s self-awareness and regulation (Ferraioli & Harris,
2012). Ferraioli and Harris (2012) found partaking in various stretches and breathing exercises
can help parents decrease their heart rate and feel calm during stressful situations. Each parent
has their own individual view of the disability and it may be difficult for one parent to
understand and accept the other parents coping strategies, leading to marital dissatisfaction
(Langley, Totsika, & Hastings, 2017). Research has proven that quality time spent together will
increase the number of positive interactions and lower the amount of parental stress (Funk &
Rogge, 2007). Iadarola et al. (2018) found that parents may also need support in behavior de-
escalation strategies. Behavior de-escalation tactics will allow parents to practice calming
strategies to help their children express their emotions in an appropriate way. Another area many
parents whose child has been diagnosed with ASD have difficulties with is finding the best way
to communicate with their child (Patterson, Smith, & Mirenda, 2012). All of the aspects
mentioned above will benefit from a program that is focused on parents of children with ASD.

Assessment of Need
In the past 14 years, the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been on the
rise. Starting in 2000, 1 child in every 150 births were diagnosed with autism. The rate has
increased in 2014, with 1 child in every 59 births are being diagnosed with autism. Specifically
looking at Colorado, in 2014, 1 in 72 children during the age of eight years old were identified
with ASD (Harris & Carson, 2018). Out of the children identified with ASD, 89% of them had
been flagged for developmental concerns and only 46% received a comprehensive evaluation
during the three-year-old check up with their pediatricians (Harris & Carson, 2018). This
information has created concern for developmentalists that children in Colorado are not receiving
the proper early intervention because of the lag in evaluation (Harris & Carson, 2018).
The corporation, Creative Perspectives of Colorado, is a local family therapy center that
uses different interventions to assist children with ASD. This center offers innovative family-
centered approaches to supporting families who have a child with ASD. In addition to working
one-on-one with a child who has ASD, Creative Perspectives also creates innovative general
support programs for friends and family members that tie in educational knowledge about ASD
along with therapy and support groups. Although this is a fantastic program that aims to help not
only those with ASD but also family members, this is one of the only programs existing that
incorporate parents in Colorado. This program started in Englewood, Colorado, and has
branched out to reach other areas in the state. The need for a program that includes parents is dire
in Northern Colorado and a new program that focuses on the parents of children with ASD
would be valuable. According to Amanda Kinkel, the potential program coordinator of Light on
Autism, there is not a program that serves students with ASD and their parents in the Evans
District.
Children with ASD require a special amount of assistance and support compared to
typically developing children. There are resources in the community that aim to help children
with autism and while many of these programs and schools have good intentions, these programs
are sometimes not easily accessible or even known to parents whose child may have recently
been diagnosed with autism. With only one prominent program and a potential of a few smaller
ones existing in the area, Northern Colorado would greatly benefit from a parent program that
centered itself on topics of general knowledge of ASD, material satisfaction, communication,
and role-play activities. There needs to be more informational programs and parent groups that
aim to help parents navigate through the challenges that raising a child with ASD comes with.
Community resources also need to be easily accessible to parents in order to help them feel less
overwhelmed and isolated.
Light on Autism is a potential program that is designed to build confidence in parents
whose children have recently been diagnosed with ASD. This program aims to inform parents of
the general knowledge of ASD, encourage and engage parents in creating connections with other
parents who have similar experiences, and give parents educational opportunities to better
understand their child and how their child can thrive. According to Amanda Kinkel, a teacher at
Centennial Elementary, there is not currently a program like Light on Autism in the Evans
District. The gap in programming is an important one to fill and we are hoping our program
addresses this issue. Parents will receive education, support, and community when attending our
program that will have the potential to encourage them and make them more knowledgeable
about their children with ASD.

Target Population
Light on Autism is an educational program that is targeted towards parents whose
children attend Centennial Elementary School in Evans, Colorado. If there are still spots open
after giving priority to Centennial, this program will be open to surrounding schools. This
program gives priority to parents of children who were recently diagnosed with ASD; if more
spots are available, the program will be open to other families of children with ASD. This
program is suitable for children of all severities on the spectrum. This program is available to
families of all different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The sessions will be limited to
25 families, which will include an estimated 50 parents and 25 children.

Goals & Objectives

Goal 1: To increase parental well-being of parents whose children have been diagnosed with
autism at Centennial Elementary School.
 Objective 1.1: Parents of children with ASD will report a 30% decrease in stress by the
end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests.
  Objective 1.2: Parents of children with ASD will report a 30% increase in coping
strategies by the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests.
 Objective 1.3: Parents of children with ASD will report a 15% increase in marital quality
time by the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests.
Goal 2: To increase parental self-efficacy of parents whose children have been diagnosed with
autism at Centennial Elementary School.
 Objective 2.1: Parents of children with ASD will report a 75% increase in general
knowledge by the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests.
 Objective 2.2: Parents of children with ASD will report a 75% increase in knowledge of
community resources for both the parents and children by the end of the six week
program, as measured by pre and posttests.
 Objective 2.3: Parents of children with ASD will report a 50% increase in knowledge of
parenting strategies that address unique behavior strategies by the end of the six week
program, as measured by pre and posttests.

Methods
Program Site
Light on Autism will take place at Centennial Elementary school in either the gym or
cafeteria based on availability. This space is large enough to fit 25 families, or about 75
participants. This space if comfortable and there is enough space for individuals to get up and
move around when there are physical activities to partake in. The room will have tables and
chairs set up with 6 chairs around each table. At the front of the room, there will be a projector
and board set up for the speaker to present their ideas and show visuals and other graphs with
information. There will also be a separate classroom reserved for the caregivers to watch the
children of the participants. This classroom will have tables, chairs and space for the children to
get up. There will be space for the children and child care providers to do activities and move
around.

Program Staff
Light on Autism will be using the existing staff at Centennial Elementary School with the
addition of University of Northern Colorado’s (UNC) special education undergraduate students
as well as various specialists. A teacher at Centennial will be the program coordinator. She will
oversee and facilitate the program, while leading two of her own sessions and planning the
activities for the parents and their children. She will also work closely with the specialists and
oversee their lectures. Additionally, she will be in charge of recruiting the undergraduate
students from UNC as well as recruiting families for the program.
There will be a total of 9 volunteers to help out in the child care center which is held in a
separate classroom. Two paraprofessionals, who work full time in one of the special education
classrooms at Centennial, will serve as volunteers in the child care center being held for the
children. This is to ensure there are two licensed professionals working in the classroom and will
serve as a guide for the other volunteers. Aside from the two licensed professionals, seven
undergraduate students from UNC will be interning to facilitate and oversee activities for the
children. These students must have some experience working with children with autism before
and are seeking more experience.
Lastly, three professionals will be a part of the staff for this program. They will be
leading lectures based on the topic of that week. There will be a behavior specialist leading a de-
escalation and restraint training. A communication specialist will be leading a lecture on
communication. Lastly, a family therapist will be leading a lecture on addressing feelings that
come with having a child with Autism. Having these professionals lecture ensures that the
parents are equipped with the proper knowledge and training on a variety of topics associated
with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Recruitment and Training

In July 2019 there will be a recruitment process led by the program coordinator in
partnership with the special education degree program at UNC. Seven qualified students, who
are passionate about special education, will be chosen to complete their internship with Light on
Autism for six weeks in the Fall semester. The program coordinator will design fliers to post at
the school as well as talk in a few different classes. Students who are interested will complete an
application, those who pass the application process will then be asked to come in for an
interview. The program coordinator and the two other para professionals will work as a team to
review the applications as well as lead the interviews. At the end of the interviews, the team will
chose seven interns that closely align with the values of the program and demonstrate a passion
for working with children who have Autism. These students will be responsible for designing
and implementing lessons and activities for the children who are on the spectrum, as well as
carrying out any general responsibilities asked by the program coordinator. The interns who are
chosen will receive training by October 2019.
The training sessions for the new interns will include training on the general values and
policies of the Light on Autism program, behavior management for children with autism, and
how to modify lessons based on the child’s individual abilities. The training will not be very be
very long since the interns that are chosen should have had classes and experiences that already
touch on these aspects. The para professionals will also be at the first training session in order to
go over the values and policies of the program, however, they will not need any more training
after that since they are professionals who work in the special education classrooms.
The three professionals, behavior and communication specialist and the family therapist,
will be recruited through an email and a phone call to the professional. These professionals were
found by a quick search of specialists and therapists in the area, they were chosen based on the
trainings they teach. The participants will be recruited through an email sent out to the families at
the school and fliers that will be all around the school. If more families are needed, the program
coordinator will send the principals of surrounding schools an email and will then have the
principal reach out to their students’ families.
Overview of Program
Light on Autism will consist of three parts each week: a mindfulness activity, lecture, and
parent-child activity. The mindfulness activity will be held for parents only and will be used to
decrease stress, increase coping strategies, and increase marital satisfaction. The parents will
then listen and participate in a lecture that goes over a specific topic for that week. There will
also be time for questions during this time. Lastly, the children will join their parents for the last
part. This part will be a role-playing and joint activity between parents and children in order for
them to go over the information from the lecture together and to practice the skill they learned.
Light on Autism will be once a week for two and a half hours for a total of six weeks.

Week One (Objective 2.1):

Pretest (20 min): Set aside 20 minutes for parents to take the pretest to measure all of
our objectives for the program.
Mindfulness (10 min) - Spend ten minutes getting to know the parents and children in
this program.
Lecture/Discussion (1 hr. 20 min) - This will be time to lecture on general knowledge of
what ASD is.
 What is autism?
 We will show a clip of Atypical where Sam has a breakdown
 Why are only some children diagnosed with ASD?
 We will also discuss statistics of males versus females as well as statewide,
national, and worldwide statistics.
 We will show different scenarios and ask the parents to discuss them with one
another.
 Have an open discussion/support time
Role Play/Crafts (10 min) - What it means to be a family (worksheet with a heart). We
will have the children and parents work on this together. They will come up with positive
words to describe one another and their family as a whole and write them on the heart.
They can then color the heart and draw pictures depicting the words they chose or
depicting activities they like to do all together as a family.

Week Two (Objective 1.1 and 2.3):

Mindfulness (15 min): Parents will spend time learning how deep breathing and
meditation can help relieve stress.
Lecture/Discussion (1 hr. 30 min): Specialist will debrief with parents on what it means
when a child “flips their lid”, and proper techniques on how to de-escalate their child.
Role Play/Crafts (15 min): Children and parents will be asked to draw what they feel
when they’re overwhelmed and draw what they feel when they’re calm.

Week Three (Objective 1.2 and 2.3):

Mindfulness (15 min): Parents will make a plan for when they start to feel
overwhelmed. This will serve as a coping method for parents.
 Lecture/Discussion (1 hr. 30 min): Behavior specialist gives lecture and training on
how and when to safely restrain your child.
Role Play/Crafts (15 min): Puppet show will be shown that demonstrates the restraint.
This puppet show will be child friendly.

Week Four (Objective 1.3 and 2.3):

Mindfulness (15 min): Parents will complete a worksheet on their marital quality time
including:
 Write why your spouse is a good partner
 Plan a date! Pick the location, time, day, babysitter, etc.
Lecture/Discussion (1 hr. 30 min): Parents will be lectured by communication specialist
on the best ways to communicate with children diagnosed with ASD. Topics will include:
 How to effectively communicate with child
 Joint attention
 Join them in their world
 Understanding child’s feelings/emotions
 Eye contact
 Effective communication with spouse
 Decreasing the use of harsh discipline
 Understanding individual child’s needs/triggers
 How to set consistent routines for your family/child and why it is important for
parents to set routines
Role Play/Craft (15 min): Parents and children will be interacting with Play-Doh as
parents practice new strategies of communication with their child.

Week Five (Objective 1.1):

Mindfulness (15 min): Parents will learn about self-awareness and stretching.
Lecture/Discussion (1 hr. 30 min): Professionals will address the feelings of loss,
stigma, shame, and isolation that come with having a child with ASD.
 Show clip of Atypical with dad
 Discuss child’s future
 What happens after school?
 Housing, adult programming, respite care
Role Play/Craft (15 min): Parents will choose a mindfulness activity, either deep
breathing, stretching, or self-awareness activities, to participate in with their child.

Week Six (Objective 2.2):

Posttest (20 min): Parents will be given twenty minutes to complete the posttest to
measure goals and objectives of our program.
Mindfulness (10 min): Parents will participate in a self-efficacy booster that includes:
 Tell your partner why you are a good parent- “I am good at…”
 Tell your partner why they are a good parent- “You are good at…”
Resources (30 min): Teachers and professionals will provide parents with community
contact information to parents for future resources
 Party! (1 hr.): The last hour and fifteen minutes will be a party for parents and children.
Food, drink, and crafts will be provided. Families are welcome to stay as long as they
would like to socialize, meet with professionals or teachers.

Schedule:
5:30-6:00 pm: Parents arrive at Centennial Elementary School, check-in, and receive name-tag
6:00 pm: Dinner with parents and children (after dinner, drop children off at child care)
6:30 pm: Mindfulness activity
6:45 pm: Education- Guest Speaker/Specialist
8:00 pm: Education- Q&A
8:15 pm: Activity with child and parent/role playing
8:30 pm: Wrap up activities
**Weeks one and six will have a shift in time schedule to allow parents to take the pre and
posttest. **
Timetable
February 2019
 The grant for Light on Autism will be proposed and submitted before the end of February
2019.
July of 2019 finishing in October 2019
 The hiring of professionals and child care providers will be conducted by Amanda
Kinkel, our program coordinator, in July 2019. Trainings will be held for
paraprofessionals and interns. Participants will be recruited.
September 4, 2019
 Session One: General Knowledge
o Pretest - Based on each of the objectives from the six weeks
o Mindfulness - Getting to know other program members
o Lecture/Discussion- This time will be dedicated to an educational lecture on
general knowledge of ASD, led by the program coordinator.
o Role Play/Crafts - What it means to be a family (worksheet with a heart)
 Our program will begin with session one after Labor day, September 4th 2019
 Pre-Program evaluations will be conducted on this day.
 Once dinner is finished, program coordinator will welcome adults and will lead the
activity and role play.
 Special education teachers and UNC interns will watch children after dinner and bring
them back for the role play/craft activity.
September 11, 2019
 Session Two: Emotion Regulation
o Mindfulness - Parents will spend time learning how deep breathing and
meditation can help relieve stress.
o Lecture/Discussion - The behavior specialist will teach the parents on what it
means when a child “flips their lid” and skill to use to help de-escalate their child.
 o Role Play/Crafts - Children and parents will be asked to draw what they feel
when they’re overwhelmed and draw what they feel when they’re calm.
 Once dinner is finished, program coordinator will welcome adults and the speaker will
lead the activity and role play.
 Special education teachers and UNC interns will watch children after dinner and bring
them back for the role play activity.
September 18, 2019
 Session Three: Safety and Knowledge of Restraining
o Mindfulness - Parents will make a plan for when they start to feel overwhelmed
o Lecture/Discussion - The behavior specialist from week two will lecture on how
and when to safely restrain your child.
o Role Play/Crafts - Puppet show will be shown that demonstrates the restraint.
This puppet show will be child friendly.
 Once dinner is finished, program coordinator will welcome adults and the behavior
specialist will lead the activity and role play.
 Special education teachers and UNC interns will watch children after dinner and bring
them back for the role play activity.
September 25, 2019
 Session Four: Relationship Quality Time and Communication
o Mindfulness - Parents will plan a date with each other and create a log to track
their quality time together.
o Lecture/Discussion - Parents will be lectured by the communication specialist on
the best ways to effectively communicate with children diagnosed with ASD.
o Role Play/Craft - Parents and children will be interacting with Play-Doh, as
parents practice new strategies of effective communication.
 Once dinner is finished, program coordinator will welcome adults and the speaker will
lead the activity and role play.
 Special education teachers and UNC interns will watch children after dinner and bring
them back for the role play/craft activity.
October 2, 2019
 Session Five: Self-Awareness and Isolation
o Mindfulness - Parents will learn about self-awareness and stretching.
o Lecture/Discussion - The family therapist will address the feelings of loss,
stigma, shame, and isolation that come with having a child with ASD.
o Role Play/Craft - Parents will choose a mindfulness activity to participate in
with child
 Once dinner is finished, program coordinator will welcome adults and the speaker will
lead the activity and role play.
 Interns will watch children after dinner and bring them back for the role play activity.
October 9, 2019
 Session Six: Community Information and End of Program Party
 Post-Program evaluations will be conducted this day.
o Posttest - Parents will be given a posttest to measure the goals and objectives of
our program as a whole.
o Mindfulness - Parents will participate in a self-efficacy booster and have a
chance to look over their completed quality time logs from week four.
o Resources - The program coordinator will provide parents with community
contact information to parents for future resources.
o Party! - The last hour will be a party for parents and children. Food, drink, and
crafts will be provided. Families are welcome to stay as long as they would like to
socialize, meet with professionals or teachers.
 Once dinner is finished, program coordinator will welcome adults and lead mindfulness
activity.
 The program coordinator will give a lecture on the different resources and programs
available in Northern Colorado. During the party will be a time for parents to walk
around and talk individually with speakers. This will be set up like a resource fair in the
gym.
 Special education teachers and UNC interns will watch children after dinner and bring
them back for the party.
October 16, 2019
 Program coordinator, student interns, school teachers and personnel debrief and wrap-up
program. Begin to plan next steps and check-ins with program participants.

Other Participating Organizations

Along with the staff members from Centennial Elementary School, Light on Autism will
use the help of outside organizations in order to help facilitate the parent education program as
well as the child care. The Weld County School District will provide two rooms within
Centennial Elementary School to host both the parent program and child care. University of
Northern Colorado’s Special Education Program will provide students that are needing
experience to run the child care program that is being held during the parent education program.
Students of similar programs are welcome to apply, but priority will be given to students who
have are completing a major in special education. These students will be in charge of ensuring
the health and safety of the children while also completing activities with the children based on
the children's interests and abilities. Interns will be recruited from Colorado State University if
there are not enough interns from the University of Northern Colorado. Professionals from the
Evans and Greeley community will be facilitating the program sessions. Donations will also be
received from local restaurants to provide dinner for the parents and children. Donors include
Panera Bread, QDOBA, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Chipotle, and Dominoes.
 Future Funding
Following one year after the Light on Autism program, Centennial Elementary School
will continue to strive for additional grants, donations, and fundraising. Centennial Elementary
School hopes to continue to receive funds from the CoBiz Cares Foundation, as well as
advocating for additional grants from other foundations such as the Max and Victoria Dreyfus
Foundation and the Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust. Donations can be made from local and
national corporations as well private donations from members of the community. Fundraising
events such as bake sales and car washes will be held by the participants of the program as well
as the program coordinator. Light on Autism hopes to spread awareness of the importance of
parent education through the seeking of funding with different members of the community,
foundations, and corporations. It is also a hope to receive more money in subsequent years in
order to expand the program to more families and more schools.

Evaluation
Goal 1: To increase parental well-being of parents whose children have been diagnosed
with autism at Centennial Elementary School.
 Objective 1.1: Parents of children with ASD will report a 30% decrease in stress by
the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests. Parents’ stress
level, on average, will decrease from the pre-test compared to the post-test results.
Parental stress levels will be measured by a shortened version of the Parental Stress Scale
(PSS) (Berry & Jones, 1995) which considers both the positive and negative aspects of
parenting. This measure is an 18 item self-report Likert scale that touches on the topics of
emotional benefits, personal development, demands on resources, and restrictions. The
pre-test will be given during session one and the post-test will be given after completion
of the program. Results will be compared to determine if the program was successful or
not. *See A.1
 Objective 1.2: Parents of children with ASD will report a 30% increase in coping
strategies by the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttest. An
increase in coping strategies will be measured by a shortened version of the Coping Scale
for Adults (CSA-2) (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1997). This measure is a 60-item self-report
scale that includes aspects of 20 different coping strategies. It will be used to assess
whether the parents are using effective coping skills in order to increase their well-being.
The pre-test will be given during session one and the post-test will be given after
completion of the program, Results will be compared to determine if the program was
successful or not. *See A.2
 Objective 1.3: Parents of children with ASD will report a 15% increase in marital
quality time by the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests.
An increase in marital quality time will be measured by the parents keeping a journal on
how much time they spend together, what they spend time doing, and how they feel when
 they spend time together. The assessment includes a brief survey, table to record hours,
and a self-reported Likert scale. Results will be compared to determine if the program
was successful or not. The program is looking to see an increase between weeks 4-6 after
the mindfulness training on quality time. *See A.3
Goal 2: To increase parental self-efficacy of parents whose children have been diagnosed
with autism at Centennial Elementary School.
 Objective 2.1: Parents of children with ASD will report a 75% increase in general
knowledge by the end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests.
An increase in knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders will be measured using a
self-reported Likert scale and short answer created by the program. Aspects of this
assessment will include answering general knowledge questions as well as if the parents
feel that they learned through this class. The pre-test will be given during session one
and the post-test will be given after completion of the program. Results will be compared
to determine if the program was successful or not. *See A.4
 Objective 2.2: Parents of children with ASD will report a 75% increase in
knowledge of community resources for both the parents and children by the end of
the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests. An increase in knowledge
about resources will be measured using a self-reported assessment created by the
program. This assessment will measure the knowledge of resources by having spaces to
see how many resources the parents can recall as well as a Likert scale asking if they
think they gained knowledge on resources. The pre-test will be given during session one
and the post-test will be given after completion of the program. Results will be compared
to determine if the program was successful or not. *See A.5
 Objective 2.3: Parents of children with ASD will report a 50% increase in
knowledge of parenting strategies that address unique behavior strategies by the
end of the six week program, as measured by pre and posttests. An increase in
knowledge of parenting strategies of routines, discipline, communication, emotion,
understanding, and knowledge is correlated with an increase in self-efficacy. This will be
measured by a pre and post-assessment. This is measured by using a shortened version of
the Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE) (Kendall & Bloomfield, 2005).
This tool measures parental self-efficacy by focusing on nine aspects including
emotion/affection, play/enjoyment, empathy/understanding, routines, control,
discipline/boundary setting, pressure, self-acceptance, and learning/knowledge. It
consists of 82 statements which are rated on an 11-point Likert scale. We will not use the
whole 82 statements, but will confirm the test to match the specifics of what this program
is testing for. The pre-test will be given during session one and the post-test will be given
after completion of the program. Results will be compared to determine if the program
was successful or not.
 Project Budget Analysis for Light on Autism

Week Type of Cost Description In-Kind Donation Cost

Supplies Name Tags (600pk, $12.21 each, 1) $12.21

Printing Handbook ($1.00 each, 55) $55.00

Paper (500 sheets, $10.00 each, 2) $20.00

Pipe Cleaners, Pom Poms etc. (800 $35.97

pct., $11.99 each, 3)
All Weeks Play Doh (36pk, $21.98 each, 1) $21.98
Crafts
Stickers (1,200pk, $12.34 each, 2) $24.68

Crayons (800pk, $41.03 each, 1) $41.03

Adaptive Art Supplies: Pencil Grips $9.95

(36pk, $9.95 each, 1)
Adaptive Art Supplies: Do-A-Dot $15.99
Markers (6pk, $15.99, 1)
Forks/Knives/Spoons (600pk, $42.00
$14,00 each, 3)
Napkins (1,000pk, $12.34 each, 2) $24.68
Food Supplies
Paper Plates (500pk, $49.99,1) $49.99

Pre-Program Evaluation (2 Pgs., $1.65

Printing $.03 each, 55)
Craft Handout (1 Pg., $.02 each, 55) $1.10
Week 1
Food Chipotle ($704.48) Dinner for $0.00
Participants
Program Director ($0.00 each, 1) Currently Staffed $0.00
by Centennial
Staffing Child Care Volunteers ($0.00 each, In-Kind Donation $0.00
7)
Child Care Providers (2, $50.00 $100.00
each)
Location Centennial Elementary School Group Space $0.00

Food Chick-Fil-A ($209.00) Dinner for $0.00

Participants
Program Director ($0.00 each, 1) Currently Staffed $0.00
by Centennial
Week 2 Child Care Volunteers ($0.00each,7) In-Kind Donation $0.00
Staffing
Child Care Providers ($50.00 each, $100.00
2)
 Specialist/Presenter ($100.00 each, $100.00
1)
Location Centennial Elementary School Group Space $0.00

Food Panera Bread ($300.00) Dinner for $0.00

Participants
Program Director($0.00 each, 1) Currently Staffed $0.00
by Centennial
Child Care Volunteers ($0.00 each, In-Kind Donation $0.00
Week 3 Staffing 7)
Child Care Providers ($50.00 each, $100.00
2)
Specialist/Presenter ($100.00 each, $100.00
1)
Location Centennial Elementary School Group Space $0.00
Food Subway ($339.07) Dinner for $0.00
Participants
Program Director ($0.00 each, 1) Currently Staffed $0.00
by Centennial
Week 4 Child Care Volunteers ($0.00 each, In-Kind Donation $0.00
Staffing 7)
Child Care Providers ($50.00 each, $100.00
2)
Specialist/Presenter ($100.00 each, $100.00
1)
Location Centennial Elementary School Group Space $0.00
Food Qdoba ($637.50) Dinner for $0.00
Participants
Program Director ($0.00 each, 1) Currently Staffed $0.00
Week 5 by Centennial
Child Care Volunteers ($0.00 each, In-Kind Donation $0.00
Staffing 7)
Child Care Providers ($50.00 each, $100.00
2)
Specialist/Presenter ($100.00 $100.00
each,1)
Location Centennial Elementary School Group Space $0.00
Food Dominos ($156.00) Dinner for $0.00
Participants
Program Director ($0.00 each, 1) Currently Staffed $0.00
Week 6 by Centennial
Child Care Volunteers ($0.00 each, In-Kind Donation $0.00
Staffing 7)
Child Care Providers ($50.00 each, $100.00
2)
Location Centennial Elementary School Group Space $0.00
Printing Post Program Evaluation (2pgs., $1.65
$.03 each, 55)
TOTAL $1,357.88
Appendices
 Analysis of Fit
CoBiz Cares Foundation
The CoBiz Cares Foundation’s mission is to improve diverse areas in Colorado by
funding non-profit programs/organizations aiming to benefit youth and families. The funding
provided by the CoBiz Cares Foundation really aims to improve the lives of Colorado
residencies based on that area’s needs. The areas they support include the Denver-Metro area,
Boulder County, Larimer County and Weld County. The 2018 grant focus areas include child
and family services, food banks, food pantries, youth development and crisis services. These
areas of focus involve providing funding to non-profit organizations that promote parent
education, family counseling, child care practices as well as other human services that strengthen
and promote the well-being of children. The population that Centennial Elementary School
serves highlights the need for a program such as Light on Autism. Light on Autism program
provides education, training and support for parents of young children with Autism. By
supporting this population, the negative outcomes that correspond with the lack of parental
education and proper training will significantly decrease for parents within Weld County.
We chose The CoBiz Cares Foundation to endorse Light on Autism because our program
strongly aligns with their mission in helping strengthen families by providing education and
support to parents. This foundation awards grants to non-profit organizations on a quarterly
basis, providing up to $5,000 each grant. Light on Autism only requires $1,357.88. From the
generous funding provided by the CoBiz Cares Foundation, Light on Autism will be able to
deliver parent services that improve the wellbeing of themselves and their children.

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of adults and
children depending on the specific community’s needs. These grants are awarded to non-profit
organizations/programs including; educational and skills training programs, programs for youth,
seniors and handicapped. The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation grants financial support to
charitable programs within the United States of America. The grants awarded range from $1,000
to $20,000 depending on the needs. Light on Autism needs $1,357.88 to start, so this Foundation
would be able to support this budget.

The Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust

The Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trusts mission is to benefit charitable non-profit
religious, health services and educational programs/institutions across the state of Colorado. The
nonprofit programs that they highly support include educational programs, arts and cultural
programs, human service programs and religious programs. Light on Autism aligns with the
mission of The Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust in providing education and training in an area
of need. The Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust gives approximately 50 grants per year,
averaging to about $5,000 given per grant. Applications to apply for these grants are accepted
year-round, but must be submitted before given deadlines to be considered/reviewed. These
deadlines are March 1, July 1 or November 1, and the grants are given according, but are
typically given one to two months after the deadline. Light on Autisms budget aligns with these
funding restrictions.
 Funders Evidence Sheet
1. Suggested Funder 1 (Name): The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation
2. Funder Website: https://www.mvdreyfusfoundation.org/
3. Provide evidence that the funder grants either nationwide/Colorado-wide/in the relevant
region/county/city for your project, as relevant.
The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation does not provide grants to individuals, but rather
provides grants to non-profit programs/organizations. These grants are available for various
programs/organizations within the United States and typically range from $1,000 to $20,000.
4. Provide evidence that the funder will a) fund projects (as opposed to only capital
improvements such as new buildings, for example) and b) would have potential interest in
your project/project focus.
The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation supports/funds:
 Educational Museums
 Cultural programs
 Performing arts programs
 Schools
 Hospitals
 Educational and skills training programs
 Programs for youth, seniors and disabled
 Environmental and wildlife protection programs
 Other community-based organizations and programs
---
1. Suggested Funder 2 (Name): Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust
2. Funder Website: https://www.wellsfargo.com/private-foundations/hughes-charitable-trust/
3. Provide evidence that the funder grants either nationwide/Colorado-wide/in the relevant
region/county/city for your project, as relevant.
The Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust supports charitable educational, religious, and hospital
institutions/programs in the state of Colorado. Applications are accepted year-round and are
given accordingly. The average grant amount ranges from $5,000 to $25,000. The average
number of grants given per year is 50, averaging about $500,000 given total.
4. Provide evidence that the funder will a) fund projects (as opposed to only capital
improvements such as new buildings, for example) and b) would have potential interest in
your project/project focus.
The Mabel Y. Hughes Charitable Trust supports programs/institutes that support:
 Arts, culture and humanities
 Education
 Environment and animals
 Health
 Human Services
 Religion
---
1. Suggested Funder 3 (Name): CoBiz Cares Foundation
2. Funder Website: http://www.cobizfinancial.com/community/Pages/cobiz-cares.aspx
3. Provide evidence that the funder grants either nationwide/Colorado-wide/in the relevant
region/county/city for your project, as relevant.
CoBiz Cares Foundation supports non-profit organizations/programs that promote child and
family services, food banks, and youth development. Grants are made on a quarterly basis, up to
$5,000. These grants are awarded to Colorado areas such as Denver-Metro area, Boulder County,
Eagle County, Fort Collins area and Colorado Springs area.
4. Provide evidence that the funder will a) fund projects (as opposed to only capital
improvements such as new buildings, for example) and b) would have potential interest in
your project/project focus.
CoBiz Cares Foundation 2018 giving focus areas include:
 Child and Family services
 Food Banks, Food Pantries and Food Distribution
 Youth Development
---
 Measure Samples- Pre and Post Program Evaluation
A.1. Parental Stress Scale
The following statements describe feelings and perceptions about the experience of being a
parent. Think of each of the items in terms of how your relationship with your child typically is.
Please indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following items by placing the
appropriate number in the space provided
1= Strongly disagree 2= Disagree 3= Undecided 4=Agree 5=Strongly agree
1 I am happy in my role as a parent.

2 There is little or nothing I wouldn’t do for my child if it was necessary.

3 Caring for my child sometimes takes more time and energy than I have
to give.

4 I sometimes worry whether I am doing enough for my child.

5 I feel close to my child.

6 My child is an important source of affection for me.

7 I enjoy spending time with my child.

8 Having a child with Autism gives me a more optimistic view for the
future.

9 The major source of stress in my life is from my child.

10 Having a child with Autism leaves little time and flexibility in my life.

11 Having a child with Autism has been a financial burden.

 12 It is difficult to balance different responsibilities because of my child.

13 The behavior of my child is often embarrassing or stressful to me.

14 If I had to do it over again, I might decide not to have children.

15 I feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a parent of a child

with Autism.

16 Having a child with Autism has meant having too few choices and too
little control over my life.

17 I am satisfied with my parenting abilities based on my child’s needs.

18 I feel that I have the knowledge and skills needed to help build a
positive relationship with my child.

Additional Comments:
 A.3 Marital Quality Time

Pre-Test

On average, I spend hours with my partner per week

On average, I would like to spend hours with my partner per week

Journal:

Hours Spent with Partner Activities

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Post-Test

Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

disagree Agree

I spent more time with my partner 1 2 3 4 5

Spending more time with my partner was

1 2 3 4 5
good for our marriage

Spending more time with my partner

1 2 3 4 5
decreased my stress level
 Bibliography
Autism Speaks. (2018).Early Start Denver Model. Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org/early-

start-denver-model-esdm

Berry, J., & Jones, W. (1995). Parental stress scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of Social and

Personal Relationships, 12 (3), 463-472. doi: 10.1177/0265407595123009

Baio, J., Wiggins, L., Christensen, L.D., Maenner, J.M., Daniels, J., Warren, Z., … Dowling, F.N.

(2018) Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and

Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States. Surveillance

Summaries, 67, 1-23.

Black, M.E., Therrien, W.J. (2017). Parent training programs for school-aged children with autism: A

systematic review. Sage Journal, 39, 243-256. doi: 10.1177/0741932517730645

Chan, K. K. S., and Lam, C. B., (2016). Parental maltreatment of children with autism spectrum

disorder: A developmental-ecological analysis. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 32, 106-

114.

Child Protective Services Unit (2013). Virginia Child Protection Newsletter, 96, 1-20.

Conner, C. M., Maddos, M. M., & White S. W., (2013). Parents’ state and trait anxiety: Relationships

with anxiety severity and treatment response in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Journal of Autism Developmental Disorder, 43, 1811-1818.

Cutress, A. & Muncer, S. (2014). Parents’ views of the national autistic society’s earlybird plus

programme. Autism, 18 (6), 651-657. doi: 10.1177/1362361313495718

Dawson, G., Rogers, S., Munson, J., Smith, M., Winter, J., Greenson, J., Dongalson, A. & Varley, J.

(January 2010). Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with Autism: The

Early Start Denver Model. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 25, 17-23.

DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-0958
Duan, G., Chen, J., Zhang, W., Yu, B., Jin, Y., Wang, Y., & Yao, M. (2015). Physical maltreatment of

children with autism in Henan province in China: A cross-sectional study. Child Abuse &

Neglect, 48, 140-147.

Dunn, M., Burbine, T., Bowers, C., & Tantleff-Dunn, S. (February, 2001). Moderators of stress in

parents of children with Autism. Community Mental Health Journal, 37, 39- 52.

Edwards, A., Brebner, C., McCormack, P., & MacDougall, C. (10 October, 2016). The early

intervention message: Perspective of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Child:

Care, Health and Development, 43, 202-210. DOI: 10.1111/cch.12428

Eikeseth, S., Klintwall, L., Hayward, D., & Gale, C. (06 August, 2015). Stress in parents of children

with Autism participating in early and intensive behavioral intervention. European Journal of

Behavior Analysis, 16, 112-120.

Ferraioli, J.S., Harris, L.S. (2012). Comparative effects of mindfulness and skills-based parent training

programs for parents of children with autism: Feasibility and preliminary outcome data.

Mindfulness, 4, 89-101. doi:10.1007/s12671-012-0099-0

Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (2016). Coping scale for adults second edition (CSA-2). Melbourne,

Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research.

Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (1997). Coping scale for adults. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Council

for Educational Research.

Funk, J. L. & Rogge, R. D. (2007). Testing the ruler with item response theory: Increasing precision of

measurement for relationship satisfaction with the Couples Satisfaction Index. Journal of Family

Psychology, 21, 572-583.

Green, J., Charman, T., Mcconachie, H., Aldred, C., Slonims, V., Howlin, P., Le Couteur, A.,

Leadbitter, K., Hudry, K., Byford, S., Barrett, B., Temple, K., Macdonald, W., & Pickles, A.
 (2010). Parent-mediated communication-focused treatment in children with autism (PACT): A

randomized controlled trial. The Lancet, 375 (9732), 2152-2160. doi: 10.1016/S0140-

6736(10)60587-9

Harris, B., & Carson, B. (2018). Community Report on Autism 2018 (CO-ADDM) Washington, DC:

U.S. Government Printing Office.

Hayes, S.A., & Watson, S.L. (13 July, 2012). The impact of parenting stress: A meta-analysis of studies

comparing the experience of parenting stress in parents of children with and without Autism

Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorder, 43, 629-642. DOI:

10.1007/s10803-012-1204-y

Hoefman, R., Payakachat, N., Exel, J. V., Kuhlthau, K., Kovacs, E., Pyne, J., & Tilford, J. M. (2014).

Caring for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and parents’ Quality of Life: Application of

the CarerQol. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorder, 44, 1933-1945.

Iadarola, S., Levato, L., Harrison, B., Smith, T., Lecavalier, L., Johnson, C., Bearss, K. (2018). Teaching

parents behavioral strategies for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Effects on stress, strain, and

competence. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorder, 48, 1031-1040.

Ingersoll, B., & Dvortcsak, A. (2006). Including parent training in the early education special education

curriculum for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Positive Behavior

Interventions, 8, 79-87.

Keenan, B., Newman, L., Gray, K., & Rinehart, N. (2016). Parents of children with ASD experience

more psychological distress, parenting stress, and attachment-related anxiety. Journal of Autism

& Developmental Disorders, 46(9), 2979-2991. doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2836-z

Kendall, S., & Bloomfield, L. (2005). Tool to measure parenting self-efficacy (TOPSE). Journal of

Advanced Nursing, 51 (2), 174-181.

http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy2.library.colostate.edu/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03479.x

Langley, E., Totsika, V., and Hastings, R. P., (2017). Parental relationship satisfaction in families of

children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A multilevel analysis. Autism Research, 10(7),

1259-1268.

Lyons, A., Leon, S., Roecker Phelps, C., & Dunleavy, A. (2010). The impact of child symptom severity

on stress among parents of children with ASD: The moderating role of coping styles. Journal Of

Child & Family Studies, 19(4), 516-524. doi:10.1007/s10826-009-9323-5

Mandell, D. (9 January, 2018). Why too many children with Autism end up in foster care. Spectrum.

Retrieved from https://www.spectrumnews.org/opinion/columnists/many-children-autism-end-

foster-care/

National Institute of Mental Health. (2018). Autism Spectrum Disorder. Retrieved from

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml

Osborne, L., McHugh, L., Saunders, J. & Reed, P. (2008). Parenting stress reduces the effectiveness of

early teaching interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism Developmental

Disorder, 38, 1092-1103. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-0070497-7

Padden, C., & James, J. (2017). Stress among parents of children with and without Autism Spectrum

Disorder: A comparison involving physiological indicators and parent self-reports. Journal Of

Developmental & Physical Disabilities, 29(4), 567-586. doi:10.1007/s10882-017-9547-z

Patterson, Y.S., Smith, V., Mirenda, P., (2012). A systematic review of training programs for parents of

children with autism spectrum disorders: Single subject contributions. Sage Journals, 16, 498-

522. doi:10.1177/1362361311413398
Pillay, M., Alderson-Day, B., Wright, B., Williams, C., & Urwin, B. (2011). Autism spectrum

conditions-enhancing nurture and development (ASCEND): An evaluation of intervention

support groups for parents. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 16 (1), 5-20. doi:

10.1177/1359104509340945

Preece, D., & Trajkovski, V. (27 March 2017). Parent education in autism spectrum disorder- A review

of the literature. Equity of social inclusion through positive parenting. 128-139.

Rettner, R. & Writer, S. (2018) What’s behind the recent rise in autism in the US? Retrieved from Live

Science: https://www.livescience.com/62415-autism-rate-rises.html

Rogers, S. J., Estes, A., Lord, C., Vismara, L., Winter, J., Fitzpatrick, A., Guo, M., & Dawson, G.

(2012). Effects of a brief early start denver model (ESDM) - based parent intervention on

toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51 (10), 1052-1065. doi:

10.1016/j.jaac.2012.08.003

Stanick, A.N., Stahmer, A., Brookam-Frazee, L. (2015). Preliminary effectiveness of project imPACT:

A parent mediated intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder delivered in a

community program. Journal of Autism & Developmental, 45, 2092-2104. doi:10.1007/s10803-

015-2376-y

Stuttard, L., Beresford, B., Clarke, S., Beecham, J., & Morris, A. (2016). An evaluation of the cygnet

parenting support programme for parents of children with autism spectrum conditions. Research

in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 23, 166-178. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2015.12.004

Ventola, P., Lei, J., Paisley, C., Lebowitz, E., & Silverman, W. (2017). Parenting a child with ASD:

Comparison of parenting style between ASD, anxiety, and typical development. Journal Of

Autism & Developmental Disorders, 47(9), 2873-2884. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3210-5