Social skills interventions for Thai adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): a qualitative study of the perceptions and experiences of Thai adolescents, their caregivers and healthcare professionals.
Thai teens, parents and clinicians want social-skills groups renamed, packed with parent coaching, and freed from stigma before they will join.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team talked with Thai teens with autism, their parents, and health workers. They asked what changes are needed before starting social-skills groups.
No tests or drills were run. The goal was to hear honest views about culture, stigma, and service gaps.
What they found
Everyone wanted the words 'social skills' dropped. They preferred 'social communication' to avoid shame.
Parents asked for heavy coaching so they can help at home. Staff said caseloads must shrink and stigma must be tackled first.
How this fits with other research
Wanniachchi et al. (2024) in Sri Lanka show a two-week play-coaching plan quickly lifted parent skills. Their short win backs the Thai call for parent coaching, just for younger kids.
Armstrong et al. (2021) found South-East Asian parents in Australian clinics felt calmer and saw fewer child problems than Aussie parents. This seems to clash with Thai reports of heavy stigma. The gap is context: the Thai study asked families before any service started, while the Australian families were already in a program.
Choque Olsson et al. (2016) ran Swedish teen social groups and heard the same teen wish voiced in Thailand: groups must feel safe and useful. Culture differs, but teen needs echo.
Why it matters
If you run social groups for Asian families, rebrand them as 'communication clubs' and add parent coaching nights. Check that staff have small enough caseloads to build trust. Address stigma aloud before teaching skills; teens won't join if shame walks in with them.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Social skills interventions (SSIs) are effective for enhancing social skills and decreasing mental health problems in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, these interventions have been designed and their effectiveness has been established in Western countries. Lack of culturally acceptable SSIs for Asian nations is a possible barrier to implementing effective and tailored interventions that address the unique requirements of ASD individuals across countries and cultures. This study aims to explore the needs and preferences of adolescents with ASD, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals (HPs) in Thailand regarding the components, delivery formats, and cultural adaptation required for an outpatient-based social skills intervention. Qualitative data was collected via three focus groups of HPs (n = 20) and 24 paired interviews with adolescents with ASD and their caregivers from a child psychiatric hospital in Thailand. Purposive sampling was employed, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Nine themes emerged from the data generated by HPs, and seven from adolescents with ASD and their caregivers. SSIs for Thai adolescents with ASD and their caregivers should emphasise specific social skills training and assess the abilities of adolescents as required. Incorporating various learning strategies is important. Parental involvement is essential and provides knowledge of an adolescent’s symptoms and coaching skills, which are best used to support their adolescents. Cultural considerations include the need for social knowledge of Thai culture, promoting assertiveness and praising parents’ abilities, implementing a programme in time to not interrupt academic achievement, and renaming a programme from social skills intervention to social communication intervention. Barriers to implementing a programme included HPs’ need for specialised training and education and decreased workload. Also, the caregivers’ and adolescents’ stigma reduced attendance in a programme. Increased extra compensation and relocation days off are provided as policy support for staff who deliver the intervention. The results suggest that SSIs for Thai adolescents with ASD should be tailored to meet the needs for specific knowledge, skills, and parental collaboration as coaches for their adolescents. Additionally, it should incorporate Thai culture. It is necessary to consider staff knowledge, workload, and stigma in order to reduce barriers to implementation in practice. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13033-023-00617-3.
International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 2024 · doi:10.1186/s13033-023-00617-3