Abstract
Latino, Spanish-speaking families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face unique barriers in special education advocacy. Although advocacy programs are becoming more common in the United States, none of these programs target Latino families. This is a pilot study to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of an advocacy program for Latino families of children with ASD. Using a quasi-experimental design, 40 Latino family members of children with ASD participated in this study. Results demonstrated consistent attendance, low attrition, and high participant satisfaction. Intervention (versus control) group participants demonstrated significantly increased empowerment and special education knowledge, and stronger family–school partnerships. Findings provide preliminary support for advocacy programs for Latino families of children with ASD.
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Acknowledgments
Support for this study was provided by a research grant from the Organization for Autism Research.
Author Contributions
Meghan M. Burke designed and directed this study and drafted the manuscript. Sandra Magaña consulted regarding the design and reviewed the manuscript. Marlene Garcia collected the data and reviewed the manuscript. Maria P. Mello analyzed the open-ended responses and reviewed the manuscript.
Funding
This study was funded by the Organization for Autism Research.
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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants in the study.
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Burke, M.M., Magaña, S., Garcia, M. et al. Brief Report: The Feasibility and Effectiveness of an Advocacy Program for Latino Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 2532–2538 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2765-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2765-x