Objectives: Caring for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be gratifying as well as stressful. Professional staff employed as caregivers often report compromised mental and physical wellbeing due to the stressful nature of working with clients who exhibit aggressive and destructive behaviors.…

Mindfulness-based therapies are rising in popularity. However, evidence for their effectiveness in reducing psychological distress and enhancing wellbeing for families living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is limited. A systematic search identified 10 independent studies, involving a pooled sample of 233 children and adults with ASD and 241…

The current meta-analysis comprehensively reviewed group-design studies of interventions designed to improve ASD caregiver psychosocial outcomes and explored potential moderators of effectiveness. Forty-one unique studies targeting 1771 caregivers met inclusion criteria. Overall, the interventions had a small positive effect in improving…

This article describes the professional development program, Baby Playspace Learning (BPL), and evaluates its capacity to build close relationships between educators, parents, their infants and infant peers during the morning transitions in ECEC settings. Using a pre-post design, video recordings of 20 (10 pre and 10 post) morning transitions were…

There has been limited research on interventions with young children encompassing "interoceptive awareness," the awareness and perception of sensations from inside the body. The information in this phenomenological study examines how participants experienced a bidirectional, reflective, online intervention program on interoceptive…

More than 10% of children in Ontario have an additional need that may influence long-term lifestyle patterns, including physical activity (PA). This study sought to assess the status of PA as well as the barriers to and facilitators of PA for families in southwestern Ontario raising children with and without disabilities. Complete survey data were…

This study describes the process evaluation of the Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention, consisting of educator physical activity training, provision of portable play equipment, and a modified outdoor schedule (i.e., 4 × 30-minute periods). Educators (N = 49) from 11 childcare centers in London, Ontario,…

In an earlier study, we provided mindfulness training to three caregivers of individuals with profound multiple disabilities. We measured levels of happiness displayed by the individuals during the 8 weeks of mindfulness training of the caregivers, as well as during the 16 weeks following the termination of training. We found that happiness…

Background: This study examines the effects and associated factors of respite care, which was legislated as a community service for adults with an intellectual disability (ID) in Taiwan in 1997. Method: A total of 116 family carers who live with an adult with ID and have utilised the respite care program were surveyed using standardised measures.…

Recidivism, costs, and psychosocial outcomes are reported for a post-arrest diversion program in Wayne County (Detroit), MI. Program features included: rapid, standardized assessment of psychosocial functioning with the Juvenile Inventory For Functioning[R], an individualized plan for addressing needs, engagement of caregivers, service provision…

The ACT Against Violence Parents Raising Safe Kids program (ACT-PRSK) is an interactive violence prevention program developed by the American Psychological Association for parents of young children. The program teaches and supports parents in the areas of child development, roots and consequences of violence, anger management for adults and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the joint effects of bereavement and caregiver intervention on caregiver depressive symptoms. Design and Methods: Alzheimer's caregivers from a randomized trial of an enhanced caregiver support intervention versus usual care who had experienced the death of their spouse (n = 254) were repeatedly…

Informal carers of an adult with mental illness have asked that respite care be an integral component of mental health service provision. The present study involved a pilot investigation of the effectiveness of accessing respite care for carers of individuals with a mental illness. It was hypothesised that compared to carers who have not accessed…

This report to Congress provides critical information about the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and their Families Program (CMHI), including the characteristics of children, youth, and families as they enter the CMHI; the outcomes attained for children and youth, and their caregivers and families after entry into the…

Purpose: This study explored whether adult day service (ADS) use was associated with reductions in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in individuals with dementia. Design and Methods: We used a quasi-experimental design to compare a group of 133 persons with dementia (PWDs) who initially enrolled in an ADS program to a…