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Table 7 Preliminary effects for all participants and separately for participants with ASD and close relations, respectively

From: Psychoeducational group intervention for intellectually able adults with autism and their close relations (Prisma) – an open feasibility study

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)

  1. Note: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001
  2. Effect sizes refer to Cohen’s d, parentheses include the 95% confidence interval (CI)