The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Parents of and children/adolescents with autism have unique issues, responsibilities and concerns that vary across the child's lifespan. Often, families need assistance in developing strategies to cope with the changing circumstances they face as the child with autism matures and transitions into adulthood. This presentation will address ways families can best manage issues experienced during the life of the child with autism by matching evidenced-based educational interventions with the four phases of traumatic and imposed change. The experience of living with chronic neurobiological disorders, such as autism, Asperger’s syndrome and learning disabilities, is often difficult, traumatizing and life-changing for the entire family unit.

Parents of and children/adolescents with autism have unique issues, responsibilities and concerns that change frequently across the child's lifespan, depending upon factors such as the affected person’s age, life or developmental stage; family conditions and resources; and social needs and expectations. Often, families need assistance in developing strategies to cope with changing circumstances as the child with autism moves through the educational system and transitions into adulthood.

This presentation will address ways families can best manage issues experienced during the life of the child with autism by matching evidenced-based educational interventions with the phases of traumatic and imposed change.

There is emerging but limited empirical evidence about adult learning theory and related practices which can be applied to the experiences of families with a child or adolescent with autism. In addition, there is an empirically validated model, the Fennell Four Phase Model, which describes how individuals confronting imposed change adapt to their circumstances. These models, combined, can help families better understand their situations, accept and cope with the chronic nature of living with autism, and develop strategies to address the situations they find themselves confronting across the child/family's lifespan.

In the first portion of this panel presentation, Patricia Fennell will present the Fennell Four-Phase Treatment (FFPT™) model of chronic and traumatic change. FFPT is a multi-phased approach that provides a narrative framework and cognitive map for families, helping them describe, understand and adapt to life with a chronic neurobiological disorder. It is a highly practical, internationally utilized, and empirically validated treatment model that recognizes the influences of cultural, psychosocial, and physical factors in both assessment and treatment.

FFPT identifies four phases experienced by people with chronic disorders and their families – Crisis, Stabilization, Resolution and Integration. By educating families about the four phases, coping and problem-solving are improved and families can develop strategies to break out of patterns of repeated crises that usually require more extensive resources in response. FFPT offers an empirically validated, step-by-step approach grounded in clinical practice to help people and families coping with chronic conditions solve problems and create positive change.

Next, Sue Ann Hochberg will describe a pilot project utilizing evidence-based educational approaches to teach parents of children and adolescents with autism about the Fennell Four-Phase Model and determine whether that knowledge helps them to move from one phase to another, and measure whether it changes their perspective on their responsibilities, concerns, and coping strategies.

The hypothesis of the study is that by using evidenced-based educational interventions to teach families about FFPT and the phases of traumatic and imposed change, families will be able to better utilize their experiences as the basis of their continuous learning, growth and development, and thereby improve coping and problem solving.

Finally, Fred Coulter will present a specific application of this model with families confronting the transition of adolescents with autism into adulthood. He will describe how he has applied the Fennell Four-Phase Model while working with families whose adolescents are diagnosed as having autism.

Families are faced with a particular developmental crisis as their adolescent with autism makes the transition to adulthood. In addition to dealing with the adolescent’s autism, there are also typical adolescent behaviors with which families must cope. At times the confluence of the adolescent’s autistic behavior and typical adolescent development can overwhelm families and make it difficult for them to attend to the activities of daily living. Once families can attend to their daily lives, then they can begin to make plans for their adolescent’s transition to adulthood.

The goal should be that, when the young adult transitions from special education services at the age of 22, he or she can live as independently as possible.

Education, using evidence-based adult educational approaches, to the Fennell Four Phase Treatment model should change parents' perspective on their responsibilities, concerns, and coping strategies and help smooth the child's transition into adulthood with the highest level of independence possible.

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