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Effects of a remotely delivered progressive muscle relaxation intervention to address anxiety levels in adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability
Author
Keong, Melissa Yuhan
Supervisor
Poon, Kenneth K.
Abstract
There have been increasing efforts to develop interventions tailored to addressing anxiety in individuals with special needs. However, research on interventions for individuals with comorbid intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been limited. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has also necessitated the consideration of developing remotely delivered programmes that can withstand the fluctuations in the spread of the virus and evolving safety measures. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of a remotely delivered PMR programme in reducing anxiety levels. It adopted a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design for a 24-year-old female and a 21-year-old male with comorbid ID and ASD, who were attending day activity centres (DAC) in Singapore. Participants underwent three phases – baseline, intervention and one-month follow-up. Anxiety ratings were assessed across all the phases on a six-point scale and were provided by proxy raters, who were either centre staff or parents of the participants. Participants’ level of independence for each of the eight PMR skills and the social validity of the intervention were also assessed. The intervention yielded mixed findings for the anxiety ratings, despite positive feedback from parents and staff on the questionnaire. Both participants were able to attain 50% and 100% mastery of the eight PMR skills by the end of intervention. Although this study is limited in its ability to determine the effectiveness of the intervention, it highlights the potential of implementing a remotely delivered PMR programme for adults with comorbid ID and ASD. Future studies will be needed to continue refining and evaluating the intervention programme.
Date Issued
2023
Call Number
RC451.4.M47 Keo
Date Submitted
2023