Development, implementation and evaluation of anempowerment portal for families of people with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Abstract

Development, implementation and evaluation of a family empowerment portal for families of people with autism Introduction: One of the most important ways to help people with autism spectrum disorder is to empower their families, so that it can provide a suitable environment for growth and development for these people. Objective: The aim of this study is to facilitate the empowerment process by designing an appropriate tool so that all families of people with autism spectrum disorder can access it without restriction. Methods and Materials: This study was performed before and after and is of an applied type. The study method was a combination and different samples were used in different stages of the research. The first purpose was a comprehensive review and interview. In the second goal, the ability of families was measured cross-sectionally. Then, according to the opinion of experts and a comprehensive review, the technical and content requirements of the portal were identified. In the next step, the portal was designed and evaluated and provided to caregivers and families. Finally, after three months, their capabilities were measured and scored. "Before" has been compared. Results: In this study, an effective tool was developed to assess the ability of families and caregivers of people with autism with high validity and reliability. The measurement results show the level of capability before using the intermediate level portal. Then, a portal with suitable usability was designed for the use of these families to receive services and information, and after three months of use, the ability of these people was measured again. There was no significant difference in the level of capability before and after using the portal. But the level of empowerment in some dimensions improved significantly. Conclusion: At present, the existing empowerment processes are poorly performed and sometimes do not correspond to our culture and facilities. This process should be done in terms of language and culture and all different aspects of society to be able to overcome the current challenges of these families. And we can empower them as much as possible.