Parents' priorities in choosing treatment options for children with autism -perspectives from Serbia

Abstract

Parents are essential members of the multidisciplinary teams supporting children with autism. Examining parents’ priorities in the field of treatment options for children with autism can be very helpful to educators and therapists in the selection of appropriate treatments. The goal of the present study was to explore the treatment priorities which parents may have for their children with autism in Serbia. Another goal was to examine the relationship between parents’ priorities and children’s current level of functioning. The sample for this study consisted of 141 parents who completed The survey of treatment priorities. The results showed that parents ranked as their highest priorities the areas of Communication Skills, Community Living, and Social Relationships. These findings can help educators and therapists create treatment plans for children with autism that are aligned with parents’ priorities.