UCLA

Parent expectations regarding autism spectrum disorder therapies can affect treatment session adherence and attendance. This study explored whether family characteristics were associated with parent expectations of belief in child improvement (BCI) and treatment credibility (TC). Participants included 94 parents who completed the Parent Expectancies Questionnaire (PEQ) at entry of a 12-week intervention study. The association between family characteristics and BCI and TC were evaluated using multiple linear regression and logistic regression, respectively. Results indicated that African American and multi-ethnic/other participants rated higher BCI relative to White participants. Both socioeconomic status (SES) and previous intervention experience were negatively related to BCI. No variables related to TC. Overall, participants’ optimism regarding BCI varied by race/ethnicity, SES, and previous interventions.