The comparison of the effectiveness of Applied Behavior Analysis and Pivotal Response Training on life orientation, unconditional acceptance and social anxiety in mothers of autistic children

the purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of ABA and PRT on life orientation, unconditional acceptance and social anxiety in mothers of autistic children.
This research applied a quasi-experimental designs with pretest-posttest frame. By a convenience sampling method among a statistical population including all mothers with a autistic child who attended to the exceptional children education centers in Sari town a sample consisted of 24 subjects were selected and divided into three groups (1 control and 2 experimental). The first group were treated with ABA and the second group received PRT while no intervention made on control group. Unconditional acceptance questionnaire (USAQ), life orientation test (LOT) and social phobia inventory (SPI) were used in pre and post test occations.
the results of a GLM: MANOVA showed that there was no difference between experimental groups and control by controlling the effect of pre-test in study variables (Orientation of Life, Unconditional Acceptance, Social Anxiety). However, a clincaly positive trend was evident relative to the control group for social anxiety score.
ABA and PRT could not affect considerably the orientation of life, unconditional acceptance and social anxiety of mothers with autistic children. However a significant clinical trend was evident rather than the control group in the social anxiety of mothers after ABA intervention. Further research in this field is recommended to future researchers for likelihood of more effective administration of these interventions.