The European project Autherapies, coordinated by the Villablanca Institute and with Open Europe as the main partner in Spain, is currently in the development phase. Launched last June, its main objective is to improve the skills of professionals and families in choosing the best evidence-based therapies for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
During this development phase, two surveys have been carried out in Spain, Italy, Belgium and Poland aimed at professionals, family members of affected people, members of associations and students. So far, 369 responses have been received and this number is expected to increase as the project is still under development.
Based on this rapid and high number of responses, a first evaluation of the results obtained was made and several conclusions were reached. It is considered that professionals are aware of the difficulty for families to choose between different interventions for people with ASD.
Likewise, the evaluation of the surveys shows that families think that professionals do not have a high level of specialisation in relation to therapies for autism, that they do not give exhaustive explanations about interventions, that they are not very supportive and that they do not make a great effort to involve people and families in the choice of therapies.
The third point expresses that both professionals and families agree that it is difficult to access information to choose between different interventions for ASD. Finally, professionals and students think that they do not receive enough information during training on evidence-based interventions for autism, and that they cannot access adequate information to be able to update their knowledge.
All respondents agreed that families do not choose the best evidence-based interventions for autism, that there is not enough information about these interventions, and that because of this, decisions are made without adequate information.
Autherapies aims to remedy the lack of knowledge of people with autism about the therapies and treatments based on scientific evidence that may be most beneficial to them. It also intends to put this same knowledge at the disposal of relatives and professionals of the health and educational field who usually treat people with autism. The Villablanca Foundation, and the entities involved in the project, want to remedy this situation through the creation of a training package of digital contents, available in a web environment in different languages, which can be made available to people affected by autism, relatives and professionals, especially from the sanitary and educational fields.
