The Efficacy of Maternal Empowerment on Aggressive Behaviors in Children with Autism Aged 6 to 12: A Randomized Clinical Study

Dawood, Mohanad Abed; Valizadeh, Najmeh; Garacheh, Maryam; Naghibi, MohammadReza; Sadeghi, Tahereh

doi:10.22038/jpp.2026.95111.5638

The Efficacy of Maternal Empowerment on Aggressive Behaviors in Children with Autism Aged 6 to 12: A Randomized Clinical Study

Document Type : original article

Authors

Mohanad Abed Dawood ¹

Najmeh Valizadeh ²

Maryam Garacheh ³

MohammadReza Naghibi ⁴

Tahereh Sadeghi ⁵

¹ Student in Pediatric Care Nursing, University of Medical Sciences, Nasiriyah, Iraq.

² Department of Operating Room and Anesthesiology, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Mashhad, Iran.

³ Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

⁴ Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

⁵ Department of Pediatrics, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Mashhad, Iran.

10.22038/jpp.2026.95111.5638

Abstract

Background and Objective: Aggressive behaviors, including self-directed aggression and aggression toward others, affect approximately children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), severely disrupting family adaptation. Maternal empowerment, defined as enhancing mothers' knowledge, competence, and control, is crucial for managing these behavioral challenges. This study aimed to examine the effect of an intervention based on the Family-Centered Empowerment Model (FCEM) on reducing aggressive behaviors in autistic children aged 6 to 12 years.
Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted from October 2, 2021, to December 16, 2021. A total of 60 mothers of children with ASD were recruited during this period. In Part I, 30 mothers (Group 1) received eight structured educational sessions based on the FCEM, while 30 mothers (Group 2) received standard care. In Part II, the groups were reversed. Aggressive behaviors and empowerment were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up.
Results: Statistical analysis revealed that the groups were homogenous at baseline across all demographic and clinical variables. Post-intervention, the Family-Centered Empowerment Model significantly reduced all domains of child aggression compared with the control group (P< 0.01). Specifically, within the intervention group, scores for aggression towards oneself significantly decreased from 40.13±10.18 at baseline to 33.10±10.89 post-intervention (P< 0.001). Similarly, significant reductions were observed for aggression towards others) from 40.83 ±10.42 to 30.00±10.45, P< 0.01) and aggression towards the environment (from43.20±10.26 to 29.17±10.42, P< 0.01). Conversely, the control group showed no statistically significant changes in any of the aggression domains (P> 0.05).
Conclusion: These findings highlight the clinical value of integrating family-centered educational programs into routine autism care to empower parents and effectively mitigate behavioral challenges in children with ASD.

Keywords

Aggressive Behaviors

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Family-Centered Empowerment

Model Maternal Empowerment

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