2015/05/27 by Carol Curtin, Kristin L. Humphrey, Kristin Humphrey +4
Health Professions · Medicine · #Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare #Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life #Occupational Therapy Practice and Research
paper · doi:10.1177/0009922815588821
crossref issued 2015/05/27 · crossref published 2015/05/27 · crossref published-online 2015/05/27 · openalex publication_date 2015/05/27 · crossref created 2015/05/27 · crossref published-print 2016/02/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · crossref deposited 2026/04/28 · crossref indexed 2026/07/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
A small pilot program of 9 youth 13 to 18 years old with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Asperger's syndrome assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of an individualized mentoring program. Youth met weekly for 6 months with trained young adult mentors at a local boys and girls club. Participants reported improvements in self-esteem, social anxiety, and quality of life. Participants, parents, mentors, and staff reported that the program improved participants' social connectedness. Although the pilot study was small, it provides preliminary data that mentoring for youth with ASD has promise for increasing self-esteem, social skills, and quality of life.