Teaching leisure time-related skills to youths with autism spectrum disorder: A mixed method research

The purpose of this study is to determine the needs of youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in functional use of their leisure time, to test the effectiveness of the Leisure Time Functional Assessment Training Package (SEZIDEP), which was prepared in line with the needs, and to determine the opinions of the youths with ASD regarding their leisure time participation after the implementation of SEZIDEP. The research was carried out using the experimental mixed method design of the mixed method research. In the first stage of the research, the needs were determined using the case study design, SEZIDEP was prepared in the second stage, and the effectiveness of SEZIDEP was tested using the multiple probe model with inter-participant probe phase, and in the third stage, the views of the youths with ASD and their parents regarding their children's participation in leisure time were determined by using the phenomenology design. Research findings showed that youths with ASD need to learn leisure time-related skills including leisure awareness, leisure activities, making choices, leisure resources and using, initiating activity, social interaction, and problem-solving. SEZIDEP has been prepared to cover this requirement. Findings show that SEZIDEP applied to youths with ASD is effective, and youths with ASD demonstrate the skills they learned within the scope of SEZIDEP as skills in social environments. The findings also revealed that after SEZIDEP, youths with ASD and their parents also had satisfactory, positive, and improving views on their children's participation in leisure time.