Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of ARPA on the life quality of the individuals with autism. The sample consisted of 59 individuals diagnosed with autism according to DSM IV criteria. The participant ages were between 4 and 18 years, and they were involved in the eight-week ARPA programme. PedsQL supplementary form for parents was used as a data collection tool, which consisted of 4 sub-dimensions, and 23 items were developed by Varni et al. A t-test was used for the correlated samples and ANOVA was used for repeated measures. According to the results, there was a significant decrease in the PedsQL subdimensions scores of all participants in terms of physiological functionality and emotional functionality. As a conclution, ARPA can positively contribute to the emotional and physical development of the individuals with autism and it can be effective in supporting the life quality of autistic individuals.
