Advances in Autism最新文献

{"title":"The impact of COVID-19 on parents of autistic children with a particular focus on access to respite care","authors":"E. Cooke, M. Brenner, V. Smith","doi":"10.1108/aia-07-2022-0036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-07-2022-0036","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted parents of autistic children and their families in Ireland.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A qualitative thematic analysis methodology was applied using semi-structured interviews. A total of 12 parents (ten mothers, one father and one grandfather speaking on behalf of a mother) of autistic children were asked how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted them and their autistic child with a particular focus on how it has impacted their access to respite care. Interviews were completed remotely from July 2021 to October 2021.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Data analysis identified four themes that reflect an adverse pandemic impact. These were: world gone; alone and isolated; constantly fighting for help; and negative and positive impact of COVID-19 on child and family. Two parents reported positive outcomes of the pandemic such as social distance requirements. Five parents (42%) reported an increase in the amount of respite received. Three parents (25%) reported a decrease and four (33%) parents reported no change in their access to respite.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000COVID-19 has turned a spotlight on mental health for politicians, policymakers and the public and provides an opportunity to make mental health a higher public health priority for autistic children and their families.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study highlights the need for access to respite for autistic children and for respite services to be responsive to the ongoing needs, in particular, the mental health needs of autistic children and their family, particularly in a crisis situation.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45124193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring intervention strategies to enhance face recognition abilities in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: assessing the impact of verbalization and Navon tasks","authors":"Minje Kim, Kyong-Mee Chung, Eunsun Chung","doi":"10.1108/aia-03-2022-0011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-03-2022-0011","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of two intervention strategies – identifying the global letter of Navon letters and verbally describing a face – in improving face recognition abilities of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A total of 15 adolescents with ASD and 15 typically developing (TD) adolescents participated in this study, which consisted of three experimental conditions: verbalization, Navon and control. Participants were presented with a target face for a short period of time, then completed a task specific to the condition in a counterbalanced order, followed by a face recognition task.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The results of this study showed no significant interaction effects between groups and conditions, either in accuracy or reaction time. However, TD adolescents performed better than ASD adolescents in terms of accuracy. In addition, the verbalization condition resulted in better performance with slower response times compared to the control condition.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000These findings suggest that verbalization may be a useful strategy to enhance face recognition abilities in ASD and TD individuals.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45294867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploration of caregiver experience for children with ASD: an in-depth perspective","authors":"Neha Gupta, Manya Khanna, R. Garg, Vedantika Sethi, Shivangi Khattar, Purva Tekkar, Shwetha Maria, Muskan Gupta, Akash Saxena, Parul Gupta, Sara Ann Schuchert","doi":"10.1108/aia-09-2022-0044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-09-2022-0044","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to examine the psycho-emotional and social experiences of caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Various facets of the caregiving experience are explored, including the feelings and thoughts of the parents/caregivers, such as the resilience experienced in their journey, how they coped with the challenges and also their positive experiences.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000In this study, these aspects of the caregiving experience are broadly probed using semi-structured interviews subjected to narrative analysis. Lastly, there is a focus on the role of therapist-led intervention, specifically, the Eye to I© intervention model and its contributions to the parent/caregiver experience.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Findings from this study indicate that parents benefit from interventions that bridge gaps in skills and interpersonal communication which parents/caregivers feel they encounter in their day-to-day activities. Additionally, support groups for parents and caregivers could further address these issues.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This exploration reveals insights about the roles of societal structures and the caregiving journey.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44150531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autism and social media: a systematic review of the user experience","authors":"Nicholas Andrew Hudson, Jake M. Linnane, Kelly Rayner-Smith","doi":"10.1108/aia-01-2023-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-01-2023-0001","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Social media use in autistic people has been identified as a potential avenue for less pressured social contact. Given shifts towards online socialisation, this study aims to systematically review the available literature on how autistic people experience and use social media.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A systematic review was carried out using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses system, with relevant literature reviewed and synthesised using a narrative approach. Inclusion criteria included adults and/or adolescents as the sole sample, a focus on autism and social media use as the sole/main topic.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000A total of 1,278 research studies were initially identified; following screening, 15 papers were reviewed. Studies demonstrated some support for the positive role social media can play and presented its use as a smart adaptation for the challenges of neurotypical socialising. For autistic people, social media may provide a balance between meeting the need to be connected to people without the pressure of managing aspects, such as tone of voice or body language.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000Most studies were questionnaire-based with substantial threats to validity. Samples were self-selecting, with autism status not always confirmed. Individual studies used a broad approach to the definition of social media, including online gaming and other online activities, precluding firm conclusions being made.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000There may be a Goldilocks “just right” level of social media contact that could maximise connectedness to others without impacting negatively on mental health, offline relationships and activities of daily living.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This paper presents a novel account of research from case studies and larger scale questionnaire studies.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48531538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Remote autism assessments – lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic: a service evaluation","authors":"John E. Hartley, J. Purrington, Gemma Hartley","doi":"10.1108/aia-08-2022-0043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-08-2022-0043","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in health services adapting the delivery of routine assessments, with many operating remotely. This paper aims to explore the lived experiences of individuals undertaking remote autism assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A mixed-methods service evaluation was completed in an adult autism and neurodevelopmental service based in the north of England. A total of 24 participants, who had undergone remote autism assessments between March 2020 and July 2020, completed a questionnaire about their experiences. Thematic analysis was performed, and additional quantitative data were analysed descriptively to allow contextual information to be included.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The evaluation identified three main themes. The first, practical and sensory issues of remote assessment, indicated that internet connectivity problems were common and sometimes impeded a successful assessment. Additionally, participants identified some elements of the videocall impacted their sensory sensitivities. The second theme, emotional responses to remote assessment, demonstrated relief and exhaustion to be common following sessions. The ability to complete assessments from a safe space were favoured by most. The final theme, pros and cons of different assessment methods, highlighted the preference for video assessments above telephone and in person sessions.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study provides an original contribution to the literature by gathering autistic adults’ perspectives on remote autism assessments. The findings suggest that video assessments were the most preferable, over face-to-face and then telephone. Services should offer video and face-to-face assessments while keeping telephone assessments to a minimum.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":"42 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41247232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improvisers’ experiences across neurotypes of participating in improv comedy","authors":"N. Keates, J. Beadle‐Brown","doi":"10.1108/aia-09-2022-0047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-09-2022-0047","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Previous studies have confirmed the potential benefits of participating in theatrical improvisation, including improved mental health, well-being, skills and strategy development. This study aims to explore the experiences of improv (a subset of theatrical improvisation) for autistic, non-autistic, yet neurodivergent and neurotypical people. In particular, it explores whether participants believe that there have been any benefits from participating in improv.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Twenty adult participants were recruited using snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and qualitative content analysis (QCA). IPA explored the autistic lived experience during improv participation, while QCA sought to identify the benefits gained.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Implementing IPA allowed for the benefits of improv to be embedded into autistic lived experience. This was aggregated into two themes: “life beyond improv” and “social worlds negative impact”. Findings from QCA found five themes: “creativity and opportunities: the arts and workplace”; “acceptance, cognitive flexibility and rolling with it”; “interpersonal, social and communication skills and human connection”; “gains in mental health, quality of life and wellbeing”; and for just autistic participants, “‘I've gone full autistic’ (and can learn why neurotypicals are like they are)”.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a novel study area that has not been investigated previously.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42573724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nothing for us, without us: a review of the clinical literature and discursive evidence of interpersonal trauma in autistic women","authors":"Alexandra Schnabel, Clem Bastow","doi":"10.1108/aia-11-2021-0046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-11-2021-0046","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000From the authors’ personal and professional experiences, they have observed that autistic women are uniquely at risk of interpersonal trauma. Given the tendency for autistic women to be overlooked in research and practice, this study aims to rectify this by exploring the relevant literature and including the voices of autistic women throughout this paper.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study completed a literature review of quantitative and qualitative data relating to exposure to interpersonal trauma in autistic women. This study also reviewed relevant discursive evidence available on in memoirs and reports. This study also included dialogue between us as authors from an auto/“Autie”-ethnographic position.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Both clinical literature and discursive evidence support the idea that autistic women are uniquely at risk of interpersonal trauma, in particular, sexual victimisation. Explanatory factors are considered. Studies exploring rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were less consistent. Further evidence is required to better understand how autistic women experience and express PTSD and to inform assessment and treatment modifications.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to integrate clinical literature and discursive evidence on the topic of interpersonal trauma in autistic women. It provides useful insights into the experiences of autistic women in this space, directions for urgently needed future research and modifications to clinical practice.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2023-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47262564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increasing collaboration and knowledge in school communities to enhance outcomes for autistic students","authors":"A. Griffiths, Diana Baker, J. Brady, K. Kennedy, A. Valladolid, Rachel Wiegand, Raquel Delgado","doi":"10.1108/aia-03-2022-0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-03-2022-0014","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper describes a case study of a developmental program evaluation on the Autism Community Toolkit, a collaborative skills training program for parents and school professionals. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the training on participants’ knowledge, competence and perceived collaboration; and potential improvements to the training program.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The program included multiple training sessions for families and school professionals, designed to educate participants on autism, evidence-based interventions and to increase home-school communication and collaboration. Data collection methods included pre- and post-measures and feedback forms.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Results indicated that the training program was beneficial for participants overall. Pre- and posttest measures indicated growth in knowledge and competency in autism interventions. While there were no statistically significant differences in the quantitative measure of collaboration, qualitative results suggest that participants reported increased collaboration posttraining.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000Overall, the training program was effective, and the ongoing implementation assessment was conducive to continuous improvement. The authors also discuss difficulties with implementation and recommendations for future intervention implementation.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This case study provides practical information about creating, evaluating and improving a unique intervention designed to support school–home collaboration.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48390426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The psychometric properties of the Iranian version of Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in children with autism spectrum disorder","authors":"E. Jenabi, N. Rabiei, Mahdieh Seyedi, Mohammad Rezaei, A. Soltanian, S. Bashirian, A. Salehi","doi":"10.1108/aia-12-2021-0048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-12-2021-0048","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the social communication questionnaire (SCQ) in Iran by identifying children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who had Persian-speaking parents.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A case–control study was performed from June to August 2021 in Hamadan, Iran. The case group consisted of children who were examined by clinicians who used a coding scheme based on the DSM-V criteria for ASD by a psychiatrist. The control group consisted of non-ASD children who were asked to participate in the study. This study conducted the reliability, content and face validity to evaluate the psychometric properties of the tool. In the first step, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin and Bartlett’s test were used to determine sampling adequacy and appropriateness of correlation matrix. In the second step, the exploratory factor analysis approach was used. The method of extracting the factors is done by using the varimax rotation method and selecting the number of factors using an eigenvalue and scree plot. Statistical analysis was performed using Software Package for Social Sciences 21 with the statistical significance set at level less than 0.05.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The quantitative content validity analysis revealed that the mean of content validity ratio and content validity index were 0.92 and 0.91, respectively. Mean score ± standard deviation in the two groups of ASD and control were 14.23 ± 3.84 and 7.83 ± 4.80, respectively. With cut-off point >12.5, sensitivity, specificity and misclassification error values were 73.33%, 80.0% and 23%, respectively.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000The results showed that the internal consistency of the SCQ is desirable. Also, the internal consistency of its five subscales was obtained between 0.700 and 0.87. The findings showed that SCQ questionnaire is highly reliable in reciprocal social interaction (Factor 1) and the total score, while other factors were relatively reliable.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper on psychometric properties of SCQ in ASD children in Iran.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45223319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial","authors":"V. Chester, S. Tromans","doi":"10.1108/aia-10-2022-076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-10-2022-076","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2022-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47987150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}