Aim: Participation of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder hardly occurs in settings outside of home and school. Little is known about how their participation is influenced by environmental factors. This study explored how and why adolescents with autism spectrum disorder perceive aspects of their environment as facilitators or barriers to their participation outside of home and school. Method: This explanatory case study explored the participation experiences of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (15–21 years) from Zurich and surroundings with in-depth interviews and photo-elicitation, using photos made by the participants during activities outside of home and school. Data was analysed with a 7-step procedure. Result: The presence of two main themes seemed necessary to facilitate participation outside of home and school: “environmental prerequisites to attend activities”, which consists of five subthemes, such as “the company of trusted persons” and “the provision of knowledge and information”, and “social interchange and engagement”, which consists of three subthemes and describes how actual involvement can be supported. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the influence of trusted persons on adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, and the need to extend the support network for these adolescents to other individuals, services and society so that their participation in activities can be encouraged.
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Introduction: Although some adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require intensive and specialized ASD treatment, there is little research on how these adults experience the recovery process. Recovery is defined as the significant improvement in general functioning compared to the situation prior to treatment. Methods: This qualitative study describes the recovery process from the perspective of adults on the autism spectrum during intensive inpatient treatment. Semi-structured interviews (n = 15) were carried out and analyzed according to the principles of grounded theory. Results: Our results indicate that, given the specific characteristics of autism, therapeutic interventions and goal-oriented work cannot be carried out successfully, and the recovery process cannot begin, if no good working relationship has been established, and if care is not organized in ways that a person on the autism spectrum finds clear and predictable.
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Aim: Participation of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder hardly occurs in settings outside of home and school. Little is known about how their participation is influenced by environmental factors. This study explored how and why adolescents with autism spectrum disorder perceive aspects of their environment as facilitators or barriers to their participation outside of home and school. Method: This explanatory case study explored the participation experiences of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (15–21 years) from Zurich and surroundings with in-depth interviews and photo-elicitation, using photos made by the participants during activities outside of home and school. Data was analysed with a 7-step procedure. Result: The presence of two main themes seemed necessary to facilitate participation outside of home and school: “environmental prerequisites to attend activities”, which consists of five subthemes, such as “the company of trusted persons” and “the provision of knowledge and information”, and “social interchange and engagement”, which consists of three subthemes and describes how actual involvement can be supported. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the influence of trusted persons on adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, and the need to extend the support network for these adolescents to other individuals, services and society so that their participation in activities can be encouraged.
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The influence of a person’s environment and its modifying potential on participation is well recognized for most childhood disabilities, but scarcely studied for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A scoping review was conducted, the aim of which was to map the existing literature about supporting and hindering environments for the participation of adolescents with ASD. Sources of scientific evidence were searched for in four databases. Inclusion criteria were the perspectives of adolescents between 12 and 21, families, peers, or significant others; ecologic validity; and a clear connection between environment and participation. The publication dates ranged from 2001 to 2014 and partly up to 2018. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) served as the guiding framework for inclusion/exclusion during the selection process. Thematic analysis was performed by five independent reviewers. Results were additionally validated by stakeholders. This scoping review identified 5528 articles, and finally included 31 studies. Two main themes were found: “providing security” indicates how the environment, and specifically the parental, physical, and informational environments, have a securing or intimidating effect. The second theme, “helping to connect”, indicates which environments support or hinder social relationships or social activities, and hence participation. An additional third main theme, “tension in participation”, relates to ambiguities that seem essential to understand participation or isolation of adolescents with ASD. Results show that participation is a value-laden concept. This research widens the field of dealing with adolescents with ASD, as it directs attention towards the responsibility of the environment regarding participation.
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It can be very challenging for practitioners to talk with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), especially when the conversation calls for self-regulation.Autonomy as a basic psychological need that fosters competence is the key to self-regulated reasoning (SRR), since it helps children to know how to regulate interactions with others. Little is known about how autonomy influences competence in SRR of children with ASD. Central question in this study was: to what extent can autonomy provided scaffolding elicit high levels of SRR on social interactions over time? We used interaction data of three session between one special needs child and a practitioner, contextualized by a set of animated SRR, DSM-5 based items. Interaction variables were child’s level of SRR and practitioner’s level of provided autonomy.Results showed large proportions of high-level provided autonomy in all sessions and a decline of this level in last session. SRR improved significantly each session. When exploring the dynamics of the micro-data we found contingency over time and feedback-loops of high- level provided autonomy and high-level SRR. Since the child showed a significant improvement of SRR over time, our research question provides a promising perspective. Sessions positively affected SRR of the child with ASD and the role of the practitioner in autonomy provided scaffolding has been very important. Contrary to what one might expect in autism spectrum disorders, providing autonomy supported the performance of the child. These outcomes underline the relevance of giving a voice to children with a diagnose in the spectrum of autism.
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The academic achievements of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are usually lower than those of their peers. It is therefore important to know what educational professionals need to provide these students with optimal support. To identify these needs, we applied Q methodology, a qualitative method using quantitative techniques. We found four groups of professionals with different needs. The first group emphasized a need for collaboration within school; the second valued practical suggestions to guide their teaching, the third emphasized gaining more confidence to teach students with ASD, and the fourth group focused on enhancing students’ social and communication skills.
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Introduction: People on the autism spectrum often struggle to transition smoothly between occupations in daily life. Objective: This qualitative inquiry aimed to understand the human and non-human factors that influence occupational transitions from the perspectives of adults on the autism spectrum. Method: Using a constructivist grounded theory design, this study purposively gathered data from eight adults on the autism spectrum who shared their viewpoints via semi-structured interviews and self-produced written texts. Framed by the Cultural Historical Activity Theory, an iterative process of constant comparative analysis was employed, yielding six categories that constituted the assembly of a working theory on occupational transitions among adults on the autism spectrum. Results: Drawn from eight participants, the six categories were: 1) getting ready, 2) the attributes of the occupation, 3) the others, 4) strategies of the moment, 5) cumulative stress, and 6) possible ends of the process. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a nuanced understanding on occupational transitions for adults with autism. First, materiality (non-human entities) serves various purposes in occupational transitions, implying that in some cases, intangible materials (tacit knowledge) would be enough to initiate, aid, or terminate occupational transitions. Second, doing transitions together through the optimization of social support and resources can make occupational transitions more meaningful for adults in the autism spectrum. It is our ambition that these propositions be tested and emphasized in occupational therapy, healthcare, and social care practices.
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Workshop paper Taking an embodied perspective, we report on the design of two interactive products aimed at empowering people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder in coping with challenges of everyday life. Our Research-through-Design study combined theory with hands-on co-design work and in situ user observation, in close collaboration with clients and their professional caretakers, constructing experienceable prototypes as tangible anchors for reflection. Reflection resulted in guiding principles addressing the design potential of designing for Embodied Empowerment, centering on the client’s embodied-being-in-the-world.
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Individuals with autism increasingly enroll in universities, but little is known about predictors for their success. This study developed predictive models for the academic success of autistic bachelor students (N=101) in comparison to students with other health conditions (N=2465) and students with no health conditions (N=25,077). We applied propensity score weighting to balance outcomes. The research showed that autistic students’ academic success was predictable, and these predictions were more accurate than predictions of their peers’ success. For first-year success, study choice issues were the most important predictors (parallel program and application timing). Issues with participation in pre-education (missingness of grades in pre-educational records) and delays at the beginning of autistic students’ studies (reflected in age) were the most influential predictors for the second-year success and delays in the second and final year of their bachelor’s program. In addition, academic performance (average grades) was the strongest predictor for degree completion in 3 years. These insights can enable universities to develop tailored support for autistic students. Using early warning signals from administrative data, institutions can lower dropout risk and increase degree completion for autistic students.
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Background: Children with auditory processing disorders (APD) seem to have difficulties in auditory functioning, and with cognitive, language and reading tasks. However, it is not clear whether the behavioural characteristic of children with APD are distinctive from the behavioural characteristics of children with another developmental disorder, like specific language impairment (SLI), dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Aim: The aim of this study was to determine which characteristics overlap between children with APD versus SLI, dyslexia, ADHD, or ASD.
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