scholarly journals Evaluation of a group webinar and individual video-conferencing support program designed to upskill staff working with children with autism in regional and remote areas

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Johnsson ◽  
Michelle Lincoln ◽  
Anita C. Bundy ◽  
Debra Costley ◽  
Kim Bulkeley
Keyword(s):  
Allied Health ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Remote Areas

PurposeThe rollout of individualised disability funding in Australia resulted in an increased demand for services for people with a disability, particularly support for the high percentage of Australians with autism spectrum disorder. Continuing professional development is one way to grow and maintain a skilled workforce; however, face-to-face opportunities can be limited in remote areas of Australia. Technology may provide a low-cost and widely accessible platform for providing education and support for staff in these areas.Design/methodology/approachThe current study evaluated a novel webinar training and individual online support program for 36 allied health, education and community support staff. Data were collected via a survey on changes in perceived “knowledge and skills” and “confidence” in supporting children with autism, as well as mode of participation, and accessibility of the program.FindingsParticipants reported a significant increase in their “knowledge and skills” and “confidence”, in working with children with autism. This increase was positively related to the number of webinars the participants accessed. The mode of webinar access was predominantly via watching recordings of webinars (asynchronous learning). Synchronous learning via individual online sessions was accessed by a small number of participants, mostly allied health professionals. Workload and scheduling were identified as barriers to engaging in the program. The technology platform was found to be accessible and acceptable.Originality/valueA predominantly asynchronous mode of delivery was successful, thereby increasing program access and flexibility for remote staff. Technology was not a barrier to accessing the program regardless of remoteness or job role.

Using digital social stories to improve social skills in children with autism: a pilot experimental single-subject study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed F. Safi ◽  
Maitha Alnuaimi ◽  
Abdelaziz Sartawi
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Causal Relation ◽  
Social Stories ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intervention Phase ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face difficulty with educational attainment because of to their inability to interact with others. One intervention that is used to increase social skills in individuals with ASD is social stories. This study aimed at exploring the impact of digital social stories in improving social skills of two students with ASD in the UAE. Design/methodology/approach An experimental AB single-subject study was conducted to investigate the impact of digital social stories on nonverbal communication, targeting two specific behaviors: raising hands before leaving one’s seat (TB1) and playing and sharing toys with peers (TB2). Two digital social stories (DSS1 and DSS2) were developed for the purpose of this study and transformed using a digital platform to be displayed on an iPad (tablet). Findings This study involved two male participants with ASD (10 and 11 years old). Participant one demonstrated improvement in TB1 (mean of 1.11) because of DSS1 in the intervention phase. Participant two demonstrated improvement of 18% in TB2 ( mean of 0.18) as a result of DSS2 in the intervention phase. Practical implications Both students that participated in the study showed a positive change in their target behaviors during the intervention phase intervention at different levels. Using an ABA study design would have been stronger in establishing a more valid causal relation in this single-subject design study. However, due the COVID-19 closures and curfews, the researchers had to switch to the AB design. Originality/value This study demonstrated how social stories had a positive impact on ASD social skills. Further, it indicated the potential effectiveness of using digital social stories to reduce undesirable behaviors or increase a desirable behaviors in children who have ASD.

Responding and adapting to change: an allied health perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-349
Author(s):  
Lisa Beasley ◽  
Sandra Grace ◽  
Louise Horstmanshof
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Change Management ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Change Processes ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Change Leaders

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the response and adaption to change of allied health professionals. Understanding how individuals respond and adapt to change is essential to assist leaders to manage transformational change effectively. Contemporary health-care environments are characterised by frequent and rapid change, often with unrealistic and challenging time frames. Individuals operate independently, but also as members of teams, professions and organisations. Therefore, having a sound understanding of individual response to change is important for change leaders. In the Australian context, allied health professionals represent a quarter of the health-care workforce. There is a significant gap in understanding how allied health professionals respond and adapt to change. Design/methodology/approach A scoping review was designed to report on the nature and extent of the literature on the response and adaption to change in the context of allied health professionals. Change leaders in the health-care environment face a number of complex challenges when attempting to facilitate change. While this scoping review did not identify any specific literature on the response and adaption to change of allied health professionals, it did however provide information on change models and factors to take into consideration when implementing a change process. Findings The results of this scoping review identified findings in two main areas with regard to response and adaptation of allied health to change: a review of change management literature at the organisation level and change management for allied health. Most of the literature described organisational level change management without providing a structural framework for change. At the professional individual level, the literature focused on specific clinical interventions, rather than on the response and adaption to change for allied health. Minimal literature was identified in regard to the response and adaption to change of allied health professionals. In an environment characterised by continuous change and policy reform, a greater understanding of the response and adaption to change by allied health is a priority for research, policy and practice. Research limitations/implications This scoping review was undertaken to explore the response and adaption to change of allied health. It sought to identify the factors that may explain why certain disciplines within the allied health professional group responded to change differently. Scoping reviews do not set out to comprehensively source all relevant literature but rather to ascertain the nature and extent of the published literature in the field. Therefore, it is possible that a systematic review might uncover additional relevant papers. However, this scoping review provides a clear indication of the nature and extent of the literature in allied health. Practical implications Social implications This scoping review will assist change leaders to gain a better understanding of theoretical frameworks of individual, team and organisational change processes and the impacts these have individually and collectively on change processes. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this scoping review is the first of its kind to identify the minimal literature available on the way allied health professionals respond and adapt to change.

scholarly journals Understanding and improving the care pathway for children with autism

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 208-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Hurt ◽  
Kate Langley ◽  
Kate North ◽  
Alex Southern ◽  
Lauren Copeland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Creative Writing ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Professionals ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
High Level

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe current care pathways for children with autism including enablers and barriers, as experienced by health professionals, education professionals and families in South Wales, UK. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a mixed-methods approach using focus group discussions, creative writing workshops and visualisation using rich pictures. Findings The experiences of the care pathways differed significantly across the three groups. Health professionals described the most rigidly structured pathways, with clear entry points and outcomes. Education professionals and parents described more complex and confusing pathways, with parents assuming the responsibility of coordinating the health and education activity in a bid to link the two independent pathways. All three groups identified enablers, although these differed across the groups. The barriers were more consistent across the groups (e.g. poor communication, missing information, lack of transparency, limited post-diagnosis services and access to services based on diagnosis rather than need). Practical implications This research could inform the design of new services which are premised on multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working to ensure children with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) receive joined up services and support. Originality/value Although this study did not represent all professional groups or all experiences of autism, the authors examined three different perspectives of the ASD pathway. In addition, the authors triangulated high-level process maps with rich pictures and creative writing exercises, which allowed the authors to identify specific recommendations to improve integration and reduce duplication and gaps in provision.

The acquisition of the Arabic construct state (CS) constructions by Arabic-speaking children with ASD

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh ◽  
Razan N. Alkhatib
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Head Direction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Arabic Speaking ◽  
Better Than

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether age plays a role in the acquisition of construct state (CS) constructions in Arabic by 14 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It also examined the challenges faced by children with ASD in producing different types of CS constructions. Finally, the study analysed the sources of difficulties children with ASD encounter during the learning process of the CS.Design/methodology/approachFor the purposes of this study, the participants were asked to orally complete short sentences with the help of illustrative pictures.FindingsResults revealed that the age of the 14 children with ASD plays a role in the acquisition of CS constructions. Children of age 12–15 performed better than those of age 8 and 10. Results also showed that children with ASD performed better in producing phrases rather than compounds. Moreover, the participants performed better on endocentric compounds as opposed to exocentric ones. Finally, analysing the errors produced on the text revealed that the acquisition of head direction precedes definiteness.Originality/valueThe topic of the study has not been investigated yet and the study concluded with some important findings concerning teaching Arabic CS to children with ADS.

scholarly journals Robots in special education: reasons for low uptake

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Maria Jose Galvez Trigo ◽  
Penelope Jane Standen ◽  
Sue Valerie Gray Cobb
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main reasons for low uptake of robots in special education (SE), obtained from an analysis of previous studies that used robots in the area, and from interviewing SE teachers about the topic. Design/methodology/approach An analysis of 18 studies that used robots in SE was performed, and the conclusions were complemented and compared with the feedback from interviewing 13 SE teachers from Spain and the UK about the reasons they believed caused the low uptake of robots in SE classrooms. Findings Five main reasons why SE schools do not normally use robots in their classrooms were identified: the inability to acquire the system due to its price or availability; its difficulty of use; the low range of activities offered; the limited ways of interaction offered; and the inability to use different robots with the same software. Originality/value Previous studies focussed on exploring the advantages of using robots to help children with autism spectrum conditions and learning disabilities. This study takes a step further and looks into the reasons why, despite the benefits shown, robots are rarely used in real-life settings after the relevant study ends. The authors also present a potential solution to the issues found: involving end users in the design and development of new systems using a user-centred design approach for all the components, including methods of interaction, learning activities and the most suitable type of robots.

The effectiveness of sensory integration intervention on the emotional-behavioral problems of children with autism spectrum disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghorban Hemati Alamdarloo ◽  
Hasan Mradi
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Sensory Integration ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Attention Problems ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Autism spectrum disorder is a kind of neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of sensory integration intervention on emotional-behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted in a pretest-posttest design with control group. The participants were 30 children with autism spectrum disorder (6–11 years old) who were selected through convenience sampling from among children with autism spectrum disorder in Zeinab center of Isfahan and were randomly divided into two groups of 15 subjects. The children of the experimental group received 14 sessions of sensory integration intervention while the control group did not receive this intervention. To measure emotional-behavioral problems, the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Second Edition was used. To analyze the data, ANCOVA and MANCOVA tests were used. Findings The results showed that sensory integration intervention improves emotional-behavioral problems and its subscales (hyperactivity, aggression, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, somatization, attention problems, learning difficulties, atypicality and withdrawal) in children with autism spectrum disorder. Research limitations/implications Therefore, it can be concluded that sensory integration intervention can be a suitable treatment for reducing sensory problems and improving emotional-behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder. Originality/value The study of the effect of sensory integration on emotional-behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder is necessary as a simple and non-side-effect educational and therapeutic method, both as a step to fill the research gap in this field, besides being a cheap and affordable way for improving the various skills of children with autism spectrum disorder for professionals, teachers, parents and educators.

The psychometric properties of the Iranian version of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in children with autism spectrum disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeid Bashirian ◽  
Ali Reza Soltanian ◽  
Mahdieh Seyedi ◽  
Salman Khazaei ◽  
Ensiyeh Jenabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Autism Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the validity of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in an Iranian population to determine its efficacy in identifying children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who parents have Persian-speaking parents. Design/methodology/approach A case–control study was performed in March until July 2020 in Hamadan city, Iran. The case group was children were examined by the clinicians used a coding scheme based on the DSM-IV criteria for ASD. The control group was all children in the family, including healthy siblings, were asked to participate in the study. The reliability, content and face validity were performed to assess the psychometric properties of the tool. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate the four-dimensional structure of the tool (Scores A, B, C and D). Statistical analysis was performed using AMOS for SPSS 21, and the statistical significant level was less than 0.05. Findings The quantitative content validity analysis revealed that the mean of content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) for all domains was 0.94 and 0.91, respectively. For CFA, four domains A, B, C and D were used and demonstrated a good fit (CFI = 0.92 and RMSEA = 0.06). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) in domains A, B (verbal), C and D were 100%. For domain B (non-verbal), the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 86.7%, 100%, 100% and 88.2%, respectively. Research limitations/implications This study showed that ADI-R has sufficient ability to discriminate between children with ASD and those with no psychiatric diagnosis, and it is a reliable tool in Iran. The sensitivity and specificity for correctly diagnosing ASD was high, regardless of the age and cognitive level of the examiner. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper on psychometric properties of ADI-R in children with ASD.

Enhancing the social networks of adults with ASD: a low level community intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy McConkey ◽  
Marie-Therese Cassin ◽  
Rosie McNaughton ◽  
Elaine Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to design and evaluate an innovative community-based service for adults with autism in a rural region of Northern Ireland. The goal was to reduce their social isolation through gaining social skills and building social networks. Design/methodology/approach Over three years, 54 persons with a median age of 21 years received 12 months of one-to-one, personalised support and opportunities to participate in peer groups and social activities which are detailed in the paper. Quantitative and qualitative information about the impact of the service was obtained from its users, their relatives, as well as service personnel. Findings Service users rated themselves to have changed in more ways than did their relatives and staff although there was a consensus that the changes were most marked in terms of spending more time out of the house, engaging in more community activities, being more independent and increased confidence. The main benefits they perceived from participation in the project were socialising, new experiences and learning new things. Research limitations/implications As with many service projects, a longer term follow-up of service users was not possible due to resource constraints. Practical implications The service could be replicated with suitable staff although current constraints on social care budgets have limited its expansion to more users and extension to other areas in Northern Ireland. Social implications Reducing the social isolation of adult persons with autism spectrum disorders needs to be personalised to the person, their living circumstances and the community in which they live. Family carers also stand to gain from community support services. Originality/value This low level, low cost service was implemented in a predominantly rural area with a majority of users from socially deprived areas.

Difficulties in spontaneously performing level 2 perspective-taking skills in children with autism spectrum disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-254
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Asaoka ◽  
Tomoya Takahashi ◽  
Jiafei Chen ◽  
Aya Fujiwara ◽  
Masataka Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Explicit Condition ◽  
Level 2 ◽  
Implicit Condition

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate why children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to respond to tasks from their own perspective. The authors investigated the effects of explicitness of viewpoint on performance of spontaneous level 2 perspective-taking skills in six- to eight-year-old children with ASD. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted visual perspective-taking tasks with explicit and implicit instructions about the viewpoint to be used. Participants operated a toy car on a map while listening to the experimenter’s instructions. In the implicit condition, when the experimenter said “Turn right/left” at each intersection, the participants moved the car accordingly. Subsequently, in the explicit condition, the experimenter said “Look from the driver’s viewpoint and turn right/left” at each intersection. Findings In the implicit condition, the authors did not observe a clear developmental change in performance between six- and eight-year-old children in the ASD group. In contrast, performance in the ASD group improved under the explicit condition relative to that under the implicit condition. Originality/value The results suggest six- to eight-year-old children with ASD tend not to spontaneously use level 2 perspective-taking skills. Therefore, viewpoints should be explicitly instructed to children with ASD. In addition, it is also important to implement training to encourage spontaneous transitions from self-perspective to other-perspective under the implicit condition.

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