scholarly journals An Internet Based Intervention for Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder—A Qualitative Study of Participants Experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Britta Westerberg ◽  
Sofie Bäärnhielm ◽  
Clover Giles ◽  
Ulrika Hylén ◽  
Fredrik Holländare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Online Format ◽  
Internet Based Intervention

Background: Adults with autism spectrum disorder face several barriers to accessing evidence-based care, including difficulties in communicating needs, social anxiety or in traveling to a health care unit. In recent years, several forms of internet-based treatments have shown to be effective for a variety of psychiatric conditions. Internet-based treatment alternatives allow convenient and flexible formats, and therefore have the potential to increase access to health care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. However, knowledge about how internet-based treatment features may suit the needs of individuals with autism is limited. The aim of this study was to explore the participant experiences of an internet-based intervention for adults with autism spectrum disorder. The primary focus of the investigation was on autism-specific needs in relation to the features unique to the online format.Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 14 participants who had completed a text-based internet-based intervention for adults with autism spectrum disorder. We used an inductive approach and analyzed the data using qualitative content analysis.Results: Five main categories were identified: (1) implications of the online format, (2) the fixed non-individualized model, (3) therapist interaction, (4) interacting with other participants, and (5) making use of the treatment content. Overall, participants appreciated the availability and that they could work on their treatment independent of time or location. Among those participating in group-based chat-sessions with the other participants, it was considered a generally positive experience. Furthermore, most participants felt safe and relaxed in relation to the therapist and appreciated the text-based format. However, several participants felt that the format and content of the treatment was not sufficiently adapted to their individual life situation.Conclusion: In conclusion, this internet-based treatment constitutes an accessible and energy-saving treatment alternative for adults with autism. Further, integrating group-based components seems feasible in an otherwise individual internet-based treatment for individuals with autism. However, group-based components do require a clear purpose and rationale. Future studies should develop and evaluate treatment adaptations tailored to individual needs.

What Happened to Paul? Manifestation of Abnormal Pain Response for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1133-1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Goldschmidt
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Challenging Behaviors ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutrition Intervention ◽  
Pain Response ◽  
Delayed Response ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Health Care Need

During the progression of a pilot nutrition intervention designed to teach cooking skills to young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one participant—Paul—fell in the parking lot. Prior to the accident, Paul had been making significant gains in the program and had communicated in a number of ways his enthusiasm. After his accident, which resulted in broken and dislocated bones in his ankle, his demeanor was dramatically altered, program gains were lost, and staff noted the appearance of many new challenging behaviors. This article analyzes Paul’s behavior in reference to the pain response in autism. For some time, it was believed that many individuals with ASD did not experience pain based on anecdotal reports of how individuals responded to injury with seeming indifference. This view has given way of late to a more nuanced understanding of how atypical sensory processing and stimulus over-selectivity spill over into pain pathways and pain amplification mechanisms. The consequence is not a reduction in pain sensation, but a different expression of pain, determined by that individual’s particular communicative, cognitive, or physiological challenges. From this perspective, many of the disruptive and harmful behaviors that emerged after Paul’s accident can be seen as a delayed response to the incident. This article concludes by arguing that professionals across all domains of health care need to begin to see behavior as communicative for those with ASD. This is particularly true of changes in behavior, which can be significant indicators of health care problems rather than something to be dismissed as another manifestation of the condition.

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