Understanding the secondary system of therapeutic alliance in autism interventions from the perspectives of parents and caregivers

This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design in understanding the secondary system of therapeutic alliance from the perspectives of parents and caregivers of children with autism. In the quantitative phase, data from the accomplished questionnaires of 124 parent–caregiver dyads were collected and analyzed. Four factors extracted from the literature: treatment attitude, treatment compliance, level of stress, and perceived autism severity were examined as possible predictors of parent–therapist alliance, caregiver–therapist alliance, and parent–caregiver alliance. In the qualitative phase, eight parent–caregiver dyads (who both scored high in their alliance with therapist, alliance with each other, treatment attitude, treatment compliance, and level of stress) were interviewed to probe on their experiences of alliance-building, parenting, and caregiving. The integration of both quantitative and qualitative data led to the formulation of a conceptual framework that explains how the factors influence the secondary system of therapeutic alliance. These findings emphasize that tapping into the personal experiences of parents and caregivers can help in identifying what they value in a working, therapeutic relationship. Moreover, communication, skills training, and feedback among therapists, parents, and caregivers are essential to enhance positive attitude toward treatment, promote compliance to treatment recommendations, and address sources of personal stress. Nevertheless, this study calls for future studies to build into the factors associated with the systemic therapeutic alliance and to implement intervention programs that may target issues relating to attitude toward treatment, compliance to treatment, and experience of parental and caregiver stress.

Robotics Applications in the Training of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Children with autism spectrum disorders encounter many difficulties in their social interactions with other people. Impairments in verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as repetitive and stereotypical behaviors, are some of the most common characteristics of this disorder. Along with other treatments and methods, the use of robotics is a relatively new and promising field, which can be implemented in most classrooms. Socially assistive robotics (SAR) is a subcategory of robotic technology that emanated from social robotics and assistive robotics. SAR can be used to enhance literacy skills, social communication, adaptive behaviors, and emotion recognition. In this chapter, the authors discuss some of the most popular robotic tools used in autism interventions for school-aged children, as well as ways to implement robotic partners in inclusive settings.

Scoping Review of Interventions for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries

Although an increased number of autism interventions have been introduced from high-income countries (HICs) to low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), research exists to show that interventions validated as effective in HICs are not equally effective in LMICs. The lack of an overview of autism interventions from LMICs presents a knowledge barrier to well-informed implementation of autism interventions in LMICs’ contexts. This scoping review sought to answer: (a) what autism interventions have been reported in LMICs? and (b) how those interventions were adopted to tailor LMICs’ contexts? Twenty intervention studies were included for review. Results revealed that 12 of 20 interventions were originally developed in HICs. The interventions reported across LMICs presented a recognizable profile similar to those in HICs concerning (a) the dominance of mothers’ involvement in parent-implemented interventions, (b) a preponderance of social communication and behavioral interventions, and (c) the use of prevalent standardized measures developed in the HICs. The included interventions were delivered across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe with various degrees of adaptions made in (a) intervention content and context, (b) assessment of participant eligibility, and (c) outcome measures. Implications for capacity building in autism interventions across LMICs, were discussed thereafter.

Helping autistic children

Autism is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental condition, with prevalence estimated at 1 in 100 people worldwide (Elsabbagh et al., 2012). Autism is diagnosed by behavioural presentation, and although there is substantial variability both within autistic people across the lifespan, and between autistic individuals, a set of core diagnostic criteria are relied on by clinicians. These criteria are broadly categorised in two ways: (1) distinctive patterns of social communication and interactions with others, and (2) restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests (American Psychiatric Association, APA, 2013) (for a comprehensive overview of the current autism research, see: Fletcher-Watson & Happé, 2019).Given the emphasis on social and communication difficulties in the diagnostic criteria of autism, and the pivotal role they play in development generally, these domains are commonly key targets for autism interventions. Here, we first provide an overview of different types of traditional social interventions and evaluate their effectiveness and validity. We also present some of the possible risks associated with such interventions, and suggest a number of means for autistic children to develop social and communication capacities on their own terms, in both family and educational settings. We end by considering some other factors essential for understanding the social development of autistic children in context and informing development and delivery of supports.

The Use of Analog and Digital Games for Autism Interventions

Many interventions that target improvements in social communication and other cognitive, learning, and physical issues have been developed to help autistic people. The gamification of interventions offers an alternative approach to fostering and assessing desired behaviors and cognitions in a more naturalistic and emergent setting. In this scoping review aimed at educators, practitioners, and parents of those with autism, we detail studies that have tested game-based approaches to improving the lives of autistic children, adolescents, and adults, focusing on how research into gamification and autism can both progress and can be progressed and implemented. We offer parents, professionals and academics resources to incorporate game-based psycho-educational programs into their current practice.

CHARACTERISTIC OF PARENTS’S ACCEPTANCE IN GETTING CHILD DIAGNOSIS AS AUTISM

Background: Autism is a child development disorder which usually late in case finding and intervention. It used to done in 30 month old of child. In Dr. Saiful Anwar Malang Regional Hospital, it was found that the average of case finding in 48 month of child. This study aims to determine how the acceptance of parents while getting diagnosis of their child and their action to give their child autism intervention. Method: This study used a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach. Data colleted by in-depth interviews with 6 informants. Data analysis used Collaizi's (1978) Nine Steps method. Results: Most informants were late in recognizing the symptoms of autism in children, but they had a positive perception of the received diagnosis. All informants have felt bad feelings due to the diagnosis received, but have had coping methods for these feelings and have given autism interventions to children. Factors that influence parental acceptance include the level of education, knowledge, age, occupation, household harmony, social support, economic conditions, ethnicity, interaction between informants and experts, the clarity of symptoms shown by the child and the presence of siblings. Conclusion: Parental acceptance is a process from refusing, getting angry, bargaining, to accepting. In the process of being accepted, parents continue to make efforts to save children

The effect of music therapy on children with autism as a therapeutic intervention

Objective: The global incidence of autism has rised up. It can appear the importance of interventions and family struggles, because music is attractive for children we can use it as an effective intervention. The goal of this article is a review of the ASD children problems and interventions and the music effects for treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Finally, since music is always accessible and the human body utilizes it on a daily basis, we can use music as a complementary method in occupational therapy. Materials & Methods: Comprehensive electronic search of keywords "music therapy", "autism interventions" and "vagus nerve stimulation" was done in international electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Google Books between 2000 and 2021. In the first part of the search, based on the considered keywords, 30,446 articles were obtained. After reviewing the abstracts of articles, 30,405 articles were discarded due to lack of entry criteria, and finally 41 articles were selected. Among these, 30 articles focused on autism and its interventions and another 11 articles focused on the vagus nerve. Results: children with autism have lots of problems in different aspects and communicate with them is not like normal children. One best way to break this barrier is music. According to Physics, music is placed in energy spectrum as one part of sounds and volumes, which can affect on our body energy. On the other side the rhythmical and compositionality feature of music reinforce this consequence. Due to these features, music is more popular and we can utilize it for children with autism, who don't have enough eye contact and communication. We often use music in our daily lives, for example, from ringing the doorbell to using the phone or waiting in the elevator to reach the desired floor and etc. it is one common and available supplementary way that we can use it for treating beside the other methods. The music plays an important role in activation of Parasympathetic Nervous System via the vagus nerve stimulation. The vagus nerve is a tenth nerve of twelve pairs cerebral nerves. The tenth nerve is one of the most important nerves which originates from the brain and is responsible for innervating face, thorax, abdomen and etc. It is a motor sensory nerve. The vagus nerve is also involved in the Parasympathetic Nervous System. The parasympathetic nerves have a great effect on the relaxation of the body. Vagus nerve has two sensory ganglia that transmits sensory impulses: the superior and the inferior ganglia, by which we can affect on parasympathetic nerves for improvement. Generally these ganglions innervates different part of body such as: ear (where the most stimulations happen in this place) , larynx, heart, pulmonary system, abdomen and abdominal viscera. Because of this innervation vagus nerve stimulation can change the activity of pulmonary system, heart, abdomen, intestine and etc. and contributes to relaxation. The music stimulates the vagus receptors of the ear. Conclusion: Since music is an accessible and attractive resource, it can be used as a complementary method along with medication and other methods, due to which the connection with the child with autism is established and under the shadow of relaxation, learning and more concentration is provided. Keywords: Music Therapy, autism interventions, Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Edutainment pedagogies in education, a textual analysis.

Edutainment shows promise as an alternative and complementary pedagogy, in autistic education, in this paper we evaluate a textual analysis of a movie Inner Healing on the edutainment and infotainment Fire Stick ++ terminal, also serving as a dock station to student keyboards and laptops, the textual analysis of this important media, in education proves the neurodiversity viewpoint in the indigenous healing diaspora, proving autism as transcending a minority culture in a viewpoint of a gift and hence a strength with the acceptance of the whole, the diversity of the self in meltdowns, irrationality, rage and anger, all as part of a gift and an acceptance of oneself, the inner healing. This edutainment is a broad deviation from current western thought streams in autism interventions as proves the holistic and alternative viewpoints.