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Articles 1 - 30 of 49
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Lived Experiences Of Young Adults Raised With A Sibling With Autism, Lamika Demitris Thomas
Lived Experiences Of Young Adults Raised With A Sibling With Autism, Lamika Demitris Thomas
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
When a child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the family structure is affected. Although researchers have documented increased stress and depression among parents of children with ASD, they have not adequately explored siblings’ perspectives on the emotional, physical, and/or psychological implications of having a brother or sister with ASD. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore siblings’ lived experiences of growing up in a household with a sibling with ASD. The conceptual framework for this study was grounded in the siblings embedded systems framework (SESF), which helps contextualize siblings’ experiences, including interacting factors, and how these experiences …
Parent Perspectives On How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Their Children, Desiree Marie Vanderlick
Parent Perspectives On How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Their Children, Desiree Marie Vanderlick
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Autism is a disorder that is characterized by struggles with socialization anddevelopmental delays that often involve much guidance and support. The purpose of this study was to explain the experience of parents as they attempted to manage behaviors related to symptoms of autism during the worldwide quarantine prompted by COVID-19. This study aimed to close the gap in literature and explore to see if there were any concerns that could be addressed by future studies. The study was framed around Bowen’s theory, which addresses emotions within a family unit, and the interdependence theory, which addresses how humans thrive to be …
Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Autism-Related Services For Their Autistic Children In Rural Communities, Brandi J. Treadway
Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Autism-Related Services For Their Autistic Children In Rural Communities, Brandi J. Treadway
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This study aimed to address the gap in the literature related to understanding African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the available services provided to their children diagnosed with autism living in rural communities. The theoretical framework used for this study is the racial formation theory as a lens for completing this study. The research question explored African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of autism-related services provided to their children with autism in rural communities. The research design chosen for this study is a generic qualitative design using semi-structured interviews for data collection from 10 African American mothers …
Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Autism-Related Services For Their Autistic Children In Rural Communities, Brandi J. Treadway
Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Autism-Related Services For Their Autistic Children In Rural Communities, Brandi J. Treadway
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This study aimed to address the gap in the literature related to understanding African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the available services provided to their children diagnosed with autism living in rural communities. The theoretical framework used for this study is the racial formation theory as a lens for completing this study. The research question explored African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of autism-related services provided to their children with autism in rural communities. The research design chosen for this study is a generic qualitative design using semi-structured interviews for data collection from 10 African American mothers …
Help-Seeking And Stigma Experienced By Arab American Immigrant Parents Of Children With Autism, April Demasters
Help-Seeking And Stigma Experienced By Arab American Immigrant Parents Of Children With Autism, April Demasters
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Because of cultural and religious norms and associated stigma, some parents of a child with a mental illness or developmental disorder are hesitant to seek help for their child. The purpose of the study is to better understand how religious and ethnic culture reinforces stigma and its impact on a parent’s decision to seek help. This phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with Muslim Arab American immigrant parents, including first and second generations, in the United States who had a child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within the last 15 years. Semistructured interviews were conducted to gather data exploring …
Exploring Goal Setting And Motivational Experiences For Adult Workers With Autism, Daniel Ball
Exploring Goal Setting And Motivational Experiences For Adult Workers With Autism, Daniel Ball
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractWhile the heterogeneity of autism for adults has been much more accepted over the past 40 years, research still has a broad gap to fill as there is scarce empirical evidence on how interventions, such as motivational tactics, need to be adapted to meet individual abilities and needs. Also, the number of workers entering the workforce each year is growing as a ratio. It is posited by various authors that one in 52 people are now diagnosed as having the disorder and this number has doubled over the past decade. Furthermore, 80% of this population is underemployed or unemployed, representing …
Implementing Music Therapy Into Behavioral Healthcare To Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder, Arthur George Scott
Implementing Music Therapy Into Behavioral Healthcare To Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder, Arthur George Scott
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractThis study explored how best to implement Music Therapy (MT) in any hospital setting when working with autistic children, teenagers, and adults. Baldrige’s theory and concepts were used as a benchmark to facilitate all findings through the research conducted. Multiple factors affect the workforce and the existing staff at a large medical facility in the Western United States. The methodology employed included interviews with two behavioral health leaders using structured questions. This was an ideal research setting given that over fifty providers, including doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists, who work daily with the ASD population. Key findings included MT treatments at …
Exploring Goal Setting And Motivational Experiences For Adult Workers With Autism, Daniel Ball
Exploring Goal Setting And Motivational Experiences For Adult Workers With Autism, Daniel Ball
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractWhile the heterogeneity of autism for adults has been much more accepted over the past 40 years, research still has a broad gap to fill as there is scarce empirical evidence on how interventions, such as motivational tactics, need to be adapted to meet individual abilities and needs. Also, the number of workers entering the workforce each year is growing as a ratio. It is posited by various authors that one in 52 people are now diagnosed as having the disorder and this number has doubled over the past decade. Furthermore, 80% of this population is underemployed or unemployed, representing …
Parent Perspectives On How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Their Children, Desiree Marie Vanderlick
Parent Perspectives On How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Their Children, Desiree Marie Vanderlick
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Autism is a disorder that is characterized by struggles with socialization anddevelopmental delays that often involve much guidance and support. The purpose of this study was to explain the experience of parents as they attempted to manage behaviors related to symptoms of autism during the worldwide quarantine prompted by COVID-19. This study aimed to close the gap in literature and explore to see if there were any concerns that could be addressed by future studies. The study was framed around Bowen’s theory, which addresses emotions within a family unit, and the interdependence theory, which addresses how humans thrive to be …
Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And The Impact Of Environment On Treatment Outcomes, James Adkins
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) effects growing numbers of children and effective treatment is essential for families to overcome the challenges associated with ASD. Applied behavior analysis treatment has been tailored to address the unique learning needs of children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which treatment environment impacted language milestones and barriers among children with ASD. Behaviorism and applied behavior analysis served as the framework for the study. A nonexperimental quantitative mixed design with two independent variables was used. The between-subjects independent variable was type of treatment environment (home vs. clinic). The within-subjects …
Effects Of Superflex Curriculum On Social Skills Of Children With Autism, Charli Elaine Doyle
Effects Of Superflex Curriculum On Social Skills Of Children With Autism, Charli Elaine Doyle
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is considered an applied science under the umbrella of behavior analysis and was accepted into the mainstream science in the mid-1900s. An increase in the prevalence of autism gave rise to the need for evidence-based social skills curricula. Previous research indicated many children respond well to video modeling and positive reinforcement. However, literature on social curricula for children aged 7 to 10 years in a clinical setting versus a school setting was limited. The purpose of this quantitative study with a single-subject design was to examine the effectiveness of Superflex, a superhero social thinking curriculum, on …
Stimulus Pairing To Condition Novel Reinforcers For Bermudian Participants With Autism, Jahnae Harvey
Stimulus Pairing To Condition Novel Reinforcers For Bermudian Participants With Autism, Jahnae Harvey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Reinforcement is crucial to an individual’s quality of life and acquisition/maintenance of novel skills, but a limited bank of reinforcers could lead to a reduction in engagement with pre-established reinforcers, reducing the motivational strength to contrive teaching opportunities, and increase maladaptive behaviors, self-stimulatory behaviors, or idle time. Though the stimulus-stimulus paring (SSP) method has been effective in establishing novel reinforcers for individuals who are diagnosed with autism, there is a gap in the literature on cross-cultural variations seen among responses when using SSP. This study was conducted to determine the generalizability of the effect when using the method of SSP …
Exploration Of The Cultural Perspectives Of Caregivers Of African American And African Children With Delayed Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Deirdre Marie Johnson-Taylor
Exploration Of The Cultural Perspectives Of Caregivers Of African American And African Children With Delayed Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Deirdre Marie Johnson-Taylor
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractThrough the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory, the purpose of the study was to explore African American and African caregivers’ perceptions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), child development knowledge, religious/traditional beliefs, and fear of stigma within the context of their culture. African and African American children with ASD are identified at later ages than Caucasian children by 1 1/2 to 2 years. Disparities in educational and social outcomes of African and African American children with ASD may be related to this identification delay. Current literature regarding African and African American caregivers’ perceptions of children with ASD is sparse. An ethnographic …
General Education Elementary Teacher Competencies And Training In Teaching Children With Autism In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Merle Merinda Elizabeth Durand
General Education Elementary Teacher Competencies And Training In Teaching Children With Autism In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Merle Merinda Elizabeth Durand
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The number of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing. The overall problem in this study focused on showing how a lack of teacher training in ASD-specific courses could result in a lack of competencies in meeting the educational needs of children with autism in an inclusive setting. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine if a difference exists in four teaching competencies among general education elementary teachers teaching children with autism in the general education classroom in the U.S. Virgin Islands based training. The theoretical framework was grounded in Medley’s teaching competence theory …
The Use Of Appraisal By Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Denise Victoria Wright
The Use Of Appraisal By Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Denise Victoria Wright
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1% of the world population and places caregivers at an increased risk of stress. Researchers have begun to explore coping mechanisms such as appraisal to understand how parents and caregivers of people with ASD cope with parental stress, but their results have been inconsistent. There was a gap in existing literature regarding the influence of ASD symptoms on the relationship between use of appraisal (reframing negative concepts into a more favorable light), and parental stress. The ABCX model of family adaptation was used to understand how coping skills might protect …
Exposure Response Prevention For Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism And Social Anxiety, Elisha Jones
Exposure Response Prevention For Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism And Social Anxiety, Elisha Jones
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Anxiety disorders are the most common comorbid mental health condition seen in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. This study was an exploration of the benefits of exposure and response prevention (ERP) for high-functioning adolescents with autism and comorbid social anxiety. The research problem was the lack of qualitative description of trained clinicians’ experiences of ERP delivery to high-functioning adolescents with autism and social anxiety. Data for this study were collected through semi structured interviews with six ERP clinicians who had experience in practicing ERP with this population. Analysis of the data revealed the following four core themes: (a) professional recommendations for …
Lived Experiences Of Parents With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Transitioning To Adulthood, Jane Havens
Lived Experiences Of Parents With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Transitioning To Adulthood, Jane Havens
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractCurrently, there is little known about the parent experiences of transitioning their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to adulthood from a qualitative perspective. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore parents’ lived experiences as their ASD children transition to adulthood. This study was grounded in symbolic interactionism, which includes tenets of how interactions with others provide a catalyst for meaning development and subsequent human action. A phenomenological design was used with a purposeful sample of 10 parents of children with ASD transitioning to adulthood. Interviews were conducted through phone calls to explore participant perspectives transitioning their …
Treatment Efficacy Of Parent-Led Aba For Children With Autism And Their Parents, Lindsey Renee Sneed
Treatment Efficacy Of Parent-Led Aba For Children With Autism And Their Parents, Lindsey Renee Sneed
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Autism spectrum disorder is a complex and heterogenous, neurodevelopmental disorder. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a common treatment modality for children with autism with marked improvements demonstrated in communication, social, and adaptive functioning. The most common implementation of ABA is a practitioner-led model, whereby a paraprofessional directly implements treatment with the oversight of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. Parent mediated treatments are another model proving to be efficacious for children with autism and their parents. While this model is applied in therapeutic treatments such as speech pathology, early intervention, and other behavioral approaches (e.g., ESDM, PRT), parent mediated treatment has …
Experience Of Parents Receiving In-Home Behavioral Treatment For Their Child With Autism, Gerald Lavarias
Experience Of Parents Receiving In-Home Behavioral Treatment For Their Child With Autism, Gerald Lavarias
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment has well-documented results and is widely recommended for children with autism. Since 1987, parents have sought and implemented ABA treatment in their homes for their children with autism. However, research on parents’ lived experiences with in-home ABA treatment is limited. As such, there is a need to study the impact and influence of ABA treatment on parents’ quality of life (e.g., challenges, scheduling, parenting). This qualitative study explored parents’ lived experiences while their children with autism received in-home ABA treatment. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of 5 parent participants who …
Cultural Appropriateness Of The Modified Checklist For Autism For Screening Autism In Ghana, Eric Amoako Darquah
Cultural Appropriateness Of The Modified Checklist For Autism For Screening Autism In Ghana, Eric Amoako Darquah
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in toddlers. The prevalence of this disorder continues to increase, necessitating an early screening tool to support early diagnosis and intervention. Although the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised (M-CHAT-R) has been cross-culturally effective for screening ASD, little research has been done on early screening for ASD characteristics in Ghana. In the current study, the M-CHAT-R was completed by parents (N = 90) of ASD and non-ASD children between the ages of 16 to 60 months at selected special schools and hospitals in Ghana to determine its sensitivity and specificity to …
College Students And Their Decisions To Disclose Disabilities, Matthew A. Christian
College Students And Their Decisions To Disclose Disabilities, Matthew A. Christian
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Legislation in the United States mandates support services to assist students with disabilities in postsecondary settings, and research literature includes legislation and case law dealing with access rights to higher education and studies in areas of transitioning to postsecondary settings, including perceptions of support services and barriers to attainment. Yet, the processes that require students to divulge increasingly personal information related to their disabilities can discourage the students who need services. There is a gap in research and practice concerning the factors leading these students to decide to disclose; therefore, the purpose of this narrative inquiry was to explore the …
Efficacy, Risks, And Ethics Of Aversive Or Positive Therapy In Identical Twins, Jacqueline Salerno
Efficacy, Risks, And Ethics Of Aversive Or Positive Therapy In Identical Twins, Jacqueline Salerno
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Aversion therapy has reemerged as a treatment for self-injurious behavior (SIB) but remains unpopular, as it is perceived to be unethical. The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to investigate the effectiveness of positive therapy and aversion therapy in the treatment of twins with SIB as well as to understand the lived experiences of their caretakers regarding treatment ethics. The frameworks used included classical and operant conditioning as well as utilitarian ethics theory. Quantitative research questions focused on changes in SIB, aggressive and prosocial behaviors with treatment, while the qualitative research question focused on the perceptions of caretakers …
The Experience Of Parents Of Children With Autism Participating In Aba Treatment, Monica Labrie
The Experience Of Parents Of Children With Autism Participating In Aba Treatment, Monica Labrie
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Having a child with autism results in a unique set of challenges for both parents and siblings. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has significant empirical support demonstrating its effectiveness as a treatment for children with autism. However, effective behavioral interventions should also consider how the family is affected. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 8 parents of children with autism who have received ABA treatment and their perceptions of how the family system is impacted by ABA outcomes, specifically focusing on parental well-being and sibling relationship quality. A family systems theoretical framework and phenomenological …
African American Fathers Raising An Autistic Child, Shannon Latoya Burns-Darden
African American Fathers Raising An Autistic Child, Shannon Latoya Burns-Darden
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Parents of a child diagnosed with autism have a high risk for physical and emotional stress with mental health difficulties. Little research exists regarding fathers with an autistic child, and less information exists on African American fathers who struggle with coping and finding appropriate interventions and resources for raising an autistic child. The purpose of this interpretative, phenomenological study was to analyze the lived experiences of 12 African American fathers raising their child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This study's theoretical lens was Bowen's family systems theory. The data from this study consisted of 12 interviews with African American fathers …
The Impact Of Peer-Mediated Video Modeling On Social Interactions Of Adolescent Males Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cheryl Marie Botting-Hammack
The Impact Of Peer-Mediated Video Modeling On Social Interactions Of Adolescent Males Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cheryl Marie Botting-Hammack
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Individuals with ASD demonstrate deficits in social communication and social interaction. Video modeling (VM) has been successful in teaching new skills through short, targeted videos. Prior research in VM heavily focused on academic settings with primary age children. There is a gap in the literature on teaching social skills in natural settings to adolescents with ASD. The current research used a single- subject, multiple-baseline design to examine the impact of VM on the social behaviors of adolescent males, diagnosed with ASD, in natural social settings. The data were acquired from a developmental disability agency licensed and authorized by the Idaho …
Parent Stress Adaptation Among Caregivers Of Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Victoria M. Ambrus
Parent Stress Adaptation Among Caregivers Of Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Victoria M. Ambrus
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This study was a nonexperimental correlational study that took a strengths-based approach and utilized family systems theories to examine parenting stress, as measured by the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, and posttraumatic growth (PTG), as measured by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the relationship between the two constructs. The study was conducted with a national sample of 136 maternal caregivers of transition-age youth on the autism spectrum (ASD), ages 14 to 22 years, recruited through social media, flyers, and referrals. Participants were primarily biological mothers (83.9%), White (87.5%), and resided in the South (68.4%); the mean age of the adolescent with …
Caregivers' Challenges In Accessing Services For Children With Autism, Anita Payne Jones
Caregivers' Challenges In Accessing Services For Children With Autism, Anita Payne Jones
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The perspective of the caregiver is vital to understanding the experiences of raising a child with autism, including the challenges faced in accessing services. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of primary caregivers raising a school-age child with autism and to bring about an understanding of the challenges faced in accessing services. Resiliency theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 participants raising a child with autism in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Data were analyzed using Moustakas's descriptive approach. Results yielded 5 themes: overall …
Problem Behavior Of A Child With Autism And Problem Behavior Of A Typically-Developing Sibling Moderated By Maternal Parenting Stress, Jennifer Torchetti
Problem Behavior Of A Child With Autism And Problem Behavior Of A Typically-Developing Sibling Moderated By Maternal Parenting Stress, Jennifer Torchetti
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Drawing on Bowen's family systems theory, this study was designed to fill a gap in research regarding how raising a child with autism impacts the systemic functioning of a family unit, and provide evidence of the need for more comprehensive resources and support for families of children with autism. In this study, families of children with autism were invited to complete the Parenting Stress Index and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. These measures were used to determine the relationship between the level of problem behavior of a child with autism and the level of problem behavior of a typically-developing sibling …
Beliefs Influencing Hiring Agents' Selection Of Qualified Autistic Candidates, Angela Marie Mai
Beliefs Influencing Hiring Agents' Selection Of Qualified Autistic Candidates, Angela Marie Mai
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Qualified and capable working age autistics face an 83% unemployment rate, thus, straining the economy and deteriorating their quality of life. This research examines potential contributing factors by inquiring what hiring agents' beliefs may be influencing their selection of qualified autistic candidates. This quantitatively weighted, concurrent, mixed methods (QUAN > qual), multiple linear regression study measured the influence of hiring agents' control, normative, and behavioral beliefs upon their selection of qualified autistic candidates. Through the theoretical lens of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, conceptually crystallized with other validated theories; a representative, simple, random probability sample of hiring agents throughout the contiguous …
Accessibility To Health Care Services For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Leanne Elizabeth Scalli
Accessibility To Health Care Services For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Leanne Elizabeth Scalli
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The study was an investigation into health care accessibility for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following the transition to a private Medicaid system in the state of Florida. Pilot studies of managed Medicaid programs focused on costs and did not address how changes to the system impacted access to health care services. There were limited studies designed to understand how a change in the system, such as a privatization, would affect vulnerable populations such as young children with ASD. Additional concerns existed for children that were historically underserved by the health care system such as African American and Latino …