Social Work Commons^™

Perspectives On Living Situations For Children With Classic Autism, Meghan Constantini

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this qualitative study was to interview parents of children with severe autism and professionals work in residential settings to understand their perspectives of living situations for children with severe autism. Challenging behaviors occur with more frequency and intensity in children with severe autism. Living situations have been shown to have a negative impact on behaviors and the quality of life of a child with autism, as a typical home setting can be over stimulating and overwhelming to children with autism due to the nature of their diagnosis. (Nasir & Tahir, 2012). Findings from previous research show that …

Visual Media And Asd: Impact On Social Interactions Of Adolescents, Audra J. Hanly

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

There’s a wealth of research that provides evidence of an association between visual media and behavior problems among typically developing children. However, no research was located that examines the association between these variables in adolescents with ASDs. This current study begins to fill this gap in literature while examining possible positive effects of visual media on social behavior through the following research question: What effect does visual media have on the social interactions of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders? The design of the present study was a cross-sectional, quantitative study in which twenty participants completed an online questionnaire.

The present …

The Experiences Of Families With A Child Diagnosed With Autism, Lauren M. Snyder

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This qualitative research study explored the experiences of families who have a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Surveys were sent out to families at a local agency, and seven parents responded. The survey investigated the impact of the child’s diagnosis on the parental relationship, stress levels, feelings of social support, and self-care techniques. The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of the experiences of these families with an autistic child, and to gain insight into where they need more support from professionals in the field. The content of the surveys was transcribed, coded, and …

Assessing Expressed Emotion Influences On Autistic Symptoms/Behaviors: A School Social Worker Perspective, Mackenzie R. Flaharty

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This research paper explores how components of Expressed Emotion (Critical Comments, Emotional Over-involvement, Warmth) experienced in the classroom are influencing student behavior and symptoms for students with Autism. Qualitative data was collected from one school social worker. This study confirms and builds upon previous research on Critical Comments and Warmth. Critical comments, especially when delivered by a staff member poorly, increased maladaptive behavior and decreased social interaction and communication. Warmth inversely decreased maladaptive behaviors while increasing communication and social interaction. Emotional Over-involvement was dependent upon the individual student and neither confirms or rejects previous research. Each member of the classroom …

Sibling Relationships With An Autistic Sibling, Lori M. Kaplan

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study was conducted to determine how typically developing siblings feel about their sibling with Autism or another related disorder. The methods used were a combination of quantitative data and qualitative interviews. The quantitative data consisted of basic demographic data about the family such as the parent’s marital status, household members, and the diagnosis of the Autistic child. The qualitative data consisted of interviews with one or two typical siblings from that family.

This study interviewed eight typical siblings from six different families with an Autistic child: two of the siblings were brothers and six were sisters of a child …

Behavior & Developmental Treatment Models For Autism Spectrum Disorders: Factors Guiding Clinician Preference And Perceptions, James E. Nee

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

1 in 88 children are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, a condition that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate and relate socially to other people, as well as cause a person to partake in repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. There are several interventions parents and professionals can utilize to remediate the three core deficits of Autism, however the theories behind what should be focused on in these treatment models are very different. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the factors that guide clinicians’ preferences and perceptions of a behavioral and developmental model as well as analyzed the interventions for autistic …

Parental Involvement In Early Intervention Programs For Children With Autism, Kaylee A. Nelson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Research shows that increased parental involvement has a positive impact on children with autism; however, there is a need for continued research pertaining to how their involvement improves and/or influences outcomes of their children with autism (Walker, Wilkins, Dallaire, Sandler, & Hoover-Dempsey, 2005). This study set out to investigate the ways in which parents of children (ages 2-7) with autism are involved in their children’s early intervention program(s) and how this involvement influences their child’s social skills and behavior. More specially, this study explored the association between parental involvement and the behavior and social skills of children with autism receiving …

Divorce Mediation And Its Impact On Children, Brianna L. Nelson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The percentage of children experiencing divorce in the United States and around the world has dramatically increased in the last fifty years and currently affects one million children every year. Divorce mediation can be helpful and beneficial for families when resolving emotional and familial conflict, which could decrease the negative effects divorce can have on children. This research aims to address the decision making process that mediators use when deciding to include children in the mediation process. A qualitative study was conducted, in which professional mediators were interviewed regarding the decision making process used to determine whether or not children …

Parental Involvement In Early Intervention Programs For Children With Autism, Alexis Bennett

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of mental health professionals and practitioners of parental involvement in early intervention programs for children with autism. Interviews were completed with eight mental health professionals and practitioners to better understand the importance of parental involvement, the role parents play within an early intervention program, and the impact parental involvement or lack there of can have on the child’s success developmentally and their success in the early intervention program. The objective of this study was to gain insight into mental health professionals and practitioners perceptions in order to learn ways for social workers and professionals …

Interventions For Multicultural Children With Autism, Stephanie Kitzhaber

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This qualitative study examined the interventions that are helpful when working with multicultural children who have autism and their families. Data was collected through five semi-structured interviews (n=5) with professionals who work with children who have autism, which included a variety of psychotherapists, social workers, mental health practitioners, and counselors. Grounded theory methods and open coding were used to analyze codes in the data to record common themes from the interviews. Themes found from this study were separated into five categories: language, importance of play, family education, gender roles, and stigma. Findings from this study were consistent with some of …

The Somali Community's Experiences With Autism: An Exploratory Study, Jessica Kuenzli

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Recent studies indicate that children of immigrants are up to four times more likely to have an autism diagnosis than the general population (Barnevik-Olsson, Gillbert, & Fernell, 2008). Emerging research demonstrates that Somali immigrants are one of the immigrant groups disproportionally affected by the condition (Minnesota Department of Health, 2009). The purpose of this study was to explore how the Somali community experiences and perceives the condition of autism. The study consisted of interviews with community professionals who work with Somali families affected by autism. The findings of this research indicate that autism is a new concept for many Somali …

Services For Adults With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Paul T. Shattuck, Anne M. Roux, Laura E. Hudson, Julie L. Taylor, Matthew J. Maenner, Jean-Francois Trani

Brown School Faculty Publications

Objective: The need for useful evidence about services is increasing as larger numbers of children identified with an autism spectrum disorder age toward adulthood. The objective of this review was to characterize the topical and methodological aspects of research on services for supporting success in work, education, and social participation among adults with an autism spectrum disorder and to propose recommendations for moving this area of research forward. Method: Review of literature published in English from 2000 to 2010.Results: We found that the evidence base about services for adults with an ASD is underdeveloped and can be considered a field …

A Comparison Of Teachers' Perspectives Of Social Competency Of Autistic Children In Inclusion And Self Contained Classrooms, Tara Noonan

Social Work Theses

Building relationships at the preschool level is a significant developmental milestone of early childhood. Children with disabilities often lack certain social and language skills necessary to build friendships with peers. While many preschool children with disabilities have difficulty building relationships, this study will concentrate on autistic children and their ability to achieve social competency. There are three classroom environments in which preschool children with autism can be educated: the self-contained classroom, the inclusion classroom, and home schooling. This qualitative study attempted to determine whether the self-contained classroom or the inclusive classroom promotes more social competency building in preschoolers with autism. …

The Geek Syndrome… A Study Of The Impact Of Asperger’S On The Family, Richelle H. Kramer

Culminating Projects in Social Work

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Asperger's Syndrome on the family. The study employed a qualitative research approach with a life story design. A purposeful sample of six families with children diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome/Autism (AS) was used. In most cases, both parental caregivers of the . identified biological or adopted children, consisting of five boys and one girl, were interviewed. The interview consisted of a free flowing conversation addressing the impact that Asperger's Syndrome has had on the family. The Care Giver Strain Tool was informally used as a guide to ensure all relevant …

Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Electric Training Modules, Jennifer Stuehrenberg

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The South Central Crisis Center is a State Operated Services mental health facility in Mankato, Minnesota. The center is designed to offer people suffering an acute mental health episode, such as suicidal thoughts, or who need a medication adjustment or other psychiatric services, up to a few days in a safe, secure environment. The center accepts referrals from law enforcement, county or health care professionals in these participating counties: Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Rice, Sibley and Watonwan. Recently, the program has been serving a larger amount of clients who have a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder …

The Mercury Connection: Autism And Childhood Vaccines, Sarah Rossi

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

A literature survey of government and private studies have found that Thimerosal not to be a cause of auism. The reliance on limited, flawed and outdated studies on the effect of ethyl-mercury suggest that more research is needed to understand the effects of ethyl-mercury and particularly Thimerosal. In the meantime efforts should be increased to remove Thimerosal from vaccines world-wide.