Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Interprofessional Education Among Health Care Professionals In The Care Of Autistic Children During The Last Two Decades (2001 To 2020): A Systematic Review Protocol, Sunitha Solomon Nagelli Ms., Sushmitha Karkada Dr., Ravishankar N Dr.

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder requires management from multiple health professionals at various settings during the course of treatment. Interprofessional collaborative practice has been identified as one of the promising methods of care for an all-round healthcare management.

Objective: Collate empirical evidence on interprofessional education among healthcare professionals in providing care for children with autism

Method: Search will be conducted from five databases against the selected criteria. Review will be restricted to studies in English between 2001 to 2020 only. Two independent reviewers will scrutinize the abstract and title, and every study document retrieved will be investigated as …

Virtual Education Implementation For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Monika Sinha-Bhamra

Doctor of Philosophy in Translational Health Sciences Dissertations

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread school closures in the Washington DC metropolitan region, necessitating a shift from traditional in-person education to virtual platforms. The context was significantly influenced by the evolving pandemic and its impact on the region's COVID-19 positive rates, with the Washington DC region facing some of the highest positive rates in 2020. These escalating positive rates posed substantial challenges to planning and implementing in-person learning, primarily driven by concerns for public health and safety. The region's persistently low percentages of in-person learning made it one of the worst in the country regarding the provision of …

Improving Diagnostic Outcomes For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Within The Hispanic Community In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Bethany Waddey

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite the importance of early identification and intervention of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Hispanic children are significantly under-diagnosed with ASD in comparison to non-Hispanic, white children due to barriers to ASD identification in this population. The purpose of this research is to determine the levels of ASD knowledge in the Hispanic community in Bowling Green, the barriers that may contribute to why ASD is underdiagnosed in Hispanic children, and how to mitigate these barriers. This research analyzes the results of a survey, called the “Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale- General Population Version”, administered to 51 participants from the Hispanic population of …

Tabletop Role-Playing Games As Autism Psychotherapy: A Video-Cued Multivocal Clinical Ethnography, Adina Rubin-Budick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study is a video-cued multivocal ethnography that analyzed the clinical reasoning and perspectives of psychotherapists using Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPG) as a therapeutic treatment for children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum conditions. With a growing number of TRPG therapists nationwide using this modality in their clinical practices, this study aimed to develop a clearer understanding of the ways in which their therapeutic orientation, gaming practices, and knowledge of Autism Spectrum Conditions informs their use of TRPG psychotherapy with Autistic clients.

Research that focuses on clinical decision-making and the knowledge that informs clinical interventions and technique generally refers …

Autism: A Case Report, Sunitha Solomon-Calvin Ms., Anice George Dr.

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Autism, otherwise identified under the DSM 5 Diagnostic and Statistical Classification as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental genetic developmental disorder among children, which can affect the social communication, changes in sensory aspects and repetitive, ritualistic patterns of behaviour. The present report describes a case study of a child who was diagnosed with autism. The report follows the child’s history from birth till diagnosis and explores the challenges faced by the child and parents to obtain necessary care for the child during the current pandemic situation in an attempt to raise awareness regarding the condition among health professionals.

The Perception And Strategies Of Building Rapport With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Via Telepractice, Anna Cathryn Wall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telepractice is a growing method in providing services in the profession of Speech-Language Pathology. One question with this growing method is, how do we build rapport when using telepractice? In this study, we intended to find what pediatric SLPs' perceptions and strategies of building rapport via telepractice is with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ages 5-12, and children’s age was considered as an influential factor. While previous studies have focused on perceptions, we wanted to know what SLPs are doing in order to build rapport with their clients when using telepractice. We reached out to 223 SLPs and there …

A Case Study Investigating Therapy Methods Used By Speech Language Pathologists Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Julia Byers Van Volkenburg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study was an in-depth examination of the experiences of five speech language pathologists (SLPs) working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during language therapy sessions. This case study aimed to better understand the various therapy techniques being used by the SLPs through interviews and a reflective journal kept by the researcher. It also sought to examine the ways those therapy techniques may have included creative dramatics. Through thematic analysis, major and minor themes emerged from the interviews. The main theme of the study was the importance of individualizing therapy for students with ASD. Individualizing therapy was supported by …

Rhythm And Safety Of Social Engagement: Polyvagal Theory Informed Dance/Movement Therapy, Suzanne Weare

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The polyvagal theory has exerted great influence on the field of clinical therapy since the 1990s by proposing an understanding of the psychological expression seen in clients as a reflection of their physiological state of safety or threat of danger. When affect and psychological states are viewed through the lens of the autonomic nervous system directed by neuroception through bidirectional vagal nerve information, therapeutic presence and somatic therapy practices, such as those utilized in the field of dance/movement therapy, become more conceivable as best practices to treat a variety of psychological conditions to include trauma recovery, autism spectrum disorders, and …

The Relationship Between Narrative Proficiency And Syntactic Complexity Of Spontaneously Generated Stories Elicited From Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Megan Israelsen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a narrative program designed to increase narrative language proficiency was associated with improved syntactic complexity for 5, school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Method: A multiple-baseline across participants design was employed. Children participated in a narrative intervention for 45 minutes, twice weekly for a period of time ranging from 19 to 33 sessions. Spontaneously generated narratives were collected after every other intervention session and analyzed for narrative and syntactic complexity.

Results: Results indicated that during baseline, three of the student’s spontaneous stories contained syntactically complex utterances that were comparable …

Increasing Awareness Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Law Enforcement In Hispanic Communities, Annette M. Cano

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to study autism awareness amongst law enforcement officers (LEO) and first responders (FR) serving the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). A 17-question survey was conducted to collect demographic data, knowledge, and level of training that officers and responders have when serving individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Tuned In: An Investigation Of The Use Of Group Amplification Systems For Students, Including Those On The Autism Spectrum, In First Grade Mainstream Classrooms, Emily Velichka

Senior Independent Study Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the academic benefits and challenges, if any, of utilizing a group amplification system in first-grade mainstream classrooms. More specifically, this study measured the influence of a group amplification system throughout language-based tasks, such as spelling accuracy. A total of 33 first-grade students, including two students reportedly diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), participated in the study, with 17 students in Classroom A and 16 students in Classroom B. This study’s experimental procedures included a spelling pretest, two intervention activities, and a spelling posttest, administered over the course of four days. The …

Relationships Between Complex Pediatric Health Conditions And The Built, Physical And Social Environments, Brittany Corley

Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between human health and the environment is complex and overall poorly understood. The environment has a lasting impact on health, and the processes appear to start at conception. Thus, this dissertation examines the potential relationship between pediatric health and the environment.

The first relationship examined was between the built environment and comorbid Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many publications have reported the relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage, Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, the link between the built environment and Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder symptom severity is poorly understood. …

Challenges To Augmentative And Alternative Communication Interventions With Autism Spectrum Disorder Students, Kristy Jane Singer-Macnair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have challenges with communication, social interactions, and behavior, which can limit their functioning in school settings. They need to have functional communication skills to access the curriculum and have their needs met across all social environments. Special education teachers often experience barriers to successful implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions appropriate for these students. The purpose of this case study was to understand how special education teachers experience AAC intervention processes, and illuminate the conditions for effective AAC implementation. A qualitative case study was conducted using interviews from 6 credentialed special education …

The Success Of An Aided Language Stimulation Training Video For Communication Partners Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Hannah Peterson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Aided language stimulation (ALS) is an effective intervention method for nonverbal children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) learning to use an augmentative-alternative communication system to communicate with others. Communication partners can use ALS to stimulate the use of the augmentative alternative communication (AAC) system. The purpose of this paper is to develop a research study that will be completed in the future to determine the success of an ALS training video. The intended participants of the study include 30 special education teachers who work with children with ASD who use Proloquo2go formatted AAC systems. The participants of the study will …

Diagnostic Practices Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Brazil, Ana Claudia Vesper Manier Dias

Honors Theses

In Brazil, in spite of over half a million students with special needs in primary education, little research has been conducted about ASD diagnostic practices. This involves learning about the training that professionals are receiving, what diagnostic practices are being implemented on the field, and whether those are being contextualized according to the Brazilian culture. Students with special needs are directly affected by the results of diagnostic practices, since identifying the individuals is one of the first steps. Lack of understanding about that stage may lead to the problematic realities of underidentification or overidentification, exclusion of children who should receive …

The Effect Of Balance Training On Disruptive Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Claire A. Scates

Honors Theses

Objective

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of balance training on disruptive behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Methods

Fourteen parents of children with ASD participated in this study. Data was collected using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) distributed to various therapy centers around the Hattiesburg and Jackson areas. A secondary survey was included that collected demographic data and basic data on what therapies the children have been involved in. The ABC provided a measure of the incidence of disruptive behaviors exhibited by the children with ASD as evaluated by their parents. Three of …

Diagnostic Practices Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Brazil, Ana Claudia Vespa Mainer Dias

Master's Theses

In Brazil, in spite of over half a million students with special needs in primary education, little research has been conducted about ASD diagnostic practices. This involves learning about the training that professionals are receiving, what diagnostic practices are being implemented on the field, and whether those are being contextualized according to the Brazilian culture. Students with special needs are directly affected by the results of diagnostic practices, since identifying the individuals is one of the first steps. Lack of understanding about that stage may lead to the problematic realities of underidentification or overidentification, exclusion of children who should receive …

The Association Between Autism Spectrum Disorders And Secondhand Tobacco Exposure, Bhupinder Kaur

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Second hand tobacco smoke exposure has been associated with neurobehavioral disorders among children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between second hand smoking and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children in the United States. Parent-reported postnatal tobacco exposure inside and outside the house and ASD diagnosis was examined in children younger than 12 years using the 2011-2012 National Survey on Children's Health. The physician diagnosis of current ASD as reported by the parents was used as the outcome variable. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to assess the associations. Of …

An Intervention For Sensory Difficulties In Children With Autism: A Randomized Trial., Roseann C Schaaf, Teal W. Benevides, Zoe Mailloux, Patricia Faller, Joanne Hunt, Elke Van Hooydonk, Regina Freeman, Benjamin E Leiby, Jocelyn Sendecki, Donna Kelly

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

This study evaluated a manualized intervention for sensory difficulties for children with autism, ages 4-8 years, using a randomized trial design. Diagnosis of autism was confirmed using gold standard measures. Results show that the children in the treatment group (n = 17) who received 30 sessions of the occupational therapy intervention scored significantly higher (p = 0.003, d = 1.2) on Goal Attainment Scales (primary outcome), and also scored significantly better on measures of caregiver assistance in self-care (p = 0.008 d = 0.9) and socialization (p = 0.04, d = 0.7) than the Usual Care control group (n = …

The Effects Of A Single Acute And Repeated Intracerebroventricular Infusions Of Propionic Acid On Locomotor Activity And Neuroinflammation In Rats, Stacey Holbrook

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Dietary and gastrointestinal factors may contribute to the etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Propionic acid (PPA) is a short chain fatty acid that is an intermediary of fatty acid metabolism and a fermentation by-product of enteric bacteria. Using a single infusion (Chapter 2) and repeated infusions (Chapter 3), the temporal relationship between PPA-induced locomotor activity and astrocyte/microglial changes was demonstrated. Adult Long-Evans rats were centrally infused with 4µl of 0.26M PPA or 0.1M PBS vehicle once or once a week for four weeks. Locomotor activity was evaluated for 20 minutes following infusion and again several days later to assess …

Improving Dental Visits For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Through An Understanding Of Sensory Processing, Heather Miller Kuhaneck, Elizabeth Cipes Chisholm, Dmd

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests that dental practices will be seeing patients with this diagnosis more frequently. Although patients with ASD have similar dental needs to other patients, the symptoms of the disorder may influence the ability of dental practitioners to provide necessary care. Dental professionals may be unaware of the difficulties with sensory processing common to patients with ASD. However, awareness of sensory processing issues and knowledge of strategies to improve the sensory experience for individuals with ASD may improve dental visits for these patients and allow for enhanced dental care provision.

Assessment Of Functional Throwing Ability In Individuals With Low Expressive Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Marissa Defede

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Impairments in social interaction, communication and repetitive, restricted behaviors are seen in individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). No study has ever determined the differences in movement patterns of individuals with Low Expressive Autistic Spectrum Disorder (LE-ASD) while throwing a ball. If differences in throwing patterns between an LE-ASD population and a typically developing population are determined, then the more thorough description of ASD movement impairments would be evident. Furthermore, these differences could demonstrate that older individuals with LE-ASD have a deficit in movement patterns rather than a delay.

A Qualitative Study Of Coping In Mothers Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Heather Miller Kuhaneck, Tajhma Burroughs, Jamie Wright, Theresa Lemanczyk, Amy Rowntree Darragh

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

A significant body of research exists that explores the stressors of raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are fewer studies, however, that examine specific effective coping strategies of mothers of children with an ASD. This qualitative study explored mothers’ perceptions of effective coping strategies for their parenting stressors. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 mothers to inquire about their personal coping methods. Interviews were coded and emergent themes identified which included coping strategies such as “me time,” “planning,” “knowledge is power,” “sharing the load,” “lifting the restraints of labels,” and “recognizing the joys.” The information from …

Interventions For Autism Spectrum Disorders: State Of The Evidence, Lindsey Tweed Md, Mph, Nancy Connolly Mppm, Amy Beaulieu

Children, Youth, & Families

The number of children in Maine with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased significantly over the past decade. Since 2000, the number of children receiving Special Education services for ASD in Maine schools jumped from 594 to 2,231in 2008 – an increase of 276%. A recent study estimated that the total cost of caring for a person with autism over his or her lifetime can reach $3.2 million, with more than $35 billion spent collectively per year (Ganz, 2007). To conserve already scarce resources and of-fer the best possible services to children with ASD, it is necessary to identify and …

Using The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Ados) To Discriminate Between Children With Autism And Children With Language Impairments Without Autism, Whitney Nicole Dolan

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to learn about the diagnostic accuracy of Module 1 of the ADOS-G. Specifically, this study was designed to determine how well the ADOS-G differentiates children with autism from children with language impairments without autism. Data for this study were obtained from 10 children who were recruited from speech, language and hearing clinics in the metropolitan area of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visual inspection and statistical analyses indicated that the means of the ADOS-G scores for all domains (Communication, Social Interaction, and Communication + Social Interaction Score) were higher for the autism group than for the …