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Angell AM, Lindly OJ, Floríndez D, Floríndez LI, Duker LIS, Zuckerman KE, Yin L, Solomon O. Pediatricians' role in healthcare for Latino autistic children: Shared decision-making versus "You've got to do everything on your own". AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:2407-2421. [PMID: 37070240 PMCID: PMC10579452 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231163056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Latino parents may choose to use complementary health approaches, such as vitamins, supplements, and special diets, for their autistic children. However, they might not tell their pediatrician about their complementary health approach use if they worry that the pediatrician will disapprove or judge them. This fear, along with pediatricians' lack of autism knowledge, creates barriers to "shared decision-making" between parents and pediatricians. Shared decision-making is a process where families and healthcare providers collaborate and exchange information in order to come to an agreement about treatment options. In our qualitative study with 12 bilingual Latino families of autistic children, we interviewed and observed families to learn about their experiences with both conventional healthcare (their pediatrician) and complementary health approaches. Our study results describe the parents' different pathways to an autism assessment, a process that is sometimes called the "diagnostic odyssey." The parents reported that conventional healthcare met their needs for their child's physical health but not for their child's developmental challenges. The parents who used complementary health approaches for their autistic children were more frustrated about a lack of autism information from pediatricians than those who did not use complementary health approaches. Finally, we describe two examples of successful shared decision-making between parents and pediatricians. We conclude that pediatricians who are able to talk about complementary health approaches with Latino families may help to facilitate shared decision-making and reduce healthcare disparities for Latino autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber M. Angell
- Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
| | - Olivia J. Lindly
- Department of Health Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
| | | | - Lucía I. Floríndez
- Department of Nursing Research, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles CA
| | - Leah I. Stein Duker
- Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
| | - Katharine E. Zuckerman
- Division of General Pediatrics and OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Larry Yin
- Keck School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
| | - Olga Solomon
- Department of Nursing Research, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles CA
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Pellicano E, Fatima U, Hall G, Heyworth M, Lawson W, Lilley R, Mahony J, Stears M. A capabilities approach to understanding and supporting autistic adulthood. NATURE REVIEWS PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 1:624-639. [PMID: 36090460 PMCID: PMC9443657 DOI: 10.1038/s44159-022-00099-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
There is little comprehensive research into autistic adulthood, and even less into the services and supports that are most likely to foster flourishing adult autistic lives. This limited research is partly because autism is largely conceived as a condition of childhood, but this focus of research has also resulted from the orthodox scientific approach to autism, which conceptualizes autistic experience almost entirely as a series of biologically derived functional deficits. Approaching autism in this way severely limits what is known about this neurodevelopmental difference, how research is conducted and the services and supports available. In this Review, we adopt an alternative research strategy: we apply Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach, which focuses on ten core elements of a thriving human life, to research on autistic adulthood. In doing so, we identify areas where autistic adults thrive and where they often struggle, and highlight issues to which researchers, clinicians and policymakers should respond. The resulting picture is far more complex than conventional accounts of autism imply. It also reveals the importance of engaging autistic adults directly in the research process to make progress towards genuinely knowing autism and supporting flourishing autistic lives. The focus on functional deficits in conventional autism research constrains understanding of autistic lives. In this Review, Pellicano et al. appraise research on autistic adulthood through a capabilities lens to identify areas where autistic adults thrive, and where more research and services are needed to enhance their quality of life.
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Antony C, Campbell M, Côté S, Bruno G, Tinglin C, Lai J. Informing care pathways and policies for children and youth with Indigenous perspectives to advance Canada's National Autism Strategy. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:916256. [PMID: 36186886 PMCID: PMC9520311 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.916256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In Canada, most services for Autistic people are provided by provincial and territorial governments. However, support for Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) are under federal responsibility and are outlined by a set of treaties and agreements with the Crown and a few regional governments. This patchwork results in barriers in service access and navigation challenges in many under-resourced communities, including under-diagnosis and potentially life-threatening outcomes. Designing equitable policy structures and processes would reduce harms and meaningfully interface with Indigenous and other racialized communities. The objective of this Policy Practice Review is to provide a framework for the discovery of appropriate care strategies addressing the conceptualization of autism in Indigenous Peoples and to understand the interactions between racialized Autistic peoples and the Criminal Justice System. First, we conducted environmental scans of publicly-accessible government services available in Canada pertaining to autism in Indigenous communities and the justice system, and explored the dissonance with beliefs and perceptions of autism in Northern Indigenous communities. Second, we focused on the interactions of Indigenous and other racialized populations, with an emphasis on Autistic children and youth with the justice system, an interaction that is often life-altering, downstream, and detrimental to health and wellbeing. The implications of this work include identifying the need for Indigenous-led knowledge and policy recommendations for Canada's upcoming National Autism Strategy, informing the need for culturally appropriate multidisciplinary care and facilitating the coordination between health and social services for these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina Antony
- Department of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Madison Campbell
- Department of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | | | - Grant Bruno
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Samson Cree Nation, Maskwacis, AB, Canada
| | - Carolyn Tinglin
- Department of Education, Law, and Society, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Lai
- Autism Alliance of Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Wallisch A, Irvin D, Kearns WD, Luo Y, Boyd B, Rous B. Exploring a Novel Tool to Measure Wandering Behavior in the Early Childhood Classroom. OTJR-OCCUPATION PARTICIPATION AND HEALTH 2021; 42:137-145. [PMID: 34967257 DOI: 10.1177/15394492211065705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wandering, or random movement, affects cognitive and social skills. However, we lack methods to objectively measure wandering behavior. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the use of the Ubisense real-time location system (RTLS) in an early childhood setting to explore wandering in typically developing (TD) children (n = 2) and children with or at risk for developmental disabilities (WA-DD; n = 3). We used the Ubisense RTLS, a tool for capturing locations of individuals in indoor environments, and Fractal Dimension (FD) to measure the degree of wandering or the straightness of a path. Results of this descriptive, observational study indicated the Ubisense RTLS collected 46,229 1-s location estimates across the five children, and TD children had lower FD (M = 1.36) than children WA-DD (M = 1.42). Children WA-DD have more nonlinear paths than TD children. Implications for measuring wandering are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ying Luo
- Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN, USA
| | - Brian Boyd
- The University of Kansas, Kansas City, USA
| | - Beth Rous
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
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Shannon CA, Olsen LL, Hole R, Rush KL. "There's nothing here": Perspectives from rural parents promoting safe active recreation for children living with autism spectrum disorders. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 115:103998. [PMID: 34111755 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families experience challenges and barriers at multiple levels that influence their activity participation. The purpose of this study was to develop understanding about factors influencing how families can promote safe, active recreation for their children 3-12 years living with ASD across rural settings and how supports for these families can be enhanced. METHODS This qualitative study used an interpretive descriptive approach. Twelve in-depth, semi-structured interviews with parents of children with ASD were conducted. Data was analyzed thematically. RESULTS Four main themes emerged: 1) ASD specific child vulnerabilities impeding safe recreation. 2) Importance of safe outdoor spaces in rural settings for children with ASD. 3) Diverse parent strategies to address risks and needs. 4) Perceived needs for training of recreation providers. CONCLUSION Findings highlight family-centred priority issues including parental safety concerns related to elopement and risk of injury linked to environmental and outdoor hazards prominent in rural settings. Autism awareness and recreational training is needed and could incorporate collaborative development of child specific safety plans to foster inclusive opportunities. Program planners can use this information to encourage policy making to aid families' safe activity participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal A Shannon
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada; School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada.
| | - Lise L Olsen
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada; Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, 1147 Research Road, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada; School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada
| | - Rachelle Hole
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada; Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, 1147 Research Road, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada; School of Social Work, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada
| | - Kathy L Rush
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada; School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada
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Čolić M, Araiba S, Lovelace TS, Dababnah S. Black Caregivers' Perspectives on Racism in ASD Services: Toward Culturally Responsive ABA Practice. Behav Anal Pract 2021; 15:1032-1041. [PMID: 34093981 PMCID: PMC8171225 DOI: 10.1007/s40617-021-00577-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Significant racial and ethnic disparities in health care and service access exist. In the present article, we reviewed qualitative studies investigating the racism-related experiences of Black caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the U.S. health care system. Specifically, we examined institutional racism (i.e., systemic racism) and individual racism directed toward Black families when they seek diagnoses and services for their children with ASD. Additionally, we summarized culturally responsive and context-specific practice guidelines to work collaboratively with Black caregivers of children with ASD for applied behavior analysis practitioners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Čolić
- grid.410445.00000 0001 2188 0957Special Education Department, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1776 University Ave., Wist Hall 120, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
| | - Sho Araiba
- Positive Behavior Support Corporation, Honolulu, HI USA
| | - Temple S. Lovelace
- grid.255272.50000 0001 2364 3111Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Sarah Dababnah
- grid.411024.20000 0001 2175 4264School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD USA
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Ebadi M, Samadi SA, Mardani-Hamooleh M, Seyedfatemi N. Living under psychosocial pressure: Perception of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING 2021; 34:212-218. [PMID: 33734525 DOI: 10.1111/jcap.12310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PROBLEM Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience higher levels of stress compared to mothers of typically developing children. This study identified mothers' perceptions of the stress caused by lifelong caregiving to a child with ASD. METHODS The current study was conducted in Iran using qualitative methods. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-seven mothers. Content analysis was used to analyze and categorize the data. FINDINGS The main categories included (1) psychological concerns and suffering and (2) sociocultural challenges. The first category consisted of two subcategories, including disruption in mother-child relationships and fears and worries. Also, the second category included subcategories of cultural constraints and lack of social support. CONCLUSIONS In this study, the mothers of autistic children experienced psychosocial pain. Identifying the stressors for these mothers could lead to appropriate planning to provide psychological, social, and cultural support for them in Iranian society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Ebadi
- Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing Care Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayyed Ali Samadi
- Department of Nursing and Health Research, Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, The Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Marjan Mardani-Hamooleh
- Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing Care Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Naima Seyedfatemi
- Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing Care Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Railey KS, Love AMA, Campbell JM. A Scoping Review of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Criminal Justice System. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-020-00203-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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9
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Celia T, Freysteinson W, Fredland N, Bowyer P. Battle weary/battle ready: A phenomenological study of parents' lived experiences caring for children with autism and their safety concerns. J Adv Nurs 2019; 76:221-233. [DOI: 10.1111/jan.14213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tania Celia
- Texas Woman's University Denton TX USA
- Sam Houston State University Huntsville TX USA
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Singh JS, Bunyak G. Autism Disparities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography of Qualitative Research. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2019; 29:796-808. [PMID: 30474491 DOI: 10.1177/1049732318808245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are evident across many service domains including access to early assessment, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions. To better understand the complex social and structural factors contributing to these disparities, this article offers a systematic review of peer-reviewed qualitative research conducted from 2010 to 2016 in the United States that investigates autism disparities experienced by marginalized communities. Based on these criteria, we identified 24 qualitative research studies and conducted an analysis using meta-ethnography and an intersectional interpretive lens. We identified three interdependent themes contributing to autism disparities, including familial, cultural, and structural barriers. Omissions in the literature were also evident, including a lack of research on underserved adults with ASD and the gendered inequities of caregiving. We discuss the implications of our findings and offer new questions that take an intersectional approach using qualitative research to investigate autism disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Garrett Bunyak
- 1 Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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11
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Pereira‐Smith S, Boan A, Carpenter LA, Macias M, LaRosa A. Preventing elopement in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2019; 12:1139-1146. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Boan
- Medical University of South Carolina Charleston South Carolina
| | | | - Michelle Macias
- Medical University of South Carolina Charleston South Carolina
| | - Angela LaRosa
- Medical University of South Carolina Charleston South Carolina
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12
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Traub MR, Vollmer TR. Response latency as a measure of behavior in the assessment of elopement. J Appl Behav Anal 2019; 52:422-438. [PMID: 30648257 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Elopement is a common form of problem behavior but is relatively underrepresented in the functional analysis literature. One barrier to assessing elopement experimentally is the need to retrieve the subject following an instance of elopement. This retrieval confounds programmed session contingencies when the goal is to obtain repeated measurement of free-operant behavior. The current study evaluated latency to elopement as an alternative to free-operant measurement. We first compared response latency to allocation in 5-min sessions and then measured latency alone in a trial-based format. The identified reinforcers matched across both data analysis modalities in the session-based assessments, and the trial-based functional analysis showed a significant time savings in identifying the function of behavior over a session-based assessment. Results indicated that elopement serves idiosyncratic social functions in young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and that a latency-based assessment saves time while yielding equally clear results.
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Abstract
This article examines how Bedouin mothers in Israel describe, perceive, and interpret their experiences raising a child with autism. Data were collected using semi-structured ethnographic interviews with 18 Bedouin mothers of children with autism, aged 6-16, living in recognized and unrecognized settlements in the Negev. Analysis of the study findings shows how the subaltern status of Bedouin women, which includes their husbands' constant threats of divorce or taking a second wife, makes it difficult for them to be mobile and interact in the public sphere without the presence of a man and creates an experience unique to these mothers, which we call "Exclusion within Exclusion". The Bedouin mothers report not only stigmatization, a lack of social support and loneliness but also structural-cultural characteristics that prevent them from obtaining information and participating in decision-making about the child with autism and that restrict their agency in dealing with and coping with their child's autism. In light of this situation, the discussion highlights the unique connection between local cultural scripts and the phenomenology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Manor-Binyamini
- Department of Special Education, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave. Mount Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Avihu Shoshana
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave. Mount Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
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Abstract
Research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other types of dementia describes a behaviour called 'wandering', a term that denotes movement through space lacking intention or exact destination, as when a person is disoriented or not self-aware. In the U.S., 'wandering' in both ASD and AD has been examined mostly from a management and prevention perspective. It prioritizes safety while primarily overlooking personal experiences of those who 'wander' and their families, thus limiting the range of potentially effective strategies to address this issue. Communicative challenges faced by many people diagnosed with ASD and AD further obscure the experiential, existential aspects of 'wandering'. This article reflects an increasing concern of social science scholars interested in whether and how the conceptual and practical strategies to address 'wandering' are informed by the situated experiences of people with cognitive and developmental disabilities and their families. We examine 'wandering' at the intersections of personal experience, family life, clinical practice, public health policy, and legislation, as a conceptually rich site where notions of personhood, subjectivity, intentionality, and quality of life powerfully and consequentially converge to impact the lives of many people with ASD and AD, and their families. We draw upon critical autism studies describing how attributions of personhood, subjectivity, intentionality, rational agency, and moral autonomy of people with ASD have been contingent upon the norms and conventions governing movement of the human body through space (Hilton, Afr Am Rev 50(2):221-235, 2017). When this movement is deemed aberrant, the person may be construed as irrational, a danger to self because of a lack of self-awareness, and a danger to others because of a lack of empathy. These attributions put the person at risk of being excluded from the considerations and, more importantly, the obligations of the 'moral community' to ensure that he or she has a 'good human life' (Barnbaum, The Ethics of Autism: Among Them but not of Them. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 2008; Silvers and Francis, Metaphilosophy 40(3/4):475-498, 2009). Using ethnographic, narrative phenomenological (Mattingly, The Paradox of Hope: Journeys through a Clinical Borderland. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010), and medical humanities (Charon, JAMA 286:1897-1902, 2001; Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006) approaches, we examine multiple perspectives on 'wandering' in ASD and AD across narrative discourse genres, institutional contexts, and media of representation. We argue for an extension of the prevention and management view to focus not only on safety but also on what phenomenologist Merleau-Ponty (1962) called "having a world" (p. 146). The analysis is intended to inform clinical practice, policy and public health efforts to enhance understanding of first and second person perspectives on 'wandering' in order to improve the participation and quality of life of people with ASD and AD who 'wander', and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Solomon
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, 1540 Alcazar Str. CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
| | - Mary C Lawlor
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, 1540 Alcazar Str. CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
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Boshoff K, Gibbs D, Phillips RL, Wiles L, Porter L. Parents' voices: "Our process of advocating for our child with autism." A meta-synthesis of parents' perspectives. Child Care Health Dev 2018; 44:147-160. [PMID: 28833334 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advocacy has been described by parents of children with autism as an important coping strategy, enabling them to move forward by redirecting emotions into actions. A key factor in the development of collaborative and constructive partnerships between service providers and parents is having an understanding of how parents engage in advocacy and the support needed to do so. This meta-synthesis was undertaken to consolidate in-depth qualitative data from parents' perspectives of the process that they use to advocate for their children with autism. METHODS A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted, whereby 15 databases were systematically searched. Thirty-one studies were identified and appraised using an adapted version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Data were synthesized into themes through the steps of review, meta-aggregation, integration, and interpretation. RESULTS The voices of 1,662 parents are presented describing the process of advocacy in the stages of seeking a diagnosis, seeking self-education, and taking action. Taking action includes 2 subthemes: seeking, access, and use of support services and community engagement and educating others. CONCLUSIONS Results highlight the significant impact that positive experiences with first-line professionals have during the diagnosis process and how these experiences lay the foundation for all future relationships with other service providers. Important implications arise from this meta-synthesis for service providers in supporting parents' advocacy and hence building constructive relationships with families with a child with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Boshoff
- International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - D Gibbs
- Barts Health NHS Trust, Royal London Hospital, London, UK
| | - R L Phillips
- Centre for Health Stewardship, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - L Wiles
- International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - L Porter
- International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
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Vuković M, Car Ž, Pavlisa JI, Mandić L. Smartwatch as an Assistive Technology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF E-HEALTH AND MEDICAL COMMUNICATIONS 2018. [DOI: 10.4018/ijehmc.2018010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Wearables may have notable potential as an assistive technology for persons with various difficulties. Although quite popular, smartwatches' niches are still revealing. One of them is definitely in the domain of assistive technology due to their communication and location features. Positioning features enable parents or caregivers to know the whereabouts of child or persons with disabilities, thus increasing their safety. The paper presents smartwatch tracking system for people with complex communication needs with emphasis on detection of smartwatch wearer's common movement routes. The application is a result of multidisciplinary research performed in the area of information and communication technology, as an assistive technology aiming to explore the technological possibilities of connecting new generations of mobile devices and their technological supplements, or wearables, in order to establish a different communication and location aids.
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Denman K, Smart C, Dallos R, Levett P. How Families Make Sense of Their Child's Behaviour When on an Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Waiting List. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 46:3408-3423. [PMID: 27480420 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2873-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Families waiting for an Autism Spectrum Condition assessment often experience difficulties explaining, or making sense of, the referred young person's behaviour. Little is known about this sense making, or how clinicians might support this ambiguity. This paper explored finite details of how five families do 'sense-making' in conversations with each other, while on the waiting list for an ASC assessment. A Discursive Psychology analysis of these conversations found that sense making was affected by (1) an interactional pattern of interruptions impeding the progress of sense making narratives; (2) face saving to maintain positive identities and shared understanding; and (3) difficulties in word finding within sense making narratives. These practices challenged the production of a coherent family sense making narrative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Denman
- Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University, Rolle Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Cordet Smart
- Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University, Rolle Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Rudi Dallos
- Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University, Rolle Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Paula Levett
- Virgin Care Children's Integrated Services, Lescaze Offices, Shinners Bridge, Dartington, Devon, TQ9 6JE, UK
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18
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Angell AM, Solomon O. Understanding parents' concerns about their children with autism taking public school transportation in Los Angeles County. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2017; 22:401-413. [PMID: 29153001 DOI: 10.1177/1362361316680182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There are a number of recent US news media reports of children and youth with autism becoming lost, injured, or even dying while taking public school transportation, yet research on this problem is scarce. This ethnographic study examines the experiences of 14 parents whose children with autism take public school transportation in Los Angeles County. We present two case studies of children with autism being "lost" while in transit from school to home on the bus to (1) describe how the situation was experienced, responded to, and managed by the parents; (2) consider three interrelated themes that emerged from interviews with 14 parents, related to children's safety, independence, and participation, across multiple contexts and analytic levels; and (3) discuss the findings in relation to US news media reports of incidents involving children with autism on school buses to identify specific weaknesses in school transportation infrastructure, particularly in the context of privatization, that create conditions in which children with autism can "fall through the cracks" in potentially life-threatening ways. We argue that there is a critical need to address transportation accessibility for individuals on the autism spectrum to ensure their safety and support their independence and community participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber M Angell
- 1 University of Southern California, USA.,2 University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
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Boshoff K, Gibbs D, Phillips RL, Wiles L, Porter L. Parents' voices: 'why and how we advocate'. A meta-synthesis of parents' experiences of advocating for their child with autism spectrum disorder. Child Care Health Dev 2016; 42:784-797. [PMID: 27445227 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be stressful, and accessing services can add to this stress. Self-efficacy, agency and advocacy are important for parents when accessing and using services. To develop insight into parental advocacy, a meta-synthesis was undertaken to consolidate the literature focussing on parents' experiences of advocating for their child with ASD. A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted. Fifteen databases were systematically searched by using key terms related to ASD, children, parents/carers, advocacy and qualitative studies. Twenty-four studies were identified and appraised using an adapted version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Data were synthesized into themes through the steps of review, meta-aggregation, integration and interpretation. Two overarching concepts emerged, illustrating both the challenging nature of advocacy and the associated personal and societal benefits. These two concepts are supported by eight themes: a life-long, all-encompassing challenge; advocacy as a parental coping strategy; advocacy involving working to create a future; balancing roles and needs; isolation versus support; personal impacts of advocacy; benefits of advocacy; and the barriers to advocacy. The experience of advocacy for parents with a child with ASD is complex and intensive, presenting both personal and societal benefits, as well as challenges for parents. In supporting individuals with ASD and family well-being, service providers need to have an understanding of the advocating role of parents and ensure that opportunities exist for their voices to be heard during service delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Boshoff
- International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - D Gibbs
- Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - R L Phillips
- Centre for Health Stewardship, The Australian National University, Canberra, NSW, Australia
| | - L Wiles
- International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - L Porter
- International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Fluegge K. Does environmental exposure to the greenhouse gas, N 2O, contribute to etiological factors in neurodevelopmental disorders? A mini-review of the evidence. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2016; 47:6-18. [PMID: 27566494 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Previous work suggests that exposure to the environmental air pollutant and greenhouse gas - nitrous oxide (N2O) - may be an etiological factor in neurodevelopmental disorders through the targeting of several neural correlates. METHODOLOGY While a number of recent systematic reviews have addressed the role of general anesthesia in the surgical setting and neurodevelopmental outcomes, a narrative mini-review was conducted to first define and characterize the relevant variables (i.e., N2O, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and autism spectrum disorders [ASD]) and their potential interactions into a coherent, hypothesis-generating work. The narrative mini-review merges basic principles in environmental science, anesthesiology, and psychiatry to more fully develop the novel hypotheses that neurodevelopmental impairment found in conditions like ADHD and ASD may be due to exposure to the increasing air pollutant, N2O. RESULTS The results of the present mini-review indicate that exposure to N2O, even at non-toxic doses, may modulate central neurotransmission and target many neural substrates directly implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, including the glutamatergic, opioidergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic systems. Epidemiological studies also indicate that early and repeated exposure to general anesthesia, including N2O, may contribute to later adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. CONCLUSIONS The current evidence and subsequent hypotheses suggest that a renewed interest be taken in the toxicological assessment of environmental N2O exposure using validated biomarkers and psychiatric endpoints. Given the relevance of N2O as a greenhouse gas, societies may also wish to engage in a more robust monitoring and reporting of N2O levels in the environment for climactic benefit as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Fluegge
- Institute of Health and Environmental Research, Cleveland, OH 44118, USA.
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Solomon O, Heritage J, Yin L, Maynard DW, Bauman ML. ‘What Brings Him Here Today?’: Medical Problem Presentation Involving Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Typically Developing Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:378-93. [PMID: 26463739 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2550-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Conversation and discourse analyses were used to examine medical problem presentation in pediatric care.Healthcare visits involving children with ASD and typically developing children were analyzed. We examined how children’s communicative and epistemic capabilities, and their opportunities to be socialized into a competent patient role are interactionally achieved. We found that medical problem presentation is designed to contain a ‘pre-visit’ account of the interactional and epistemic work that children and caregivers carry out at home to identify the child’s health problems; and that the intersubjective accessibility of children’s experiences that becomes disrupted by ASD presents a dilemma to all participants in the visit. The article examines interactional roots of unmet healthcare needs and foregone medical care of people with ASD.
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Rice CE, Zablotsky B, Avila RM, Colpe LJ, Schieve LA, Pringle B, Blumberg SJ. Reported Wandering Behavior among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disability. J Pediatr 2016; 174:232-239.e2. [PMID: 27157446 PMCID: PMC4983701 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.03.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize wandering, or elopement, among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability. STUDY DESIGN Questions on wandering in the previous year were asked of parents of children with ASD with and without intellectual disability and children with intellectual disability without ASD as part of the 2011 Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services. The Pathways study sample was drawn from the much larger National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs conducted in 2009-2010. RESULTS For children with special healthcare needs diagnosed with either ASD, intellectual disability, or both, wandering or becoming lost during the previous year was reported for more than 1 in 4 children. Wandering was highest among children with ASD with intellectual disability (37.7%) followed by children with ASD without intellectual disability (32.7%), and then children with intellectual disability without ASD (23.7%), though the differences between these groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS This study affirms that wandering among children with ASD, regardless of intellectual disability status, is relatively common. However, wandering or becoming lost in the past year was also reported for many children with intellectual disability, indicating the need to broaden our understanding of this safety issue to other developmental disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Rice
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
| | - Benjamin Zablotsky
- National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD
| | - Rosa M Avila
- University of Washington, School of Public Health, Seattle, WA
| | - Lisa J Colpe
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Laura A Schieve
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Beverly Pringle
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Stephen J Blumberg
- National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD
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Burkett K, Morris E, Manning-Courtney P, Anthony J, Shambley-Ebron D. African American families on autism diagnosis and treatment: the influence of culture. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 45:3244-54. [PMID: 26055985 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2482-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cultural factors such as health care access and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptom interpretations have been proposed as impacting delayed diagnosis and treatment for African American children with ASD. A qualitative study of urban African American families caring for their child with autism was conducted with 24 family members and 28 ASD professionals. Cultural caring meant families protected their child from harm including potential or actual distrustful encounters, and took action for their child and community to optimize their child's health and address the knowledge deficits of ASD within their community. Families and professionals believed cultural influences delayed families' receiving and seeking appropriate health care for the African American child with ASD affecting timely autism diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Burkett
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, ML4002, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
| | - Edith Morris
- College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Nursing Research in Patient Services, Center for Professional Excellence, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Patricia Manning-Courtney
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, ML4002, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Jean Anthony
- College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Hayward B, Ransley F, Memery R. GPS Devices for Elopement of People With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities: A Review of the Published Literature. JOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jppi.12148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brent Hayward
- Department of Health & Human Services; Melbourne Victoria Australia
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the safety-related concerns of parents of children with a variety of disabilities and chronic conditions. We sought to examine concerns common to parents as they related to their children's delayed development, behavioral difficulties, and chronic conditions. METHOD A qualitative approach guided by grounded theory was used. Participants included parents of children between 1 and 5 years with a disability or chronic condition who resided in British Columbia, Canada. Data were collected using in-depth in-person interviews and analysis conducted using constant comparative methods. RESULTS Three themes were identified that reflected parental safety concerns. These included concerns about: (1) Child's level of understanding about danger; (2) Child interactions with physical environment (concerns about child movement, concerns about ingestions); (3) Child interactions with social environment. Difficult-to-manage behaviors and cognitive limitations exacerbated parents' safety concerns. Parents were found to share safety concerns about movement and ingestions across a range of types of child health conditions. CONCLUSION For themes of child movement and child ingestions, findings supported the utility of a noncategorical approach for the design of injury prevention strategies for these types of concerns. Parent concerns about child lack of understanding about risk and social safety concerns were linked to a smaller number of conditions and supported a more tailored approach. Flexible approaches may be needed that can offer both generic and specific information and to meet the needs of parents and clinicians.
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Solomon O, Angell AM, Yin L, Lawlor MC. "You Can Turn off the Light If You'd Like": Pediatric Health Care Visits for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as an Interactional Achievement. Med Anthropol Q 2015; 29:531-55. [PMID: 26332032 PMCID: PMC4715550 DOI: 10.1111/maq.12237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Substantial scholarship has been generated in medical anthropology and other social science fields on typically developing child-parent-doctor interactions during health care visits. This article contributes an ethnographic, longitudinal, discourse analytic account of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-parent-doctor interactions that occur during pediatric and neurology visits. The analysis shows that when a child with ASD walks into the doctor's office, the tacit expectations about the visit may have to be renegotiated to facilitate the child's, the parent's, and the doctor's participation in the interaction. A successful visit then becomes a hard-won achievement that requires the interactional and relational work of all three participants. We demonstrate that communicative and sensory limitations imposed by ASD present unique challenges to all the participants and consider how health care disparities may invade the pediatric encounter, making visible the structural and interactional processes that engender them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Solomon
- USC Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California.
| | - Amber M Angell
- USC Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
| | - Larry Yin
- Keck School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Southern California
- USC Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
| | - Mary C Lawlor
- USC Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
- Keck School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Southern California
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"But-He'll Fall!": Children with Autism, Interspecies Intersubjectivity, and the Problem of 'Being Social'. Cult Med Psychiatry 2015; 39:323-44. [PMID: 25926308 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-015-9446-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
'Being autistic' or 'having Autism Spectrum Disorder' implies a limited range of 'being social,' but the in situ organization of interaction, what Maynard and Marlaire (Qual Soc 15(2):177-202, 1992) call the 'interactional substrate,' within which this delimitation enfolds is usually hidden from sight. Analysis of processes constituting different 'interactional substrates' provides a view of how one comes to be known by and to self and others as a certain kind of being who is available (or not) for acting and feeling in certain ways. People diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 2013) are often described as 'being' impaired in intersubjective understanding of others. But the story of ASD as an impairment of sociality and intersubjectivity becomes more complicated when animals enter into the picture. I consider two interactional substrates: a psychological interview in a mental health clinic, and an animal-assisted activity in a child's neighborhood. I aim to elucidate the practical problems of 'being social' encountered by two children with ASD, both nine-year-old girls, within these two very differently organized interactional substrates. I consider ways in which 'being with' therapy animals provides a way of 'being social' through "sensory modalities of knowing" (Haraway, When species meet, 2008:371).
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Bonsall A. The social context of occupations: analysis of a father feeding his daughter diagnosed with cerebral palsy. OTJR-OCCUPATION PARTICIPATION AND HEALTH 2014; 34:193-201. [PMID: 25347757 DOI: 10.3928/15394492-20141006-04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to examine a father feeding his daughter who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy in order to identify the contexts that make this occupation significant. The analysis of direct observation and interviews demonstrates significant moments where two individuals make intersubjective connections. Themes that are presented are the Intensity of Mealtime, Connections Between Participants, and Adapted Forms of Communication. Both the difficulties and rewards of mealtime are illustrated within these themes. This analysis reveals the structure and importance of doing together in influencing and determining occupations. From a clinical perspective, the meaningfulness of fathering occupations highlights the importance of including fathers in family-centered care.
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Angell AM, Solomon O. The social life of health records: understanding families' experiences of autism. Soc Sci Med 2014; 117:50-7. [PMID: 25042544 PMCID: PMC4159353 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2014] [Revised: 07/05/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Outside of the epidemiological surveillance studies of autism prevalence, health records of children diagnosed with autism have not been sufficiently examined, yet they provide an important lens for showing how autism diagnosis, services and interventions are negotiated, coordinated and choreographed by families and practitioners across multiple settings. This article provides a multifaceted understanding of these processes from an ethnographic and discourse analytic perspective that reveals structural and interactional phenomena contributing to disparities in autism diagnosis and services. We consider health records as dualistic, material-discursive artifacts that are socio-interactionally co-constructed and variably interpreted, contested and utilized across home, school and clinic contexts. We chronicle several families' experiences of their children's autism diagnoses and interventions and describe ways in which health records are socially constructed, curated and placed in the middle of clinical encounters. We show how the parents in our study draw upon health records' material-discursive properties to display epistemic authority, expertise and knowledge in interactions with healthcare and school professionals involved in authorizing and planning their children's care. We describe how the parents experience the health records' clinical portrayals of their children and themselves, and how the parents' portrayals of their children are tacitly ratified or negated in the health records. The data include health record reviews, narrative interviews with parents and practitioners, and clinical observations. These data were collected between October 2009 and August 2012 as part of a larger study on disparities in autism diagnosis, interventions and services experienced by African American children with autism and their families living in Los Angeles County, California. Our analysis reveals the central role of health records in maintaining continuity of an autism diagnosis, interventions and services. This article contributes to enhanced professional awareness, parent-professional partnerships, and equity in the provision of healthcare and human services related to autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber M Angell
- University of Southern California, Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Olga Solomon
- University of Southern California, Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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