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Cai RY, Edwards C, Love AM, Brown L, Gibbs V. Self-compassion improves emotion regulation and mental health outcomes: A pilot study of an online self-compassion program for autistic adults. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241235061. [PMID: 38584374 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241235061] [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: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Self-compassion is when we are aware of our feelings and thoughts, are friendly toward ourselves, and realize everyone feels pain and makes mistakes. Self-compassion is associated with having better mental health and well-being in autistic and non-autistic people. But we do not know if autistic people's self-compassion can be improved through psychoeducation and self-compassion practices. We co-produced an online self-guided self-compassion program based on evidence-based self-compassion practices for autistic adults called the Self-compassion Program for Autistic Adults. This program included live-experiences videos of autistic adults reflecting on their self-compassion and self-critical experiences. This study piloted the program with 39 autistic adults. We wanted to see if these autistic adults' self-compassion, emotion regulation, mental health, and psychological well-being improved after completing this program. We found that the autistic participants' self-compassion, emotion regulation, mental health, and psychological well-being improved significantly after completing the program over 5 weeks. We also found that just over half of the participants reported experiencing negative reactions associated with self-compassion practices. We suggested some clinical implications, including a recommendation for emotion regulation interventions to incorporate self-compassion to help promote access to the affiliative system. In addition, autistic adults who are psychologically vulnerable may need to work with mental health professionals while developing self-compassion to help manage the possible negative reactions associated with some self-compassion practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Ying Cai
- Autism Spectrum Australia, Australia
- La Trobe University, Australia
| | | | | | - Lydia Brown
- La Trobe University, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Australia
- Healthscope Hospitals, Australia
| | - Vicki Gibbs
- Autism Spectrum Australia, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Australia
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Arnold SRC, Bruce G, Weise J, Mills CJ, Trollor JN, Coxon K. Barriers to healthcare for Australian autistic adults. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:301-315. [PMID: 37161777 PMCID: PMC10851652 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231168444] [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: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT This study looked at how Australian autistic and non-autistic adults experience barriers to healthcare. We asked autistic and non-autistic adults to complete the Barriers to Healthcare Checklist Short-Form (BHC). We analysed data from 263 autistic adults and 70 non-autistic adults. We found that autistic adults experienced more barriers to healthcare than non-autistic adults. Gender diversity, feeling more anxious, having greater disability and feeling unsatisfied with social support contributed to barriers to healthcare in autistic participants. We recommend interventions such as developing and implementing a national action plan, similar to the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability (2021) to reduce barriers and address unmet healthcare needs of Australian autistic adults. We also recommend working with autistic adults to develop new policies and strategies, implementing environmental adaptations to health care facilities, and increasing Autism education opportunities for health professionals to address gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel RC Arnold
- UNSW Sydney, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Australia
| | | | | | | | - Julian N Trollor
- UNSW Sydney, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Australia
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Chapman CR, Quinn GP, Natri HM, Berrios C, Dwyer P, Owens K, Heraty S, Caplan AL. Consideration and Disclosure of Group Risks in Genomics and Other Data-Centric Research: Does the Common Rule Need Revision? THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2023:1-14. [PMID: 38010648 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2276161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Harms and risks to groups and third-parties can be significant in the context of research, particularly in data-centric studies involving genomic, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning technologies. This article explores whether and how United States federal regulations should be adapted to better align with current ethical thinking and protect group interests. Three aspects of the Common Rule deserve attention and reconsideration with respect to group interests: institutional review board (IRB) assessment of the risks/benefits of research; disclosure requirements in the informed consent process; and criteria for waivers of informed consent. In accordance with respect for persons and communities, investigators and IRBs should systematically consider potential group harm when designing and reviewing protocols, respectively. Research participants should be informed about any potential group harm in the consent process. We call for additional public discussion, empirical research, and normative analysis on these issues to determine the right regulatory and policy path forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Courtney Berrios
- Children's Mercy Kansas City
- University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
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Poulsen R, Dwyer P, Gassner D, Heyworth M, Williams ZJ. The INSAR Community Collaborator Request: Using community-academic partnerships to enhance outcomes of participatory autism research. Autism Res 2023; 16:2071-2076. [PMID: 37688487 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Participatory approaches, in which researchers work together with members of the autism community (e.g., autistic people, family members, caregivers, or other stakeholders) to design, conduct, and disseminate research, have become increasingly prominent within the field of autism research over the past decade. Despite growing academic and community interest in conducting participatory studies, stakeholder collaboration remains infrequent in autism research, at least partially due to systemic barriers. To help reduce barriers to engaging in participatory autism research, the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Autistic Researchers Committee has launched the INSAR Community Collaborator Request (ICCR; https://www.autism-insar.org/page/iccr), a platform on the INSAR website that allows autism researchers conducting participatory research to seek out stakeholder collaborators from the autism community (including both autistic people and their family members/caregivers, as relevant to a given research project). Interested stakeholders also have the opportunity to subscribe to ICCR posts, allowing them to be alerted of new opportunities for collaboration and potentially increasing their involvement in autism research. Overall, the ICCR provides a venue to connect autism researchers with potential community collaborators, reducing barriers to participatory autism research and increasing the frequency of successful community-academic partnerships within the field. We are hopeful that in the long term, such changes will lead to greater alignment between research outputs and the goals of the greater autism community, and consequently an increase in the overall quality and relevance of autism research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Poulsen
- Macquarie University Hearing, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Reframing Autism, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patrick Dwyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Dena Gassner
- School of Social Work, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA
- Department of Health Sciences, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Melanie Heyworth
- Reframing Autism, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zachary J Williams
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Tan DW. Early-Career Autism Researchers Are Shifting Their Research Directions: Tragedy or Opportunity? AUTISM IN ADULTHOOD 2023; 5:218-224. [PMID: 37663448 PMCID: PMC10468548 DOI: 10.1089/aut.2023.0021] [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: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Early-career researchers (ECRs) are among the most creative, talented, and energetic researchers, and they play an important role in knowledge production and pushing scientific boundaries. Recent debates have implied that many early-career autism researchers are compelled to shift their areas of focus within autism research as a consequence of their work being scrutinized by the autistic and autism communities. In this Perspective, I draw on my own experience as an early-career autism researcher having recently pivoted my research focus to become more aligned with community priorities. I reflect on whether these putative shifts in research direction are, indeed, a tragedy, as has previously been suggested, or, in fact, an opportunity for autism researchers. I argue that pivoting in research is a demonstration of science adapting to the ever-evolving needs in society and changes in our understanding of neurodiversity, neurodivergence, and research methods. While disagreements between the autistic, autism, and research communities may well feel uncomfortable, these tensions also present an opportunity for us-as non-autistic autism researchers-to reflect and to act toward building trust with the community. I recommend three areas for reflections: the purpose of our research, our position of power, and the epistemic limits of our academic expertise. I end by encouraging ECRs to consider taking actions, however small, to lead the charge in improving practices in autism research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Weiting Tan
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
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Smith J, Rabba AS, Datta P, Dresens E, Wang R, Cong L, Dang N, Hall G, Heyworth M, Lawson W, Lee P, Lilley R, Ma E, Nguyen HTT, Nguyen KV, Nguyen P, Yeow CT, Pellicano E. 'It's really important to be collaborating': Experiences of participatory research for Chinese and Vietnamese parents of autistic children. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2023; 8:23969415231210482. [PMID: 38028582 PMCID: PMC10644728 DOI: 10.1177/23969415231210482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Background and aims Participatory research involves academic partners working together with the community that is affected by research to make decisions about that research. Such approaches often result in research that is more respectful of, and responsive to, community preferences - and is vital in the context of autism research with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Whilst participatory approaches are becoming more commonplace within CALD autism research, no studies have explored the experiences of being involved in autism research from the perspectives of CALD community partners over the course of a study. This paper intended to address this gap by reporting on the experiences of CALD parents of autistic children who were community partners in a 1-year Australian research project exploring home-school partnerships for CALD parents of autistic children. We aimed to: (1) report on how parents' involvement in the research process shaped the home-school partnerships study over time and (2) understand their experiences of being community partners on the home-school partnerships project. Methods Using key principles of participatory approaches, we established Chinese and Vietnamese parent advisory groups to contribute to a project exploring home-school partnerships for parents of autistic children from CALD backgrounds in Australia. Advisory groups included parents of autistic children from Chinese/Vietnamese backgrounds, as well as interpreters, professionals and researchers. We documented how parents' participation as community partners shaped the home-school partnerships study over the course of the project. We also elicited parents' own views and experiences of being community partners through informal, open-ended questions at the beginning and end of the study. Results We found that parents' input fundamentally shaped the broader home-school partnership study, from meaningful, accurate translation of interview schedules through to making decisions regarding community-specific recommendations and dissemination plans. Parents themselves reported being keen to collaborate and to hear and share opinions for the purpose of the home-school partnership study - although they noted how emotionally difficult sharing their stories could be. While they initially had some concerns about combining being involved as a community partner with their existing responsibilities, ultimately, parents were surprised by the scope of the home-school partnership study and their level of involvement as community partners. Through hearing others' stories and sharing their own in advisory group meetings, parents reported ancillary benefits of their involvement, including increased self-advocacy and well-being. Conclusions These findings show how research that is conducted in partnership with diverse members of the autism community has the capacity to improve the quality of the research and benefit community partners. Implications This study clearly documents the benefits and potential challenges of participatory approaches with CALD communities. These findings emphasise to researchers and funders the importance of including extra time and money within budgets in order to produce meaningful research that is respectful and responsive to communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodie Smith
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Aspasia Stacey Rabba
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Faculty of Education, School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Poulomee Datta
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emma Dresens
- Positive Partnerships, Chatswood, NSW, Australia
| | - Rena Wang
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University,
Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lin Cong
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ngoc Dang
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Hall
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Melanie Heyworth
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Reframing Autism,
Sydney, Australia
| | - Wenn Lawson
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- Curtin University, Curtin Autism Research Group, Perth WA
| | - Patricia Lee
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Positive Partnerships, Forestville, NSW, Australia
- Positive Partnerships, Chatswood, NSW, Australia
| | - Rozanna Lilley
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emily Ma
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University,
Melbourne, Australia
| | - Hau T T Nguyen
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kim-Van Nguyen
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Phuc Nguyen
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chong Tze Yeow
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Pellicano
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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