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Thesis advisor: Kristen Bottema-Beutel / Autism is often framed using a deficit lens with ableist beliefs and medical model perspectives promoting the curing, treatment, or camouflaging of autistic characteristics. This contributes to poor outcomes experienced by many within the autistic community, including but not limited to victimization at higher rates (Fisher & Lounds Taylor, 2016; Nansel et al., 2001), lower satisfaction with quality of life in work, education, and relationships (Barneveld et al., 2014), suicidal ideation at higher frequencies (Mayes et al., 2013), and low self-esteem and high depression and anxiety (Cooper et al., 2017). Increased efforts are necessary to better understand how to support positive autistic identity development. This dissertation is comprised of three papers outlined below, aimed at exploring autistic identity. Paper 1 sought to analyze how autistic adults without a formal autism diagnosis construct autistic identities in the narratives they tell about disclosure or talking to other about being autistic. Through interviewing using participant-preferred modalities, narratives were elicited from 15 self-identified autistic adults. Narratives were thematically and then discursively examined using Bamberg’s 3-level model of positioning (Bamberg, 1997). Analysis showed that positioning techniques like reported speech, double-voiced discourse, and juxtaposition of characters were used by participants to reveal doubt experienced in self-identifying, claim autistic membership, and assert autism expertise. For autistic adults without formal diagnosis, discussing autism and sharing their autistic identification can be a challenging experience. Understanding how these exchanges are narrated can offer insight on how to better support and affirm self-identified autistic adults. Paper 2 examined the experiences of autistic adolescents and their caregivers of engaging in talk about autism. Adopting a multiperspectival interpretative phenomenological analytic (IPA) approach, 3 parent-child dyads were recruited and individually interviewed. Parents and adolescents were treated as separate participant groups and analysis of individual interviews was followed by cross-case analysis to identify group experiential themes. Adolescents found that conversations with their mothers impacted their autistic identity by strengthening perceived areas of difficulty related to autism and helping them to better understand themselves and conceptualizing autism. Caregivers noted that conversations about autism with their child felt natural, were spaces to frame autism in particular ways, and were opportunities to guide them through challenging social situations and offer support. This IPA study contributes to autism research in describing the psychosocial experience of autism-related talk between parent and child, appreciating the multiple perspectives involved in these interactions. Using hierarchical regression and mediation models, Paper 3 identified the relationships between (a) awareness and knowledge about autism, (b) orientation to neurodiversity perspectives, (c) level of outness, (d) autism-related stigma consciousness, (e) autistic identity, and (f) mental well-being of autistic adults. A sample of 169 participants completed an online survey comprised of measures indexing these constructs. Autism awareness and knowledge, alignment with neurodiversity perspectives, outness, and stigma consciousness were predictive of autistic identity when controlling for gender, sexuality, and number of years knowing about autistic status. When entered into the regression model together, only orientation to neurodiversity perspectives uniquely predicted autistic identity. Additionally, results showed that autistic identity mediated the relationship between stigma-related consciousness and mental wellbeing. This work offers direction for promoting positive autistic identity development. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Movement plays an important role in a child’s life. Typically developing children develop motor skills as they explore their environment. Motor skills are important, as they contribute to a child’s overall wellbeing, assisting in play, academics, social development and physical activity. These motor milestones developed during childhood, and can be used as indicators of atypical development. Children with a complex neurodevelopmental disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show signs of atypical development, as they are recognised as being clumsy and uncoordinated in their gross and fine motor skills. Besides motor delays, parents and caregivers report that children with ASD also exhibit delays in social communication, interaction and repetitive behaviours and interests, during the early stages of development. Research has suggested a possible relationship between motor and social development. For example, motor skills are important as they provide children with the necessary tools to successfully engage in physical activity, socially communicate and interact with peers. Children with ASD, however, participate in physical activity less often than typically developing children which hinders the mastery of motor skills, in turn causing social isolation and further social dysfunction. Interventions are, therefore, necessary to provide children with ASD opportunities to learn the essential gross motor skills, which could help them improve their self-esteem, leading to increased participation in physical activity and further social skill development. The purpose of the current study was to implement a 12-week specialised group intervention programme to improve the gross motor and social skills of selected children diagnosed with ASD between the ages of 8 and 13 years. In the Cape Town area, a governmental school for autistic learners was recruited to take part in this study, as the school divided learners into classes based on their level of autistic function. Therefore, the sample in the current study was a sample of convenience. Two classes (N=7) at the school participated; 1 formed the experimental group (n=4) and the other the control group (n=3). The children completed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), and parents or legal guardians and teachers of participants filled out the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) questionnaire. This was done to provide an overview of the children’s fine and gross motor and social skill proficiency. A 12-week group intervention programme was designed and then implemented by the researcher, with the focus on improving overall gross motor proficiency and social skills of participants in the experimental group. The effect of the 12-week group intervention programme was determined by analysing and comparing the pre- to post-test results. The group-time interaction effect was examined to determine if the experimental group presented a different effect from the control group over time. The main findings of the current study showed that the 12-week group intervention programme made significant improvements in the total motor proficiency as well as in the balance subtest of the MABC-2 in children with ASD. Significance was also found within the experimental group in the aiming and catching subtest of the MABC-2. Unfortunately, the current study found no significant improvements after the 12-week group intervention programme in total social skill competency, as well as in all subtests of the SRS-2 in children with ASD. The current study shows the effectiveness of a 12-week group intervention programme on the gross motor skills of children with ASD. The findings also suggest that social skills should be taught alongside motor skills, in order to achieve positive outcomes in both aspects of development. Further investigation is needed with regards to the relationship between motor and social skills, as well as additional examinations as to whether improved motor skills, results in improved social development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beweging speel ʼn belangrike rol in ʼn kind se ontwikkeling tot ʼn volwaardige volwassene. Kinders sal tipiese motoriese vaardighede aanleer soos hulle hul omgewing verken. Motoriese vaardighede is belangrik omdat dit tot akademiese, sosiale, fisieke, speel aktiwiteite en ʼn kind se algehele welstand bydra. Die mylpale wat gedurende die kinderjare bereik word, is ʼn belangrike aanwyser van atipiese ontwikkeling. Kinders met ʼn komplekse neuro-ontwikkelingsversteuring soos Outisme Spektrum Versteuring (OSV), toon tipies tekens van atipiese ontwikkeling omdat hulle onbeholpe en ongekoördineerd in hul groot en fynmotoriese vaardighede voorkom. Afgesien van motoriese agterstande rapporteer ouers en versorgers dat kinders met OSV gedurende die vroeë kinderjare ook agterstande in sosiale kommunikasie, interaksie en herhalende gedrag en belangstellings toon. Navorsing toon ʼn moontlike verhouding tussen motoriese en sosiale ontwikkeling. Motoriese vaardighede is belangrik omdat dit kinders met die nodige vaardighede toerus om fisieke aktiwiteite suksesvol uit te voer, om te kan speel, om te sosialiseer en om met hulle eweknieë te kan verkeer. Kinders met OSV sal tipies aan minder fisieke aktiwiteite as kinders wat normaal op dié gebiede ontwikkel, deelneem en sodoende sal dit tot verdere sosiale isolasie en sosiale disfunksie aanleiding gee. Intervensies is daarom, belangrik om kinders met OSV geleenthede te bied om die noodsaaklike grootmotoriese vaardighede, wat hul selfagting kan verhoog, hul deelname aan fisieke aktiwiteite kan verhoog en verbetering in sosiale ontwikkeling kan aanmoedig, aan te leer. Die doel van die huidige studie was om met ʼn gespesialiseerde groep intervensieprogram die grootmotoriese en sosiale vaardighede van ʼn geselekteerde groep kinders, tussen die ouderdom van 8 en 13 jaar, wat met OSV, gediagnoseer is te implementeer. Een regeringskool vir Outistiese leerders in die Kaapstad omgewing is geselekteer om aan hierdie studie deel te neem. Omdat die skool die leerders in klasse op grond van hul graad vlak van Outisme verdeel, is daar van ʼn gerieflikheidsteekproef gebruik gemaak. Leerder in twee klasse (N=7) van die skool het deelgeneem; 1 groep was die eksperimentele groep (n=4) en die ander groep (n=3) die kontrolegroep. Die kinders het die Movement Assesment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), voltooi en die ouers of die wettige voogde en onderwysers het die Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS=2), vraelys voltooi. Die is gedoen om ʼn oorsig van die kinders se fyn- en grootmotoriese- sowel as sosiale vaardighede te bekom. Die 12-week groep intervensieprogram wat op die algehele verbetering van groot motoriese- en sosiale vaardighede van al die deelnemers in die eksperimentele groep gefokus het, is deur die navorser ontwikkel en geïmplementeer. Die effek van die 12-week groep intervensieprogram is deur die ontleding en vergelyking van die voor- en na-toets data bepaal. Die groep-tyd interaksie-effek is ondersoek om te bepaal of die eksperimentele groep 'n ander effek as die kontrole groep met verloop van tyd toon het. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die huidige studie het getoon dat die 12-week groep intervensieprogram aansienlike verbeteringe in die totale motoriese vaardigheid, sowel as in die balans sub-toets van die MABC-2, by kinders met OSV te weeg gebring het. Betekenis is ook binne die eksperimentele groep by die mik- en vang sub-toets van die MABC-2 gevind. Ongelukkig is geen betekenisvolle verbeteringe in sosiale vaardighede, sowel as in al die sub-toetse van die SRS-2 by die kinders met OSV gevind nie. Die huidige studie het die doeltreffendheid van 'n 12-week groep intervensieprogram op die grootmotoriese vaardighede van kinders met OSV getoon. Die bevindinge dui ook daarop dat sosiale vaardighede saam met motoriese vaardighede aangeleer moet word, om sodoende positiewe uitkomste in beide aspekte van ontwikkeling te kan bereik. Verdere navorsing met betrekking tot die verhouding tussen motoriese en sosiale vaardighede is nodig, sowel as verdere navorsing om te bepaal of verbeterde motoriese vaardighede ʼn verbetering in sosiale ontwikkeling sal toon.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on June 8, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Laura E. Berk (chair), Karla Doepke, Stacey Jones Bock, Dawn McBride. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-175) and abstract. Also available in print.

The focus of this study was three fold. First, modeling and feedback were investigated as a training package for social interactions between siblings. Second, the effects of social phrases taught to the sibling with autism were investigated. Third, the magnitude of these social phrases was measured by timing duration of parallel play. The experimental design is an A-B-A1-A2 design conducted in a clinic, with a probe for generalization in the home environment. This intervention was replicated across an additional sibling dyad to indicate its effectiveness. This study ascertained that the sibling with autism was a viable participant in learning new social skills that could function as a behavioral cusp and increase sibling interactions.

This study examined the effects of a support group for parents of autistic children on the parents' reported stress levels.

A review of the literature indicated that critical skills needed by educators of students with autism had not been sufficiently identified. Research efforts using survey instruments appeared to offer a method for gathering data in order to develop and analyze a comprehensive list of critical skills for educators of students with autism. A survey instrument was developed in bifurcate format that required respondents to rate 118 skill items according to Importance and Proficiency. Two Likert-type scales were provided to enable respondents to record their perceptions of Importance and Proficiency. The instrument was mailed to a nationwide stratified sample of educators of students with autism. A total of 90 surveys were mailed with 52 (57%) returned. Four hypotheses and two research questions were developed. Data were analyzed using MANOVA to test for significant differences among the four geographic regions of the United States and within ten skill areas. The findings did not support the hypotheses; therefore, all hypotheses were rejected. In further analysis utilizing the ANOVA and Chi-Square procedures, significant differences among some regions and within some of the skill areas were found. The findings suggest that educators from the four regions tended to differ in regard to Importance and Proficiency for certain skill items. Findings led to recommendations being given relevant to future research on critical skills needed for teachers in the field of autism.

Behavior analysis, and more specifically the study of verbal behavior, has been used to empirically measure how parents and children interact for decades using single-subject research methods. Developmental psychology utilizes similar measures to describe these interactions across large samples of dyads, but findings across these two fields are rarely integrated due to differences in terminology and application. In order to integrate the literature of these fields, we must identify measures which can describe behavior of a large sample while still being sensitive enough to individual change from behavioral intervention. In particular, these measures must include the function of behavior, or the effect behavior has on the environment, in order to truly capture the strength of the interaction. In two studies, I seek to align measures of parent-child verbal interactions across both perspectives and describe how a variety of contextual, parent, and child characteristics affect parent-child interactions for families of children with autism. In Study 1, I apply a coding paradigm which utilizes aligned measures of parent and child verbal behavior across behavioral and developmental perspectives to remotely recorded video sessions across structured and free-play contexts. I further identify how verbal behavior changes as a function of the level of the child’s verbal development and parent characteristics. I found that parent verbal behavior is not sensitive to the verbal behavior development of their child, nor is it sensitive to the context of the interaction. However, parent behavior was associated with their report of how severe they perceived their child’s maladaptive behavior to be. Furthermore, parent report of their child’s maladaptive behavior was not associated with rates of maladaptive behavior observed in the sessions, but it was positively correlated with measures of child verbal development such that parents of children who demonstrated more complex verbal behavior reported them as exhibiting more maladaptive behavior. In Study 2, I report the effects of a parent training intervention in which I taught parents to accurately identify and consequate their child’s behavior in order to teach their child a new skill. All parents implemented the strategies with fidelity and reported positive changes in their interactions with their child in the home. However, parents did not independently generalize these skills to novel objectives or demonstrate changes to their verbal behavior in new contexts. All children learned these new academic skills, generalized them to the classroom setting, and maintained the skills 2 weeks following intervention. Results are discussed in terms of how functional measures and methods should be utilized across fields to bridge the gap between research and practice for families of children with autism.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Mary Frances Hanline, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Childhood Education, Reading, and Disability Services. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 27, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 182 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education