Challenges encountered: A Qualitative analysis of professionals’ lived experiences in the field of autism

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24297/jssr.v20i.9564

Keywords:

Families, Scholars, Services, Professionals, Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) significantly impacts American families, requiring substantial support from professionals in the field. This qualitative study explores the experiences of nine professionals in the ASD field using a phenomenological framework. Four main themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Service Delivery Constraints, 2) Knowledge Limitations, 3) Professional Adaptation, and 4) Future Directions. These findings illuminate the unique challenges professionals face in service delivery and their roles within the autism field. The study provides practical and scholarly insights based on real-life experiences, benefiting professionals, scholars, and families with children with autism.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Tony Bobadilla, Social Work Department, Nazareth University, USA

Tony Bobadilla, Ph.D., LCSW, is a passionate scholar-practitioner in the field of social work who divides his time between clinical practice, training, consulting, scholarly writing and research. He teaches at Nazareth University. He holds an Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialization and is a Behavioural Specialist.

Janet Espinoza, School of Social Work, Our Lady of the Lake University, USA

Janet Espinoza, LCSW is dedicated to helping children and families, conducting research, and educating future social workers. She is currently a PhD student, adjunct faculty member at Our Lady of the Lake University, and a mental health provider in acute inpatient and private practice settings. Her passion for making a positive impact in the lives of others is evident in her multifaceted roles and unwavering commitment to her profession.

References

Al Jaffal M. (2022). Barriers general education teachers face regarding the inclusion of students with autism. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 873248. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.873248

American Occupational Therapy Association (2022). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76 (Supplement 3).https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2022.76S3002

American Psychiatric Association (2022). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR).

Anderson, & Butt, C. (2018). Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum: The Struggle for Appropriate Services. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(11), 3912–3925. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3673-z

Ashburner, J., Rodger, S., Ziviani, J., Jones, J. ( 2013). Occupational therapy services for people with autism spectrum disorders: Current state of play, use of evidence and future learning priorities. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 61(2), 110–120. DOI:10.1111/1440-1630.12083

Binns, A. V., Cunningham, B. J., Andres, A., & Oram Cardy, J. (2022). Current practices, supports, and challenges in speech-language pathology service provision for autistic preschoolers. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415221120768

Byrne, B. (2022). How inclusive is the right to inclusive education? An assessment of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities’ concluding observations. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(3), 301-318. DOI: 10.1080/13603116.2019.1651411.

Centers for Disease Control (2023). What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html

Centers for Disease Control (2023). Data and statistics on autism spectrum disorder. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html

Cidav, Z., Lawer, L., Marcus, S. C., & Mandell, D. S. (2013). Age-related variation in health service use and associated expenditures among children with autism. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 43(4), 924–931. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1637-2

Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Sage Publications, Inc.

Creswell, J.W. and Poth, C.N. (2018) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design Choosing among Five Approaches. 4th Edition, SAGE Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks.

Dillenburger, K., McKerr, L., Jordan, J. A., & Keenan, M. (2016). Staff Training in Autism: The One-Eyed Wo/Man…. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(7), 716. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13070716

Haney, J. L., & Cullen, J. A. (2018). An exploratory investigation of social workers' knowledge and attitudes about autism. Social Work in Mental Health, 16(2), 201-222. doi: 10.1080/15332985.2017.1373265

Jones, E.K., Hanley, M., & Riby, D.M. (2020) Distraction, distress and diversity: Exploring the impact of sensory processing differences on learning and school life for pupils with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101515

Kadar, M., McDonald, R., & Lentin, P. (2012). Evidence-based practice in occupational therapy services for children with autism spectrum disorders in Victoria, Australia. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 59(4), 284–293.

Kadar, M., McDonald, R., & Lentin, P. (2015). Malaysian occupational therapists’ practices with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78(1), 33–41.

Kim, S.Y,. (2021). College Disability Service Office Staff Members’ Autism Attitudes and Knowledge. Remedial and Special Education, 74193252199946–. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932521999460

Leifler, Carpelan, G., Zakrevska, A., Bölte, S., & Jonsson, U. (2021). Does the learning environment “make the grade”? A systematic review of accommodations for children on the autism spectrum in mainstream school. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 28(8), 582–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2020.1832145

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412995658

Nicolaidis, Kripke, C. C., & Raymaker, D. (2014). Primary Care for Adults on the Autism Spectrum. The Medical Clinics of North America, 98(5), 1169–1191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2014.06.011

Neggers, Y. H. (2014). Increasing prevalence, changes in diagnostic criteria, and nutritional risk factors for autism spectrum disorders. International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014.

Philofsky, A. (2008). The role of the SLP in autism spectrum disorder screening and assessment. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 15(2), 50-59. https://doi.org/10.1044/lle15.2.50

Sturrock, A., Chilton, H., Foy, K., Freed, J., & Adams, C. (2022). In their own words: The impact of subtle language and communication difficulties as described by autistic girls and boys without intellectual disability. Autism, 26(2), 332-345. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211002047

Watling, R. & Hauer, S. (2015) Effectiveness of Ayres Sensory Integration® and Sensory-Based Interventions for People With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69 (5). https://doi-org.ezproxy.naz.edu/10.5014/ajot.2015.018051

Weaver, L.L. (2015). Effectiveness of Work, Activities of Daily Living, Education, and Sleep Interventions for People With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.69 (5). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2015.017962

Yingling, M. E., & Bell, B. A. (2020). Utilization of speech-language, occupational and physical therapy by diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Child: Care, Health and Development, 46(5), 563–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12790

Downloads

Published

2024-01-23

How to Cite

Bobadilla, T., Hebert, E. B., & Espinoza, J. (2024). Challenges encountered: A Qualitative analysis of professionals’ lived experiences in the field of autism. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, 20, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.24297/jssr.v20i.9564

Issue

Vol. 20 (2024)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Tony Bobadilla, Elizabeth Baltus Hebert, Janet Espinoza

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License All articles published in Journal of Advances in Linguistics are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.