Browsing by Subject "autism"
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Item Connect [Spring/Summer 2014](University of Minnesota: College of Education and Human Development, 2014-04) University of Minnesota: College of Education and Human DevelopmentAccommodation revelation: New online training helps instructors support learners with disabilities. A mind for learning language: Child development researchers explore how children learn new languages. A state of immersion: Minnesota is a leader in developing language immersion programs that work.Item Evaluation of an Explicit Approach to Teach Grammatical Forms to Children with Developmental Language Disorders(2017-05) Engman, JenniferThe current study evaluated an alternative, explicit instruction procedure to teach true grammatical forms to children with developmental language disorders other than SLI. Two children with characteristics of ASD between the ages of 5 and 6 years participated in treatment targeting a weak grammatical structure. Each participant completed a series of treatment sessions that comprised implicit instructional approaches followed a series of treatment sessions that incorporated an explicit instructional approach. Accuracy was assessed during each session across baseline, implicit, and explicit conditions as well as 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months post treatment. Results revealed a significant advantage for the explicit treatment over the implicit treatment. Immediately after introducing an explicit instructional approach a marked increase in level and upward trend was observed as well as an increase in percent of non-overlapping data compared to baseline and implicit phases for both participants.Item An examination of fidelity of two parent-implemented vocabulary interventions for young learners with autism spectrum disorder(2016-08) Parker-McGowan, QuannahThe current study examined fidelity over time of two parent-implemented interventions designed to teach novel vocabulary items to three young children (3;3-5;11) with autism spectrum disorder. Additional dependent variables included: (a) rate of vocabulary item acquisition; (b) learner generalization; and (c) learner maintenance. One intervention required the parent to initiate teaching opportunities while the other intervention relied on the child to initiate teaching opportunities. Both interventions utilized mand, model, and time delay strategies within two different structured play scenarios. Three novel vocabulary items were taught within each of the two play scenarios. One replication was conducted for each parent-child dyad. Visual analysis of the data was conducted within participants. Results showed that all parents exhibited a degrading trend in intervention fidelity across experimental conditions. All participants acquired all vocabulary items across sets, though rate of acquisition differed between conditions. Results from generalization probes using storybooks were mixed. Two participants showed modest generalization across materials while one participant did not demonstrate generalization of vocabulary within a different medium. Maintenance probe results were also mixed, however, all participants showed a decreasing trend across vocabulary items. Implications for practice and research are discussed, as are study limitations.Item Exploring Determinants of Early Childhood Special Educators' Practice Selections for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder(2020-07) Hugh, MariaEvidence-Based Practices (EBPs) can only improve children's outcomes when implemented. There is much to still learn about Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teachers' implementation of EBPs when it comes to their selection and use of practices to facilitate social communication development for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Understanding what practices teachers consider for use can inform the development of implementation supports at the initial Exploration and Adoption-Decision stages of implementation. To detect malleable determinants of practice selection, this study addressed these aims: (a) identify ECSE teachers' familiarity and current use of EBPs and unsubstantiated practices, (b) identify their practice selections, and (c) determine whether teachers' beliefs predicted practice selections. A web-based survey gathered responses from 222 ECSE teachers related to these objectives. Overall, teachers' familiarity with and current use of EBPs and unsubstantiated practices varied. Most teachers were highly familiar with and often used certain EBPs (e.g., reinforcement), and fewer teachers used others despite familiarity (e.g., discrete trial teaching). Aligned with the Theory of Planned Behavior, the researcher ascertained teachers' beliefs (self-efficacy, attitude, subjective norms) about EBPs. Teachers' had the most positive overall beliefs for naturalistic intervention and least for discrete trial teaching. The researcher used Discrete Choice Analysis, a method of exploring individuals' choices, to investigate teachers' selection decisions, and to find that beliefs predicted their practice selections. Together, these findings suggest that there are individual determinants of practice selection that can be acted on by tailoring preimplementation supports to improve implementation from the start.Item How Can We Enable Hmong Parents to Take Steps Towards Autism Identification?: Hmong Parents’ Beliefs about Autism and Their Experiences in the Identification Process(2022-05) Chaxiong, PangAn early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is important for early access to supports and intervention services. Evidence suggests that age of identification may be particularly late for children from underserved, culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities. Although parents play an important role in their child’s receipt of an ASD identification, CLD parents may experience more challenges in the identification process, which likely better supports the needs of White, middle class, English-speaking families. Very little ASD research has focused on the Hmong community, a CLD group that is particularly vulnerable to inequities in ASD identification. Thus, I conducted a three-study dissertation that examines Hmong parents’ beliefs about ASD and their experiences in the identification process to address the overarching question: how can we enable Hmong parents to take steps towards an ASD identification? To first gain a more thorough understanding of parents’ experiences in the ASD identification process, Study 1 was a systematic review of barriers and facilitators to ASD identification reported by parents in the U.S. across qualitative and descriptive studies. In Study 2, I specifically examined Hmong parents’ (N = 35) beliefs related to ASD (i.e., their beliefs about early identification, intervention and the causes of ASD) and their experiences in the identification process (i.e., the barriers and facilitators they encountered) using a survey tool I developed called the Parent Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder survey (PP-ASD). Using the same participants and the PP-ASD, Study 3 examined the sources Hmong parents use to obtain information on ASD, as well as the extent to which they encounter and utilize ASD information presented in Hmong text and audio. These studies point to the importance of ensuring that Hmong parents have access to information on ASD and that healthcare and educational professionals be supported to serve as partners.Item The impact of a delay to early intensive behavioral intervention on educational outcomes for a cohort of medicaid-enrolled children with autism(2017-05) Dimian, AdeleIntroduction. Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions (EIBI) is an applied behavior analysis approach that can be effective for remediating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms for some individuals (Reichow, 2012). From a population perspective, timely access to early intervention services is assumed to be important for facilitating long term positive educational outcomes. Stakeholders report, however, long waitlists for services. The range of effects of EIBI service delay on educational outcomes for children with ASD is unknown. The purpose of the study was to examine how EIBI service delays relate to later educational and placement outcomes for Medicaid-enrolled children diagnosed with ASD. Three research questions guided the analyses conducted in this study: 1) what is the main effect of delay to EIBI on educational outcomes, 2) what is the main effect of average hours of EIBI per week on educational outcomes and 3) does the average delay to start EIBI differ by county or region within Minnesota? Method. The study utilized cross-systems administrative data to create a cohort of 3 to 5 year olds who received a diagnosis of ASD between 2008 and 2010. This cohort was matched with Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) records from the 2010-2014 academic year (94.5% match rate). Delay to EIBI services in months was calculated by subtracting the date of ASD diagnosis (ICD-9 CM 299.0) from the first billing date associated with an EIBI service provider. Educational outcomes evaluated included primary educational ASD diagnosis, instructional placement, Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-III (MCA) scores and special education service hours. Descriptive analyses, Generalized Estimating Equations regressions models (GEE), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to evaluate data from 667 children with ASD (82% Male, 72% White). Results. The average delay to EIBI was 8.99 months (SD=10.63 mos). At follow-up, 94% of the cohort qualified for special education with 70% of them receiving an ASD diagnosis in school. About 40% of the children received a general education placement. The GEE models calculated showed that the main effect of delay to EIBI was significant and the odds of receiving a general education placement and participating in the MCA- tests was decreased if the child experienced a longer delay to start EIBI. Additionally, the odds of receiving a primary educational diagnosis of ASD increased for every increase in delay. The results further suggest that the main effect of average hours of EIBI per week was significantly associated with ASD diagnosis in school, MCA participation, and special education service hours. Finally, children who resided in the metro area (M=9.89 mos, SD=11.24 mos) had a larger average delay to EIBI compared to children who resided in the non-metro area (M=7.00 mos, SD=8.78 mos). Discussion. With increases in diagnoses of ASD over the past decade, it is imperative that children and families have early access to high quality services. Children who were diagnosed younger and experienced a shorter delay had better educational outcomes overall. This study is limited in that the reason a delay may have occurred is unknown and the educational outcomes are limited. In sum, there are waitlists and delays to services which may be detrimental to children’s educational outcomes. Future research should investigate if a telehealth delivery model (i.e., video-conferencing) could supplement the gap in services early on and the cost-effectiveness of timely service.Item An Interpretative Investigation of the Lived Experiences and Perceptions of Autistic Adults, Parents of Children on the Autism Spectrum, and Music Therapy Clinicians on the Development of a Novel Music Therapy Social Skills Curriculum Within a Family-Centered Practice Model(2024-04) Schwartzberg, EdwardFamily-centered practice within a therapeutic milieu has evolved over the last 40 years. However, few music therapy researchers have sought to understand the lived experiences and perceptions of autistic adults, parents of children on the autism spectrum (CAS), and music therapy clinicians (MTCs) regarding the development of a social skills curriculum integrated into a family-centered practice model. Therefore, the purpose of this exploratory interpretivist study was to understand autistic adults’, parents’, and music therapy clinicians’ (MTCs), perspectives, lived experiences, and recommendations regarding the development of a family-centered music therapy (FCMT) approach for social skill development in CAS. The primary research question was: What are the perspectives and recommendations of autistic adults, parents of CAS, and MTCs on social skill acquisition and a FCMT approach for social skill development? Two autistic adults, three parents of CAS, and five MT clinicians participated in separate semi-structured interviews. Using an inductive approach to thematic analysis, the author identified and established code categories and themes during repeated readings of the data. Member checks and trustworthiness were utilized. Three primary and six subthemes were identified for each of the participant groups: Autistic Adults: 1) Diagnosis influences identity (subthemes 1a: Public stigma results in internalized shame; 2a: Neurodiversity fosters positive self-concept) , 2) Family interactions (subthemes 1b: Families experience various challenges; 2b: Family participation shapes well-being), and 3) Music therapy expectations (subthemes 3a: Addressing the whole person; 3b: Varied approaches to meet individualized needs; Parents of CAS: 1) Complex caregiver roles (subthemes: 1a: A range of emotions from successes and challenges; 2a: Dynamic family relationships), 2) Roles and responsibilities of MT (subthemes: 2a: Communication and collaboration with the family; 2b: Individualized and goal-oriented approaches), and 3) Community engagement (subthemes: 3a: Connecting with other families; 3b: Exposure within greater community); MTCs: 1) Family dynamic and logistical factors (subthemes 1a: Family dynamics influence MT session logistics; 1b: General session logistics derived from non-service user factors), 2) MTC’s clinical decision-making (subthemes: 2a: Clinician’s therapeutic experiences and intuition; 2b: Treatment plans are individualized and successive), and 3) Family and MTC interactions (subthemes 3a: Family and therapist partnership develops alliance; 3b: Family member participation promotes commitment and generalization). Practicing within a neurodiversity-affirming therapy model and integrating the family into the delivery of music therapy-specific interventions can improve care receiver and family participation. Moreover, various factors influence the clinical decision-making of the MTC in a FCMT approach for social skill development. These factors can strengthen the acquisition and generalization of social skills for AC. Implications for clinical practice and suggestions for future research are provided.Item MMR vaccination does not cause autism.(2010-09-15) Winkelman, TylerThere is no increased risk of autism or autism-spectrum disorder associated with the MMR vaccine. The MMR vaccine remains a safe and effective vaccine for children worldwide.Item Sex differences and flexible decision making behavior in a mouse model of 16p11.2 hemideletion(2023) Merfeld, MadisonCompared with girls and women, boys and men have a higher rate of diagnosis and/or a greater level of impairment associated with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We know little about how sex mechanisms influence the impact of diagnosis-associated gene variants; one gene variant strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders is 16p11.2 hemideletion. Boys with 16p11.2 hemideletion have been repeatedly found to have more neurodevelopmental diagnoses than girls. The 16p11.2 region is highly syntenic across mammals, and mouse models of 16p11.2 hemideletion (abbreviated as 16p del) also show sex-biased impacts on flexible action selection. In a restless two-armed bandit decision making, I found that 16p del mice have sex-biased behavioral changes in the domain of flexible action selection.Item There is no significant difference in rates of autism in children receiving the MMR vaccine versus those who are not vaccinated(2008-11-24) Verdoorn, JaredA retrospective cohort study conducted in Denmark studying all the children born in the country between 1991 and 1998 revealed that there was no increased risk of autism in children receiving the MMR vaccine versus those who were not vaccinated. The relative risk of developing autism in those vaccinated for MMR versus the unvaccinated was 0.92, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.68 to 1.24, showing no significant difference.Item Transition and Support Programs For College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder(2020-06) Greenberg, DanielSome colleges provide support to degree-seeking students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), beyond what is mandated under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is not clear, however, how such support affects students’ overall college experiences. This study examines bachelor’s-degree-seeking students’ use of academic and social supports for students with ASD, their perceptions of how helpful these programs are to their development in areas where they need support to transition to and persist in college, and the relationship of these measures to students' adaptation to college. The study also examines the academic and social supports that programs offer through analysis of information available on 37 institutions' program websites. Further analyses are based on survey data from 20 students who participate in one of eight programs developed to support students with ASD at universities across the United States. Analyses yielded no evidence suggestive of a relationship between students’ use of supports and students’ adaptation to college, or between students’ perceptions of the helpfulness of their programs and students’ adaptation to college. Nonetheless, the findings indicate that students find these categories of supports to be at least somewhat helpful in and of themselves and to their development in areas of transition need and that students are adapting neutrally to positively to college in terms of academic adjustment, social adjustment, and life and career preparation. Finally, this study suggests that future research into the experiences of students with ASD in postsecondary education should carefully consider how the sociality of college students is gauged.Item Vaccines do not cause autism(2009-09-18) O’Brien, SeanSome parents have enough concern about a proposed link between vaccinations and autism that they delay or refuse to immunize their children. The evidence clearly shows that there is no link between vaccinations and autism.Item Vaccines do not cause autism(2010-09-15) O’Brien, SeanSome parents have enough concern about a proposed link between vaccinations and autism that they delay or refuse to immunize their children. The evidence clearly shows that there is no link between vaccinations and autism.