Browsing by Subject "identification"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    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, Pang
    An 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.
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    Illustrated Moss Flora of Minnesota
    (2017) Janssens, Joannes (Jan) A.
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    School Psychologists’ Consistency and Confidence in Learning Disability Identification: The Impact of Identification Methodology and Inconclusive Student Data
    (2015-05) Maki, Kathrin
    Students with learning disabilities (LD) are a heterogeneous group of learners who exhibit below-average achievement theoretically caused by an underlying psychological processing deficit (Fletcher, Lyon, Fuchs, & Barnes, 2007). School-based identification of LD is necessary if students are to receive specialized supports and instruction through special education services (Burns & Ysseldyke, 2009; Fuchs & Fuchs, 1995; Ysseldyke, Burns, Scholin, & Parker, 2010). However, LD identification is convoluted due to variable practices and the psychometric and conceptual issues underlying identification methodologies. This study examined school psychologists’ decision-making regarding LD identification. Participants on both study 1 and study 2 included 376 practicing school psychologists from across the United States. Study 1 examined the consistency of school psychologists’ LD identification decisions across three identification methods (i.e., ability-achievement discrepancy, response to intervention, and pattern of strengths and weaknesses) and across student evaluation data conclusive levels (i.e., conclusive-not LD, inconclusive, conclusive-LD). Results showed that although there were not differences in identification consistency across identification methods, there were differences in identification consistency across conclusiveness levels of student evaluation data. Study 2 examined differences in school psychologists’ confidence in their identification decisions across identification methods, student evaluation data conclusiveness level, school psychologist experience, and identification consistency. Significant differences in school psychologist confidence across identification method and conclusiveness level were found with school psychologists reporting being the most confident using ability-achievement discrepancy and lower levels of confidence when student data were inconclusive. Significant differences in confidence were not found across school psychologists’ experience or identification consistency. The findings from study 1 and study 2 were discussed in the context of previous research as well as implications for future research, school psychological practice, and special education policy. Specifically, the need for further research regarding LD identification methods in order to ensure identification decisions are reliable and valid is discussed. Moreover, the potential impact on school psychologists’ LD identification practices and consequential student special education servicing are addressed. Limitations of the current research and conclusions are also outlined.