Purpose: To examine (a) living context, employment, education, and leisure for autistic young adults, and (b) factors that contribute to challenges and successes during the transition to adulthood for autistic young adults. Methodology: Eighty-two parents or caregivers of autistic young adults (age 18-26) completed a survey about the current living situation and the perceived impact of factors on the transition to adulthood. Findings: Autistic young adults have significant challenges during the transition to adulthood, as reported by parents or caregivers. 82% of autistic young adults live at home with family. 42% are employed an average of 15 hours/week. 70% have pursued post-secondary education averaging 1.5 classes per semester. The most common leisure pursuits were listening to music and playing video games, identified in over 85% symptoms, and social skills as high-impact barriers, and therapeutic supports as low-impact facilitators during the transition to adulthood. Originality: These results corroborate studies that describe poor outcomes for autistic adults. A multitude of factors plays significant roles in the transition to adulthood for autistic young adults. High-impact factors should guide the focus of therapeutic interventions. More research is needed to explore the impact of these cognitive and psychosocial factors for autistic young adults.
Background: disability is more than a medical condition; it encompasses challenges in social interaction and mobility. Individuals with disabilities often face marginalization and barriers due to limitations in participation. Objectives: to assess the Quality of Life (QoL) of individuals with locomotor disabilities and the impact of physical disability on their sociodemographic characteristics. Materials and methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 locomotor-disabled individuals selected through snowball sampling. The WHOQOL-100 scale was used for QoL assessment, and sociodemographic data were collected via self-designed questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, with categorical variables expressed as frequencies and percentages. QoL domain scores
People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD), namely Specific Learning Disorder (SLD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Intellectual Disability (ID), experience significant learning difficulties due to deficits in cognitive processes. Given the high incidence of NDD, neuropsychologists consider the development of effective rehabilitative treatments a top priority. In this context, the Hawkeye project emerges, offering a distinctly innovative approach aimed at developing and testing a demonstrator of novel cognitive and attentional training programs, the TOR system. The study sample consisted of 82 participants (38 males and 44 females) aged 5 to 50 years, diagnosed with NDD (ID, ASD, ADHD, SLD) according to the DSM-5-TR criteria. The results show a high rate of exercise execution and completion, discrimination of performance across diagnostic groups, improvements in selective and sustained attention after 8 training sessions, and a high rate of satisfaction related to the use of the TOR system and the cognitive exercises. This work, therefore, demonstrates the efficacy and usability of a new set of cognitive exercises, providing a solid foundation for their clinical implementation in the rehabilitation of attentional deficits in populations with NDD.
Objective: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) significantly impacts an individual's physical and emotional well-being. This study explores the lived experiences of individuals with SCI, focusing on the influence of family interactions. It aims to shed light on the complex emotions they experience during the patient's period of dependence and until they reach independence. Method: A qualitative study was conducted in Iran with 14 individuals diagnosed with SCI between March 2022 and January 2023. Semi-structured, face-to-face, and in-depth interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis with the assistance of MAXQDA 2020 software. Results: This analysis revealed one central theme, "Burden of Loss and Power of Compassion" which encompassed three overarching categories with 14 distinct subcategories. These three categories are: shattered dignity, collapsing hope and expectations, and lightening the family's load with compassionate care. Conclusion: These findings not only provide profound insights into the experiences of individuals navigating the challenging terrain of SCI but they also reveal the moral foundations that guide their interactions with family and caregivers. They inspire critical thinking that guides interactions, emphasizing the importance of preserving the individual's dignity amidst significant physical challenges. By fostering an environment of respect, empathy, and open communication, we can empower both individuals and their caregivers to navigate this journey with grace and dignity.
Digital games have become valuable educational tools for individuals with disabilities, including Rett Syndrome (RTT). This study explores the potential of interactive eye-gaze fairy tales, implemented as Serious Games, to enhance motivation, attention, and memory in girls with RTT. The research was conducted in two phases. Study 1 focused on calibrating the fairy tale elements - such as colors, shapes, and attention-grabbing features - with 22 girls diagnosed with RTT, aiming to determine which aspects most effectively captured their attention. Study 2 involved 28 participants, aged 5 to 33 years, who were divided into experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, participants actively made choices that influenced the story's progression, while the control group passively observed the narrative. The findings from Study 2 indicate that the experimental group demonstrated consistent performance in recognition tasks, suggesting that interactive engagement positively impacts memory recognition. Additionally, the experimental group exhibited higher happiness levels than the control group, with the difference becoming more pronounced after the initial story presentation. Both groups reported low discomfort levels, indicating that the viewing process was well tolerated. These results suggest that interactive fairy tales can be a beneficial tool for improving motivation and attention in individuals with RTT. The findings support the potential of Serious Games as a promising educational intervention for this population, emphasizing the importance of interactive engagement in enhancing learning outcomes.
People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) experience a rapid deterioration of their condition, which leads them to the inability to move, interact with the surrounding world, and communicate. Given the devastating consequences of the disease and the lack of medical resources to halt its progression, technology solutions have been developed to alleviate the impact of those consequences. This study extended the work on technology solutions by assessing a simple system designed to allow three people in an advanced stage of the disease to access preferred music, videos, or a YouTube channel, and to make video calls or send WhatsApp messages. The system included a tablet that presented the aforementioned options and a proximity sensor that the participants could activate by a minimal finger or hand movement to access those options. The study was carried out following single-case research methodology. During the baseline phase, the participants were unable to access any of the options by using a conventional tablet. During the intervention with the system, all three participants succeeded in accessing the options and showed particular interest for music, videos, and the YouTube channel. Based on the results, the new system appears a viable tool for supporting people with advanced ALS.
The purpose of this research is to explore the challenges and experiences associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by analyzing the narratives of individuals diagnosed with ASD and their parents as conveyed in YouTube videos. A qualitative method was used in the study. Since the study"s focus was on examining experiences and the meanings attributed to them, a descriptive phenomenology design was preferred. The video content was selected using criterion sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods. Fourteen YouTube videos featuring content related to autism and involving individuals diagnosed with ASD or their parents were transcribed and subjected to content analysis using MAXQDA software. The analysis revealed three themes: "feeling different about oneself/child", "autism diagnosis, reactions, and acceptance", and "challenging and educative effects of autism". The findings indicate that participants encounter various issues and impacts which are discussed in detail within the study"s themes, categories, and codes. It has been emphasized that videos on YouTube can raise awareness about the issues faced by individuals with autism and their families, and that social media content can be an important resource for the field of social work.
The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of Video Self-Modeling (VSM) in improving the reading fluency of students with reading difficulties and to measure the effectiveness of this procedure in retaining this skill. The study employed a single-case experimental design, specifically a multiple baseline across participants design. The participants were four students with reading difficulties: two in the fourth grade, and two in the fifth grade of primary school. The study was conducted over three stages: baseline, intervention, and retention. The findings indicated that VSM was effective in improving oral reading fluency components, thus enabling students to increase their reading accuracy rate and to reach age-appropriate reading averages. The reading rate clearly increased for all students, with one student being able to reach the age-appropriate average. The results also showed that VSM contributed to the maintenance of reading fluency skills over time. Additionally, the intervention was found to be socially acceptable by teachers, parents, and students. The effect size of VSM was high for reading accuracy and moderate for reading rate.
Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has mobilized a concerted research effort to identify biological, socio-demographic, and behavioral factors which may increase the risk of infection and severity of the disease. Whilst much research has explored physical health factors which may affect these risks, the effects of mental health and attitudes have been less fully investigated. Objective: The current study is one of the first to investigate possible associations between optimism bias, self-reported mental health, neurodiversity, and Covid-19 severity. A second aim of the present study was to explore any observed relationships by exploring the subjective experiences of being ill with Covid-19 of individuals with these disorders. Methods: A convenience sample of 400 adults (210 Males; aged 18-64; M = 33.3; SD = 11.8 years) who had tested positive for Covid-19 completed a survey that asked them whether they had any mental health or developmental disorders. They were also asked questions about how likely they had thought it was they would become ill (optimism bias) and a free-response item about their experience of having Covid-19. Sentiment analysis coded these responses as negative, neutral, or positive. Results: Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that having an eating disorder (chi 21 = 5.86; p < .001) and having a higher optimism bias (chi 21 = 4.65, p < .001) were associated with increased odds of being hospitalized with Covid-19 (a proxy for Covid severity). Presence of autism was associated with a decreased likelihood of having a negative sentiment towards being ill (chi 21 =-632.46; p < .001). Conclusions: Supplemented by future research with a larger sample size and more targeted qualitative analysis, these findings may inform public health messaging and care provision for individuals with these disorders in pandemic or health contexts.
The study was conducted with a quasi-experimental design to determine the effect of the nursing support program prepared in line with the Health Belief Model (HBM) to improve reproductive health in women with orthopedic disabilities. A total of 50 women were included in the research sample, 15 of whom were in the experimental group and 35 in the control group. A 3-week nursing support program was applied to the women in the experimental group. For data collection, the Introductory Information Form and the Scale for Determining Married Women's Attitudes towards Protecting Reproductive Health (SDRH) were applied. The assessments were carried out with a follow-up form for four months. In the first assessment, the SDRH total scores were 119.93 +/- 20.59 for the experimental group and 122.20 +/- 16.71 for the control group. In the last assessment, the SDRH total scores were 144.27 +/- 11.95 for the experimental group and 118.00 +/- 16.43 for the control group. The difference between the SDRH total scores of the groups at the first and last assessment was statistically significant (p < .01). It was found that the HBM-based nursing support program applied to women with orthopedic disabilities had a positive effect on some reproductive health behaviors.
Parents of children with disabilities may experience high levels of parenting stress and low levels of life satisfaction, which may vary depending on the child's degree of disability. The aim of the study was to examine the different levels of parenting stress and life satisfaction among mothers of children with cerebral palsy and autism. The impact of the level of disability on parenting stress and life satisfaction was studied. The sample consisted of 50 mothers of children with cerebral palsy and 48 mothers of children with autism. The data was collected using the Parenting Stress Index Short Form and the Life Satisfaction Scale. Sociodemographic data was collected from parents by completing a personal information form. The Independent sample t-test and MannWhitney U test were used to compare the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to calculate the correlation coefficients. The study shows that mothers of children with cerebral palsy had statistically significantly higher parenting stress and lower life satisfaction than mothers of children with autism. The relationship between parenting stress and life satisfaction varied depending on how disabling the child's condition was. Caring for children with severe disorders may require more time and effort, which can have a negative impact on parenting stress.
This investigation focused on reviewing the published works that address the use of the videogame Minecraft as a tool to facilitate an educational space that bridges the gap and is inclusive of neurotypical students with normal learning and students with different forms of disabilities. Results were found using three popular databases: EBSCOhost, Dialnet and Scielo; however, when using keywords and phrases that linked to studies that used Minecraft to assess inclusive education in students, only three articles met the inclusion criteria. In these three studies, Minecraft was found to be a useful tool for the inclusive education of students with disabilities as Minecraft allows for a safe space for education that can be modified extensively depending on the needs of the students of pedagogy; yet, the scarce amount of written articles that met the criteria did not allow to reach universally conclusive results.
This narrative review sheds light on the challenges faced by parents in were identified by synthesizing findings from 143 articles spanning five decades across three reputable databases. These gaps include a lack of sexual education for boys, mothers' concerns about girls' inadequate self-care and discomfort with sanitary pads, as well as an increased vulnerability to sexual offenders. Challenges in developing identity, autonomy, and self-esteem were also highlighted. Little attention has been given to understanding the dynamics in relationships between parents and typically developing children, as well as between siblings, including those with DD. The review highlights the imperative for a greater recognition of a "family-centered approach" and a tailored care model that aligns with parents' specific needs. Addressing these issues is critical to a comprehensive understanding of the complex challenges parents face as they navigate adolescence with a child with DD.
In this study, conducted with blind people, an investigation was made on the perception of the socio-spatial relationship in individuals with visual impairment. A social notion of disability was employed in which the environment played a preponderant role in the development of aspects, such as accessibility, inclusion/exclusion, and participation. This was a qualitative research of the action research type that involved a survey on the social perception administered to 10 participants, analyzing three categories: material environment and structural barriers, social practices, and citizenship status. A systematic process was developed, which revealed differences between physical space and represented space with regard to the perception of individuals with visual impairment. This is because, being designed starting from the traditional
This study aims to develop and determine the needs of students with special needs and the proposed solutions for them in the process of disaster management by applying the knowledge and experience of special education teachers. The study, conducted with a qualitative research method, was carried out on 15 teachers, 10 of whom were special education teachers working in a special education application school located in the Mersin province (Turkey). In the study, a semi- structured individual interview form was used to address the needs of students with special needs in disasters created by the researchers who conducted in-depth face-to-face interviews. The audio recordings taken from the participants were encoded in the MAXQDA 22 program. A considerable number of participants reported their opinions on moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Two themes were reached as a result of
Background: There is a clear paucity of literature regarding the conceptual frameworks for self-advocacy by people with Intellectual Disability (ID). The aim of this scoping review was to identify and explore the existing conceptual frameworks that support self-advocacy by people with ID and to identify key concepts relevant to enhancing direct political participation by people with ID. Methods: Strict eligibility criteria as well as the guidelines relative to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) were followed. Results: There were 168 eligible articles but only 20 were included in the final analysis. The studies included addressed the conceptual/theoretical frameworks for self-advocacy by people with disabilities (including ID and other developmental disabilities), which had been published between 2000 and 2020. Three conceptual frameworks for self-advocacy were identified and the following four main themes were identified: (a) essence of self-advocacy, (b) conceptual/theoretical frameworks, (c) inclusive citizenship through self-advocacy, and (d) self-advocacy experiences. Conclusions: This scoping review sheds light on the limited literature on conceptual frameworks for self-advocacy by people with Intellectual Disability. The findings highlight the need for specific conceptual frameworks to support people with ID in advocating for their rights, particularly in the South African context, ultimately seeking more inclusive and equitable political participation.
Non-compliance includes various behaviors and attitudes, ranging from total refusal of drug therapy to incorrect use or premature discontinuation, with a potential impact on the severity of symptoms. In the psychiatric setting, patients' reluctance to adhere to medications may result from a lack of insight, fostering unfavorable opinions about pharmacotherapy. This study explores the connections between antidepressant medication adherence, insight, and attitudes towards medications. The participant pool included both inpatients and outpatients, including individuals with established psychiatric diagnoses and excluding those with intellectual disabilities, major neurocognitive disorders, or acute psychotic relapses. Adherence was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) item of the Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS), attitude towards drugs was measured with the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI), and insight with the Insight Orientation Scale (IOS). The analysis revealed a significant direct correlation between adherence and attitude towards the drug (rho = .76; p < .001). Adherence showed a significant direct correlation with both DAI subscales, assessing subjective responses to antipsychotics (rho = .65; p < .001) and subjective attitude towards treatment (rho = .72; p < .001). Although the IOS scale did not have a significant correlation with the BARS total score and DAI global score, it did show a significant correlation with the DAI factor II (rho = .35; p < .01). These findings highlight the central role of patients' attitude towards medications in influencing medication adherence.
The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of two different Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) tools, the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and a Speech-Generating Device (SGD), as communication aids for children with autism. The participants were three children with severe autism who were minimally verbal or had no functional language. The results indicate that both AAC intervention strategies led to an increase in communicative behavior, with a slightly shorter acquisition time observed for the SGD training. Furthermore, two out of three participants showed a preference for the SGD. Moreover, we observed a reduction in problem behaviors and an improvement in vocal production in one of the participants. These findings suggest that both PECS and SGD are equally suitable for developing initial request skills and can also encourage speech production in students with specific prerequisites. Overall, the study highlights the potential benefits of both PECS and SGD in facilitating communication for children with autism.
Vaccines are cost-effective tools for preventing serious diseases, but vaccinating children remains a problem in many countries. Since no review has analyzed parents' decision to vaccinate their children from the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the current review aims to fill this gap. The current scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extended for Scoping Review Statement (PRISMA-ScR). The scientific literature was analyzed and 258 records were identified. After removing duplicates and screening abstracts and full-text, 18 eligible records were identified. The studies gathered information on vaccines against COVID-19, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), whooping cough, influenza, and other vaccines. Overall, the studies employed 20355 participants, mostly women, aged 30 to 39 years old, from medium to high socioeconomic backgrounds. Attitude towards vaccination was the best predictor of parents' intention to vaccinate their children, followed by subjective norms, while mixed results emerged on perceived behavioral control. Among other variables related to parent's intention to vaccinate their children, obtaining information from the physician appeared to have the greatest influence. Parents' attitude and subjective norms could be strengthened through small-scale campaigns in which physicians recommend the vaccine, reassuring parents of its safety and resolving all their doubts.
Having a child with special needs comes with many challenges. To cope with these difficulties, it is necessary to determine the level of compassion and love of parents with children with special needs and provide support to these parents. This study aimed to determine the levels of care burden, compassion, and compassionate love of parents with and without children with special needs. The study was conducted in a case-control design between December 2022 and April 2023. The sample included 48 parents in the group of parents with children with special needs (experimental or case group) and 55 parents in the group of parents with healthy children (control group). Parents' inclusion criteria were: agreement to participate in the research, no known health problems and ability to speak Turkish. Data was collected using the Personal Information Form, the Burden Interview (BI), the Compassion Scale (CS), and the Compassionate Love Scale (CLS). The study findings indicate that the participants' level of education, economic status, and age were associated with having a child with special needs. The educational and economic status of the parents in the case group was significantly lower (p < .05), and their care burden was significantly higher (p < .05). The levels of compassionate love (111.96 +/- 16.13) and compassion (80.21 +/- 7.67) of the case group were lower than those of the control group, but the difference was not significant. The process of caring for children with special needs is a long and arduous process that involves a larger workforce, high costs, and love and compassion from parents. To reduce the care burden of parents with children with special needs, these parents should be supported. Based on the concept that compassion and levels of compassionate love increase resilience, it is recommended that compassion awareness training be provided to this special group
