ABSTRACT
Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face numerous challenges in transitioning to elementary school, which can cause confusion for the children and concern among their parents. Aims: This study aimed to identify the process of school transition from kindergarten to elementary school for children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan, by evaluating the effectiveness of a school transition program. Methods: A focus group interview was conducted with seven parents who participated in a transition program. They were asked about communication with the teachers, support obtained from the school, and their experiences after their children entered elementary school. After the group interview was recorded and transcribed, the data were analyzed using inductive content analysis to determine the parents' experiences of the school transition process. Findings: Six main themes emerged from the focus group interview: acquisition of prerequisite skills, adjustment in dealing with children with ASD, communication between school and home, communication between peers and children with autism spectrum disorder, collaboration with special needs education teachers, and the principal's understanding of special needs education. Conclusion: These findings provide an overview of the challenges and possible solutions to support school transitions for children with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive educational environments.
ABSTRACT
Background and aims: Research on the psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has highlighted its negative and positive effects on children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. However, little is known about the neutral effects that remain the same, even in particular circumstances, and how children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents perceive each other. We explored how children with autism spectrum disorder and their mothers perceived and experienced the pandemic in Japan. Methods: A mixed-methods design was employed. Thirteen children with autism spectrum disorder and 12 mothers participated. Data were collected through online semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Similarities and differences in perceptions were compared. Results: The results revealed six broad themes and 27 categories. Regarding neutral effects, some mothers reported no substantial impact because there were no changes in their jobs or other dramatic life changes. In addition, some children were not affected because they had had no social contact before the pandemic or because their lives had not changed dramatically. Regarding the perceptions of children/mothers, most expressed that they/their children enjoyed spending time with their families. At home, mothers made various efforts to interact with their children. However, mothers and children differed in their perceptions, such as regarding the emergence of anxiety about conducting school events and the resolution of study-related concerns. Conclusions: There were negative, neutral, and positive effects on both children with autism spectrum disorder and their mothers; specifically, they were striving to move forward to overcome the problems posed by the pandemic. Both parties tapped into their resilience by enhancing family interactions, such as cooking together or discussing children's interests. Implications: These findings have important implications for developing more creative solutions to the challenges of coping and resilience in future crises.
ABSTRACT
Several studies have suggested that contingent adult imitation increase nonverbal communication, such as attention and proximity to adults, in children with autism spectrum disorders. However, few studies have shown the effect of contingent imitation on verbal communication. This study examined whether children with autism were able to promote verbal interaction such as vocal imitation, vocalization, and vocal turn-taking via contingent imitation. We used an alternating treatment design composed of the conditions of contingent imitation and control for six children with autism (aged 33-63 months). For contingent imitation condition, adults imitated children's vocalization immediately. For control condition, adults did not imitate but gave a vocal response immediately. Results showed that in contingent imitation condition, all children increased the number of vocal imitations and vocal turn-takings compared with control condition. The number of vocalizations increased in both condition for all children. Overall, it is suggested that all children promote verbal interaction via contingent imitation.
