Resilience and Coping Strategies in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Individuals with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are prone to stress and anxiety affecting their mental health. Although developing coping and resilience are key to cope with stressors of life, limited research exists. We aimed to explore stakeholders' experiences related to the coping and resilience of adults with ASD. We interviewed 22 participants, including 13 adults with ASD, five parents, and four service provides of adults with ASD from various Canadian provinces. Using thematic analysis, three themes emerged including: (a) societal expectations and conformity, (b) adjusting daily routines, and (c) learning overtime. This study highlights the importance of coping and informs the development of services to help enhance resilience among adults with ASD.

Mapping changes in the obesity stigma discourse through Obesity Canada: a content analysis.

BACKGROUND: Stigmatization of persons living with obesity is an important public health issue. In 2015, Obesity Canada adopted person-first language in all internal documentation produced by the organization, and, from 2017, required all authors to use person-first language in abstract submissions to Obesity Canada hosted conferences. The impact of this intentional shift in strategic focus is not known. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a content analysis of proceedings at conferences hosted by Obesity Canada to identify whether or how constructs related to weight bias and obesity stigma have changed over time. METHODS: Of 1790 abstracts accepted to conferences between 2008-2019, we excluded 353 abstracts that featured animal or cellular models, leaving 1437 abstracts that were reviewed for the presence of five constructs of interest and if they changed over time: 1) use of person-first versus use of disease-first terminology, 2) incorporation of lived experience of obesity, 3) weight bias and stigma, 4) aggressive or alarmist framing and 5) obesity framed as a modifiable risk factor versus as a disease. We calculated and analyzed through linear regression: 1) the overall frequency of use of each construct over time as a proportion of the total number of abstracts reviewed, and 2) the ratio of abstracts where the construct appeared at least once based on the total number of abstracts. RESULTS: We found a significant positive correlation between use of person-first language in abstracts and time (R2 = 0.51, p < 0.01 for frequency, R2 = 0.65, p < 0.05 for ratio) and a corresponding negative correlation for the use of disease-first terminology (R2 = 0.48, p = 0.01 for frequency, R2 = 0.75, p < 0.001 for ratio). There was a significant positive correlation between mentions of weight bias and time (R2 = 0.53 and 0.57, p < 0.01 for frequency and ratio respectively). CONCLUSION: Use of person-first language and attention to weight bias increased, while disease-first terminology decreased in accepted abstracts over the past 11 years since Obesity Canada began hosting conferences and particularly since more explicit actions for expectations to use person-first language were put in place in 2015 and 2017.

Independent living in adults with autism spectrum disorder: Stakeholders' perspectives and experiences.

Independent living is a basic human right that enables individuals with disabilities to determine where they live, who they live with and what kind of support that they receive. Limited research exists regarding the challenges that adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may face when attempting to live independently. Given the importance of independent living for adults with ASD, this study aimed to examine the perspectives of stakeholders about independent living among adults with ASD. METHODS: We recruited a total of 19 stakeholders including adults with ASD and parents of adults with ASD from Canadian provinces. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify factors affecting independent living among adults with ASD. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify overarching themes. RESULTS: Three themes emerged in our findings, including: a) Psychophysical stability and daily living; b) Financial management and planning; and c) Integrated community living and independence. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study suggest that adults with ASD face several challenges related to independent living. Factors related to psychophysical stability and daily living, financial management, and integrated community living and housing were all found to influence the ability of adults with ASD to live independently. By exploring stakeholders' perspectives of independent living for adults with ASD, this study provides some insight that can help inform the development of programs and services to facilitate independent living for adults with ASD.