Community Priorities for Outcomes Targeted During Professional Supports for Autistic Children and their Families
Published 17th May 2024
Early therapeutic supports provided to autistic children, where indicated, can lay the foundation for positive development. Research on the types of child outcomes that might be targeted during the provision of early therapeutic supports has typically focused on a narrow subset of child-related characteristics, such as autism characteristics or related child skills (e.g., cognition or language acquisition) with far less attention paid to personal or social functioning outcomes (e.g., participation and wellbeing). Given the growing shift towards neurodiversity affirming approaches to providing supports, there is likely a discrepancy between what is currently reflected in the research literature and what is considered appropriate and a priority for our autistic and autism communities.
In this publication Dr Rhylee Sulek and team explore the appropriateness and priority of a range of child and family outcomes that might be targeted when autistic children receive early supports. We surveyed autistic individuals, parents of autistic children, and practitioners who provide supports living in both Australia and New Zealand. Across groups, highest priority was unanimously improving child mental wellbeing, and lowest priority was unanimously reducing a child’s sensory seeking and avoidant behaviours. The team found increasing evidence to suggest that practitioners are working towards delivering more neurodiversity affirming supports, moving away from targeting outcomes which seek to change something about an autistic child’s identity and towards those which prioritise child wellbeing and satisfaction. This work highlights the need to understand community perspectives, and the differences that might exist between different groups, to ensure we are looking at meaningful outcomes in both research and practice.
Citation
Sulek, R., Edwards, C., Monk, R., Patrick, L., Pillar, S., & Waddington, H. (2024). Community Priorities for Outcomes Targeted During Professional Supports for Autistic Children and their Families. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06333-2
Authors
Dr
