TY - JOUR
T1 - Parental Perceptions of Service Access for Transition-Aged Youth With Autism During COVID-19
AU - Burke, Meghan M.
AU - Cheung, W. Catherine
AU - Li, Chak
AU - DaWalt, Leann
AU - Segal, Jordan
AU - Taylor, Julie Lounds
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© AAIDD.
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - Services are critical for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially during the transition to adulthood. Under the best of circumstances, though, it can be difficult to access needed adult services. With COVID-19, services were more difficult to obtain and retain. In this study, we explored parent perceptions of accessing new services and maintaining current services during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Structured interviews were conducted with 65 parents of transition-aged youth (aged 16-26) with ASD living in three states (IL, TN, and WI) in the United States. None of the participants reported receiving new services during the pandemic, and many struggled to access services via online applications. In addition, participants reported that service suspensions and changes in modality (e.g., from in-person to telehealth) were spearheaded by professionals and not families. Participants, especially those in TN, were more likely to pay out-of-pocket for services during the COVID-19 pandemic to compensate for service disruptions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
AB - Services are critical for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially during the transition to adulthood. Under the best of circumstances, though, it can be difficult to access needed adult services. With COVID-19, services were more difficult to obtain and retain. In this study, we explored parent perceptions of accessing new services and maintaining current services during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Structured interviews were conducted with 65 parents of transition-aged youth (aged 16-26) with ASD living in three states (IL, TN, and WI) in the United States. None of the participants reported receiving new services during the pandemic, and many struggled to access services via online applications. In addition, participants reported that service suspensions and changes in modality (e.g., from in-person to telehealth) were spearheaded by professionals and not families. Participants, especially those in TN, were more likely to pay out-of-pocket for services during the COVID-19 pandemic to compensate for service disruptions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
KW - COVID-19
KW - autism spectrum disorder
KW - parents' perceptions
KW - service access
KW - transitional youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138606269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85138606269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1352/1934-9556-60.5.369
DO - 10.1352/1934-9556-60.5.369
M3 - Article
C2 - 36162047
AN - SCOPUS:85138606269
SN - 1934-9491
VL - 60
SP - 369
EP - 381
JO - Intellectual and developmental disabilities
JF - Intellectual and developmental disabilities
IS - 5
ER -