TY - JOUR
T1 - Pulling back the curtain
T2 - Issues in conducting an intervention study with transition-aged youth with autism spectrum disorder and their families
AU - Burke, Meghan M.
AU - Waitz-Kudla, Sydney N.
AU - Rabideau, Carol
AU - Taylor, Julie Lounds
AU - Hodapp, Robert M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2018.
PY - 2019/2/1
Y1 - 2019/2/1
N2 - The transition from high school to adulthood is difficult for youth with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Recognizing these challenges, there is a small but emerging body of literature testing interventions to improve the transition process. But there are many challenges in performing intervention research that have yet to be fully addressed. We discuss issues that should be considered when conducting interventions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder to improve the transition to adulthood, drawing from our study of a parent training to facilitate access to adult services during the transition years. Issues covered include (1) timing (when is an intervention most effective?), (2) mode of delivery (what is the best way to present information?), (3) outcomes (how can intervention outcomes be accurately measured?), (4) target population (who is the intervention designed to help?), and (5) level of intervention (who should the intervention target?). Our answers, though preliminary, show the need to be flexible, to adopt a trial-and-error stance, and to listen to the needs—both explicit and implicit—of youth with autism spectrum disorder and their parents as they navigate the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood.
AB - The transition from high school to adulthood is difficult for youth with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Recognizing these challenges, there is a small but emerging body of literature testing interventions to improve the transition process. But there are many challenges in performing intervention research that have yet to be fully addressed. We discuss issues that should be considered when conducting interventions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder to improve the transition to adulthood, drawing from our study of a parent training to facilitate access to adult services during the transition years. Issues covered include (1) timing (when is an intervention most effective?), (2) mode of delivery (what is the best way to present information?), (3) outcomes (how can intervention outcomes be accurately measured?), (4) target population (who is the intervention designed to help?), and (5) level of intervention (who should the intervention target?). Our answers, though preliminary, show the need to be flexible, to adopt a trial-and-error stance, and to listen to the needs—both explicit and implicit—of youth with autism spectrum disorder and their parents as they navigate the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood.
KW - family
KW - intervention research
KW - services
KW - transition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042082154&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042082154&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1362361317753016
DO - 10.1177/1362361317753016
M3 - Article
C2 - 29439586
AN - SCOPUS:85042082154
SN - 1362-3613
VL - 23
SP - 514
EP - 523
JO - Autism
JF - Autism
IS - 2
ER -