28
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
2 collections
    0
    shares
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: found

      An individualized life-skills coaching program for adults with autism

      research-article
      Ashleigh Hillier , Nataliya Poto , David Schena II , Abigail Buckingham , Alice Frye
      Advances in Autism
      Emerald Publishing
      Autism, Autism, Coaching, Life skills, Goals, Adult outcome

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisher
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Purpose

          The lack of services for adults on the autism spectrum is of growing concern. Given the huge variation in how autism impacts people, individualized approaches might be particularly effective. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of a community-based life-skills coaching program for adults with autism “LifeMAP.”

          Design/methodology/approach

          LifeMAP is structured around individualized meetings between a client and their coach where they identify, prioritize and make progress toward self-selected goals. LifeMAP was established in 2008 and has since served around 2,600 clients. This paper provides an outline of the LifeMAP program, how sessions with clients are structured, goals that adults with autism prioritize and preliminary data on progress toward goal attainment.

          Findings

          Findings indicated that the LifeMAP program model was effective in supporting progress toward goals, increasing confidence toward goals and reducing anxiety.

          Originality/value

          Given the scope of the LifeMAP program, this overview is unique in providing pertinent information to others looking for effective and authentic strategies to support autistic adults and those transitioning from high school. This study provides a realistic perspective on how programs are applied in community-based settings, outside a structured, formal lab setting. It is concluded that individualized intervention approaches might be key to successful outcomes for adults with autism.

          Related collections

          Most cited references51

          • Record: found
          • Abstract: found
          • Article: found
          Is Open Access

          Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016

          Problem/Condition Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Period Covered 2016. Description of System The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance program that provides estimates of the prevalence of ASD among children aged 8 years whose parents or guardians live in 11 ADDM Network sites in the United States (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). Surveillance is conducted in two phases. The first phase involves review and abstraction of comprehensive evaluations that were completed by medical and educational service providers in the community. In the second phase, experienced clinicians who systematically review all abstracted information determine ASD case status. The case definition is based on ASD criteria described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Results For 2016, across all 11 sites, ASD prevalence was 18.5 per 1,000 (one in 54) children aged 8 years, and ASD was 4.3 times as prevalent among boys as among girls. ASD prevalence varied by site, ranging from 13.1 (Colorado) to 31.4 (New Jersey). Prevalence estimates were approximately identical for non-Hispanic white (white), non-Hispanic black (black), and Asian/Pacific Islander children (18.5, 18.3, and 17.9, respectively) but lower for Hispanic children (15.4). Among children with ASD for whom data on intellectual or cognitive functioning were available, 33% were classified as having intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] ≤70); this percentage was higher among girls than boys (40% versus 32%) and among black and Hispanic than white children (47%, 36%, and 27%, respectively). Black children with ASD were less likely to have a first evaluation by age 36 months than were white children with ASD (40% versus 45%). The overall median age at earliest known ASD diagnosis (51 months) was similar by sex and racial and ethnic groups; however, black children with IQ ≤70 had a later median age at ASD diagnosis than white children with IQ ≤70 (48 months versus 42 months). Interpretation The prevalence of ASD varied considerably across sites and was higher than previous estimates since 2014. Although no overall difference in ASD prevalence between black and white children aged 8 years was observed, the disparities for black children persisted in early evaluation and diagnosis of ASD. Hispanic children also continue to be identified as having ASD less frequently than white or black children. Public Health Action These findings highlight the variability in the evaluation and detection of ASD across communities and between sociodemographic groups. Continued efforts are needed for early and equitable identification of ASD and timely enrollment in services.
            Bookmark
            • Record: found
            • Abstract: found
            • Article: not found

            Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder.

            We examined the prevalence and correlates of postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
              Bookmark
              • Record: found
              • Abstract: found
              • Article: not found

              Experiences of autism diagnosis: A survey of over 1000 parents in the United Kingdom.

              A sample of 1047 parents completed an online survey about their experiences and opinions regarding the process of attaining a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for their children. The results revealed that parents usually waited a year from when they first had concerns about their child's development before they sought professional help. On average, there was a delay of around 3.5 years from the point at which parents first approached a health professional with their concerns to the confirmation of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Just over half of the parents surveyed were dissatisfied with the diagnostic process as a whole. Several factors predicted parents' overall levels of satisfaction with the diagnostic process, including the time taken to receive a diagnosis, satisfaction with the information provided at diagnosis, the manner of the diagnosing professional, the stress associated with the diagnostic process and satisfaction with post-diagnostic support. Post-diagnosis, the support (if any) that was provided to parents was deemed unsatisfactory, and this was highlighted as an area of particular concern among parents.
                Bookmark

                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                AIA
                10.1108/AIA
                Advances in Autism
                AIA
                Emerald Publishing
                2056-3868
                2056-3868
                01 June 2021
                16 February 2022
                : 8
                : 2
                : 104-116
                Affiliations
                [1]Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell , Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
                [2]Asperger/Autism Network, Watertown, Massachusetts, USA
                [3]Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell , Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
                Author notes
                Ashleigh Hillier can be contacted at: ashleigh_hillier@uml.edu
                Article
                666955 AIA-08-2020-0051.pdf AIA-08-2020-0051
                10.1108/AIA-08-2020-0051
                b1c58fc9-2085-4a95-8524-43cfd5873066
                © Emerald Publishing Limited
                History
                : 23 August 2020
                : 16 December 2020
                : 05 May 2021
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 3, Equations: 0, References: 52, Pages: 1, Words: 7551
                Categories
                research-article, Research paper
                , Adult outcome
                cat-HSC, Health & social care
                Custom metadata
                M
                Web-ready article package
                Yes
                Yes
                JOURNAL
                included

                Health & Social care
                Adult outcome,Autism,Coaching,Life skills,Goals
                Health & Social care
                Adult outcome, Autism, Coaching, Life skills, Goals

                Comments

                Comment on this article