“Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school

Adolescents on the autism spectrum experience difficulty transitioning from secondary school to post-school activities, often due to transition planning processes that do not meet their unique needs. This study identified parents' and professionals' viewpoints on transition planning for ad...

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Main Authors: Hatfield, Megan, Falkmer, Marita, Falkmer, Torbjorn, Ciccarelli, Marina
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50500
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author Hatfield, Megan
Falkmer, Marita
Falkmer, Torbjorn
Ciccarelli, Marina
author_facet Hatfield, Megan
Falkmer, Marita
Falkmer, Torbjorn
Ciccarelli, Marina
author_sort Hatfield, Megan
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Adolescents on the autism spectrum experience difficulty transitioning from secondary school to post-school activities, often due to transition planning processes that do not meet their unique needs. This study identified parents' and professionals' viewpoints on transition planning for adolescents on the autism spectrum. Interviews were completed with nine parents of adolescents on the autism spectrum and four professionals who worked with adolescents on the autism spectrum. A constant comparison approach was used to analyse the transcripts. Four themes were identified, reflecting parents' and professionals' viewpoints on how to meet the transition planning needs of adolescents on the autism spectrum. Supporting adolescents to grasp the big picture can enhance motivation to participate in transition planning. Autism can be an ‘invisible disability’; therefore, encouraging adolescents to be active participants and to be seen in transition planning ensures their individual needs are met. Encouraging adolescents to have high aspirations in transition planning develops their self-determination. Finally, to be prepared for the transition from school may reduce the adolescent's' anxiety. Adolescents on the autism spectrum face unique challenges in transition planning. The themes identified in this study provide insight into how parents and professionals might support adolescents with these challenges.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-505002019-02-19T05:36:25Z “Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school Hatfield, Megan Falkmer, Marita Falkmer, Torbjorn Ciccarelli, Marina Adolescents on the autism spectrum experience difficulty transitioning from secondary school to post-school activities, often due to transition planning processes that do not meet their unique needs. This study identified parents' and professionals' viewpoints on transition planning for adolescents on the autism spectrum. Interviews were completed with nine parents of adolescents on the autism spectrum and four professionals who worked with adolescents on the autism spectrum. A constant comparison approach was used to analyse the transcripts. Four themes were identified, reflecting parents' and professionals' viewpoints on how to meet the transition planning needs of adolescents on the autism spectrum. Supporting adolescents to grasp the big picture can enhance motivation to participate in transition planning. Autism can be an ‘invisible disability’; therefore, encouraging adolescents to be active participants and to be seen in transition planning ensures their individual needs are met. Encouraging adolescents to have high aspirations in transition planning develops their self-determination. Finally, to be prepared for the transition from school may reduce the adolescent's' anxiety. Adolescents on the autism spectrum face unique challenges in transition planning. The themes identified in this study provide insight into how parents and professionals might support adolescents with these challenges. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50500 10.1111/1471-3802.12377 fulltext
spellingShingle Hatfield, Megan
Falkmer, Marita
Falkmer, Torbjorn
Ciccarelli, Marina
“Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
title “Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
title_full “Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
title_fullStr “Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
title_full_unstemmed “Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
title_short “Leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
title_sort “leaps of faith”: parents' and professionals' viewpoints on preparing adolescents on the autism spectrum for leaving school
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50500