Search results

1 – 5 of 5
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 June 2021

Ashleigh Hillier, Nataliya Poto, David Schena II, Abigail Buckingham and Alice Frye

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…

266

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.

Details

Advances in Autism, vol. 8 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-3868

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 2 October 2017

Ashleigh Hillier, Monica Galizzi and Kianna Ferrante

Characteristic challenges that define autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coupled with comorbid conditions and poor communication with providers, can lead to inadequate healthcare…

462

Abstract

Purpose

Characteristic challenges that define autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coupled with comorbid conditions and poor communication with providers, can lead to inadequate healthcare. The majority of previous work has focused on children. The purpose of this paper is to examine the healthcare experiences of young adults with ASD within the US healthcare system.

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire was utilized to examine: the accessibility of healthcare for those with ASD: do they make their own appointments, fill out paperwork independently, go in the examination room on their own; the quality of care they receive: what are their medical needs, how effectively can they communicate their needs, do providers understand their disability; and the outcomes of care: do they understand their recommended care, can they follow healthcare instructions accurately, are they satisfied with the care received. The authors compared responses of those with ASD (n=16) with those of parents of adults with ASD (n=50), as well as a matched comparison group of young adults without ASD (n=42) for statistical differences using the Fisher Exact test. The authors also asked parents about their time costs of assisting their adult children through the healthcare process.

Findings

The results suggest that those with ASD overestimated their ability to manage their healthcare needs, felt more positively about the healthcare they received than was warranted, and were significantly less independent in managing their healthcare than their peers. Parents experienced losses and costs in terms of lost productivity, household work, and personal time.

Originality/value

This study furthers the understanding of the healthcare experiences of young adults with ASD which is crucial to dissecting problems which hamper access to quality care.

Details

Advances in Autism, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-3868

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 7 August 2018

Ashleigh Hillier, Jody Goldstein, Lauren Tornatore, Emily Byrne, Joseph Ryan and Hannah Johnson

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the impact of peer mentoring on mentors working with university students with a disability. Research questions focused on how…

675

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the impact of peer mentoring on mentors working with university students with a disability. Research questions focused on how undergraduate student mentors evaluated their experience as a mentor, in what ways they benefited, the challenges they experienced and how these challenges could be addressed.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative and qualitative data examined the experiences, benefits and challenges experienced by the mentors across seven separate cohorts. Self-report measures were collected in a pre-post design, and qualitative analysis was conducted on focus groups at the end of the program. The paper also outlines the program model including training and support mechanisms, and the program curriculum implemented by mentors.

Findings

Responses on the measures showed that student mentors saw mentoring as a positive experience, and they felt more committed to their university after participating. Qualitative content analysis of focus groups supported this and also highlighted some of the unique challenges faced by mentors working with students with a disability. These included communication difficulties, trouble building rapport, not knowing how to help their mentee and feeling over-protective.

Research limitations/implications

While the findings are preliminary, results indicated that serving as a mentor to freshmen university students with a disability had an important impact on the personal growth and skills development of the mentors. In addition, similar program models should recognize that careful attention is needed to ensure mentors are fully supported in their role. Findings also highlight areas for improvement of the program such as examining longer term outcomes, including a comparison group, and seeking the perspectives of the mentees. Limitations included limited standardized assessment tools to assess impact more broadly.

Originality/value

The study is original in its focus on improving current understanding of outcomes for student mentors who are working with incoming university students with a disability status.

Details

International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6854

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 7 April 2015

Davide Secchi, Hong T.M. Bui and Kathleen Gamroth

The purpose of this paper is to investigate recent healthcare reform in the USA, which allows insurance companies to proactively intervene in improving the long-term health of…

650

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate recent healthcare reform in the USA, which allows insurance companies to proactively intervene in improving the long-term health of employees, by providing wellness programs as part of their benefits package.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present and analyze data on how employees of a large US Midwest “media and education” company (n=154) perceive economic incentives toward well-being. Data are collected using survey methods and analyzed with a logistic regression.

Findings

This study suggests that fairness, accessibility, intention to switch to a healthier lifestyle and desire to see more health-related initiatives affect the way employees seek to participate in the new involuntary wellness programs. By contrast, satisfaction, participation, and income to not affect how these new programs are perceived.

Research limitations/implications

These findings suggest that human resource managers should pay attention to employees who are not active in existing wellness programs, and provide support during the transition toward the new involuntary programs, to avoid potential frustration, demotivation, disengagement and, ultimately, decreasing performance among employees.

Originality/value

The study is among the first to analyze involuntary wellness programs in the USA, and it provides a basis on which to expand further studies. This research contributes to support the idea that employee wellness is unlikely to be enforced by rule or policy.

Details

Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-3983

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 June 2021

David R. Glerum and Timothy A. Judge

This paper aims to apply training evaluation to employability development, providing a systematic process to assess employability development programs' effectiveness under the…

1546

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to apply training evaluation to employability development, providing a systematic process to assess employability development programs' effectiveness under the framework of employability capital resources (Peeters et al., 2019).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors demonstrate the training evaluation process within an employability development program for US secondary school students. This process included providing validation evidence for measures of evaluation criteria across multiple samples of secondary school students and testing the effectiveness of the program utilizing a quasi-experimental design.

Findings

The authors systematically found support for the intervention's effects on training criteria (i.e. reactions, learning, behavior, results) and demonstrated the utility for training evaluation's application to employability development. The findings illustrate how a training evaluation approach can provide holistic evidence that an employability development program achieved its intended outcomes.

Originality/value

Employability is a new and burgeoning topic – however, employability development varies in how it is conceptualized, evaluated and assessed. By applying training evaluation approaches, employability development can be assessed within a unifying framework and better integrated within the Human Resource Management literature.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 26 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

1 – 5 of 5
Per page
102050