Other, Fact Sheet
In the U.S., 1 in 68 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In fact, almost every school and university in the country has students with autism. While the diagnosis is common, public understanding of autism is not. The lack of understanding around the condition contributes to discrimination, verbal abuse, even physical violence. A recent study reveals that children with autism are five times more likely to be bullied than their peers—treatment no child should endure. While the differences between people with autism and their peers may seem significant, children share…
Many youth with disabilities have difficulty understanding social situations or navigating interpersonal events such as speaking in front of a class or doing job interviews. They may benefit from building and practicing social skills. These skills allow a person to interact appropriately with other people and handle difficult situations. It is important that youth have the opportunity to identify and practice these skills because they can significantly impact employment, relationships, and how well they are connected in the community as adults. Families, educators, and youth themselves can…
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Journal Article The present study adopts a randomized experimental design to evaluate the impact of a father-mediated therapy to improve the play skills, affect, language, social skills and behavior among 30 clinically diagnosed autistic children at the age of 3-5 years. Standardized inventories such as, The Play Based Observation (PBO), The Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS), The Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) and the Rendel Shorts Questionnaire were administered pre and post intervention. A special program that involved fathers in the caregiving and nurturing processes of these children…
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Journal Article Background: Fathers have unique influences on children's development, and particularly in the development of social skills. Although father-child relationship influences on children's social competence have received increased attention in general, research on fathering in families of children with developmental delays (DD) is scant. This study examined the pathway of influence among paternal intrusive behaviour, child social skills and child self-regulatory ability, testing a model whereby child regulatory behaviour mediates relations between fathering and child social skills. Methods:…
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Journal Article The psychological well-being of fathers of children with developmental disabilities remains poorly understood. The present study examined depressive symptoms, pessimism, and coping in fathers of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (DS; n = 59), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs; n = 135), and Fragile X syndrome (n = 46). Fathers of sons or daughters with ASDs reported a higher level of depressive symptoms than the other groups of fathers. Fathers of sons or daughters with DS reported a lower level of pessimism than the other groups of fathers. There were no group differences in…
Raising children with developmental, emotional, behavioral or medical special needs inarguably impacts a marriage. The manner in which it changes, however, is not determined by the nature or severity of the child's disorder nor even by the number of children with disabilities in a family; the impact is determined by the manner in which the couple handles intensive child-rearing demands and related stressors. Juggling the seemingly endless logistical and emotional issues associated with parenting children with special needs can cause couples to make their relationship much less of a…
