Employers’ General Knowledge, Social Attitudes, Experience, and Employability of Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder Adults

AbstractAutism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which causes an individual to have abnormalities in socialization and communication, and unusual behaviors and interests. Each year about a half million young adults with ASD transition from high school to adulthood; however, only 57% become employed. The current study’s purpose was to investigate how general knowledge of ASD and social interactions with those with ASD affected employers’ social attitudes and perceptions of those with ASD being employed by them. Social Contact theory employers who have more social interaction with individuals with ASD have more social knowledge about ASD.. The population for this quantitive study included 93 employers who completed an online survey consisting of questions about social interactions with individuals with ASD, general knowledge, social attitudes about ASD, and employee perceptions of ASD. Regression and correlation were used to examine the relationship between variables. The results showed a negative association that was not statistically significant between employers’ general knowledge about ASD and social attitude about ASD. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between employers’ amount of interaction with individuals with ASD and the social attitudes about ASD of employees. Additionally, it demonstrated a nonsignificant positive correlation between employers’ social interaction with individuals with ASD and the employers’ perceptions. Further research should focus on employers in larger corporations and businesses. The knowledge gained in the current study will lead to positive social change by increasing inclusivity in the workforce

Limited connectedness of spontaneous speech may be a marker of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

The study evaluated the connectedness of spontaneous speech production in individuals with dementia as a potential predictor of dementia severity. Data were derived from the baseline sample of 143 individuals with dementia in the English Pitt corpus. Dementia severity was assessed via the Mini Mental Status Exam, the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, and the Blessed Dementia Scale. Language abilities were evaluated using verbal fluency and picture description tasks. Graph analysis was carried out for the picture description task using the computational tool SpeechGraphs to calculate connectedness. Results demonstrated that higher educational attainment, higher verbal fluency and strongly-connected spontaneous speech were associated with better cognitive function. Results suggest that automated language processing approaches, such as graph structure analysis, may provide a faster and ecologically valid method of detecting dementia symptoms

The Lives of Young Fathers: A Review of Selected Evidence

While young fathers have been neglected in social research in the UK, over the past fifteen years a small but growing body of empirical evidence has emerged across a range of studies. This review article draws selectively on this literature to document the characteristics of young fathers in the UK and their lived experiences. It presents compelling evidence for the desire of young fathers to be engaged as parents, despite the sometimes multiple challenges that they face. The article begins with a demographic profile of young fathers and documents what is known of young fathers’ relationships with their children, the child's mother and wider kin. It goes on to consider a range of practical issues facing young fathers. The article concludes with a consideration of young fathers’ support needs and experiences of professional support, drawing out the implications for policy and professional practice

Mass Antibiotic Treatment for Group A Streptococcus Outbreaks in Two Long-Term Care Facilities1

Outbreaks of invasive infections caused by group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) may occur in long-term care settings and are associated with a high case-fatality rate in debilitated adults. Targeted antibiotic treatment only to residents and staff known to be at specific risk of GAS may be an ineffective outbreak control measure. We describe two institutional outbreaks in which mass antibiotic treatment was used as a control measure. In the first instance, mass treatment was used after targeted antibiotic treatment was not successful. In the second instance, mass treatment was used to control a rapidly evolving outbreak with a high case-fatality rate. Although no further clinical cases were seen after the introduction of mass antibiotic treatment, persistence of the outbreak strain was documented in one institution >1 year after cases had ceased. Strain persistence was associated with the presence of a chronically colonized resident and poor infection control practices

Help-seeking among Male Farmers: Connecting Masculinities and Mental Health

In many ways, male farmers can be considered to be a vulnerable group in relation to mental health, experiencing high rates of suicide, psychological distress and low use of health services. This study highlights important connections between rurality, farming and masculinities in the context of men's mental health. In-depth interviews with 32 male farmers from Quebec, Canada were completed focusing on stress and coping strategies. Findings include informal and formal strategies. Many participants had previous positive experience of formal help and would be willing to use such help again and to recommend it to others in need. Those without such experience are sceptical about services but recognise the courage it requires to seek help. Pride and lack of knowledge about services are the main barriers to help-seeking, but it can be legitimated in certain contexts, such as divorce or other psychosocial crisis, and by alignment with particular male ideals. Role models at national or local levels can also help farmers prioritise their own and their family's wellbeing over stigmas and rigid, traditional masculine ideals. Furthermore, gender-based strengths and recommendations for practice are also discussed

Indicated prevention interventions for anxiety in children and adolescents: a review and meta-analysis of school-based programs

Anxiety disorders are among the most common youth mental health disorders. Early intervention can reduce elevated anxiety symptoms. School-based interventions exist but it is unclear how effective targeted approaches are for reducing symptoms of anxiety. This review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the effectiveness of school-based indicated interventions for symptomatic children and adolescents. The study was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42018087628]. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library for randomised-controlled trials comparing indicated programs for child and adolescent (5–18 years) anxiety to active or inactive control groups. Data were extracted from papers up to December 2019. The primary outcome was efficacy (mean change in anxiety symptom scores). Sub-group and sensitivity analyses explored intervention intensity and control type. We identified 20 studies with 2076 participants. Eighteen studies were suitable for meta-analysis. A small positive effect was found for indicated programs compared to controls on self-reported anxiety symptoms at post-test (g = − 0.28, CI = − 0.50, − 0.05, k = 18). This benefit was maintained at 6 (g = − 0.35, CI = − 0.58, − 0.13, k = 9) and 12 months (g = − 0.24, CI = − 0.48, 0.00, k = 4). Based on two studies, > 12 month effects were very small (g = − 0.01, CI = − 0.38, 0.36). No differences were found based on intervention intensity or control type. Risk of bias and variability between studies was high (I2 = 78%). Findings show that school-based indicated programs for child and adolescent anxiety can produce small beneficial effects, enduring for up to 12 months. Future studies should include long-term diagnostic assessments

A qualitative meta-synthesis of interpersonal violence prevention programs focused on males

Exceptionally high levels of interpersonal violence have triggered a call by many experts for the need to determine effective ways to address the onset and effects of exposure to interpersonal violence. The specific aim of this study was to identify and draw on existing promising practices to make a more informed decision on strategies to develop a contextually relevant intervention that focused on the promotion of positive forms of masculinity to create safety and peace. This study used a qualitative meta-synthesis (QMS) technique to integrate and interpret findings from various intervention studies that focused on males and/or gender. An in-depth literature search yielded a total of 827 papers that met the search criteria. After removal of duplicates, abstract review, and review of the full texts, the subsequent sample for this meta-synthesis included 12 intervention programs and 23 studies. This QMS revealed the value of a comprehensive approach, using multiple strategies, employing participatory and interactive methods, and promoting social mobilization to address interpersonal violence. The promotion of positive forms of masculinity as an interpersonal violence prevention strategy is a much-needed, relatively untapped approach to generating safety and peace for both males and females