The Change in Classification of Asperger Syndrome: An Exploration of its Effects on Self-Identity

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association eliminated Asperger Syndrome (AS) and introduced the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic framework. This change in nosology socially implicates people who self-identify with and derive personal meaning from their AS diagnosis. The current study explored the opinions of adults with AS regarding their identity related to the diagnostic terminology of ASD. Twelve adults with AS completed a semi-structured interview that was transcribed and analyzed qualitatively using Thematic Analysis. The analysis revealed six themes: (a) Derived Meaning, (b) Knowledge and Understanding, (c) Perceptions and Labels, (d) Social Identity, (e) Opinions and Reactions to ASD, and (f) Barriers to Funding and Service Provision. Many participants socially identified and self-categorized as part of the AS community because their challenges matched those described by the DSM-IV. Importantly, many participants described the removal of AS as a threat to their identity, social status, and access to supports. Implications are discussed

Vocational Training for Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Effectiveness of the Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES)

There are few specific, validated vocational training programs for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES) is a functional vocational skills training tool that teaches and measures vocational potential in individuals with developmental disabilities.  This project utilized a mixed methods approach to better understand the effectiveness of PAES in enhancing the vocational abilities of twelve adolescents and young adults with ASD.  Results indicate a statistically significant improvement in vocational skill and behaviour after completing PAES.  Additional qualitative interviews with parents and attendees highlight four primary themes: strengths, benefits derived, limitations, and program suggestions.  Implications of these findings are discussed.

Experiences of Autistic Twitch Livestreamers: "I have made easily the most meaningful and impactful relationships"

We present perspectives from 10 autistic Twitch streamers regarding their experiences as livestreamers and how autism uniquely colors their experiences. Livestreaming offers a social online experience distinct from in-person, face-to-face communication, where autistic people tend to encounter challenges. Our reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with 10 participants showcases autistic livestreamers’ perspectives in their own words. Our findings center on the importance of having streamers establishing connections with other, sharing autistic identities, controlling a space for social interaction, personal growth, and accessibility challenges. In our discussion, we highlight the crucial value of having a medium for autistic representation, as well as design opportunities for streaming platforms to onboard autistic livestreamers and to facilitate livestreamers communication with their audience.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)Alberta Innovates - Research Gran

Smoke, curtains and mirrors: the production of race through time and title registration

This article analyses the temporal effects of title registration and their relationship to race. It traces the move away from the retrospection of pre-registry common law conveyancing and toward the dynamic, future-oriented Torrens title registration system. The Torrens system, developed in early colonial Australia, enabled the production of ‘clean’, fresh titles that were independent of their predecessors. Through a process praised by legal commentators for ‘curing’ titles of their pasts, this system produces indefeasible titles behind its distinctive ‘curtain’ and ‘mirror’, which function similarly to magicians’ smoke and mirrors by blocking particular realities from view. In the case of title registries, those realities are particular histories of and relationships with land, which will not be protected by property law and are thus made precarious. Building on interdisciplinary work which theorises time as a social tool, I argue that Torrens title registration produces a temporal order which enables land market coordination by rendering some relationships with land temporary and making others indefeasible. This ordering of relationships with land in turn has consequences for the human subjects who have those relationships, cutting futures short for some and guaranteeing permanence to others. Engaging with Renisa Mawani and other critical race theorists, I argue that the categories produced by Torrens title registration systems materialise as race

Executive functions in Asperger's disorder: an empirical investigation of verbal and nonverbal skills

Bibliography: p. 48-66Some pages are in colour

Hot dogs and zavy cats: preschoolers' and adults' expectations about familiar and novel adjectives.

In recent years, a growing body of research has begun to examine the processes that un- derlie young children's acquisition of adjectival meanings. In the present studies, we examined whether preschoolers' willingness to extend adjectives was influenced by the type of property labeled by familiar adjectives (Experiment 1) and by semantic information conveyed in the sentence used to introduce novel adjectives (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, we examined preschoolers' and adults' expectations about the generalizability of familiar adjectives of three different types: emotional state terms, physiological state terms, and stable trait terms. On each trial, we labeled a target animal with one of the three different types of adjectives and asked whether these terms could apply to a subordinate-level match, a basic-level match, a super- ordinate-level match, or an inanimate object. Results indicated that 4-year-olds and adults extended the trait terms, but not the emotional or physiological terms, to members of the same basic-level category. In Experiment 2, we presented 4-year-olds and adults with novel adjec- tives in one of two verb frames: stable (‘‘This X is very daxy’’) or transient (‘‘This X feels very daxy’’). Participants were more likely to extend the novel adjective to subordinate matches if they were in the Stable frame group than if they were in the Transient frame group. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for young children's expectations about familiar and novel adjectives

Autism in the Context of Humanitarian Emergency: The Lived Experiences of Syrian Refugee Mothers of Children on the Autism Spectrum

This study explored the resettlement experiences of Syrian refugees accessing supports and services for their autistic children in Alberta, Canada. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), in-depth interviews with three participants led to seven shared themes regarding parental experiences with the Syrian crisis, access to supports and services, barriers to resettlement, and sentiments regarding their resettlement. Findings are explained using migrant adaptation models to situate practice within a social justice orientation by understanding the perspectives of vulnerable migrant populations. Practical implications include ways to benefit refugees, imbue culture within practice, inform policy initiatives, and highlight the importance of trauma-informed care.Cette étude a exploré les expériences de réinstallation de réfugiés syriens accédant à du soutien et à des services pour leurs enfants autistes en Alberta, au Canada. En recourant à l'analyse phénoménologique interprétative (IPA), les entretiens approfondis avec trois participants ont permis de dégager sept thèmes communs concernant les expériences parentales liées à la crise syrienne, l'accès aux aides et aux services, les obstacles à la réinstallation et les sentiments à l'égard de leur réinstallation. Les résultats sont interprétés à partir de modèles d'adaptation des migrants qui permettent de situer la pratique dans une perspective de justice sociale en comprenant les points de vue des populations migrantes vulnérables. Les implications pratiques comprennent des façons de faire bénéficier les réfugiés, de mettre la culture au cœur de la pratique, de guider les initiatives politiques et de souligner l'importance des soins tenant compte des traumatismes