Participating in diagnostic experience : Adults with neuropsychiatric disorders

Knowledge regarding neuropsychiatric disabilities has increased in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of adults requesting neuropsychiatric evaluation. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe adult clients' experiences of participating actively in a supportive assessment process in which they received a diagnosis of either autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and then received follow-up counselling, guidance, and compensatory resources that were immediate and directly integrated into the diagnostic experience. The Occupational Performance History Interview – Second Version (OPHI-II) was selected because it is client-centred. It measures how a significant life event affects a person's occupational identity, occupational competence, and interaction with the environment. The OPHI-II was administered to capture 15 participants' experiences of being diagnosed with ASD and/or ADHD as the significant life event of focus. Three categories were formed by using qualitative content analysis: (i) strengthened occupational identity; (ii) compensatory support enhances occupational competence, and (iii) effects of the social environment on relationships. Findings indicated that the diagnostic experience had transformative effects on participants' occupational identities, occupational competence, and ability to self-advocate for increased understanding and resources within their environments. The implications of these findings and future research are discussed

Participating in diagnostic experience: adults with neuropsychiatric disorders

Abstract Knowledge about neuropsychiatric disabilities has increased in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of adults requesting neuropsychiatric evaluation. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe adult clients' experiences of participating actively in a supportive assessment process in which they received a diagnosis of either Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and then received follow-up counselling, guidance, and compensatory resources that were immediate and directly integrated into the diagnostic experience. The Occupational Performance History Interview -Second Version (OPHI-II) was selected because it is client-centered. It measures how a significant life event affects a person's occupational identity, occupational competence, and interaction with the environment. The OPHI-II was administered to capture 15 participants' experiences of being diagnosed with ASD and/or ADHD as the significant life event of focus. Three categories were formed by using qualitative content analysis: (I) strengthened occupational identity; (II) compensatory support enhances occupational competence, and (III) effects of the social environment on relationships. Findings indicated that the diagnostic experience had transformative effects on participants' occupational identities, occupational competence, and ability to self-advocate for increased understanding and resources within their environments. Implications of these findings and future research are discussed

Intercultural Partnerships that Foster Cultural Competence

Institutions of higher education (HE) are emphasizing their capacity to (a) foster equitable access; (b) incorporate global perspectives into teaching, learning, and research; (c) build international and intercultural competence among students, faculty, and staff; and (d) establish relationships and collaborations with people and institutions throughout the world. At Minnesota State University, Mankato, instructors have responded to this emphasis with a specific course for pre-service teachers: Human Relations in a Multicultural Society. Based on this experience, the authors based the course on a foundational theory and engaged in scholarship related to teaching and learning. Adaptations were made in one major assignment, a cultural partnership, so that college students could diversify their perspectives and enhance their intercultural skills, even during a pandemic. For three semesters during the pandemic, instructors facilitated virtual “buddy” matches with students at a university in Armenia (English language classes in Spring 2020) or with students in various US cultures (Alaska Natives in 2020 - 2021). The series of related assignments included establishing a partnership, interviews, shared virtual activities, and reflection. This report briefly reports the analysis of data collected with the IDI in Spring 2020, the latest semester for which data was available for this project

Intercultural Partnerships that Foster Cultural Competence

Institutions of higher education (HE) are emphasizing their capacity to (a) foster equitable access; (b) incorporate global perspectives into teaching, learning, and research; (c) build international and intercultural competence among students, faculty, and staff; and (d) establish relationships and collaborations with people and institutions throughout the world. At Minnesota State University, Mankato, instructors have responded to this emphasis with a specific course for pre-service teachers: Human Relations in a Multicultural Society. Based on this experience, the authors based the course on a foundational theory and engaged in scholarship related to teaching and learning. Adaptations were made in one major assignment, a cultural partnership, so that college students could diversify their perspectives and enhance their intercultural skills, even during a pandemic. For three semesters during the pandemic, instructors facilitated virtual “buddy” matches with students at a university in Armenia (English language classes in Spring 2020) or with students in various US cultures (Alaska Natives in 2020 - 2021). The series of related assignments included establishing a partnership, interviews, shared virtual activities, and reflection. This report briefly reports the analysis of data collected with the IDI in Spring 2020, the latest semester for which data was available for this project