ERIC Number: EJ1402504
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2047-3869
EISSN: EISSN-2047-3877
Dealing with Food Selectivity and Mealtime Behaviour in School-Children with Autism: A Qualitative Study of Special Education Teachers in Japan
Fujino, Haruo; Ikeda, Yukiko
International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, v69 n6 p860-868 2023
Food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious issue in special needs schools, and special education teachers face various difficulties in their management of the problem. The aim of this study is to investigate the difficulties that special education teachers face in managing food selectivity in children with ASD. Data were obtained from 12 special education teachers in 2018 via semi-structured in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify key conceptions of the participants' experiences, while qualitative analysis of the interview data revealed three major themes. Their personal and professional thoughts and hopes regarding eating habits in children, feelings of uncertainty about their practice, and their interactions with the children and their parents were the key factors behind the difficulties they experience as special education teachers. The findings improve our understanding of the challenges experienced by teachers managing food selectivity in children with ASD. A different conceptualisation of the problem may lead to difficulties in collaboration among the people who are tasked with solving the problem.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Eating Disorders, Food, Students with Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Special Education Teachers, Teacher Role, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Competencies, Teacher Student Relationship, Parent Teacher Cooperation, Barriers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A