Burnout is an increasing concern among working professionals; however, relatively little research has examined burnout among those in the childcare field. This is a major gap, given high demand for childcare services in the United States coupled with high rates of turnover in the field. Between February 2019 and January 2020, 320 home- and…

This study aimed to learn about the experiences of families of individuals with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (DS-ASD), and to document the journey from early concerns to diagnosis and intervention. Caregivers completed an online survey describing their journey raising a child with DS-ASD. Survey…

Female caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often report higher levels of psychological distress related to increased levels of caregiver strain, as well as frequency and severity of child problem behaviors (CPB). However, despite reported distress, caregivers have also reported benefits. A sample of n = 259 female caregivers…

Challenging behavior (CB) is a common occurrence in early childhood and frequently occurs in young children with disabilities. CB is also culturally perceived and includes differences in how caregivers understand and define the topography of CB. Despite the cultural interpretation, CB is known to impact the child and their family but there has…

Recognizing the multifaceted and chronic demands on families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and challenges in providing care matched to need, we adapted the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT), a brief caregiver-report screener of family psychosocial risk, for this population. Study methods included literature review, focus groups…

Background: Therapeutic untruths (TU) are used in dementia services to de-escalate distressing situations. The present authors explored the use of TU by care staff supporting people with an intellectual disability who displayed behaviours that challenged. Method: Data were collected from 126 staff (female = 72.2%; mean age = 41.9 years, SD = 10.7)…

Background: Staff-client relationships impact the quality of support and life of people with severe to profound intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior, but are challenging to build due to clients' intense, complex and varying support needs. The present study explores the perspectives of professionals and relatives on what affects these…

The present study evaluated treatment acceptability for behavioral interventions addressing challenging behaviors with Chinese caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Factors influencing treatment acceptability (i.e., severity of challenging behavior and Chinese child-rearing values) were investigated. Caregivers of children aged…

The ways caregivers perceive and respond to challenging behavior (CB) could depend, in part, on their cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Yet, limited research is available on the definitions, perceptions, and response strategies of CB across cultural groups, particularly among caregivers of young children with disabilities. In this exploratory…

Effective practices for supporting families with autistic children ensure a match between their needs and the expectations and competencies of the clinician. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) services are a common provision for serving autistic individuals. However, in regions where ABA is in its infancy, like the Czech Republic and North Macedonia,…

Background: Overmedication of people with intellectual disabilities, particularly when psychotropic medications are used for challenging behavior (CB) in the absence of a psychiatric disorder, is a significant public health concern. Support staff play a pivotal role in influencing the prescribing process. Staff views and attitudes toward…

Background: Results of discontinuation of antipsychotics in people with intellectual disability are variable and may depend on staff factors. Method: We attempted to taper off antipsychotics in 14 weeks after which participants were free to restart. We investigated the influence of support professionals' feelings towards challenging behaviour,…

The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) administered a survey to caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on their interventions for elopement behavior (EB). Data from 526 respondents were analyzed. Most families reported multiple interventions for EB and rated interventions overall as effective but burdensome. Several interventions…

General and long-term outcomes of functional analysis training have not yet been reported. Within a randomized control trial, we trained 18 behavior analytic practitioners to interview caregivers, design and then conduct a personalized analysis as a part of a practical functional assessment (PFA). Participants were randomly assigned to groups, and…

Caregivers of children with ASD often find benefits associated with their caregiving role, and benefit finding predicts lower distress. Child problematic behaviours (CPB), which positively predict caregivers' distress, are perceived to be being less problematic, or more manageable, by caregivers who find benefits. Benefit finding therefore might…