Browsing by Author "McCrimmon, Adam W."
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- ItemOpen AccessChildren in Canadian Military-Connected Families: Developmental Assets, Parent Mental Health, and Social-Behavioural Outcomes(2018-09-19) Stelnicki, Andrea M.; Schwartz, Kelly Dean; Norris, Deborah McGinn; McCrimmon, Adam W.Much of the extant literature on military families is American-based and problem-focused. Very little research has examined the strengths of military families, with emphasis on children from military families. Protective factors, or factors known to prevent the development of behavioural problems, have recently started to gain more attention from researchers. Using a developmental systems lens, this study profiled the developmental assets of children from Canadian military families, examined the relation between developmental assets and youth self-reported problematic behaviour, and determined whether this relation is moderated by the presence of parental mental health symptomology. Thirty-one military families (with at least one child and one parent responding) participated in the study. Slightly more external assets than internal assets were reported for the sample, although each of these fell within the “fair” range, suggesting considerable room for enhancement. Family was the greatest contextual asset reported. Multiple regression analysis revealed that children reporting stronger assets reported less problematic behaviour. Parents’ self-reported PTSD symptoms were used as a moderator to examine whether this relationship remained significant. Although the developmental assets failed to remain a significant predictor of problematic behaviour, inspection of the semi-partial correlations suggests that the numbers of assets account for a large percentage of the variance in problematic behaviour. The current study provides preliminary findings to fill a gap in the knowledge of the personal and contextual assets of military-connected children and the protective role they play in the development of problem behaviour. Implications for clinicians, researchers, and policy makers are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessCreating and Sustaining Safe and Inclusive Spaces for LGBTQ Youth: An Exploratory Investigation of the Role of Educational Professionals(2019-09-05) Luceno, Andrew; Andrews, Jac J. W.; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Lund, Darren E.; Andrews, Jac J. W.Recent evidence shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth regularly face hostile school environments. Those hostile environments contribute to making LGBTQ youth increasingly vulnerable to a number of emotional, behavioural, and social problems. Educators can play a critical role in buffering LGBTQ youth from potential victimization. As such, the present study explored the following questions: 1) What are the roles of educators (i.e., teachers, school administrators) with respect to promoting and creating safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ youth; 2) what unique contributions can educators make in nurturing those spaces; and, 3) what barriers do educators face in creating safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ youth? This study used a convergent parallel design mixed-methods approach. Fifty-six educators in Alberta completed an online survey; among those educators, 17 of them self-selected to participate in a semi-structured interview. Descriptive statistics were gathered from survey results; the interview data was analyzed using thematic analysis in order to generate themes relevant to the research questions. Those themes were: 1) Lack of awareness; 2) the use of inclusive language; 3) the role of inclusive curriculum in support of LGBTQ youth; 4) the role of educators as allies; 5) situational factors as barriers to supporting LGBTQ youth; and 6) supporting LGBTQ youth through GSAs. Overall, the results from the present study have future research implications and practical utility for educators and policy-makers.
- ItemOpen AccessDisclosure of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Diagnosis: Parent Reported Impacts of Disclosure to Siblings(2018-09-07) Gray, Shawna M.; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Andrews, Jac; Hindes, Yvonne L.Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental spectrum disorder of social communication and behaviour. ASD presents many different challenges to families in which an ASD diagnosis is present. As there is a growing prevalence rate of ASD, it is important to explore the impact that ASD can have on the family system. Researchers have focused on the disclosure of an ASD diagnosis to parents or individuals with ASD, but there is a lack of investigation of the impact of disclosure to siblings without ASD. To explore this gap in the literature, 22 parents of a child with ASD and another child without ASD were purposively sampled to complete a semi-structured interview about their perceived impacts of their telling their child(ren) without ASD about the affected child’s diagnosis. Data were analyzed via Thematic Analysis and five themes were derived: (1) Incorporation into support networks; (2) Making sense of difficult situations; (3) Embracing the sibling with ASD as they are; (4) Comprehension of observed differences; and (5) Endorse inquiry towards a greater understanding. Themes were fit into a temporal framework (long- or short-term impacts). The results provide a starting point for understanding how ASD diagnostic disclosure impacts unaffected siblings.
- ItemOpen AccessEmotional Intelligence and Social Skills in Adolescents with ASD with Intact Intellectual Functioning after the Participation in PEERS(2019-11-15) Rodgers, Andrea; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Brandon, Jim; Burns, AmyThe purpose of this study is to examine the relation between social skills and two main frameworks of Emotional Intelligence (EI): Ability Emotional Intelligence (AEI) and Trait Emotional Intelligence (TEI) among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intact intellectual functioning after participating in the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS; Laugeson & Frankel, 2010). PEERS is an evidence-based social skills intervention for adolescents with ASD to help them learn skills to make and keep friends. Both a caregiver and teen participated in PEERS, once per week for 90 minutes, over the duration of 14 weeks. Measures of EI and social skills as reported by teens and a caregiver were examined one week prior to the start of the intervention (pre-test), one-week post intervention (post-test), and 14 weeks after completion of the program (follow-up). Results of the study indicate significant improvements in social skills as rated by caregivers from pre-test to post-test, with large effect sizes. Further, treatment gains appeared to be maintained at 14-week follow-up. Self-reported AEI and TEI measures at pre-test indicated average abilities and no improvements were found from pre-test to post-test. Additionally, only self-reported TEI was found to correlate with both pre- and post-test self-reported social skills. The implications of these results for practice, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessExamining the Effects of a Knowledge-Based Intervention about Autism Spectrum Disorder on the Knowledge, Empathy, and Conative Attitudes of Typically Developing Students(2018-05-28) Johnson, Sarah Emily; Schroeder, Meadow; Hindes, Yvonne L.; McCrimmon, Adam W.Few studies to date have attempted to improve the social standing of students with ASD by designing interventions that affect the perceptions of typically developing peers. The purpose of this study was to determine if a brief, knowledge-based intervention about Autism Spectrum Disorder improved typically developing students’ general empathy, knowledge of ASD, and conative attitudes toward peers with ASD. Forty 6th-grade students from two charter schools formed the waitlist control and experimental groups. Measures of knowledge, empathy, and conative attitudes were administered pre-test, posttest, and post-posttest. Post-intervention, the means of the three questionnaires for the experimental group were not greater than the waitlist control group. The means of the experimental group did not significantly increase from pre- to posttest; although knowledge of ASD for the experimental group increased, the difference was not significant. Conative attitudes toward peers with ASD decreased significantly for the experimental group. These findings and future implications for research will be discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessExecutive functions in Asperger's disorder: an empirical investigation of verbal and nonverbal skills(2010) McCrimmon, Adam W.; Schwean, Vicki L.; Saklofske, Donald H.
- ItemOpen AccessExploring Resources Provided to General Education Teachers to Enhance Their Understanding and Capacity When Working with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)(2020-12-22) Pagaling, Rachel Jean; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Andrews, Jac J. W.; Burns, AmyThe purpose of this study is to investigate learning leaders’ perspectives on the most effective resources and strategies provided to general education [GE] teachers to enhance their understanding of autism, as well as build their capacity when working with students with autism in an inclusive classroom. A qualitative design was used, whereby five semi-structured interviews were conducted with learning leaders from a large urban school board in Alberta. Interviews were transcribed and data was analyzed with thematic analysis, with four themes arising: (1) Having conversations around building knowledge; (2) Working relationships; (3) Professional development; and (4) Providing teacher with specific strategies that produce results in the classroom. The present study identifies resources that are most effective in supporting GE teachers’ work with students with autism in inclusive classrooms and will inform programs and services provided to teachers to improve their educational practice. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessExploring Trajectories of Language Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Across Multiple Measures(2020-09-06) Hart, Chelsie Miko; Curtin, Suzanne; Graham, Susan A.; McMorris, Carly A.; McCrimmon, Adam W.Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects the cognitive development of up to 1 in 59 children globally, particularly in language abilities (Baio et al., 2018). With increasing prevalence and research showing the benefits of early intervention, there is value in diagnosing ASD as soon as possible. However, ASD is typically not diagnosed until after age two, when many developmental milestones should have passed and parental concerns may have already risen (Falck-Ytter, 2012; Landa et al., 2013). Research must include measures from earlier in childhood to improve diagnosis methods and capture a full picture of this disability. This study examined how different language measures capture the range of expressive and receptive language vocabulary in children from 6 to 36 months of age; longitudinally comparing children eventually diagnosed with ASD to typically developing peers. Children were assessed repeatedly using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL; Mullen, 1995), MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI; Fenson et al., 2007), and One-Word Picture Vocabulary Tests (PVT; Martin & Brownell, 2011a; 2011b). Results from mixed regression analysis showed that most measures could distinguish children with ASD as a group by 24 months. However, the Expressive PVT did not distinguish the ASD group from typically developing groups, despite being correlated with all other measures. Further examination of individual trajectories for children with ASD showed high, but inconsistent heterogeneity from scale to scale. This combination of varying group and individual differences suggests that these common assessments may not capture children’s abilities in the same way or to the same extent. Thus, this study supports that, to accurately observe the wide range developmental trajectories seen in ASD, professionals must consider the characteristics of the tools being used. Capturing this developmental variability is vital for creating effective targeted early interventions.
- ItemOpen AccessFriendship Qualities and Their Associations with Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Functioning in Military-Connected Youth(2018-09-21) Wheeler, Bailey Kathleen; Schwartz, Kelly Dean; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Adorjan, Michael C.The present study examined the best friendships and the social, emotional, and behavioural functioning of youth from Canadian military families. Further, it examined how the positive and negative qualities of these friendships were related to the behavioural and mental health outcomes measured. Online surveys were administered to 31 military-connected youth to assess internalizing, externalizing, overall problems, and the characteristics and qualities of their best friendships. The results revealed that the average scores for all outcomes were comparable to civilian peers. However, a large minority of participants had elevated internalizing scores. Further, it was found that the best friendships of these military-connected youth were characterized by more positive qualities than negative qualities. Finally, both positive and negative friendship qualities predicted externalizing scores, but they did not predict internalizing scores. Interpretations, implications and limitation of these findings are presented, as are suggestions for future research.
- ItemOpen AccessHot dogs and zavy cats: preschoolers' and adults' expectations about familiar and novel adjectives.(Elsevier Science Publishers, 2001-10) Graham, Susan; Welder, Andrea N.; McCrimmon, Adam W.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.
- ItemOpen AccessOutcomes Associated with Participation in a Social Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder(2018-07-06) Matchullis, Ryan Luke; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Nordstokke, David W.; Carins, Sharon L.; Pei, Jacqueline R.; McLuckie, AlanAdolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and without intellectual impairment face a myriad of social and relational challenges targeted by many social skills training programs (SSTPs). One such program, the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS), has an existing evidence base supporting the learning of curricular objectives. However, adolescents with ASD have additional challenges that may impact or be impacted by their social difficulties, including potential mental health problems, executive functioning (i.e., cognitive flexibility and inhibition) impairment, and parent-child relationship challenges. The current study expanded on previous research by examining the above-mentioned factors in adolescents who attended PEERS in a Canadian context. After inclusionary criteria were applied and data quality were examined, the final sample included 42 families (78% male), with adolescents ranging in age from 13 years, 6 months to 18 years, 8 months. Participation was associated with initial significant gains in social skills that were not maintained at follow-up. Though no improvements were seen in adolescent participants’ cognitive flexibility, their inhibitory control was significantly improved and maintained. Contrary to hypotheses, no changes in important markers of adolescent mental health were noted. Examination of parent-child relationships revealed significant positive relations between both attachment and communication and the social skills improvements made by adolescents. The findings from this study have important implications for the ongoing delivery of PEERS and provide insight into the relations between improving social relationships and skills for adolescents with ASD and other important secondary outcomes.
- ItemOpen AccessParent Reported Impacts of their Disclosure of their Child's ASD Diagnosis to their Children(2015-06-11) Cadogan, Sarah; McCrimmon, Adam W.The current study investigated parent-reported impacts associated with disclosing a child’s autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to their child with ASD. This study addressed a distinct gap in the empirical literature, and findings have practical utility for individuals with ASD, their parents, and associated professionals and researchers. A qualitative design was used, whereby 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of a child with ASD, who had disclosed their child’s diagnosis to their child, and were living in Alberta, Canada. Interviews were carefully transcribed. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with six themes arising: Communication about ASD; Understanding ASD; Awareness of ASD Features; Specific Child Reactions and Impacts; Views and Feelings Associated with ASD; and Magnitude and Valence of Impacts. Overall, current findings suggest that parental diagnosis disclosure to their child with ASD is associated with discernible positive impacts.
- ItemOpen AccessThe Predictive Viability of Executive Function on a Social Skills Intervention in Adolescents with ASD and without Cognitive Impairment(2019-02-11) Hendrickson, Nicholas K.; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Drefs, Michelle A.; Hindes, Yvonne L.The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between executive function (EF) and social skills in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder without accompanying cognitive impairment following completion of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS; Laugeson & Frankel, 2010). PEERS was designed for 13- to 18-year-olds with ASD and without cognitive impairment. PEERS is a manualized and evidence-based intervention designed to help adolescents develop the social competencies necessary to make and keep friends. PEERS is administered over the course of 14 weeks, with each week incorporating a 90-minute session. EF and social skills were examined one week prior to beginning the program (pre-test) and one week after completion of the program (post-test). Results indicate significant improvements from pre-test to post-test for both EF and social skills. Additionally, pre-test measures of EF were found to correlate positively with both pre- and post-test measures of social skills. However, post-test measures of EF were only found to correlate with post-test measures of social skills. Finally, a low reliability of difference scores prevented examining the predictive viability of EF on social skill outcomes. The implications of these results are discussed alongside several limitations and suggestions for future research.
- ItemOpen AccessResilience and Mental Health in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(2018-10-29) Pepperdine, Cameron Robert; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Hindes, Yvonne L.; Burns, Amy A.Resilience is the capacity to experience positive outcomes by adapting to adversity. Resilience arises from interactions between risk and protective factors. Various risk and protective factors can promote mental health or contribute to the development of mental illness. Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience adversity and risk due to the core symptoms of each disorder. Further, these individuals are also more likely to experience mental illness compared to other individuals. The present study examines various resilience factors and their relation to mental health/illness in youth with ASD or ADHD in contrast to a non-clinical control (NCC) sample. Results indicate equivalence of resilience factors across the three samples; however, the relations between resilience and mental health differed across samples. Specifically, youth with ASD or ADHD had fewer significant relations between resilience factors and mental health compared to the NCC sample. Implications of this finding are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessThe Elephant in the Room: The Lived Experience of Talking to Children with ASD about their Diagnosis(2018-06-20) Smith-Demers, Amanda D.; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Nicholas, David Bruce; Wilcox, Gabrielle; Drefs, Michelle A.; Badry, Dorothy Eleanor; Attwood, TonyAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder encompassing a wide variety of cognitive, communicative, behavioural and social abilities. Given the increasing prevalence of ASD, both clinicians and researchers are increasingly required to provide enhanced supportive services throughout the entirety of the diagnostic process. While many researchers have investigated parental experiences surrounding assessment and diagnosis of ASD, the relative oversight of diagnosis disclosure to children is surprising. As such, the current study focused on the lived experience of parents as they explored their decision-making process about whether to, and if so how and when to inform children about their ASD diagnosis. This decision-making process was explored through the use of semi-structured interviews conducted with both parents who had disclosed (n = 20) and parents who had not disclosed (n = 20) an ASD diagnosis to their child. This study initially set out to compare and distinguish differences between participant groups; however, much of the process revealed by both groups could only be differentiated by where these groups were situated on the timeline of disclosure. Consistent with previous research, results revealed that disclosure is often a gradual process that changes and develops over time. While many reflections and themes were highlighted by parents, the process of considering disclosure and/or disclosing to a child was seen as a unique and situational experience for each family and child; thus, emphasizing the complexity of the disclosure process and the consideration of unique factors specific to each family. In sum, many parents underscored the benefits and importance of disclosure, while also highlighting the experience of fear and wonder throughout the decision-making process. Research and clinical implications of the findings are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.