Changes in Caregiver Outcomes After Participation in the Engaged Eaters Program: A Caregiver-Mediated Feeding Intervention for Autistic Children and Their Families.

Importance: Caregivers are essential partners in caregiver-mediated interventions that build on family routines and practices. Research identifying how participation as an intervention partner influences caregivers' outcomes, including stress and self-efficacy, is scarce.

Objective: To evaluate caregiver outcomes (stress, self-efficacy, and positive feeding responses and confidence) after participation in the Engaged Eaters Program.

"Giving Me the Self-Confidence to Tackle It": Mothers' Experiences Participating In The Engaged Eaters Program, A Caregiver-Mediated Feeding Intervention.

The purpose of this study was to understand caregivers' experience of participating in a caregiver-mediated in-home feeding intervention, the Engaged Eaters Program, for their young autistic child. This qualitative study utilized a thematic approach to analyze post-intervention semi-structured interviews with thirteen mothers of autistic children between the ages of 2 to 7 years after they participated in the intervention. Interview questions focused on the child and family experience, what worked well, what could be improved, and how the intervention integrated into family routines.

The characterization of feeding challenges in autistic children.

Feeding challenges are common for autistic children. Currently, research and intervention for feeding challenges focuses on single factors (e.g.

Benefits and Challenges of a Telehealth Eating and Mealtime Intervention for Autistic Children: Occupational Therapy Practitioners' Perspectives.

Eating and mealtime challenges are common in autistic children, yet intervention access is limited. Telehealth may provide opportunities to address this gap and increase access for underserved families. This study examined the occupational therapy practitioner's perceptions of transitioning from a caregiver-mediated, in-home eating, and mealtime intervention for autistic children to telehealth owing to COVID-19 while considering the impact on accessibility, challenges, and benefits.

Opening the door to university health research: recommendations for increasing accessibility for individuals with intellectual disability.

Background: Advances in health equity rely on representation of diverse groups in population health research samples. Despite progress in the diversification of research samples, continued expansion to include systematically excluded groups is needed to address health inequities. One such group that is infrequently represented in population health research are adults with intellectual disability.

Relationships Between Household Income and Functional Independent Behavior for Children With Autism.

Children in lower income households are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and diagnosis is often delayed. Lack of or delayed identification of ASD minimizes a child's ability to receive effective early intervention services that support development of functional independence skills. Research has yet to identify relationships between functional independence and household income for children with ASD.

Using photovoice with people with intellectual disability to illuminate definitions of health and factors influencing participation in health promotion.

Background: Understanding the daily health experiences of people with intellectual disability is necessary to illuminate factors that may be influencing health and health disparities. The objective of this study is to understand how people with intellectual disability participate in and access health promotion.

Methods: Ten adults with intellectual disability engaged in an adapted photovoice study.

Parents' Strategies to Support Mealtime Participation of Their Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Objective: We identified and described the strategies parents use to support the mealtime participation of their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method: Twelve families with children with ASD (ages 2-7 yr) participated in videotaped mealtime observations. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify strategies families used to facilitate participation.

Understanding health disparities for individuals with intellectual disability using photovoice.

Background: Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) are at an increased risk for health disparities that serve as barriers to participation in daily occupations. Understanding the lived experience of individuals with ID can illuminate barriers and facilitators to these health-promoting occupations. Commonly used methods examining health for individuals with ID may not reveal important information about their daily participation potentially due to cognitive or communication limitations.

Reflections From Co-Researchers With Intellectual Disability: Benefits to Inclusion in a Research Study Team.

Participatory action research methodologies may empower and protect marginalized individuals; however, they remain underutilized. Limited studies have investigated the impact of participatory action research, specifically on individuals with intellectual disability (ID). This study examines (1) the perspectives of co-researchers with ID on their involvement in the research process and (2) the feasibility of their inclusion based on perspectives of research staff (academic faculty and graduate students without ID).

Use of Props During Mealtime for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Self-Regulation and Reinforcement.

Mealtime is an important family routine commonly affected for families with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Limited research is available regarding strategies families incorporate to support mealtime engagement. The purpose of this study was to explore the frequency and characterize the purpose of Props used during mealtimes with children with ASD.