The perceptions and experiences of adolescent siblings who have a brother with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: There is a dearth of research on the perspectives of adolescent siblings growing up with a brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method: Semistructured interviews were used to elicit the perceptions and experiences of 12 typically developing adolescents with a brother with an ASD. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used.

"We are all there silently coping." The hidden experiences of parents of adults with Asperger syndrome.

Background: The experiences of older parents of adults with Asperger syndrome have not been explored in the research literature.

Method: Four families who had middle-aged offspring with Asperger syndrome were interviewed (3 mothers and 1 couple), and the interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Results: Six themes emerged from the analysis: (a) providers of "hidden" support, (b) role of advocate, (c) social isolation, (d) intrafamilial relationships, (e) support for parents, and (f) future concerns.

'I just don't fit anywhere': support experiences and future support needs of individuals with Asperger syndrome in middle adulthood.

The experiences of individuals in middle adulthood with Asperger syndrome have been the subject of little previous research, especially in terms of their experience of support services. In the present research, 11 adults with Asperger syndrome were interviewed. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to interpret the interviews.

"You have to sit and explain it all, and explain yourself." Mothers' experiences of support services for their offspring with a rare genetic intellectual disability syndrome.

The experiences of mothers of adult offspring with Angelman, Cornelia de Lange, or Cri du Chat syndrome have not been previously explored in research. The current study focuses on experiences with social and medical services and the impact the rareness of an adult offspring's syndrome has on the experiences of mothers. Eight mothers of adults with Angelman, Cornelia de Lange, or Cri du Chat syndrome were interviewed.

Using matched groups to explore child behavior problems and maternal well-being in children with Down syndrome and autism.

Mothers of children with Down syndrome, autism, and mixed etiology intellectual disabilities, matched on child age, gender, and communication skills (n = 19 in each group) completed measures of their child's adaptive and problem behaviors, their own parenting stress, and positive perceptions of their child. Children with autism were rated as having more problem behaviors and lower levels of social competence than children with Down syndrome and mixed etiology intellectual disabilities. Mothers of children with autism scored lower on positive perceptions of their child, and higher on stress than the other two groups.

Emotional and behavioural adjustment in siblings of children with intellectual disability with and without autism.

Siblings of children with autism may be at greater risk for psychological problems than siblings of children with another disability or of typically developing (TD) children. However, it is difficult to establish whether autism or the presence of intellectual disability (ID) explains the findings in previous research. Mothers rated the emotional and behavioural adjustment of siblings of children with ID with (N = 25) or without (N = 24) autism.

Interactive training for active support: perspectives from staff.

Background: In this study, we describe the experience of participating in interactive training (IT) for active support (AS). Staff (N = 58) working with adults with an intellectual disability (ID) received IT on providing effective assistance for participation in daily activities.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff (N = 37) on their experience of IT, the way it affected their work, and their views on the implementation of AS.