The experience of being an adult female with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been understudied in social work literature. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of females with ASD, from their perspective, by examining content from an online autism community Web site. Using a phenomenological approach, data analysis on content obtained from the forum revealed several themes about the women's experiences concerning the diagnostic process, managing and understanding symptoms, and the impact of ASD on their personal and work relationships. Implications for social work practice, including creating more effective services for females with ASD, are discussed.
Using data from the fifth wave of the World Values Survey (WVS), I investigated negative attitude toward homosexual individuals in two countries-the United States and the Netherlands-to determine how factors associated with homonegativity in the United States compare with factors associated with homonegativity in the Netherlands. Logistic regression of survey responses from 2,299 participants from the United States (n = 1,249) and the Netherlands (n = 1,050) supported findings from previous research suggesting that homonegativity is more likely to occur in the United States than in the Netherlands, and that negative attitudes toward persons with AIDS and immigrants predicted homonegativity in both countries. Predictors of homonegativity in the United States included being male and being unemployed; in the Netherlands, being unhappy predicted homonegativity. How these findings inform social work policy and practice related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.
Emotional and behavioral difficulties in children with autism often present problems for families seeking appropriate treatment interventions. Using data from the 2011 Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services, ordinal logistic regression models were used to examine the association between parental perceptions about autism and their reports of child emotional and behavioral problems. Results showed that parents who attributed their child's autism to environmental factors, experienced emotional upset or confusion about autism, or perceived the condition to be pervasive or burdensome, were more likely to reported clinically significant emotional and behavioral difficulties. Findings suggest that support services must consider parent perceptions when developing interventions to assist with children's emotional and behavioral challenges. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
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