Using Participant Observation to Study the Meaning of Occupations of Young Children With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Understanding the individual meaning of daily activities for children with developmental disabilities such as autism is both important and challenging for researchers and practitioners. Rigorous participant observation offers a method for developing this knowledge base by including the child's perspective. Through literature and examples from an ethnography of young children with autism, this article illustrates the application of participant observation to children with developmental disabilities. Specific strategies can promote valid interpretations despite developmental, linguistic, and perceptual differences between adult researchers and child participants.

Sensory experiences of children with autism spectrum disorder: In their own words

“…However, we cannot be certain that meaningful information was not lost in this process. Additionally, it is possible that with prolonged research engagement with the children, better understanding of the significance of these aspects of the interviews could be developed (see for example, Spitzer, 2003). …”

“…Nonetheless, a small body of literature incorporates perspectives of young people with ASD into investigations about their experiences. For example, Spitzer (2003) explored the meaning of daily activities of children with ASD and other developmental disabilities through participant observation. Huws and Jones (2008) used interview methods to study the personal meaning and impact of receiving a diagnosis as experienced by adolescents with ASD.…”

Inclusive sensory ethnography: Studying new media and neurodiversity in everyday life

“…The notion of “doing with” was left purposefully open for families participating in the research to define emically (Becker, 1986), spanning limited interaction between the child and family member while co-present in the same room, to four co-present family members jointly playing Minecraft. In the interview setting, parents often scaffolded my conversation and helped me gain an understanding of their child’s “sociocommunicative lifeworld” (Sirota, 2010: 94), 3 while participant observations allowed for naturalistically studying the daily activities of autistic children, particularly those who did not consistently use spoken language (Spitzer, 2003). The degree of my own participation ranged from active participation to quiet observing.…”

Beyond Words: Using Qualitative Video Methods for Researching Occupation With Young Children

“…Hence, videography can support a more holistic, expanded analysis of occupation-in-context, beyond words, and is a method that could be applied successfully when researching with children. H. Lynch, 2009, or the "dropping dirt occupation, " Spitzer, 2003a). Children's cultural worlds encompass the material culture of childhood, with places and objects for play that are known (e.g., playgrounds or toys) or "unknown" (e.g., derelict sites or empty boxes; H. Lynch & Hayes, 2015).…”

“…Clark, 2010;Curtin, 2001). In addition, when the child has a disability, there is a need to account for developmental, communication, and cognitive differences (Spitzer, 2003a). These challenges have frequently resulted in a belief that children are incapable of engaging in research (Dockett & Perry, 2007).…”