This study is one of the first to consider outcomes of higher and lower functioning individuals with ID on a specialised inpatient unit. Results suggest that outcomes may be different for these groups, and some clinical measures may be more sensitive to changes in patients with more severe disabilities.

The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) receiving services in public schools is increasing steadily. However, the findings of previous research and recent litigation trends suggest that a notable disconnect persists between school-based services and parental satisfaction. As a means to better understand parental dissatisfaction with educational services, I analyzed presenting issues and outcomes of complaint investigations filed by parents of children with ASD in a midwestern U.S. state. A total of 97 electronic summaries of complaint investigations filed from January 2004 to January 2009 were examined using content analysis to identify the most frequently cited complaint issues, as well as the findings of fact leading to decisions in favor of schools. Common complaint issues included problems with Individualized Education Program content and implementation, parental participation, evaluation and case conference committee procedures, staff qualifications, and behavior/disciplinary procedures. Implications of the findings for educators, parents, and future research are discussed.

It is well-established that parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant stress in their caregiving role, and research findings indicate that chronic stressors can act as a precipitant to crisis. In the present study, we examined the experience of crisis in families of individuals with ASD from early childhood to adulthood. One hundred and fifty-seven comments provided by family members in response to an online survey were coded using grounded theory methods. We explored three components of crisis drawn from the comments: antecedents (precipitating events and the context of crisis), behaviors (the nature of crisis), and consequences (outcomes and reactions to crisis). Similarities and differences in the crisis experiences among varying age groups are discussed, as well as implications for practice and future research.

This study was designed to investigate religiosity, parental wellbeing, stressors in raising a child with autism, and acceptance of the disorder. Previous research states that religiosity can buffer the effects of stressors on well-being (Friedrich et al., 1988), and provide support and peace of mind (Tarakeshwar and Pargament, 2001). Parents of children with autism (n = 177) participated by completing an Internet-based questionnaire. Results revealed correlations between most of the variables, and the association between stress and well-being was stronger for parents with lower religiosity. Implications for parents and religious organizations and directions for future research are discussed.The task of raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder presents parents with significant challenges, stemming not only from the child's problematic behaviors and deficits characteristic of the disorder, but also due to the perplexing nature of autism and the controversy surrounding its cause and most effective treatments. It is not surprising, therefore, that studies of parents of children with autism have consistently found that these parents experience higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety than parents of both typically developing children and children with non-spectrum diagnoses (i.

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