The purpose of the proposed project
The purpose of the proposed project is to explore the factors that contribute to positive outcomes in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The factors affecting positive outcomes in children with autism
The developmental disorder which occurs within the first two years of development affects the ability of children to communicate, read, write, and understand concepts taught at school (Vivanti, Prior, Williams and Dissanayake, 2014).
Parental stress and its impact
One of the factors that affect the positive outcomes of children with autism is parental stress. The proposed project helps to unveil the effects of parental stress on children with learning disability. Thus, the project is essential to help parents manage their stress and locus of control effectively to support their children with disabilities to achieve positive outcomes.
Data collection methods
The project involves collecting information from parents and children especially in relation to their family relationships, behaviors, attitudes, and experiences. The researcher uses family support scale, key competences scale, and parenting stress index. The family support scale requires parents to rate their sense of family support based several aspects such as providing required school materials, listening to the needs of the child, tolerating their behaviors, and providing guidance. The children are also observed and asked questions to test their competency levels in terms of reading, writing, numeracy, creativity, and play. The research also involves an interview on parents to establish their level of control and ability to manage stress associated with having children with disability. The parent is asked questions about how they manage pressure, moods, and behaviors associated with ASD.
Resource availability and challenges
The availability of resources is also a challenge to any research, but the proposed project will involve proper planning to ensure that all required materials are gathered before the research process begins (Westwood, 2015). The study will need writing materials, photographs, recorders, and learning aids to help in collecting information about the functioning and behavior of children with ASD. The photographs and recorders are needed to record the activities of children in class and during playtime. This information will be needed to understand the child's competences and behavioral patterns. The study will also need financial resources to buy materials and pay for services such as research assistants and printing services. These resources are easily available, but they need proper planning and budgeting to ensure that they are delivered on time with the right quantities.
Sample selection and data collection challenges
The sample of children with autism is readily available because there are several schools that deal with students with such conditions. The researcher will identify some of the schools with children with disabilities and collaborate with the school administration to collect data from the children and their teachers and parents (Matson and Wilkins, 2007). However, the challenge associated with the sample and methods of collecting data is cost and time.
Costs and time constraints
The cost of conducting research in schools may incur a lot of costs and time. The costs include the costs of materials required to observe and record data about the participants. Children with autism have unstable behaviors, so they may not provide sufficient information with normal methods such as surveys. Therefore, the researcher may need to buy cameras, recorders, and computers with special software to collect information. Children with autism may also need learning aids to demonstrate their abilities and improve their learning outcomes (Vivanti et al, 2014). Therefore, several materials should be purchased to help children with autism to provide the required answers to the research questions. The process will also take time because children with autism may not respond quickly in the expected manner like normal children. This challenge would be overcome by using proper time management and planning to ensure all aspects of the research are addressed within the required time. Parents and teachers will also provide support to reduce the time and costs spent on the study.
References
Hassal, R., Rose, J. and McDonald J. (2005). Parenting stress in mothers of children with an intellectual disability: The effects of parental cognition in relation to child characteristics and family support. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49(6), 405-418.
Matson, J. L., " Wilkins, J. (January 01, 2007). A critical review of assessment targets and methods for social skills excesses and deficits for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1(1), 28-37.
Vivanti, G., Prior, M., Williams, K., and Dissanayake, C. (2014). Predictors of Outcomes in Autism Early Intervention: Why Don’t We Know More? Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2(58), 1-10.
Westwood, P. (2015). Commonsense Methods for Children with Special Educational Needs. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
