Community Priorities for Outcomes Targeted During Professional Supports for Autistic Children and their Families

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. three authors of this publication are identified as autistic in the project.

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Sulek, R., Edwards, C., Monk, R., Patrick, L., Pillar, S., & Waddington, H. (2024). Community Priorities for Outcomes Targeted During Professional Supports for Autistic Children and their Families. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55(5), 1890-1901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06333-2

Publication date: 20 Apr 2024 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
3 / 6 (50.0%)
  1. Rhylee Sulek
  2. Chris Edwards *
  3. Ruth Monk *
  1. Lee Patrick *
  2. Sarah Pillar
  3. Hannah Waddington

Abstract

PURPOSE: Professional supports play an important role in aiding autistic children's learning, participation, and overall wellbeing. Yet, limited research exists on stakeholders' perspectives and preferences regarding targeted outcomes for children undergoing support facilitated by professionals. This study investigated stakeholder views on the priority and appropriateness of outcomes intentionally targeted during the provision of supports to autistic children. METHOD: A survey of 181 participants (including 72 autistic adults, 85 parents, and 69 professionals) from Australia and New Zealand was conducted. Participants rated the appropriateness and priority of 47 potential child and parent outcomes within the context of support. RESULTS: The highest priority outcome was improving child mental wellbeing, with the lowest being reducing sensory seeking or avoidant behaviours. Priority ratings for certain outcomes differed based on the child's age. Over half of the participants rated reducing sensory seeking/avoidant behaviours and reducing focused interests as inappropriate outcomes of supports. Further, variations in the appropriateness of outcomes differed among participant groups. CONCLUSION: Reflecting the growing acceptance of neurodiversity-affirming practices, these results underscore support for targeting outcomes that are meaningful to the autistic and autism communities, with less emphasis on those which reflect neurotypical behavioural standards.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 16:12.

Cited references
35
With a DOI
27
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
6
11 / 35 (31.4%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
6 / 35 (17.1%)
References with detected author names
29 / 35 (82.9%)
Without detected author names
6
Without a structured title
6
Without a stable identifier
6
References with raw author names still to review
6
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
113
From DOI or external metadata
113
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
20
67 / 113 (59.3%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 46 / 113 (40.7%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
13 / 113 (11.5%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 13 / 67 (19.4%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 9 / 93 (9.7%).
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