A Mixed-Method Study Exploring the Experiences of Adults with Autism and Co-existing Mental Health Disorder(s), and Professionals' Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
type: CreativeWork
description: Adults with autism are at high risk of experiencing mental health difficulties. It is therefore surprising that very little is known about the needs and experiences of this population in relation to accessing adult mental health services. This study had three aims: (1) to explore the needs and experiences of adults with co-existing autism and mental health disorder, (2) to establish whether a Health Board’s adult mental health services met the needs of these service users, and (3) to evaluate the knowledge of ASD amongst mental health professionals working within adult mental health services. This study utilised a parallel mixed-method design, consisting of two-phases of data collection. The first phase involved semi-structured interviews with adults with co-existing autism and mental health disorder(s) to explore their needs and experiences of accessing adult mental health services (N = 20). The second phase involved an online questionnaire to establish professionals’ knowledge of ASD, as well as the confidence that professionals had in their ASD knowledge (N = 58). The qualitative interviews from Phase 1 were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five superordinate themes were identified relevant to the needs and experiences of service users with co-existing autism and mental health disorder(s): (1) Experience of Autism Diagnosis, (2) Staff Awareness of Autism, (3) Facilitating Communication, (4) Dissatisfaction, and (5) Making Accommodations. The quantitative findings from Phase 2 indicated that mental health professionals may not possess adequate levels of ASD knowledge. Additionally, ASD knowledge held by professionals who had undertaken ASD training was significantly higher than those who had not received training, indicating that providing ASD training could be a means to increasing professionals’ ASD knowledge. The current study contributed to knowledge in the following ways: (1) it explored the experiences of adults with co-existing…
abstract: Adults with autism are at high risk of experiencing mental health difficulties. It is therefore surprising that very little is known about the needs and experiences of this population in relation to accessing adult mental health services. This study had three aims: (1) to explore the needs and experiences of adults with co-existing autism and mental health disorder, (2) to establish whether a Health Board’s adult mental health services met the needs of these service users, and (3) to evaluate the knowledge of ASD amongst mental health professionals working within adult mental health services. This study utilised a parallel mixed-method design, consisting of two-phases of data collection. The first phase involved semi-structured interviews with adults with co-existing autism and mental health disorder(s) to explore their needs and experiences of accessing adult mental health services (N = 20). The second phase involved an online questionnaire to establish professionals’ knowledge of ASD, as well as the confidence that professionals had in their ASD knowledge (N = 58). The qualitative interviews from Phase 1 were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five superordinate themes were identified relevant to the needs and experiences of service users with co-existing autism and mental health disorder(s): (1) Experience of Autism Diagnosis, (2) Staff Awareness of Autism, (3) Facilitating Communication, (4) Dissatisfaction, and (5) Making Accommodations. The quantitative findings from Phase 2 indicated that mental health professionals may not possess adequate levels of ASD knowledge. Additionally, ASD knowledge held by professionals who had undertaken ASD training was significantly higher than those who had not received training, indicating that providing ASD training could be a means to increasing professionals’ ASD knowledge. The current study contributed to knowledge in the following ways: (1) it explored the experiences of adults with co-existing…
author: Courts, Chelsea
language: eng
date published: 2021-11
date modified: 2026-07-24T04:39:44Z
provider: University of South Wales
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of South Wales