'Accumulating harm and waiting for crisis': Parents' perspectives of accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child experiencing mental health difficulties / Emma ASHWORTH in Autism, 29-8 (August 2025)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 29-8 (August 2025) . - p.2111-2122 Titre : 'Accumulating harm and waiting for crisis': Parents' perspectives of accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child experiencing mental health difficulties Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Emma ASHWORTH, Auteur ; Lucy BRAY, Auteur ; Claire HANLON, Auteur ; Harvey STANWAY, Auteur ; Georgia PAVLOPOULOU, Auteur ; David MOORE, Auteur ; Bethany DONAGHY, Auteur ; Elizabeth COEN, Auteur ; Ellen FIRTH, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.2111-2122 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism  Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services  children and young people  crisis  healthcare provision  mental health Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Autistic children and young people are at increased risk of mental health difficulties, but often face barriers when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This study aimed to (1) explore the experiences of parents/carers seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child?s mental health difficulties, and (2) gain parents' perceptions of the accessibility of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their child. A mixed-methods survey design was used. In total, 300 parents/carers took part from across the United Kingdom. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data using qualitative content analysis. Findings demonstrated ongoing struggles that parents/carers faced when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Those who were referred reported a lack of reasonable adjustments and offers of ineffective or inappropriate therapies. Ultimately, parents felt their child?s mental health difficulties either did not improve or declined to the point of crisis. However, there was a recognition that some professionals were kind and compassionate. There is a need for a more neuro-inclusive and personalised approach in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Further research, funding and training are urgently needed to ensure support is accessible, timely and effective for autistic young people.Lay abstract Autistic children and young people are more likely to experience mental health difficulties than neurotypical peers, but also face more barriers when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Findings highlight the need for a more neuroaffirmative approach from the professionals themselves, in the adjustments offered, and in the therapies provided. Barriers to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for autistic children and young people include diagnostic overshadowing (i.e. assuming mental health difficulties are part of autism), high thresholds for assessment and a lack of professional knowledge about autism and care pathways. Healthcare policies should ensure that all Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services professionals receive neuroaffirmative training and that resources/funding are provided for appropriate adjustments and early support. There is also a need for further research and funding to develop and evaluate effective neuroaffirmative therapeutic interventions. En ligne : https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/13623613251335715 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=564 [article] 'Accumulating harm and waiting for crisis': Parents' perspectives of accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child experiencing mental health difficulties [texte imprimé] / Emma ASHWORTH, Auteur ; Lucy BRAY, Auteur ; Claire HANLON, Auteur ; Harvey STANWAY, Auteur ; Georgia PAVLOPOULOU, Auteur ; David MOORE, Auteur ; Bethany DONAGHY, Auteur ; Elizabeth COEN, Auteur ; Ellen FIRTH, Auteur . - p.2111-2122. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 29-8 (August 2025) . - p.2111-2122 Mots-clés : autism  Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services  children and young people  crisis  healthcare provision  mental health Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Autistic children and young people are at increased risk of mental health difficulties, but often face barriers when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This study aimed to (1) explore the experiences of parents/carers seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child?s mental health difficulties, and (2) gain parents' perceptions of the accessibility of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their child. A mixed-methods survey design was used. In total, 300 parents/carers took part from across the United Kingdom. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data using qualitative content analysis. Findings demonstrated ongoing struggles that parents/carers faced when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Those who were referred reported a lack of reasonable adjustments and offers of ineffective or inappropriate therapies. Ultimately, parents felt their child?s mental health difficulties either did not improve or declined to the point of crisis. However, there was a recognition that some professionals were kind and compassionate. There is a need for a more neuro-inclusive and personalised approach in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Further research, funding and training are urgently needed to ensure support is accessible, timely and effective for autistic young people.Lay abstract Autistic children and young people are more likely to experience mental health difficulties than neurotypical peers, but also face more barriers when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Findings highlight the need for a more neuroaffirmative approach from the professionals themselves, in the adjustments offered, and in the therapies provided. Barriers to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for autistic children and young people include diagnostic overshadowing (i.e. assuming mental health difficulties are part of autism), high thresholds for assessment and a lack of professional knowledge about autism and care pathways. Healthcare policies should ensure that all Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services professionals receive neuroaffirmative training and that resources/funding are provided for appropriate adjustments and early support. There is also a need for further research and funding to develop and evaluate effective neuroaffirmative therapeutic interventions. En ligne : https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/13623613251335715 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=564

Exploring Autistic People’s Experiences of and Attitudes Towards Cervical Screening: A Mixed-Methods Study / Shona MURDOCH in Autism, 30-7 (July 2026)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 30-7 (July 2026) . - p.1738-1748 Titre : Exploring Autistic People’s Experiences of and Attitudes Towards Cervical Screening: A Mixed-Methods Study Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Shona MURDOCH, Auteur ; Bethany DONAGHY, Auteur ; Aimee GRANT, Auteur ; Kayleigh SHEEN, Auteur ; David John MOORE, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1738-1748 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism  cancer screening  cervical screening  mixed methods  theory of planned behaviour Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Cervical screening can be lifesaving, yet attendance rates are lower than recommended within the general population and even lower within the autistic population. There is currently no published research systematically exploring autistic people’s cervical screening experiences. This research aimed to explore the experience of cervical (“smear”) screening for autistic people in the United Kingdom. Autistic people (N = 97) completed an online mixed-methods questionnaire about their cervical screening experiences. Questions considered experiences of pain, sensory and communication issues, knowledge of cervical cancer, attitudes towards screening, and experience of sexual assault. Findings suggest that an autistic person’s intention to attend their screening is important to understand their actual attendance at the screening. Quantitatively, pain, sensory and communication issues, or knowledge of cervical cancer were not associated with screening attendance. However, qualitatively, they were. Two themes emerged: “Communication disconnect across the care journey” and” Echoes of the past: the lasting impact of previous care encounters” were discussed as barriers to screening engagement. This research highlights the need to improve healthcare communication and other accessibility needs for autistic people when attending cervical screening and for further development of appropriate measurement tools. More research is needed to further inform methods of improving cervical screening services for autistic people.Lay Abstract Cervical screening (“smear tests”) can prevent the development of cervical cancer by spotting the signs early. These screening tests can be lifesaving. A large number of the general population do not attend their cervical screening test when invited, and this is even higher for autistic people. One problem is that there is no research to understand why autistic people might not attend their smear tests. We asked autistic people in the United Kingdom to complete a questionnaire online to see who has attended their smear test when invited and looked at different things that might be important in this decision. Pain, sensory issues, and knowledge of cervical cancer did not seem to be important in explaining who did and did not attend a screening appointment. Communication (before, during, and after the screening tests) and previous negative experiences of healthcare (both in general and previous cervical screening tests) were important. This research further highlights the need for more training for healthcare providers in communication for diverse communities and communication needs. More research is also needed to better understand autistic people’s cervical screening and wider healthcare experiences. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613261439937 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=590 [article] Exploring Autistic People’s Experiences of and Attitudes Towards Cervical Screening: A Mixed-Methods Study [texte imprimé] / Shona MURDOCH, Auteur ; Bethany DONAGHY, Auteur ; Aimee GRANT, Auteur ; Kayleigh SHEEN, Auteur ; David John MOORE, Auteur . - p.1738-1748. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 30-7 (July 2026) . - p.1738-1748 Mots-clés : autism  cancer screening  cervical screening  mixed methods  theory of planned behaviour Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Cervical screening can be lifesaving, yet attendance rates are lower than recommended within the general population and even lower within the autistic population. There is currently no published research systematically exploring autistic people’s cervical screening experiences. This research aimed to explore the experience of cervical (“smear”) screening for autistic people in the United Kingdom. Autistic people (N = 97) completed an online mixed-methods questionnaire about their cervical screening experiences. Questions considered experiences of pain, sensory and communication issues, knowledge of cervical cancer, attitudes towards screening, and experience of sexual assault. Findings suggest that an autistic person’s intention to attend their screening is important to understand their actual attendance at the screening. Quantitatively, pain, sensory and communication issues, or knowledge of cervical cancer were not associated with screening attendance. However, qualitatively, they were. Two themes emerged: “Communication disconnect across the care journey” and” Echoes of the past: the lasting impact of previous care encounters” were discussed as barriers to screening engagement. This research highlights the need to improve healthcare communication and other accessibility needs for autistic people when attending cervical screening and for further development of appropriate measurement tools. More research is needed to further inform methods of improving cervical screening services for autistic people.Lay Abstract Cervical screening (“smear tests”) can prevent the development of cervical cancer by spotting the signs early. These screening tests can be lifesaving. A large number of the general population do not attend their cervical screening test when invited, and this is even higher for autistic people. One problem is that there is no research to understand why autistic people might not attend their smear tests. We asked autistic people in the United Kingdom to complete a questionnaire online to see who has attended their smear test when invited and looked at different things that might be important in this decision. Pain, sensory issues, and knowledge of cervical cancer did not seem to be important in explaining who did and did not attend a screening appointment. Communication (before, during, and after the screening tests) and previous negative experiences of healthcare (both in general and previous cervical screening tests) were important. This research further highlights the need for more training for healthcare providers in communication for diverse communities and communication needs. More research is also needed to better understand autistic people’s cervical screening and wider healthcare experiences. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613261439937 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=590

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