Transitioning from diagnosis to post diagnosis

1. Parents Perspectives of Post-Diagnostic
Training in an Autism Service
– A Case Study
Elaine McCarthy, Trainee Educational and Child
Psychologist, Mary Immaculate College.
Supervisor: Dr Stella Long

2. › Increased Prevalence of autism diagnosis
– Ireland: 1 in 65 or 1.55% (National Council for Special
Education, 2016)
– Growing demand
› Large Waiting Lists for Diagnosis
› Reduced Intervention Time
› Parental Training offered as intervention

3. Parent Perspectives Parent Experiences
Post-Diagnostic Needs Parent Training as Intervention
Voices of Parent in the
Transition from Diagnosis
to Post-Diagnosis

4. › Autism Diagnostic Process described as a “journey”
(Connolly & Gersch, 2013)
› Parents report uncertainty, lack of direction,
experiences of grief
› Support and Information identified as priority parental
needs post-diagnosis (Murphy & Tierney, 2006)

5. Multi-Disciplinary
Four weekly sessions
Psycho-educational
Evidence-Based
Practice and Practice-
Based Evidence
Group Training
(divided by child
age)
Opportunities for
Social Support

6. Literature
Review, Design
Study
Ethical
Clearance from
MIC and Autism
Service
Gather Clinician
Data
Gather Training
Description
Information
Pilot
Questionnaires
Pre-Training
Questionnaires
Training
Observations
Post-Training
Questionnaires
Semi-Structured
Parent
Interviews
I am
here!

7. Documentary Analysis,
Observation,
Questionnaires,
Interviews
Mixed
Methods
Analysis
Parents Voice in Post-
Diagnostic Training
Expected
Outcomes

8. Capture the
voices of
parents in the
post-diagnostic
transition
process
Inform service
delivery for
meeting the
needs of
parents
Develop an
evidence-base
on post-
diagnostic
parent training
in Ireland