American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2016
Information-seeking behaviours occur when children look to adults in order to gain further inform... more Information-seeking behaviours occur when children look to adults in order to gain further information about a novel stimulus/situation. The current study investigated information seeking in children with developmental delays (DD) and those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) during a simulated teaching situation. Twenty preschool-aged children with ASD and 15 children with DD were exposed to a series of videos where a teacher provided novel instructions and demonstrated novel actions. We found that children with DD, but not those with ASD, demonstrated information-seeking behaviours in response to instructions that exceeded their level of understanding. This suggests that children with DD may use information-seeking behaviours to compensate for their cognitive and language difficulties when novel actions are being taught, while the same is not true for children with ASD.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)1 systems are commonly used to support children w... more Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)1 systems are commonly used to support children with complex communication needs in Australian preschools. However, such systems will only be effective if they contain words and messages that adequately meet these children's communication needs. The aim of this study was to identify the words most frequently and commonly used by typically developing Australian preschool-aged children, in order to inform the selection of vocabulary for their classmates who use AAC. Communication samples were collected from 6 typically developing children during regular preschool activities. The samples were analysed to determine the number of different words used by the children, the frequency with which each word was used, and the commonality of use across children. The children used a small core vocabulary comprising frequently and commonly used words, together with large and highly individualised fringe vocabularies. The results are consistent with the findings of previous studies, and highlight the importance of providing both core and fringe vocabulary to preschool-aged children who use AAC.
To determine whether pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interact differentl... more To determine whether pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interact differently with their peers with ASD compared to their typically developing (TD) peers, across three activities (free play, structured group time and semi-structured play) in an early intervention setting. We completed a series of non-experimental case studies involving 13 children with ASD and two TD peers. We found trends, but no uniform differences, in the frequency or quality of means by which the children with ASD interacted with one another versus with their TD peers across the three contexts. The children with ASD interacted with both peer types more frequently during the semi-structured and structured activities, than during free play. The children with ASD showed no clear bias towards one peer type over the other. Semi-structured activities may be the best context in which to facilitate peer interactions involving children with ASD in early intervention settings.
Although researchers have examined barriers to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) at the ... more Although researchers have examined barriers to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) at the level of the individual, little is known about the effects workplaces have on speech-language pathologists' implementation of EBP. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of workplace factors on the use of EBP amongst speech-language pathologists who work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study sought to (a) explore views about EBP amongst speech-language pathologists who work with children with ASD, (b) identify workplace factors which, in the participants' opinions, acted as barriers or enablers to their provision of evidence-based speech-language pathology services, and (c) examine whether or not speech-language pathologists' responses to workplace factors differed based on the type of workplace or their years of experience. A total of 105 speech-language pathologists from across Australia completed an anonymous online questionnaire. The results indicate that, although the majority of speech-language pathologists agreed that EBP is necessary, they experienced barriers to their implementation of EBP including workplace culture and support, lack of time, cost of EBP, and the availability and accessibility of EBP resources. The barriers reported by speech-language pathologists were similar, regardless of their workplace (private practice vs organization) and years of experience.
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 2010
Abstract Volunteering has been identified as a route to paid work for adults with disability, inc... more Abstract Volunteering has been identified as a route to paid work for adults with disability, including those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, it is not known if adults who use AAC volunteer in an attempt to gain paid work or if such ...
International journal of speech-language pathology, 2016
Despite the importance of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) collaborating with parents in the t... more Despite the importance of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) collaborating with parents in the treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), few studies have examined the nature of this working relationship and how best to facilitate collaboration. To explore what SLPs think parents of children with ASD expect of them when it comes to the delivery of evidence-based interventions. The participants were 22 SLPs from Australia who specialised in ASD and who each participated in a semi-structured interview. Recordings were transcribed and analysed according to the procedures outlined by Braun and Clarke. The SLPs expressed strong support for evidence-based practice (EBP) and indicated that they thought parents expected their children would be provided with evidence-based interventions. However, SLPs identified factors that influenced the way and the extent to which they were able to share information as part of a collaborative decision-making process, including the parents...
Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Aug 1, 2009
Young adults with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems... more Young adults with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems may be at increased risk of loneliness due to the additional challenges they experience with communication. Six young adults, aged 24-30 years, who used AAC and had cerebral palsy, participated in in-depth interviews to explore their experiences of loneliness as they made the transition into adulthood. A total of five major themes in the data were identified using the constant comparative method of analysis. Three of these themes were discussed by all participants: (a) Support Networks, (b) AAC System Use, and (c) Technology. The authors concluded that these three themes were most important in understanding the experiences of loneliness of the young adults with cerebral palsy who participated in this study.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, Jan 18, 2016
A number of autism intervention practices have been demonstrated to be effective. However, the us... more A number of autism intervention practices have been demonstrated to be effective. However, the use of unsupported practices persists in community early intervention settings. Recent research has suggested that personal, professional and workplace factors may influence intervention choices. The aim of this research was to investigate knowledge and use of strategies, organisational culture, individual attitudes, sources of information and considerations informing intervention choices by early intervention providers. An online survey was completed by 72 early intervention providers from four organisations across Australia. Providers reported high levels of trust and access of information from internal professional development, therapists and external professional development. A range of considerations including child factors, family values and research were rated as important in informing intervention choices. Participants reported greater knowledge and use of evidence-based and emergi...
Background: Children with ASD who have little or no functional speech have the potential to benef... more Background: Children with ASD who have little or no functional speech have the potential to benefit from the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) intervention. The aim of AAC intervention is to support the development of symbolic communication and possibly natural speech. In recent years, and following the advent of cheaper technology, there has been widespread interest in the possibility that one type of AAC, speech generating devices (SGDs), may provide expressive and receptive communication support for children with ASD who have little or no functional speech. To this end, a small number of studies have provided preliminary support for the use of SGDs in promoting communication with parents, peers, and educators. However, further research is needed to better understand the individual outcomes of providing SGD-based treatments to children with ASD, and to compare the relative effectiveness of treatment with, and without, a SGD. Objectives: The aim of this study ...
Journal of telemedicine and telecare, Jan 13, 2016
Telehealth can be an effective way to provide speech pathology intervention to children with spee... more Telehealth can be an effective way to provide speech pathology intervention to children with speech and language impairments. However, the provision of reliable and feasible standardised language assessments via telehealth to establish children's needs for intervention and to monitor progress has not yet been well established. Further, there is limited information about children's reactions to telehealth. This study aimed to examine the reliability and feasibility of conducting standardised language assessment with school-aged children with known or suspected language impairment via a telehealth application using consumer grade computer equipment within a public school setting. Twenty-three children (aged 8-12 years) participated. Each child was assessed using a standardised language assessment comprising six subtests. Two subtests were administered by a speech pathologist face-to-face (local clinician) and four subtests were administered via telehealth. All subtests were co...
... org.au/aca/ Autism Victoria Head: Mrs Amanda Golding (CEO) Phone: (03) 9885 0533 Email: admin... more ... org.au/aca/ Autism Victoria Head: Mrs Amanda Golding (CEO) Phone: (03) 9885 0533 Email: admin@autismvictoria.org.au Web: http://www.autismvictoria.org.au Autism Association of South Australia Head: Jon Martin (Executive ...
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014
Past research has supported the utility of the Double ABCX model of family adaptation for parents... more Past research has supported the utility of the Double ABCX model of family adaptation for parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What remains unclear is the impact of family-related variables on outcomes in both mothers and fathers within the same family. We explored the potential predictors of maternal and paternal stress and family quality of life in an Australian sample of 196 parents of children with ASD aged 3-16 years. Using a cross-sectional design, parents completed questionnaires assessing factors within the Double ABCX model attributed to family adaptation. Findings provide further evidence of the negative impact of child externalising behaviours and highlight the importance of family sense of coherence on positive parental outcomes.
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2016
Information-seeking behaviours occur when children look to adults in order to gain further inform... more Information-seeking behaviours occur when children look to adults in order to gain further information about a novel stimulus/situation. The current study investigated information seeking in children with developmental delays (DD) and those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) during a simulated teaching situation. Twenty preschool-aged children with ASD and 15 children with DD were exposed to a series of videos where a teacher provided novel instructions and demonstrated novel actions. We found that children with DD, but not those with ASD, demonstrated information-seeking behaviours in response to instructions that exceeded their level of understanding. This suggests that children with DD may use information-seeking behaviours to compensate for their cognitive and language difficulties when novel actions are being taught, while the same is not true for children with ASD.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)1 systems are commonly used to support children w... more Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)1 systems are commonly used to support children with complex communication needs in Australian preschools. However, such systems will only be effective if they contain words and messages that adequately meet these children's communication needs. The aim of this study was to identify the words most frequently and commonly used by typically developing Australian preschool-aged children, in order to inform the selection of vocabulary for their classmates who use AAC. Communication samples were collected from 6 typically developing children during regular preschool activities. The samples were analysed to determine the number of different words used by the children, the frequency with which each word was used, and the commonality of use across children. The children used a small core vocabulary comprising frequently and commonly used words, together with large and highly individualised fringe vocabularies. The results are consistent with the findings of previous studies, and highlight the importance of providing both core and fringe vocabulary to preschool-aged children who use AAC.
To determine whether pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interact differentl... more To determine whether pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interact differently with their peers with ASD compared to their typically developing (TD) peers, across three activities (free play, structured group time and semi-structured play) in an early intervention setting. We completed a series of non-experimental case studies involving 13 children with ASD and two TD peers. We found trends, but no uniform differences, in the frequency or quality of means by which the children with ASD interacted with one another versus with their TD peers across the three contexts. The children with ASD interacted with both peer types more frequently during the semi-structured and structured activities, than during free play. The children with ASD showed no clear bias towards one peer type over the other. Semi-structured activities may be the best context in which to facilitate peer interactions involving children with ASD in early intervention settings.
Although researchers have examined barriers to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) at the ... more Although researchers have examined barriers to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) at the level of the individual, little is known about the effects workplaces have on speech-language pathologists' implementation of EBP. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of workplace factors on the use of EBP amongst speech-language pathologists who work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study sought to (a) explore views about EBP amongst speech-language pathologists who work with children with ASD, (b) identify workplace factors which, in the participants' opinions, acted as barriers or enablers to their provision of evidence-based speech-language pathology services, and (c) examine whether or not speech-language pathologists' responses to workplace factors differed based on the type of workplace or their years of experience. A total of 105 speech-language pathologists from across Australia completed an anonymous online questionnaire. The results indicate that, although the majority of speech-language pathologists agreed that EBP is necessary, they experienced barriers to their implementation of EBP including workplace culture and support, lack of time, cost of EBP, and the availability and accessibility of EBP resources. The barriers reported by speech-language pathologists were similar, regardless of their workplace (private practice vs organization) and years of experience.
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 2010
Abstract Volunteering has been identified as a route to paid work for adults with disability, inc... more Abstract Volunteering has been identified as a route to paid work for adults with disability, including those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, it is not known if adults who use AAC volunteer in an attempt to gain paid work or if such ...
International journal of speech-language pathology, 2016
Despite the importance of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) collaborating with parents in the t... more Despite the importance of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) collaborating with parents in the treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), few studies have examined the nature of this working relationship and how best to facilitate collaboration. To explore what SLPs think parents of children with ASD expect of them when it comes to the delivery of evidence-based interventions. The participants were 22 SLPs from Australia who specialised in ASD and who each participated in a semi-structured interview. Recordings were transcribed and analysed according to the procedures outlined by Braun and Clarke. The SLPs expressed strong support for evidence-based practice (EBP) and indicated that they thought parents expected their children would be provided with evidence-based interventions. However, SLPs identified factors that influenced the way and the extent to which they were able to share information as part of a collaborative decision-making process, including the parents...
Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Aug 1, 2009
Young adults with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems... more Young adults with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems may be at increased risk of loneliness due to the additional challenges they experience with communication. Six young adults, aged 24-30 years, who used AAC and had cerebral palsy, participated in in-depth interviews to explore their experiences of loneliness as they made the transition into adulthood. A total of five major themes in the data were identified using the constant comparative method of analysis. Three of these themes were discussed by all participants: (a) Support Networks, (b) AAC System Use, and (c) Technology. The authors concluded that these three themes were most important in understanding the experiences of loneliness of the young adults with cerebral palsy who participated in this study.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, Jan 18, 2016
A number of autism intervention practices have been demonstrated to be effective. However, the us... more A number of autism intervention practices have been demonstrated to be effective. However, the use of unsupported practices persists in community early intervention settings. Recent research has suggested that personal, professional and workplace factors may influence intervention choices. The aim of this research was to investigate knowledge and use of strategies, organisational culture, individual attitudes, sources of information and considerations informing intervention choices by early intervention providers. An online survey was completed by 72 early intervention providers from four organisations across Australia. Providers reported high levels of trust and access of information from internal professional development, therapists and external professional development. A range of considerations including child factors, family values and research were rated as important in informing intervention choices. Participants reported greater knowledge and use of evidence-based and emergi...
Background: Children with ASD who have little or no functional speech have the potential to benef... more Background: Children with ASD who have little or no functional speech have the potential to benefit from the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) intervention. The aim of AAC intervention is to support the development of symbolic communication and possibly natural speech. In recent years, and following the advent of cheaper technology, there has been widespread interest in the possibility that one type of AAC, speech generating devices (SGDs), may provide expressive and receptive communication support for children with ASD who have little or no functional speech. To this end, a small number of studies have provided preliminary support for the use of SGDs in promoting communication with parents, peers, and educators. However, further research is needed to better understand the individual outcomes of providing SGD-based treatments to children with ASD, and to compare the relative effectiveness of treatment with, and without, a SGD. Objectives: The aim of this study ...
Journal of telemedicine and telecare, Jan 13, 2016
Telehealth can be an effective way to provide speech pathology intervention to children with spee... more Telehealth can be an effective way to provide speech pathology intervention to children with speech and language impairments. However, the provision of reliable and feasible standardised language assessments via telehealth to establish children's needs for intervention and to monitor progress has not yet been well established. Further, there is limited information about children's reactions to telehealth. This study aimed to examine the reliability and feasibility of conducting standardised language assessment with school-aged children with known or suspected language impairment via a telehealth application using consumer grade computer equipment within a public school setting. Twenty-three children (aged 8-12 years) participated. Each child was assessed using a standardised language assessment comprising six subtests. Two subtests were administered by a speech pathologist face-to-face (local clinician) and four subtests were administered via telehealth. All subtests were co...
... org.au/aca/ Autism Victoria Head: Mrs Amanda Golding (CEO) Phone: (03) 9885 0533 Email: admin... more ... org.au/aca/ Autism Victoria Head: Mrs Amanda Golding (CEO) Phone: (03) 9885 0533 Email: admin@autismvictoria.org.au Web: http://www.autismvictoria.org.au Autism Association of South Australia Head: Jon Martin (Executive ...
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014
Past research has supported the utility of the Double ABCX model of family adaptation for parents... more Past research has supported the utility of the Double ABCX model of family adaptation for parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What remains unclear is the impact of family-related variables on outcomes in both mothers and fathers within the same family. We explored the potential predictors of maternal and paternal stress and family quality of life in an Australian sample of 196 parents of children with ASD aged 3-16 years. Using a cross-sectional design, parents completed questionnaires assessing factors within the Double ABCX model attributed to family adaptation. Findings provide further evidence of the negative impact of child externalising behaviours and highlight the importance of family sense of coherence on positive parental outcomes.
Uploads
Papers by David Trembath