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Special education for students with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Each day brings new challenges”

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Sarah Hurwitz
Sarah Hurwitz
Sarah Hurwitz
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Blaine Garman-McClaine
Blaine Garman-McClaine
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Kane Carlock
Kane Carlock
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Abstract and Figures

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how educators provided supports and services for students with autism spectrum disorder. School closures and related pivoting between learning modalities were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and often require individualized instruction. There has been limited opportunity for teachers to share their experiences of rapidly changing educational circumstances. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate how special educators and school-based specialists adapted practices for such students in response to pandemic conditions. One hundred and six educators from 40 school districts completed a written survey inquiring about the modifications they made to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and their efforts to implement evidence-based practices. Participants reported adding individualized contingency learning plans to Individualized Education Programs, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. A thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006) of educators’ written reflections identified four themes, highlighting a renewed importance on collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress in the home setting. While students with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and innovation. Lay abstract The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how special educators provided supports and services for students with autism spectrum disorder. School closures and the related pivoting between learning modalities (i.e. virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face) were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and require individualized instruction. In this study, we surveyed 106 special education teachers, behavior specialists, and speech pathologists who work with autistic students to learn about how they adapted instruction to comply with the complex social distancing rules and changing expectations of the pandemic. Participants reported “making the best out of a bad situation” and “constantly using ‘trial & error’ to find the best way for our students to eLearn.” They emphasized the importance of collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress across settings. They made alterations to Individualized Education Programs, by adding individualized contingency learning plans, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. Participants were surprised that while students with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and an innovative ability to adapt instruction.
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https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211035935
Autism
2022, Vol. 26(4) 889 –899
© The Author(s) 2021
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/13623613211035935
journals.sagepub.com/home/aut
Special education for students
with autism during the COVID-19
pandemic: “Each day brings new
challenges”
Sarah Hurwitz , Blaine Garman-McClaine
and Kane Carlock
Abstract
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how educators provided supports and services for students with autism
spectrum disorder. School closures and related pivoting between learning modalities were difficult for all students, but
especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and often require individualized instruction. There has been
limited opportunity for teachers to share their experiences of rapidly changing educational circumstances. The purpose
of this mixed-methods study was to investigate how special educators and school-based specialists adapted practices for
such students in response to pandemic conditions. One hundred and six educators from 40 school districts completed
a written survey inquiring about the modifications they made to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and their
efforts to implement evidence-based practices. Participants reported adding individualized contingency learning plans to
Individualized Education Programs, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. A thematic analysis
(Braun and Clarke, 2006) of educators’ written reflections identified four themes, highlighting a renewed importance on
collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress in the home setting. While students
with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will
happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19,
participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and innovation.
Lay abstract
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how special educators provided supports and services for students with
autism spectrum disorder. School closures and the related pivoting between learning modalities (i.e. virtual, hybrid, and
face-to-face) were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and require
individualized instruction. In this study, we surveyed 106 special education teachers, behavior specialists, and speech
pathologists who work with autistic students to learn about how they adapted instruction to comply with the complex
social distancing rules and changing expectations of the pandemic. Participants reported “making the best out of a bad
situation” and “constantly using ‘trial & error’ to find the best way for our students to eLearn.” They emphasized the
importance of collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress across settings. They
made alterations to Individualized Education Programs, by adding individualized contingency learning plans, adjusting
service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. Participants were surprised that while students with more
intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in
the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants
demonstrated remarkable resiliency and an innovative ability to adapt instruction.
Indiana University Bloomington, USA Corresponding author:
Sarah Hurwitz, Special Education, School of Education, Indiana University
Bloomington, 205 N Rose Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Email: shurwitz@iu.edu
1035935AUT0010.1177/13623613211035935AutismHurwitz et al.
research-article2021
Original Article
... Although all students were impacted by the pandemic, those with pre-existing mental health difficulties (e.g., anxiety and depression, and students identified with autism and ADHD) were disproportionally affected because they learn best with consistent schedules, well-rehearsed routines, and supportive relationships, rather than the erratic transitions between instructional modalities and uneven educational supports caused by the pandemic (Zijlmans et al. 2021;Hurwitz, Garman-McClaine, and Carlock 2022). It fell to special education teachers to provide students with disabilities with both academic and emotional supports. ...
... These teachers, who have been referred to as the "forgotten frontline workers" (Beames, Christensen, and Werner-Seidler 2021), were still expected to follow federal regulations to provide students with disabilities with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and monitor their progress despite pandemic circumstances (Yell and Bateman 2022;IDEA 2004). For some students, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) was adjusted to accommodate pandemic restrictions, for example, by reducing the minutes of special education services that students received due to shortened school days, or by dropping social skills goals entirely in order to comply with social distancing requirements (Morando-Rhim and Ekin 2021; Hurwitz, Garman-McClaine, and Carlock 2022). For the first time in history, IEP meetings had to be held over video platforms rather than in person, which meant families and educators were navigating a new format (Scheef et al. 2023). ...
... Participants for this study were recruited from a larger group of special education teachers that had completed a survey regarding autism and the COVID-19 pandemic (Hurwitz, Garman-McClaine, and Carlock 2022), using opportunity sampling. All of the special education teachers who participated in the previous study were invited through email to enroll in the current interview study. ...
“We're Not Giving Up” Special Education Teacher's Experiences During the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Article
Full-text available
Special education teachers described experiencing significant mental health challenges, such as stress and burnout, when teaching students with autism and other disabilities during the pandemic. They struggled to engage students virtually and found it difficult to progress monitor and comply with IEP regulations. Special educators suggested that they needed protected time for planning and collaboration in the future. To improve their mental health and mitigate feelings of burn out, they wanted more time for self‐care and emotional support. Special educators predicted an escalation in mental health issues among their students after the pandemic. They called for expanding supports for social anxiety in order to avoid behavioral outbursts. This article discusses how high rates of post‐pandemic teacher attrition may mean that students with disabilities are not able to access the specialized academic supports and behavioral interventions to which they are entitled.
View
... In terms of education, many countries felt obliged to close schools [3][4][5][6][7][8], redirecting daily work and in-person classes to new learning scenarios in which education became based on various Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). These new modalities shine a spotlight on the work of teachers, demanding that they deal with and shift to a virtual form of education based on digital tools that is both synchronous and asynchronous. ...
Teacher Monitoring of Students with ASD and Their Families During Lockdown: A Comparison Between Spain and Mexico
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2025
Citation: Gallardo-Montes, C.d.P.; Caurcel-Cara, M.J.; Fuentes, A.R.; Cid-González, C. Teacher Monitoring of Students with ASD and Their Families During Lockdown: A Comparison Between Spain and Mexico. COVID 2025, 5, 87. https://doi. Abstract: Since the establishment of the State of Alarm resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, and quarantine have been imposed in most countries, with serious health, social, economic, and educational consequences. The health emergency caused by COVID-19 led to the closure of schools, forcing students from all over the world to stop attending schools and compromising the quality of care offered to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to examine how teachers supervised students with ASD virtually during the lockdown period, and to determine whether families considered the support provided by teachers to be adequate, a cross-cultural study design was adopted. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered to 415 families in Spain and Mexico in April 2020. We calculated frequencies and carried out descriptive analyses, parametric inferential analyses, and correlations. Families reported that educational monitoring and contact with the family member with ASD during home lockdown was scarce, despite the provision of activities appropriate to their needs. Significant differences were found as a function of country, age of participant, age of family member with ASD, type of ASD, type of schooling, and length of lockdown. This study highlights the need to train teachers in inclusive digital education and to establish effective protocols for communication and follow-up with the families of students with ASD.
View
... Lastly, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SET wellbeing and burnout is still not well understood, as only two studies Ruble, Cormier, et al., 2024) directly examined pandemic impact on SETs. Although stress, depression, work complexity, and SETs' perceived impact of the pandemic on burnout increased Hurwitz et al., 2022;Ruble, Cormier, et al., 2024), the interplay between changing working conditions, stress outside of work, and SETs' burnout and occupational wellbeing is in need of further research. ...
Burnout and Occupational Wellbeing of Special Education Teachers: Recent Research Synthesized
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2025
  • REV EDUC RES
Teacher burnout and wellbeing are crucial to address as chronic teacher shortages persist, especially for special education teachers (SETs). Extending Brunsting et al.'s prior review on special educator burnout published in 2014, we synthesize 29 studies from 2013 to 2023 assessing factors associated with SETs' work wellbeing or burnout. Most studies were quantitative, used cross-sectional analyses of convenience samples of SETs, and explored a range of factors, including working conditions (i.e., structure of work responsibilities and supports to meet those responsibilities) or affective responses to stress. Some recent studies provided initial responses to prior calls for longitudinal analyses, mixed methods studies, and intervention development. Our synthesis identifies strengths of the literature base and areas for future research, as well as implications for teacher educators, practitioners , and policy makers.
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... General education teachers, special education teachers, and related service providers can work together to plan and deliver instruction, share expertise, and provide individualized support to students. Co-teaching models such as team teaching, parallel teaching, and station teaching can be adapted for hybrid environments, allowing educators to leverage their strengths and meet the diverse needs of students (Hurwitz, 2021). ...
Hybrid learning approach for Students with Special Needs: An Equitable Use of Technology
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Apr 2025
Education is a powerful instrument of social change, and often initiates upward movement in the social structure. Thereby helping to bridge the gap between the different sections of society. The educational scene in the country has undergone major change over the years, resulting in better provision of education and better educational practices. The traditional classroom provides a classic way to educate students by allowing an open forum for communication between students and teachers. The past twenty-five years have opened up a new field of possibilities in education through the use of technology and complementary virtual resources designed to engage learners of all learning levels. The Hybrid Learning approach has been proven effective in achieving this goal in the present era. A Hybrid Learning environment provides students with special needs the dual benefits of a live physical teacher to ask questions and seek advice, in addition to the benefits of virtual resources. Students will adapt to a new learning style because longer lessons and new routines are a source of stress and anxiety for some. Students with special needs often want consistency, routine, and predictable situations to facilitate transitions. Hybrid Learning has several factors that do not allow for consistency and predictability. In addition, students with special needs will benefit from encouragement, homework options, ongoing support in lessons, and extra time for individual homework, which is often easier to provide in the Hybrid Learning based classrooms. The main objective of this research paper is to describe the complex issues based on applying Hybrid Learning methods in the special needs students’ education to prevent social exclusion, poverty, unemployment, and developing economies. In the case of vulnerable and marginalized communities, social inclusion is fundamental to a healthy society. Therefore, researcher will be focused on the Hybrid Learning based strategies and techniques which is directly beneficial and effectively used in special needs students’ classrooms and while using hybrid learning in classrooms so what difficulties are faced by teachers and students in the successfully implementation of Hybrid Learning in classrooms of students with special needs and how to overcome with this situation so that possible education provided to all students with special needs and promote them. Keywords: Hybrid Learning Approach, Students with Special Needs, and Equitable Use of Technology.
View
... These data support a need for revision of teacher training pathways. Indeed, the drastic testing ground of Covid-19 has challenged many teachers [14,15], underscoring the importance of training education professionals in the use of platforms, media, and innovative tools that can improve students' learning experiences [11]. ...
View
... Cultural differences, student behavioral management, educator quality, necessary funding requirements, and curriculum disparities due to the demands of standardized testing are just a few of the many issues that will undoubtedly complicate this program in the public school system. Despite these difficulties, students with disabilities have made significant progress academically, behaviorally, and socially because of the inclusive programs in which they participated in general classes with children without disabilities [11,12]. Although a diverse body of literature exists on the topic of inclusive education, a study analyzing the effort to cultivate an inclusive culture of schools involves unique perspectives from high school students, some of whom are in special education. ...
Strategies for Inclusive Education in Public Systems
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2025
Inclusive education aims to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or socioeconomic status. This paper examines strategies for fostering inclusive education within public systems, examining legal frameworks, school culture, teacher training, student support systems, collaboration, and assessment practices. While international policies promote inclusive education, implementation challenges persist due to resource limitations, teacher preparedness, and societal attitudes. This study underscores the need for well-structured teacher training, school-community partnerships, and equitable policies to ensure meaningful inclusion. The paper concludes by highlighting the significance of a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach to making inclusive education a sustainable reality.
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Educational Placement in School Performance, Behavior, and Cognitive Level of Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in San Pablo City
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2025
Education plays a critical role in supporting the academic, behavioral, and cognitive development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to Smith et al. (2021) [58] , specialized educational placements are essential for meeting the unique learning needs of these children. These placements provide structured environments and individualized interventions that promote better academic outcomes. Davis and Lee (2022) [16] further emphasize the importance of implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which allow for personalized instruction, curriculum modifications, and necessary accommodations tailored to each learner's strengths and challenges. In this context, the present study examined the relationship between educational placement and the school performance, behavior, and cognitive development of learners with ASD in San Pablo City. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected from a random sample of 50 out of 57 SPED teachers. A validated and reliability-tested survey instrument, adapted from existing studies, was used for data gathering. Findings showed that the majority of the respondents were female, aged 36-45. The results suggest that appropriate educational placement has a significant impact on improving the overall performance and development of children with ASD, reinforcing the importance of individualized and structured educational support.
View
Educational Placement in School Performance, Behavior, and Cognitive Level of Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in San Pablo City
Article
  • Jan 2025
Education plays a critical role in supporting the academic, behavioral, and cognitive development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to Smith et al. (2021) [58], specialized educational placements are essential for meeting the unique learning needs of these children. These placements provide structured environments and individualized interventions that promote better academic outcomes. Davis and Lee (2022) [16] further emphasize the importance of implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which allow for personalized instruction, curriculum modifications, and necessary accommodations tailored to each learner's strengths and challenges. In this context, the present study examined the relationship between educational placement and the school performance, behavior, and cognitive development of learners with ASD in San Pablo City. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected from a random sample of 50 out of 57 SPED teachers. A validated and reliability-tested survey instrument, adapted from existing studies, was used for data gathering. Findings showed that the majority of the respondents were female, aged 36–45. The results suggest that appropriate educational placement has a significant impact on improving the overall performance and development of children with ASD, reinforcing the importance of individualized and structured educational support.
View
View
A Qualitative Examination of Stakeholder Acceptability of COMPASS in an Australian School Context
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COMPASS is an educational intervention aimed at supporting individualised goal setting for students on the autism spectrum. Although its effectiveness is supported by quantitative data, little qualitative research has explored the perceived benefits and challenges of implementing COMPASS with community consultants. In the present qualitative study, we explored the benefits and challenges of COMPASS from the perspectives of stakeholders including parents/caregivers, teachers, and consultants. Semistructured interviews and focus groups were recorded and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants felt COMPASS (a) brings the right information to the table, (b) sets the scene for collaboration, and (c) uses a quality tool for data collection. The fourth theme reflected participants’ concerns around how (d) time could be a barrier. The data for this study has implications for the individualised planning process for students on the autism spectrum, a process directly linked to critical student outcomes. Overall, stakeholders spoke positively about student outcomes, which they linked directly to participation in the COMPASS program. The standardised process for individualised planning provided by COMPASS was particularly valued. Results of the study provide further understanding about the COMPASS intervention and offer a direction for future replications of COMPASS.
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The FRAME-IS: a framework for documenting modifications to implementation strategies in healthcare
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Background Implementation strategies are necessary to ensure that evidence-based practices are successfully incorporated into routine clinical practice. Such strategies, however, are frequently modified to fit local populations, settings, and contexts. While such modifications can be crucial to implementation success, the literature on documenting and evaluating them is virtually nonexistent. In this paper, we therefore describe the development of a new framework for documenting modifications to implementation strategies. Discussion We employed a multifaceted approach to developing the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications to Evidence-based Implementation Strategies (FRAME-IS), incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives. Development steps included presentations of initial versions of the FRAME-IS to solicit structured feedback from individual implementation scientists (“think-aloud” exercises) and larger, international groups of researchers. The FRAME-IS includes core and supplementary modules to document modifications to implementation strategies: what is modified, the nature of the modification (including the relationship to core elements or functions), the primary goal and rationale for the modification, timing of the modification, participants in the modification decision-making process, and how widespread the modification is. We provide an example of application of the FRAME-IS to an implementation project and provide guidance on how it may be used in future work. Conclusion Increasing attention is being given to modifications to evidence-based practices, but little work has investigated modifications to the implementation strategies used to implement such practices. To fill this gap, the FRAME-IS is meant to be a flexible, practical tool for documenting modifications to implementation strategies. Its use may help illuminate the pivotal processes and mechanisms by which implementation strategies exert their effects.
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COVID-19 Pandemic and Impact on Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Article
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  • Jan 2022
  • J AUTISM DEV DISORD
The COVID-19 infectious disease pandemic has caused significant fear and uncertainty around the world and had significant adverse psychological impact. Children, adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are a particularly vulnerable population, impacted by stay-at-home orders, closures at nonessential services, and social distancing standards. This commentary describes various challenges faced by individuals with ASD in the United States including disruptions caused by educational and vocational changes, challenges to home and leisure routines, limited access to behavioral health services and changes in health services delivery due to the pandemic. We highlight the need for ongoing skills development for individuals and development within systems to better respond to needs of the ASD population in future emergencies.
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“This may be a really good opportunity to make the world a more autism friendly place”: Professionals’ perspectives on the effects of COVID-19 on autistic individuals
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2021
  • RES AUTISM SPECT DIS
Background The COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic affects everyone. Autistic individuals may be at increased risk of experiencing difficulties coping with the impact of C-19 (e.g. due to unexpected changes to usual activities and routines, and the general sense of uncertainty). This preliminary study gathered the perspectives of health and social care professionals, and researchers, about: (1) vulnerability factors for coping with the pandemic; (2) the impact of the pandemic; (3) service provision during the pandemic; and (4) interventions to support reintegration during and post the pandemic. Method We conducted an online survey, comprising Likert-scale and free text responses. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data thematically. Results Thirty-seven participants, working in clinical, education and academic settings with autistic individuals, completed the survey. C-19 had substantially impacted service provision, causing major disruption or loss of services. Thematic analysis indicated six overarching themes: (1) vulnerability factors for coping with C-19 and lockdown; (2) positive and negative impact of lockdown (for autistic individuals, families and professionals); (3) public health response to C-19; (4) service provision during the pandemic; (5) inequalities; and (6) looking to the future. Conclusions Professionals, across disciplines and settings, must now work together with autistic individuals and their families, to understand the impact of these extraordinary circumstances and develop ways everyone can be supported more effectively.
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Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism: Third Generation Review
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  • Nov 2021
  • J AUTISM DEV DISORD
This systematic review describes a set of practices that have evidence of positive effects with autistic children and youth. This is the third iteration of a review of the intervention literature (Odom et al. in J Autism Dev Disorders 40(4):425-436, 2010a; Prevent School Fail 54(4):275-282, 2010b; Wong et al. in https ://autis mpdc.fpg.unc.edu/sites /autis mpdc.fpg.unc.edu/files /imce/docum ents/2014-EBP-Repor t.pdf; J Autism Dev Disorders 45(7):1951-1966, 2015), extending coverage to articles published between 1990 and 2017. A search initially yielded 31,779 articles, and the subsequent screening and evaluation process found 567 studies to include. Combined with the previous review, 972 articles were synthesized, from which the authors found 28 focused intervention practices that met the criteria for evidence-based practice (EBP). Former EBPs were recategorized and some manualized interventions were distinguished as meeting EBP criteria. The authors discuss implications for current practices and future research.
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A Scoping Review of Anxiety in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Research on anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has burgeoned in the past 15 years. Most of the research has focused on school‐age children, ages 6 to 18 years. Yet, recent studies suggest that anxiety can emerge in young children, under 6 years, with ASD. This scoping review synthesized the literature on anxiety in young children with ASD. Three domains of anxiety research were reviewed: (a) prevalence/severity, phenomenology, and course; (b) correlates; and (c) treatment. Four online databases were searched from the start of the database until March 2020. Keywords pertaining to anxiety, autism, and young children were entered. The search identified 44 articles for inclusion. These studies varied with respect to sample source, informants, and measures to assess anxiety. The overall prevalence of anxiety ranged from 1.6 to 62%. Sixteen of 17 studies found that young children with ASD had higher levels of anxiety compared to various control groups. A variety of DSM anxiety symptoms and disorders were present in young children with the most common symptoms being specific, social, and generalized fears. Correlates of anxiety included sensory over‐responsivity, sleep disturbance, aggression/defiance, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Three cognitive behavioral treatment studies for anxiety and one developmental intervention targeting ASD symptoms showed promise in reducing anxiety. Findings indicate an early emergence of anxiety in some children with ASD. Further research on the measurement, pathophysiology, and treatment of anxiety in early childhood is critical to improving outcomes in children with ASD. Lay summary This scoping review synthesizes the literature on anxiety in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results indicate that children with ASD have higher levels of anxiety than children without ASD. Potential factors that could be contributing to anxiety include sensory, sleep, and behavioral problems. Preliminary studies show that anxiety can improve with cognitive behavioral treatment. These findings suggest that research on anxiety in young children with ASD should be prioritized to improve mental health outcomes.
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Coping, fostering resilience, and driving care innovation for autistic people and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2020
Abstract The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is changing how society operates. Environmental changes, disrupted routines, and reduced access to services and social networks will have a unique impact on autistic individuals and their families and will contribute to significant deterioration in some. Access to support is crucial to address vulnerability factors, guide adjustments in home environments, and apply mitigation strategies to improve coping. The current crisis highlights that our regular care systems are not sufficient to meet the needs of the autism communities. In many parts of the world, people have shifted to online school and increased use of remote delivery of healthcare and autism supports. Access to these services needs to be increased to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 and future epidemics/pandemics. The rapid expansion in the use of telehealth platforms can have a positive impact on both care and research. It can help to address key priorities for the autism communities including long waitlists for assessment and care, access to services in remote locations, and restricted hours of service. However, system-level changes are urgently needed to ensure equitable access and flexible care models, especially for families and individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. COVID-19 mandates the use of technology to support a broader range of care options and better meet the diverse needs of autistic people and their families. It behooves us to use this crisis as an opportunity to foster resilience not only for a given individual or their family, but also the system: to drive enduring and autism-friendly changes in healthcare, social systems, and the broader socio-ecological contexts.
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How community therapists describe adapting evidence‐based practices in sessions for youth: Augmenting to improve fit and reach
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The study sought to (a) characterize the types and frequency of session‐level adaptations made to multiple evidence‐based practices (EBPs) and (b) identify therapist‐, client‐, and session‐level predictors of adaptations. Within the community implementation of multiple EBPs, 103 community mental health therapists reported on 731 therapy sessions for 280 clients. Therapists indicated whether they adapted EBPs in specific sessions and described adaptations in open‐ended responses. Responses were coded using the Augmenting and Reducing adaptations framework. Therapists reported making adaptations in 59% of sessions. Augmenting adaptations were reported more frequently than Reducing adaptations. Multilevel logistic regression analyses revealed that greater therapist openness to EBPs, younger child age, and presenting problems was associated with Augmenting adaptations. Child presenting problem of externalizing problems predicted fewer Reducing adaptations compared with internalizing problems. This study extends the growing research examining adaptations within the context of the system‐driven implementation of multiple EBPs by applying the Augmenting and Reducing adaptation framework to the session‐level.
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Factors Contributing to Teacher Burnout During COVID-19
Article
  • Mar 2021
As teachers returned to the classroom for the 2020–2021 school year, they faced new and challenging environments, instructional approaches, and roles as educators. The current study is one of the first empirical studies that identified factors contributing to teacher burnout due to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) and instruction during fall 2020. Controlling for demographics, the results found significant predictors for teacher burnout-stress those being COVID-19 anxiety, current teaching anxiety, anxiety communicating with parents, and administrative support. The results are important for schools and researchers to consider when it comes to the impact of COVID-19 on teachers.
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