Parental Experiences of Autism Diagnostic Services in Ireland

O Brien, Anna (2021) Parental Experiences of Autism Diagnostic Services in Ireland. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

Preview

PDF (Bachelor of Arts) Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

Autism is present in all cultures and societies and is increasing in prevalence, and research into the experiences of parents going through autism diagnostic services for their children is vital. However, to the author’s knowledge, research in this area is limited in Ireland. This study aimed to access five factors of autism diagnostic services in Ireland (information received, stress, professional manner, post-diagnostic support, time period of the diagnosis, and child’s age at diagnosis) and investigate if they have an effect on parents’ overall satisfaction levels with the diagnostic process, including an analysis determining if there is a difference in satisfaction levels between private and public service providers. This study contained 211 participants, collected through non-probability convenience sampling, and used hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The key findings were that low ratings of the quality of the information parents received, professional manner, and post-diagnosis support, as well as high levels of stress, were all indicative of lower satisfaction scores for the diagnostic process as a whole. This research could help improve services by providing practitioners insight into parent’s experiences, which in return could help parents have a better experience and increase satisfaction ratings of autism diagnostic processes.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology
Divisions:	School of Business > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Clara Chan
Date Deposited:	13 Aug 2021 13:36
Last Modified:	16 Sep 2021 15:46
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/4962

Actions (login required)

View Item