Development of children with autism spectrum disorders in special needs education schools in the Netherlands: a three-year follow-up study |
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| Authors: | Eirini Manti Ina A Van Berckelaer-Onnes |
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| Institution: | Department of Clinical Child and Adolescence Studies , Leiden University , The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | The purpose of the study was to investigate the development of symptomatology and academic growth of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending a special needs education school in the Netherlands as well as to explore the relationship between academic achievement and symptom reduction of those children. To this end a three-year follow up study was conducted by using multiple informants. The group of children with autism was compared with a group of children having other diagnoses but attending the same school. Results showed that teachers’ and parents’ perceptions about children’s symptomatology development differed significantly. Even though teachers reported a significant symptom reduction of ASD symptoms after two years of school attendance the parents of the same children did not. Furthermore, it was found that both groups of children had gains in different aspects of school-based cognitive skills; however, no association was found between symptom reduction and academic growth of the children. Implications of the study are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | autism spectrum disorders ASD special needs education symptom development academic growth multiple informants response pattern |
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