Association for Business Communication Proceedings of the 85Th Annual International Conference October 27-31, 2020 – Virtual

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Association for Business Communication Proceedings of the 85Th Annual International Conference October 27-31, 2020 – Virtual Association for Business Communication Proceedings of the 85th Annual International Conference October 27-31, 2020 – Virtual Strengthening B-comm in an era where perception is reality Proceedings Editorial Review Board Matt Baker W. Christopher Brown Rodney Carveth Kevin Chu Mark Cistulli Barbara D’Angelo Michelle Dawson Sam DeKay Frances Griffin Kathy Langston Sushil Oswal Lee Tesdell Lillian Watson Tara Wilson Manako Yabe Leigh Ann Whittle, Editor A Preface Although the theme of the 2020 ABC Annual International Conference was selected well before the world was subjected to an unprecedented global pandemic, the notion of strengthening business communication proved relevant to the circumstances. Instead of meeting in San Diego as we hoped, we convened in an online virtual setting. Transitioning a conference from a physical to virtual setting was no small undertaking, yet it enabled those unable to travel to California to experience the conference, the camaraderie, and the scholarship characteristic of our past conferences. When physical distancing kept us apart, we sought new ways to strengthen business communication. The conference proceedings experienced its own set of changes. Previously, presenters were asked to submit a full paper to supplement their conference presentations. Limited response to the call for proceedings made it difficult to fully showcase our presenters’ scholarship and practice. After the 2019 annual conference, it was decided that the proceedings would consist of presenters’ proposal submissions. The result of this decision lies in the following pages: A robust collection of scholarship and practice, a testament to the strength of business communication and those who teach, practice, and research it. We have separated the proceedings by track and focus for your reference. I hope that you find these proceedings as inspiring and informative as I did while compiling them. My gratitude is extended to Jim Dubinsky, Marilyn Buerkens, Dirk Remley, Jason Snyder, and each of the remarkable members of the Proceedings Editorial Review Board for their guidance, assistance, and dedication to seeing these proceedings to completion. Leigh Ann Whittle, M.A., M.Ed. Proceedings of the 85th Annual International Conference of the Association for Business Communication October 27-31, 2020 – Virtual Leigh Ann Whittle, Editor Click on any item below to link directly to its contents in the document. Use the link in the footer to return to this page. ABC Europe (Special Track) Consulting and Practice Focus 1 Emotional Co-construction in the Workplace Discourse of First Aid Servants in Combat 11 Environments of Communication Olesia Liubashenko Teaching Focus Teaching Responsible Leadership through Language Analysis and Digital Storytelling 14 Podcasts Judith Ainsworth Communication Issues in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management Consulting and Practice Focus The Pitch Formula Used by Top Silicon Valley Startups 17 Chris Lipp Research Focus Pitching Like a World Class South American Entrepreneur: Lessons from Start-Up Chile 19 Mason T. Pellegrini Strategic Narrative Canvas: A Template for Developing and Communicating Human- 21 Centered Innovation Abram Anders Teaching Focus Question Asking: A Critical Communication Skill 23 Andrew Quagliata Consulting and Training Consulting and Practice Focus Influencer Consulting: Sharing Business Communication Knowledge Through Web and 27 Social Community Building Curtis Newbold Our First or Best Communication Consulting Gigs: Yours Too 29 Rita R. Owens, Karin Goettsch, James Stapp, and Eric DeMar Waters Diversity and Inclusion Consulting and Practice Focus Excuse Me, Your Ableism is Showing: Impacts of Ableism in the Workplace 32 Shelley Ann Hepler Teaching Focus Enhancing the Environment: Teaching Female Undergraduates in the Business 34 Classroom Shelly Scott-Harmon Fostering Inclusive Documentation Practices by Teaching Disability Studies in Technical 36 and Professional Communication: A Case Study Kristin Bennett How Do You Teach Diversity and Inclusion? I-II 39 Jacquelyn Lowman, Yingqin Liu, Laila Montaser, Evelyn Plummer, Drew Marsherall, Young Sun Lee,Laura Lambdin, Tara Moore, Junhua Wang, Ruby K. Nancy, Kimberley Williams, Geert Jacobs, Rebecca Dawn Heino, David Healey, Fadia Nordtveit, Zsuzsanna Palmer, Sheila B. Lalwani, Sushil Oswal, Larissa Ramos, Courtney Hawk, Laura Messano, and Peter W. Cardon Overcoming Rhetorics of Deficiency: The Legacy of Watermelon Postcards 43 Clive Muir 2 Presentation Rubric Design and Ableism: Towards a More Inclusive Rubric 46 Melissa Hull Geil Teaching Diversity and Inclusion Online: Strategies for Success 48 Allison Schlobohm and Ivonne Chirino-Klevans Underserved Populations: Meeting the Needs of Veteran Students 50 Kathy Jones Langston Employment Issues in Business Communication Research Focus An Investigation into How Communication with One’s Colleagues, Organization, and 53 Romantic Partners Impacts the Experience of Retirement Nici Ploeger-Lyons Moving Forward: Applying the Triadic Professional Approach to Promoting Business 56 and Professional Communication in a Post-COVID-19 Landscape Janel Bloch and Jeremy Rosselot-Merritt Teaching Focus Outside the Business College: Non-tenure Track, Tenure Track, and Adjunct Issues in 59 Business Communication Geoffrey Clegg Search Committee, Interrupted: The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact and Influence on the 61 Faculty Recruitment Process Brian S. Hentz and Brent Lucia Twenty-First Century Workplace Attire: Formal or Casual? 63 Virginia Hemby and Raholanda White Executive, Managerial, and MBA Communication Research Focus Sir Antony Jay on Business Communication: Oral Presentations 66 N. Lamar Reinsch Jr. and Paul N. Reinsch Walmart’s Identity: A Corpus-Based Cognitive Analysis of Discursive Strategies in CEO 68 Discourse Zhiyi Zhou and Chunyu Hu Innovative Instructional Methods Research Focus Examining How Categorized Feedback Impacts and Improves Student Writing 70 Heidi Schultz and Michael Meredith Teaching Focus A Public Speaking Renaissance at University of California, Santa Barbara: How 72 Innovative Presentation Training Led the Way Jeffrey Hanson, Gina Lyn Genova, Esq., and Craig Cotich Adapting the Business Communication Core Course: Keeping Up with Trends Without 75 Overstuffing the Curriculum Pamela Bourjaily and Ryan Sheets Anxiety-to-Excitement Reappraisal Strategies and High Valence Music: Antidotes for 78 Presentation Anxiety Heidi Schultz Application of Problem Based Learning (PBL) in Hands-on Business Communication 81 Ana Lucia Magalhaes 3 Caught Off Guard by COVID-19 in Your On-Campus Classes? Colleagues are Here to 84 Help! James G. Ward Center in a Crisis: Challenges Created by COVID-19 86 Ryan Sheets, Matthew Gilchrist, Beth Kozbial Ernst, Brian S. Hentz, Carl Follmer, Pamela Bourjaily, and Katie Gerst Collaborating with a Community Partner - Quality is No Accident! 89 Ann Marie Alexander Cross-Discipline Experiential Learning Approach to Teaching Business Communications 91 Within a Live Client Scenario Liane Czirjak, Sarah Mellen, and Lori LaDuke Earn Accreditation in SOCIAL STYLE® to Expand Students’ Communication Skills: 93 Writing, Presenting, Engaging, and Leading Judy Tisdale, David C. Collins, Daisy L. Lovelace, and Jana M. Seijts Experiential Learning Through a Business Communication Competition: Do You Have 95 the C-Factor? Maria Wolfe and Theomary Karamanis Face-to-Face Teaching Has a New Face: Online, Remote, Hybrid, and Hy-Flex 97 Paula Lentz, Janel Bloch, Peter W. Cardon, Linda Cresap, Ashley Keller Nelson, and Dirk Remley From the Classroom to the Boardroom: Developing Leaders to Do the Right Thing 99 Peggy R. Odom-Reed, SPHR How Trained Coaches Plus Technology Tools Result in Better Public Speakers than 101 Either One Alone Caron L. Martinez and Sara Weinstock Keeping it Short and Sweet: Teaching the ‘Short Message’ Writing Format in a Business 103 Communication Classroom Allison M. Alford and Seth Frei Learning In and Out of the Human Fishbowl 106 Theresa Wernimont and Jenny Morse Meet Me in the Middle: Using Mid-Term Evaluations for Instructor and Student Success 108 Abby Koenig My Favorite Assignment I-IV 110 D. Joel Whalen, Howard Leland Smith, Christina Iluzada, Matari Jones Gunter, Xiaoli Li, Amy Newman,Bruce Kingma, Emily Goenner, Susanna Shelton Clason, Kathryn Anne Canas, Georgi Rausch, Trent Deckard, Ruby K. Nancy, Danny Rubin, Barbara Davis, Elena V. Chudnovskaya, Michelle Migdal, Alima Dostiyarova, Emil Towner, Theresa Wernimont, Michael Meredith, Heidi E. Huntington, Aaron Thomas Phillips, Laura Lambdin, Jessie Lynn Richards, Amber Messersmith, Gina Lyn Genova, Janet Seggern, Lorelei Amanda Ortiz, Sheila B. Lalwani, Ryan P. Fuller, Ana Lucia Magalhaes, Suwichit Chaidaroon, Bethany Dailey Tisdale, Susan Luck, Sarah Clements, Laura Barrett, Christina J. Moore, Yingqin Liu, Marie-Louise Brunner, Stefan Diemer, Christopher McKenna, Andrew Hunt, Raihan Jamil, Robyn Albers, Reid McLain, Sandra Dean, Payal Mehra, Joshua Lenart, Peter W. Cardon, Junhua Wang, Jenny Morse, Ryan Wold, Leslie Ramos Salazar, Andy Spackman, Mark Evans, Tara Moore, James Ward, Scott Springer, Ann Springer, Courtney Hawk, Linda R. Macdonald, Marion Philadelphia, Aiste Ptakauske, and Alisa Agozzino 4 Nobody Cares About You: Teaching Students How to Turn Job Interviews into 118 Intelligent Conversations Andy Spackman Preparing Students for the Workforce: Do They Feel Prepared? 120 Carol S. Wright and Jamie Keith Humphries Preparing Students to Provide and Receive Meaningful Feedback
Recommended publications
  • Gesnerus 2020-2.Indb
    Gesnerus 77/2 (2020) 279–311, DOI: 10.24894/Gesn-de.2020.77012 Vom «autistischen Psychopathen» zum Autismusspektrum. Verhaltensdiagnostik und Persönlichkeitsbehauptung in der Geschichte des Autismus Rüdiger Graf Abstract Der Aufsatz untersucht das Verhältnis von Persönlichkeit und Verhalten in der Defi nition und Diagnostik des Autismus von Kanner und Asperger in den 1940er Jahren bis in die neueren Ausgaben des DSM und ICD. Dazu unter- scheidet er drei verschiedene epistemische Zugänge zum Autismus: ein exter- nes Wissen der dritten Person, das über Verhaltensbeobachtungen, Testver- fahren und Elterninterviews gewonnen wird; ein stärker praktisches Wissen der zweiten Person, das in der andauernden, alltäglichen Interaktion bei El- tern und Betreuer*innen entsteht, und schließlich das introspektive Wissen der ersten Person, d.h. der Autist*innen selbst. Dabei resultiert die Kerndif- ferenz in der Behandlung des Autismus daraus, ob man meint, die Persönlich- keit eines Menschen allein über die Beobachtung von Verhaltensweisen er- schließen zu können oder ob es sich um eine vorgängige Struktur handelt, die introspektiv zugänglich ist, Verhalten prägt und ihm Sinn verleihen kann. Die Entscheidung hierüber führt zu grundlegend anderen Positionierungen zu verhaltenstherapeutischen Ansätzen, wie insbesondere zu Ole Ivar Lovaas’ Applied Behavior Analysis. Autismus; Psychiatriegeschichte; Wissensgeschichte; Verhaltenstherapie; Neurodiversität PD Dr. Rüdiger Graf, Leibniz-Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam, Am Neuen Markt 1, 14467 Potsdam, [email protected]. Gesnerus 77 (2020) 279 Downloaded from Brill.com09/27/2021 01:45:02AM via free access «Autistic Psychopaths» and the Autism Spectrum. Diagnosing Behavior and Claiming Personhood in the History of Autism The article examines how understandings of personality and behavior have interacted in the defi nition and diagnostics of autism from Kanner and As- perger in the 1940s to the latest editions of DSM and ICD.
    [Show full text]
  • Gruson-Wood Julia F 2018 Phd.Pdf (1.393Mb)
    ‘I’M A JUGGLING ROBOT:’ AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE ORGANIZATION AND CULTURE OF AUTISM-BASED APPLIED BEHAVIOUR THERAPIES IN ONTARIO, CANADA JULIA GRUSON-WOOD A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGAM IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES YORK UNIVERSITY, ONTARIO AUGUST 2018 © Julia F Gruson-Wood 2018 ABSTRACT This dissertation is an ethnographic study of the culture, social organization, and everyday practices of providers and recipients of autism-based applied behavior therapies in Ontario, Canada. Autism-based applied behavior therapies are highly controversial evidence-based autism interventions that have become the standard of care, and the only guaranteed-funded services, for autistic people in this province. These therapies are provided by teachers in public autism classrooms, by parents in the home, and by personal support workers in group homes with autistic residents. The lives of many autistic people in this province, whether at school, in the home, or the community, are structured through completing behaviour therapy activities. The growing voices that resist and proliferate applied behaviour therapies, highlight the importance of critical scholarly attention to these therapies. This dissertation is situated within the fields of science studies, medical anthropology, and critical autism studies, and focuses on the experiences and practices of providers. Learning about what providers do, and how they make sense of what they do, helps to understand the professional culture in which they work, and the complex forces of power that govern both their activities and the everyday lives of autistic people in this province.
    [Show full text]
  • April 2011 Issue As I Knew That Kim Pittaway, Who Did This Article Also About Adam and Myself, Also Wrote an Article About Michelle
    6/26/2019 Estée Klar Estée Klar - Page 14 of 32 - My autistic son and I explore issues and meanings of autism in our lives Estée Klar Home Bio Lectures/Events Published Articles/Papers Books Contact Me Media Youtube Autistic Wandering and the DSM Filed Under (Activism, autism, Autism Spectrum and Diagnosis, Discrimination) by Estee on 04-04-2011 Recently, the CDC proposed a separate criteria for wandering in autism. You can find the PDF here. I have received permission from the Autism National Committee (AUTCOM) to make this letter available to readers in response to the proposal: Dear Ms. Pickett: We are writing as a coalition of organizations representing a wide variety of different constituents in the disabilities field. We include organizations run by people with disabilities as well as those run by parents, other family members, professionals, providers and many others. Our coalition also includes groups representing a wide array of different kinds of disability categories, including developmental disabilities, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory disabilities. We are writing to express our profound concern about the proposed ICD-9-CM code for wandering discussed at the last meeting of the ICD Coordination and Maintenance Committee on March 9th-10th. While wandering behavior leading to injury and death represents an important and legitimate safety issue for the disability community, we are concerned that the proposal put forward by CDC’s National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) is not rooted in high quality research and has significant potential unintended consequences for people with disabilities and family members.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cerebral Subject and the Challenge of Neurodiversity
    BioSocieties (2009), 4, 425–445 ª London School of Economics and Political Science doi:10.1017/S1745855209990287 The Cerebral Subject and the Challenge of Neurodiversity Francisco Ortega Institute for Social Medicine, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua Saˇ o Francisco Xavier 524, Rio de Janeiro CEP 20550-900, Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The neurodiversity movement has so far been dominated by autistic people who believe their condition is not a disease to be treated and, if possible, cured, but rather a human specificity (like sex or race) that must be equally respected. Autistic self-advocates largely oppose groups of parents of autistic children and professionals searching for a cure for autism. This article discusses the posi- tions of the pro-cure and anti-cure groups. It also addresses the emergence of autistic cultures and various issues concerning autistic identities. It shows how identity issues are frequently linked to a ‘neurological self-awareness’ and a rejection of psychological interpretations. It argues that the preference for cerebral explanations cannot be reduced to an aversion to psychoanalysis or psychological culture. Instead, such preference must be understood within the context of the dif- fusion of neuroscientific claims beyond the laboratory and their penetration in different domains of life in contemporary biomedicalized societies. Within this framework, neuroscientific theories, prac- tices, technologies and therapies are influencing the ways we think about ourselves and relate to others, favoring forms of neurological or cerebral subjectivation. The article shows how neuroscien- tific claims are taken up in the formation of identities, as well as social and community networks.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction
    Volume 1. No. 1 Introduction. October 17, 2012 By Larry Arnold. Introduction. By Larry Arnold In ‘Hopi Culture and a Matter of Representation,’ Lomayumtewa Ishii[1] describes the excessive preoccupation of North American academic ethnology and anthropology with the Hopi tribe to the extent that the representation of ’hopiland‘, as he describes it, has resulted in a cultural archive (citing Said) that maintains and continues to perpetuate an ‘intellectual colonisation’ over the Hopi people. As editor of this journal, I cannot help but see the parallels with the scientific, and more recently, the disability studies world’s preoccupation with autism, to the extent that in order to maintain our own academic credibility We find ourselves having to to cite outside “ethnographers” to validate ideas that had originally been introduced to this discussion by the autochthonous autistic community itself. It is with this background in mind that ‘Autonomy’ has been set up by a small group of autistic academics under the auspices of the Autreach Press, an organisation formed for the purpose, which subscribes to the general principles of the Autreach[2] group of autonomous organisations who share the common aim of promoting greater autistic autonomy, hence the title of this journal. Introduction. Indeed this mirrors the experience that Sinclair[3] has described with the establishment of the Autism Network International (ANI) after the experiences of attending various academic conferences and meeting other autistic people, hearing time and again papers about them, but not written by them. Often the only role we as ‘Autists’ play on this circuit is that of the subjects of research, either as volunteers or unwittingly when our autobiographic materials and many web sites and forums have been trawled by ethnographers and ethnomethodologists searching for readily available material.
    [Show full text]
  • The Joy of Autism: Part 4
    I also have a list of prominent unconfirmed participants, who should be confirmed shortly. I am looking for Canadian autistic persons to consider joining the board. Please send letters of interest to: [email protected] PERM ALINK POSTED BY ESTEE KLAR-WOLFOND AT 3/16/2006 11:19:00 AM 13 COM M ENTS LINKS TO THIS POST TUESDAY , M ARCH 14, 2006 The Difficulty of Knowing There is an old adage: Ignorance is Bliss. In the case of liberal eugenics, human genome research and ethics, some people might think this as they read on. As we come closer to discovering what makes us physically human, we come closer to becoming god-like. In the name of progress we fly higher and seek control. Apollo had a son called Phaethon, who was human. Phaethon nagged at Apollo to let him borrow the sun chariot and fly across the sky. Finally Apollo agreed. Phaethon proudly drove the sun chariot up into the sky, but then he lost control of the horses. The sun chariot dived towards the earth, burning everything. Finally Jupiter had to stop him with a thunder bolt. In the name of progress, human genetics, biotechnology and the economic engine that will profit dearly from it all, this movement will go on. To what end is yet to be determined. In the meantime, let’s keep talking about what this all means as my son hugs me from behind with his cherub smile this morning. I’ve been pondering my first pregnancy with Adam. The expectation of him. Needless to say, after thirty-six years of waiting, I was ecstatic.
    [Show full text]
  • Autistic Authors Booklist and Facts
    Volume 1. No. 2 AUTISTIC AUTHORS BOOKLIST AND FACTS October 28, 2013 By Amanda M Baggs Abstract: A list of autistic authors, previously published on autistics.org. This was originally part of the library of articles available on the Autistics.org web site and therefore the references are not to any particular academic style. Although the list is not up to date it is nonetheless worth wider publication as it contains a valuable number of references not to be found collected elsewhere, and it is the editors consideration that they should be more widely known. Autistic Authors Booklist and Facts Autistic Authors Booklist and Facts By Amanda M Baggs Last updated Sunday 25 June 2006. The following is a booklist of books by autistic authors, alphabetical by author's last name and then as close to chronological as possible. Most are in English, although there are some in other languages. There is a link to the author's website where possible, and in the event that the entire book is published on the web, there is a link to the book. This list does not include people speculated to be autistic, or closeted autistic people, only people who have published as autistic. Bill Gates and Einstein are not here, nor are people who have published books but are not openly autistic (I respect their privacy). Some items in this list are more articles than books, but have been published as if they are books. Some interesting facts about these books are listed below the booklist. Where determinable, books that don't mention autism will have the words "not autism-related" after them.
    [Show full text]
  • The Truth About Autism Scientists Reconsider What They Think They
    The Truth About Autism: Scientists Reconsider What They Think They Know 2/12/10 12:43 AM << Back to Article WIRED MAGAZINE: 16.03 The Truth About Autism: Scientists Reconsider What They Think They Know By David Wolman 02.25.08 Amanda Baggs is at the forefront of a movement that’s forcing researchers to rethink autism. Photo: Jessica Dimmock FEATURE The YouTube clip opens with a woman facing away from the camera, rocking back and forth, flapping her hands awkwardly, and emitting an A Researcher's Puzzles Point to the eerie hum. She then performs strange repetitive behaviors: slapping a piece Differences in the Autistic Brain of paper against a window, running a hand lengthwise over a computer keyboard, twisting the knob of a drawer. She bats a necklace with her hand and nuzzles her face against the pages of a book. And you find yourself thinking: Who's shooting this footage of the handicapped lady, and why do I always get sucked into watching the latest viral video? But then the words "A Translation" appear on a black screen, and for the next five minutes, 27-year-old Amanda Baggs — who is autistic and doesn't speak — describes in vivid and articulate terms what's going on inside her head as she carries out these seemingly bizarre actions. In a synthesized voice generated by a software application, she explains that touching, tasting, and smelling allow her to have a "constant conversation" with her surroundings. These forms of nonverbal stimuli constitute her "native language," Baggs explains, and are no better or worse than spoken language.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 a Nameless Difference 6 Bedlam, Behaviourism, and Beyond 7
    Notes 1 A Nameless Difference 1. Further information about Ralph and other Victorian children with symp- toms of autism can be found in Waltz and Shattock (2004). This article is based on the medical journals of Dr William Howship Dickinson, which are held in the Great Ormond Street Hospital archives. Birth, death and occupational information about Ralph and Margaret Sedgwick and their eight children, including Ralph, were obtained through British census records. 2. The medical uses of calomel, or mercury chloride, had been known since at least the seventeenth century. It was an effective antibacterial and purga- tive, widely used to treat ailments like syphilis. It also accumulated in the body if used regularly over time, causing irrevocable damage to the brain and other internal organs. The small amounts sometimes used for children with bowel symptoms at Great Ormond Street Hospital are unlikely to have caused any additional problems, however. 6 Bedlam, Behaviourism, and Beyond 1. ‘Jimmy Jones’ is a composite identity based on accounts collected for the Cardiff People First organisation’s Ely Hospital project; my 2011 interview with John Clements, a former clinician at Ely Hospital; and other accounts of life in British long-stay hospitals, particularly Hubert and Hollins (2006). 2. Willowbrook was a large institution for people with developmental disabil- ities in New York. Investigative journalists working with concerned staff and parents revealed the extent of neglect, abuse, and unethical medical experimentation that took place there (which are discussed elsewhere in this book). This well-publicised news story contributed greatly to the pace of deinstitutionalisation in the US.
    [Show full text]
  • Interrogating Normal Autism Social Skills Training at the Margins of A
    Interrogating Normal Autism Social Skills Training at the Margins of a Social Fiction by Karla R. McLaren A thesis submitted to Sonoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Education Thesis Committee Kelly Estrada, PhD., Chair Richard J. Senghas, PhD. Nick Walker, M.A. Approved December 10, 2014 Copyright 2014 By Karla R. McLaren ii Authorization for Reproduction of Master’s Thesis I grant permission for the print or digital reproduction of this thesis, in part or whole, without further authorization from me, on the condition that the persons or agency requesting reproduction absorb the cost and provide proper acknowledgment of my authorship. Date: December 10, 2014 Karla McLaren Signature iii Interrogating Normal Autism Social Skills Training at the Margins of a Social Fiction Thesis by Karla R. McLaren ABSTRACT Social skills training programs for autistic youths and adults exist in nearly every school district and community; these programs focus on bringing autistic people into synchronization with developmental, linguistic, and social norms. However, these norms have not been critically evaluated, and autistic people themselves have not been surveyed about their experiences of, responses to, or opinions about these programs. This study sought direct input from autistic people about these programs. Nothing About Us Without Us (NAUWU), an anonymous cross-sectional survey study, was posted online from 18 February, 2014 to 4 April, 2014, and was open to adults (18 years or older) who were formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. Major findings from the NAUWU study are that most of the 91 autism-specific social skills programs studied are not focused on individuals or their unique sensory and communicative needs, do not recognize participants’ existing social abilities and accomplishments, do not provide age-appropriate or gender-inclusive instruction, and do not consider or support autistic ways of learning and being social.
    [Show full text]
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders Network News
    Autism Spectrum Disorders Network News January 15th, 2010 Issue 20 Autism: Trying to Make Sense of It! Inside this issue: Typing the word “Autism” into any popular internet search engine results in approximately seventeen million hits. Clearly, there is no shortage of information on the topic of autism. However, things become more complex when we notice contradictory arguments on almost every topic related to autism. Communication Corner 2 This article aims to identify the central factors leading to disparity amongst autism findings. Behaviour Strategies 2 Is autism an epidemic? Teacher Tip 2 Current research places the autism prevalence rate in the United States at 1 out of every 150 live births (Pediatrics, 2009, p 1395-1403), compared to rates of 1 out of 1000 in 1990. There are two competing Read All About it! 3 hypotheses to explain this increase. Dr. Grinker (2007), an anthropologist, argues that the rise in inci- dence is not an autism epidemic, but rather can be attributed to better diagnostic tools, increased aware- Psychology Tip 3 ness among medical professionals and families, as well as the adoption of social and financial policies helping people with autism. However, other scientists assert that better diagnostic tools account for Try This! 3 only a small fraction of the dramatic increase in numbers; the rest is due to a true rise in the incidence of autism due to environmental factors. In summary, then, the debate regarding whether autism is an Hot Off The Press 4 epidemic rests on the percentage that various researchers attribute to the broadening of the definition and increased knowledge in the area of autism versus the percentage attributed as due to a true increase WWW 4 in the number of people who have autism.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence for Autistic Adults As Critical Autism Experts
    fpsyg-08-00438 March 24, 2017 Time: 16:44 # 1 CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Frontiers - Publisher Connector ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 28 March 2017 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00438 Whose Expertise Is It? Evidence for Autistic Adults as Critical Autism Experts Kristen Gillespie-Lynch1*, Steven K. Kapp2, Patricia J. Brooks1, Jonathan Pickens1 and Ben Schwartzman3 1 Psychology, College of Staten Island and The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA, 2 College of Social Sciences and International Studies, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK, 3 Educational Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA Autistic and non-autistic adults’ agreement with scientific knowledge about autism, how they define autism, and their endorsement of stigmatizing conceptions of autism has not previously been examined. Using an online survey, we assessed autism knowledge and stigma among 636 adults with varied relationships to autism, including autistic people and nuclear family members. Autistic participants exhibited more scientifically based knowledge than others. They were more likely to describe autism experientially or as a neutral difference, and more often opposed the medical model. Autistic participants and family members reported lower stigma. Greater endorsement of the importance of normalizing autistic people was associated with heightened stigma. Findings suggest that autistic adults should be considered autism experts and involved as partners in autism research. Edited by: Keywords: autism, knowledge, stigma, neurodiversity, autistic expertise Jessica S. Horst, University of Sussex, UK Reviewed by: INTRODUCTION Teresa Tavassoli, University College London, UK Traditional expert knowledge of autism derives from observations by professionals who often Yoshifumi Ikeda, 1 Joetsu University of Education, Japan lack the lived experience of being autistic , whose understanding and acceptance of autism might increase by listening to autistic people (Nicolaidis, 2012).
    [Show full text]