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Academia is underpinned by an apprenticeship model, with increasing recognition of the need for a 'cognitive apprenticeship' model in which the methods and strategies of academic success are learnt through participation in a community of inquiry. Autistic people face systemic barriers in academia, as in other professions, and these may be exacerbated by a model based on learning by observing and modelling. This study sought to obtain specific practical advice for autistic people considering a career in academia, from the perspective of those already working within the academy. Thirty-seven autistic academics provided written reflections on the advice they would give a young person considering a career in academia. Five key themes were generated from these reflections: know the role, find the right people, know (and value) yourself, remember well-being and proceed with caution but with passion.

Autistic people are under-represented in university student populations, but their numbers are growing, and the barriers to their inclusion are being recognised. Outside of the student body, autistic people in academia are often overlooked, although this is starting to change with the growth in inclusive autism research. However, they remain absent from the academic literature, despite the evident synergies between autistic strengths and academic careers. This study explored the perceptions of 37 autistic academics from various disciplines: what are the positives of working in academia for autistic people, and what are the negatives? Participants reported many positive aspects of an academic career, including the fit with the strengths, characteristics and motivations of autistic people. However, they also noted barriers and challenges -- social, environmental and structural -- many of which could be addressed by greater awareness and acceptance of autism. Given the considerable benefits that autistic teachers and researchers bring to higher education, there is a clear need for universities and colleges to implement changes to the physical and social environment to make academia more inclusive.

BackgroundTraining for Australian general practice, or family medicine, can be isolating, with registrars (residents or trainees) moving between rural and urban environments, and between hospital and community clinic posts. Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs), groups of people sharing knowledge about their domain of practice online and face-to-face, may have a role in overcoming the isolation associated with general practice training. ObjectiveThis study explored whether Australian general practice registrars and their supervisors (trainers) would be able to use, and would be interested in using, a VCoP in the form of a private online network for work and training purposes. It also sought to understand the facilitators and barriers to intention to use such a community, and considers whether any of these factors may be modifiable. MethodsA survey was developed assessing computer, Internet, and social media access and usage, confidence, perceived usefulness, and barriers, facilitators, and intentions to use a private online network for training purposes. The survey was sent by email link to all 139 registrars and 224 supervisors in one of Australia’s 17 general practice training regions. Complete and usable responses were received from 131 participants (response rate=0.4). ResultsMost respondents had access to broadband at home (125/131, 95.4%) and at work (130/131, 99.2%). Registrars were more likely to spend more than 2 hours on the Internet (P=.03), and to use social media sites for nonwork purposes (P=.01). On a 5-point Likert scale, confidence was high (mean 3.93, SD 0.63) and was negatively associated with higher age (P=.04), but not associated with training stage. Social media confidence was lower, with registrars more confident than supervisors for almost all social media activities. On a 5-point Likert scale, overall usefulness was scored positively (n=123, mean 3.63, SD 0.74), and was not significantly associated with age or training level. The main concerns of respondents were worries about privacy (registrar: 61/81, 75.3%; supervisor: 30/50, 60.0%) and insufficient time (registrar: 41/81, 50.6%; supervisor: 36/50, 72.0%). Using a multivariate generalized linear regression model, training stage and perceived usefulness were positively predictive, and concerns about privacy and time were negatively predictive of intention to use a private online network. ConclusionsGeneral practice registrars and supervisors are interested in using a private online network, or VCoP, for work and training purposes. Important considerations are the extent to which concerns such as privacy and usefulness may be overcome by training and support to offset some other concerns, such as time barriers. Participants at an early stage in their training are more receptive to using an online network. More senior registrars and supervisors may benefit from more training and promotion of the online network to improve their receptiveness.

Media depictions of autism have the potential to have either positive or detrimental impacts on the lives of autistic people. This systematic review aimed to examine (1) the accuracy and authenticity of fictional media portrayals of autism (Part A) and (2) the impact of viewing such portrayals on knowledge about autism and attitudes towards autistic people (Part B). Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review: 14 for Part A and 3 for Part B, comprising five experimental studies. The media reviewed in Part A covered a 30-year period (1988-2017). Several stereotypical and unhelpful portrayals surfaced. Positive portrayals of autism highlighted strengths and reflected nuance. Overall, participants in the fiction conditions in Part B were significantly more likely to attribute positive traits to an autistic person than those in the control conditions, with medium effect sizes ranging from 0.57 to 0.73. There were no improvements in knowledge. Given the small number of studies included in this review, further evidence is needed to understand the conditions under which fictional media may be effective. There is also a need to develop measures that accurately and respectfully measure autistic people's experiences of community knowledge and attitudes.

There is limited research examining the inclusion of autistic people in their local communities. This paper reports on two Australian studies which explored this gap, focusing on both autistic people's experiences and non-autistic people's attitudes towards autistic individuals. Study One was conducted with primarily non-autistic people (n = 2,383), and Study Two with primarily parents and carers of autistic people (n = 1,297 people). The majority of non-autistic adults perceived discrimination against autistic people in the community; consistent with the experiences of autistic people and their carers. Of particular concern was more negative attitudes towards, and experiences of, autistic adults. There is an urgent need to improve society's acceptance and inclusion of autistic people of all ages.

This paper presents two studies that explored community attitudes to autism in Australia; and autistic people and their families' perspectives of community attitudes. In Study One 2424 (primarily non-autistic) people completed a survey on autism-related knowledge and attitudes; identifying a number of misperceptions and knowledge gaps in the general community. In Study Two 1353 people (primarily parents and carers of autistic people) completed a survey on autism-related experiences; identifying that the community's awareness of autism does not appear to extend to understanding how to support autistic people. There is a need for more research which integrates the perspectives of both autistic people and the broader community; and the development of communication and education interventions, "with" rather than "about" autistic people.

There is limited research examining the inclusion of autistic people in their local communities. This paper reports on two Australian studies which explored this gap, focusing on both autistic people's experiences and non-autistic people's attitudes towards autistic individuals. Study One was conducted with primarily non-autistic people (n = 2,383), and Study Two with primarily parents and carers of autistic people (n = 1,297 people). The majority of non-autistic adults perceived discrimination against autistic people in the community; consistent with the experiences of autistic people and their carers. Of particular concern was more negative attitudes towards, and experiences of, autistic adults. There is an urgent need to improve society's acceptance and inclusion of autistic people of all ages., Author(s): Sandra C. Jones [sup.1] , Chloe S. Gordon [sup.1] , Muhammad Akram [sup.2] , Nicole Murphy [sup.1] , Fiona Sharkie [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411958.0, 0000 0001 2194 1270, [...]

Asperger's Syndrome was introduced as a separate diagnostic category in the DSM-4 (1994). Its subsequent absorption into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5 (2013) led to vigorous debate and concerns about the loss of the unique Asperger's identity. Existing research has identified that adults previously diagnosed with Asperger's have expressed a diverse range of opinions regarding the DSM-5 changes. This Australian study explored the role of disability identity development in responses to the change through semi-structured interviews with 12 adults diagnosed with Asperger's under the DSM-4. Their different views did not appear to be a function of demographic variables; a connection was identified between participants' views of the change and differing stages of integration with the Asperger's and/or autism identities.

This paper presents two studies that explored community attitudes to autism in Australia; and autistic people and their families' perspectives of community attitudes. In Study One 2424 (primarily non-autistic) people completed a survey on autism-related knowledge and attitudes; identifying a number of misperceptions and knowledge gaps in the general community. In Study Two 1353 people (primarily parents and carers of autistic people) completed a survey on autism-related experiences; identifying that the community's awareness of autism does not appear to extend to understanding how to support autistic people. There is a need for more research which integrates the perspectives of both autistic people and the broader community; and the development of communication and education interventions, with rather than about autistic people., Author(s): Sandra C. Jones [sup.1] , Muhammad Akram [sup.2] , Chloe S. Gordon [sup.1] , Nicole Murphy [sup.1] , Fiona Sharkie [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411958.0, 0000 0001 2194 1270, [...]

Portrayals of autistic characters in entertainment are becoming increasingly common across a range of media platforms, including movies, television series and novels. No longer is the autistic character a bit part or a minor story arc, we are seeing mainstream television series with autistic characters as protagonists and their autism as the focus of the story. The jury is out as to the educational value of these portrayals, with both positive and negative outcomes being posited. However, to date the 'jury' has consisted of non-autistic people commenting on the accuracy and impact of fictional portrayals of autism. This study sought the perceptions of autistic people on the ways they are currently portrayed in entertainment media, finding that the entertainment industry has a lot to learn about accurate, meaningful and respectful portrayal of the autistic experience. There has been a dramatic increase in the portrayal of autistic characters in entertainment media There is disagreement about whether these portrayals increase autism acceptance or further stigmatise autistic people This study, led by an autistic researcher, explored the views of 29 autistic researchers on autism in entertainment media There was a consistent recognition that the majority of portrayals of autistic people in entertainment media reinforce existing stereotypes, use the autistic character as a plot device or present the autistic person as a burden The findings suggest that there is a need for more diverse, accurate and positive portrayals of autistic characters in entertainment media [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism disclosure can be a complicated decision that autistic people experience. Positive outcomes can include feelings of acceptance and support, but negative outcomes can include stigma and discrimination. Although a surge in research on this topic has led to more understanding around autism disclosure, the methodologies used may have limited who was contributing to the conversation and data. To overcome this, we analyzed 3 years (2020−2022) of social media data (Reddit and Twitter) as this was public information that did not rely on researcher data collection. Reflexive thematic analysis of 3121 posts led to the generation of four themes: People do not understand autism (with experiences related to employment, dating, healthcare and mental health), autistic people just want privacy and respect, autistic people can lead us forward and non-autistic people need to assume more responsibility. We discuss how autistic adults experience the impact of society's lack of understanding of autism on a daily basis whether they disclose or not, and that it is everybody's responsibility to challenge negative stereotypes and promote a more inclusive society. Autism disclosure – that is sharing their autism diagnosis or identity with a person or people – is a difficult decision for many autistic people. While telling people they are autistic can be positive and helpful, it can also create a lot of problems. What we have learnt is that disclosure is really complicated. Rather than asking research participants questions about what might happen, we looked at what people were saying on public social media posts (Reddit and Twitter) about what did happen. We used three years of posts that were related to autism disclosure from a wide range of adults (autistic and non-autistic). Four main ideas were created from our data, with the key finding being that society does not understand autism. This lack of understanding creates problems for autistic people in work, dating, healthcare and mental health. The remaining ideas were that autistic people should have privacy and be treated with respect, that autistic representation can help society and that non-autistic people need to do more to help autistic people. Our findings support that society needs to do more through autism advocacy, better media representation and more public role models. Increasing the accuracy of understanding of autism across society will mean that autistic people can feel safer to disclose if they want to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asperger's Syndrome was introduced as a separate diagnostic category in the DSM-4 (1994). Its subsequent absorption into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5 (2013) led to vigorous debate and concerns about the loss of the unique Asperger's identity. Existing research has identified that adults previously diagnosed with Asperger's have expressed a diverse range of opinions regarding the DSM-5 changes. This Australian study explored the role of disability identity development in responses to the change through semi-structured interviews with 12 adults diagnosed with Asperger's under the DSM-4. Their different views did not appear to be a function of demographic variables; a connection was identified between participants' views of the change and differing stages of integration with the Asperger's and/or autism identities., Author(s): Olivia Smith [sup.1] [sup.2] , Sandra C. Jones [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411958.0, 0000 0001 2194 1270, ACU Engagement, Australian Catholic University, , Sydney, Australia (2) grid.1018.8, 0000 0001 [...]

Objective: Alcohol media literacy (AML) programs have achieved positive results for alcohol prevention; however, gender may moderate program effectiveness. This study investigated gender differences for an Australian AML intervention. Method: Fifth and sixth graders (N = 165), allocated to an intervention or wait-list control group, participated in an AML program. Student questionnaires were administered at three time points. Results: The intervention resulted in significantly higher media deconstruction skills but did not lead to less preference for branded merchandise or greater understanding of persuasive intent, and these effects did not differ by gender. Gender differences were present in social norms for drinking and alcohol expectancies. Conclusions: AML education likely has appeal and benefit to both genders as it connects with students' lifeworlds. Social norms may be more difficult to shift for males due to a more ingrained drinking culture. Future research could explore contextual factors responsible for gender differences.

In 2003, the Faculty of Health & Behavioural Sciences at our university offered a series of postgraduate research seminars. The series of seminars, selected by a three-person faculty team, received a mixed reaction--some seminars attracted a large proportion of the students whereas others were poorly attended. Thus, it was decided to continue the seminar series in 2004, but to undertake some formative evaluation to determine the students' preferences for the seminar topics. It was important to gain input from as many students as possible, and to allow maximum latitude for responses. It was decided to conduct a two-stage evaluation process: nominal groups with a subset of postgraduate research students; followed by a survey of all students based on the groups. It was apparent from the results of this study that the students' preferences for seminar content were quite dissimilar to those anticipated by academic staff. This study demonstrates the advantages and disadvantages of the nominal group technique in investigating information and skill needs among postgraduate research students.

Media depictions of autism have the potential to have either positive or detrimental impacts on the lives of autistic people. This systematic review aimed to examine (1) the accuracy and authenticity of fictional media portrayals of autism (Part A) and (2) the impact of viewing such portrayals on knowledge about autism and attitudes towards autistic people (Part B). Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review: 14 for Part A and 3 for Part B, comprising five experimental studies. The media reviewed in Part A covered a 30-year period (1988–2017). Several stereotypical and unhelpful portrayals surfaced. Positive portrayals of autism highlighted strengths and reflected nuance. Overall, participants in the fiction conditions in Part B were significantly more likely to attribute positive traits to an autistic person than those in the control conditions, with medium effect sizes ranging from 0.57 to 0.73. There were no improvements in knowledge. Given the small number of studies included in this review, further evidence is needed to understand the conditions under which fictional media may be effective. There is also a need to develop measures that accurately and respectfully measure autistic people's experiences of community knowledge and attitudes. The way autism is represented in fictional media can impact people's views of autistic people. For example, representations may contribute to negative views of autistic people as being unusual or dangerous, or they may challenge stereotypes and instead highlight the strengths of autistic people. This work aimed to review previous research to understand how autistic people have been represented in fictional media (Part A). It also sought to understand whether viewing fictional portrayals of autism has an impact on people's knowledge of autism and attitudes towards autistic people (Part B). Of 14 studies that were included in Part A, several unhelpful and stereotypical portrayals of autism emerged. Positive portrayals were those that highlighted the strengths of autistic people and reflected nuance. There is a need for greater diversity in representation of autism in fictional media. For example, not all autistic people are white heterosexual males. Across the five studies included in Part B, there were no improvements in people's knowledge of autism after watching or reading a short segment from a fictional TV series or novel that depicts an autistic person. Although there was a significant improvement in people's attitudes towards autistic people, these findings do not provide a complete picture given the short length of the media exposure and small number of studies. Future studies should investigate how multiple exposures to the representation of autistic people in both fictional and non-fictional sources can affect people's understanding of autism. There is also a need to develop more accurate and respectful ways of measuring people's knowledge of, and attitudes towards, autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol media literacy is an emerging field that aims to address the link between exposure to alcohol advertising and subsequent expectancies and behaviours for children and adolescents. The design, rigour and results of alcohol media literacy programmes vary considerably, resulting in a number of unanswered questions about effectiveness. To provide insight into some of these questions, a systematic literature review of alcohol media literacy studies was conducted. The review was guided by the following research question: What considerations are needed to develop an effective school-based alcohol media literacy programme? On the basis of a critical synthesis of 10 interventions (published in the period 1997 to May 2014), our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the descriptive, methodological and outcome characteristics of this small body of significant research. The review provides considerations for future alcohol media literacy programmes, including the need for an interactive pedagogical approach within the naturalistic school setting, implementation fidelity and a holistic approach to programme evaluation, a means for maintaining relevance, consideration of gender differences, relevance for an international audience and use of follow-up and longitudinal data.

Background: This study applies personal construct psychology for understanding the experiences of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 26 participants from 8 families, including adolescent males with ASD, mothers, fathers, and adolescent neurotypically developing siblings. Analysis of interview data was structured according to the themes presented in a previous theoretical application of personal construct theory (PCT) for understanding adolescents with ASD. Results: Themes included complexity of the adolescent social realm, sense-making in multifaceted situations, identity development, development of flexible processing styles, and understanding and managing physical and emotional changes associated with puberty. Conclusion: The study provides empirical support for the application of PCT for understanding adolescents with ASD. The insights provided by the participants may be helpful for adolescents with ASD, family members, and clinicians.

In this paper, the insights and experiences of a research team involved in conducting qualitative research with families living with autism spectrum disorder are drawn upon to provide reflections and recommendations across all stages of the qualitative research process. Particular attention is given to the steps involved in semistructured interviews, specifically, interview guide preparation, participant recruitment, obtaining informed and voluntary consent/assent, conducting effective interviews, accurate analysis and interpretation of data, ways to involve participants in data analysis, effective communication of research findings, and providing feedback to participants. In addition, reflections and recommendations are provided for maintaining researcher health throughout the qualitative research process.