COMPARING STUDENT BEHAVIORS AND SCHOOL SATISFACTION BETWEEN STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS

Authors

  • Gianna DeToro Youngstown State University, USA
  • Catherine Knowlden Youngstown State University, USA
  • Karen H. Larwin Youngstown State University, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v6i4.3394

Keywords:

special needs, autism, behavior, satisfaction

Abstract

School satisfaction for families of students with autism is a well-researched area. However, research comparing levels of school satisfaction and the number of behavioral incidences between students with autism and typically developing peers is imperative to ascertain the effectiveness of behavioral interventions and how they relate to school satisfaction. This study seeks to answer two questions: (1) Is there a difference in the number of behavior problems for students with autism compared to typically developing peers, and (2) Is there a difference in school satisfaction and satisfaction with discipline for students with autism compared to typically developing peers? Using data from the NCES National Household Education Surveys Program of 2016 Our Children’s Future: A Survey of Young Children’s Care and Education study, statistical analyses showed that there were significant differences between the number of times contacted about behavior problems for students with behavior problems and typically developing peers. However, there were no significant differences in levels of school satisfaction or satisfaction of discipline for students with autism compared to typically developing peers.

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Author Biographies

  • Gianna DeToro, Youngstown State University, USA
    Gianna DeToro, M.S. Ed. earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and special education from Youngstown State University in 2015. She continued her education at YSU in the field of school psychology where she earned her Master of Education in 2020. She is currently working on obtaining her educational specialist degree at YSU. Gianna DeToro is serving a practicum student at Hubbard Exempted School District in Hubbard Ohio.
  • Catherine Knowlden, Youngstown State University, USA
    Catherine Miller Knowlden received her M.Ed in Intervention Services from Youngstown State University and is currently pursuing her Ed.S in School Psychology. Catherine has worked as an Intervention Specialist for students in the mild/moderate range for the last six years at Salem Junior High, located in Salem, Ohio, where she has focused on providing intervention and support for students with special needs and for at-risk students specifically in English Language Arts. Catherine is currently a member of the Ohio School Psychologists Association and is an active member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi for her academic achievements. She aspires to use her skills to support students holistically so that they can reach their fullest potential.
  • Karen H. Larwin, Youngstown State University, USA
    Karen H. Larwin, PhD. earned her Ph.D. from Kent State University in Evaluation, Measurement, and Applied Statistics in 2007. She currently serves as an Associate Professor at Youngstown State University in the Counseling, School Psychology, and Leadership department. For more than a decade, Dr. Larwin has participated as the evaluator on multiple federal and state-wide grant-supported projects focusing on improving the health, education, and quality of life for children and adults. She currently serves as an evaluator for Ohio Commission on Minority Health, the Higher Learning Commission, and CAEP. Her teaching has focused on empowering master’s level and doctoral students to use research in their daily work arenas. Her methodological research focuses on meta-analytic procedures and structural equation modeling applications. Dr. Larwin is credited for developing a statistical application, SIR-SEM, that is used for systematic item elimination within structural equation modeling. In addition to her teaching, community service, and scholarship, Dr. Larwin serves as a chair for the American Evaluation Association Quantitative Methods section, and as the chair of the YSU Institutional Review Board.

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Published

2020-10-23

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 4 (2020)

Section

Articles

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