Researchers are seeking views about the way educational experiences may affect the mental health of young people with and without autism.
Dr Ann Ozsivadjian, Dr Vicky Milner and colleagues at King’s College London say the coronavirus lockdown and gradual easing of restrictions has offered a unique opportunity to examine this issue.
Dr Ann Ozsivadjian: “Adverse educational experiences often play a significant role in the development of problems”
Educational experiences ‘significant’ in mental health
Dr Ozsivadjian told Autism Eye: “Having worked with mental health problems in autistic young people for 16 years, I’ve observed that adverse educational experiences often play a significant role in the development of problems.
“My colleagues and I really want to think about how these experiences can be improved.”
Aim is to recommend changes
At their worst, bad educational experiences can result in schools excluding children, sometimes illegally.
The educational charity IPSEA says: “Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are much more likely to be excluded from school than their classmates.”
If the survey confirms links between poor educational experiences and children’s mental health, the researchers aim to recommend changes in educational practice.
They are inviting parents of UK children and teenagers aged between 11 and 18 to complete the survey.
Participants are asked to complete the survey at three time points. The first time would be now, and the second just before the return to school. Finally, the third time would be about six weeks after the return to school.
Prize draw for participants
Families who participate at all three time points will gain entry into a prize draw to win one of 10 gift vouchers for £50.
The researchers say it takes about half an hour to an hour to complete the online survey. The results will be completely anonymised.
King’s College London has given the study full ethical approval.
Click here to see and complete the survey.
- Dr Ann Ozsivadjian has written a feature in the latest issue of Autism Eye Magazine on how to stay in control during these emotionally charged times and prepare for life after lockdown. Click here to read the whole issue free of charge.
Related:
- Government gets tough on exclusions
- Exclusion forces parents to give up job
- ‘Repugnant’ school exclusions banned
- Legal fight over exclusion for behaviour
- Schools ‘unable’ to stop exclusions
- MPs back call to cut school exclusions
- School behaviour policies may break law
Published: 14 June 2020
