Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38743150›Full record

ArticleJournal of autism and developmental disorders2025

"Getting Autism": Educators, Parents, and Autistic Adults and Teens Reflect on the Importance of Teachers Who Understand.

Connie Anderson, Caroline I Wood, Leah Franklin, Alan Iampieri, Clare Sarsony

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Connie AndersonDepartment of Health Sciences, Towson University, 8000 York Road-CHP Dean's Office, Towson, MD, 21252, USA. connieanderson@towson.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6975-7883
Caroline I WoodDepartment of Health Sciences, Towson University, 8000 York Road-CHP Dean's Office, Towson, MD, 21252, USA.
Leah FranklinDepartment of English (former Research Assistant on the project), Towson University, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD, 21252, USA.
Alan IampieriDepartment of Psychology (former Research Assistant on the project), Towson University, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD, 21252, USA.
Clare SarsonyFormer Research Assistant, Currently Unaffiliated, Silver Spring, MD, USA.

Funding

A. J. Drexel Autism Institute U0022482Kennedy Krieger Institute 675597Organization for Autism Research 5060002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo explore the perspectives of educators, parents, and individuals on the autism spectrum regarding the qualities of teachers best equipped to support autistic students.

methodsIn qualitative interviews parents of autistic adults (n = 35) discussed experiences they and their child faced during the school years, as did young autistic adults (n = 12) and teens (n = 11). Nineteen educators were also interviewed regarding how autistic students and their teachers were faring in public schools as well as what qualities and skills teachers needed to best support these students.

resultsA critical emergent theme was the importance of educators who possess a deep, intuitive understanding of autistic individuals. "Getting autism" involved autism knowledge, obtained through training or experience; an intuitive ability to read, respond to, and appreciate autistic students; and flexibility adapting to these students' needs. Autistic students, parents, and educators alike experienced a stigmatizing judgement and lack of support from unenlightened individuals in the schools. In contrast, there was great appreciation for those who "got autism" and were able to ease the way of autistic students, or support autism-friendly teachers, in whatever grade or situation.

conclusionResearch investigating how to cultivate, support, and reward autism-affirming teachers is needed. This will likely involve both didactic and experiential autism-focused training as well as recognition of the importance of high emotional intelligence and other qualities of teachers who "get autism." Future research should also explore the effects on these teachers and their students of larger systems, policies, and practices.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderParentsSchool TeachersAdolescentAdultChildFemaleHumansMaleQualitative ResearchSchoolsStudentsYoung AdultAdolescentsAutismQualitative methodsSchool experiencesSpecial educationYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID38743150
PMCPMC12167265

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.