The parent role in school-based teams for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

For youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families, adolescence presents unique challenges that require parents work closely with school teams. Both parent involvement in education and family school partnerships are associated with positive student outcomes. However, research characterizing parents' role in working with school-based teams across the middle and high school years for youth with ASD is limited. The present study presents qualitative data illustrating the perspectives of 23 parents of students with ASD regarding their experiences working with middle and high school teams. Participants completed semistructured interviews, which were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Six themes were reflected in the experiences and perspectives of parents, including collaboration/partnership, advocacy, relationships, parental background, expectations, and impact on the parent. Results indicated variability in the nature and impact of parents' experiences and a need for intentional formation of meaningful partnerships between educators and families that honor the unique needs and strengths of youth and maximize team effectiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).