Parents’ perspectives on adaptive behaviour changes in their child with autism following their transition to school

Purpose: Transitioning to school is one of the biggest changes in a child’s life. A successful transition can have an impact on future educational outcomes. Transition support is an educational need for a child with autism. There are many simultaneous changes in the environment and expectations placed on the child in the new environment, which can affect adaptive behaviour development. The aim of this study is to explore parents’ perceptions of the changes in a child’s adaptive functioning during the transition to school. Determining the reasons behind these changes can provide important insight into how the child is coping throughout the transition. Method: This study set out to qualitatively explore parent perspectives through semistructured interviews. The participants were 14 parents with a child with autism in the first year of school. Each parent was asked about their child’s transition to school including any perceived changes in the areas of daily living skills, social abilities, and language and communication skills; and possible explanations for any reported changes..