Date of this Version

12-11-2023

Document Type

DNP Project

Abstract

Background: The future can often seem uncertain for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It may be hard and overwhelming for some parents to imagine what is next for their child once they reach adulthood. Studies have discovered the need for services to aid families and young adults to prepare and understand the transition process. Due to the severe decline in services available after high school, many parents are unsure which resources are available in adulthood or who they can talk to for guidance. Parents and young adults have very little access to formal health care transitioning planning and find it very difficult to find adult providers with this experience. There is a need for training professionals in development, resources, and transition of patients with ASD.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to assess the knowledge of pediatric neurology providers in the transitioning of care of patients on the autism spectrum into adulthood.

Method: Upon completion of a literature review on data bases such as CINAHL, EBSCO Open Access Journals, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Ovid, ProQuest, Sage, and Science Direct

a quasi-experimental research study was conducted. The quality improvement project was completed using a pre-test and post-test design to evaluate pediatric neurology providers knowledge on resources available to aid patients on the autistic spectrum on transitioning to adulthood.

Results: The study’s results revealed a significant increase between the pre- and post-test knowledge and self-efficacy on transitioning ASD resources among all neurology pediatric providers.

Implications: This quality improvement project supports the importance of providers receiving continuing education on local resources to aid the transition of adolescence in the Autistic Spectrum to adulthood, to improve their clinical practice, knowledge, self-efficacy levels and patients’ outcome

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