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Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school
Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614134715023360 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Du Toit, Chantel |
| author2 | Swart, Estelle |
| author_browse | Du Toit, Chantel Swart, Estelle |
| author_facet | Swart, Estelle Du Toit, Chantel |
| author_sort | Du Toit, Chantel |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134608 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:13.037Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134608 Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school Du Toit, Chantel Swart, Estelle Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. Autism spectrum disorders -- Education (Secondary) Adulthood Autism spectrum disorders Developmental disabilities Adolescent psychology UCTD Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Du Toit, C. 2025. Parents' Perspectives on the Transitions their Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Experience in High School. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/f8648ab6-e15b-42ef-97a4-61b44bee80a2 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encounter significant challenges in mainstream high schools, particularly in navigating daily micro transitions such as changing classes, adapting to different teaching styles, and managing social interactions. While major school transitions have been studied extensively, the effect of these frequent, minor transitions remains underexplored. Given their dependence on structure and predictability, adolescents with ASD often experience difficulties with these shifts, rendering parental perspectives crucial in understanding the challenges and support needs during high school transitions. This study investigated parents' perspectives on micro transitions adolescents with ASD experience in mainstream high schools in the Overberg region, Western Cape, South Africa. Schlossberg's transition theory, Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological model, and adolescent developmental theories provided the theoretical framework. A qualitative research design, guided by an interpretive paradigm, was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, online questionnaires, and focus group discussions with parents. Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) was utilised to construct key themes. Findings indicated that adolescents with ASD face challenges related to sensory sensitivities, executive functioning, and social-emotional regulation. Parents emphasised the need for structured support, including individual support plans (ISPs), teacher collaboration, visual schedules, and sensory accommodations. Additionally, deficiencies in teacher training, school resources, and institutional support were identified as barriers to effective transition strategies. Enhanced communication between schools and families and increased awareness among teachers and peers of ASD were emphasised as critical for fostering inclusivity. By focusing on parental insights, this study contributes to the discourse on inclusive education by highlighting the significance of micro transitions in shaping high school experiences. The research underscores the necessity for targeted interventions, policy improvements, and collaborative strategies to support adolescents with ASD in mainstream education better. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessente met outismespektrumversteuring (OSV) ondervind aansienlike uitdagings in hoofstroom hoërskole, veral in die hantering van daaglikse mikro-oorgange soos om van klasse te verwissel, by verskillende onderrigstyle aan te pas en sosiale interaksies te bestuur. Alhoewel groot skooloorgange breedvoerig bestudeer is, bly die invloed van hierdie gereelde, kleiner oorgange onderontdek. Gegewe hul afhanklikheid van struktuur en voorspelbaarheid, ervaar adolessente met OSV dikwels probleme met hierdie verskuiwings, wat ouerlike perspektiewe deurslaggewend maak om beide die uitdagings en ondersteuningsbehoeftes tydens hoërskooloorgange te verstaan. Hierdie studie het ouers se perspektiewe oor mikro-oorgange wat deur adolessente met OSV in hoofstroom hoërskole in die Overberg-streek, Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika ervaar word, ondersoek. Schlossberg se oorgangsteorie, Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese model en teorieë oor ontwikkeling van adolessente het die teoretiese raamwerk verskaf. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp, gelei deur 'n interpretatiewe paradigma, is gebruik. Data is deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, aanlyn vraelyste en fokusgroepbesprekings met ouers ingesamel. Refleksiewe tematiese analise (RTA) is gebruik om sleutel temas te identifiseer. Bevindinge het aangedui dat adolessente met OSV uitdagings wat met sensoriese sensitiwiteite, uitvoerende funksionering en sosiaal-emosionele regulering verband hou, in die gesig staar. Ouers het die behoefte aan gestruktureerde ondersteuning beklemtoon, insluitend geïndividualiseerde onderwysplanne (IOP'e), samewerking van onderwysers, visuele skedules en sensoriese akkommodasie. Boonop is tekortkominge in onderwysersopleiding, skoolhulpbronne en institusionele ondersteuning as hindernisse vir effektiewe oorgangstrategieë geïdentifiseer. Verbeterde kommunikasie tussen skole en gesinne en verhoogde bewustheid van OSV onder opvoeders en eweknieë is as krities vir die bevordering van inklusiwiteit beklemtoon. Deur op insigte van ouers te fokus, dra hierdie studie by tot die gesprek oor inklusiewe onderwys deur die belangrikheid van mikro-oorgange in die vorming van hoërskoolervarings uit te lig. Die navorsing beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid van doelgerigte ingrype, verbetering van beleid en samewerkende strategieë om adolessente met OSV in hoofstroom onderwys beter te ondersteun. Masters 2025-12-18T10:28:21Z 2025-12-18T10:28:21Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134608 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 198 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Autism spectrum disorders -- Education (Secondary) Adulthood Autism spectrum disorders Developmental disabilities Adolescent psychology UCTD Du Toit, Chantel Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| title | Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| title_full | Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| title_fullStr | Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| title_short | Parents' perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| title_sort | parents perspectives on the transitions their adolescents with autism spectrum disorder experience in high school |
| topic | Autism spectrum disorders -- Education (Secondary) Adulthood Autism spectrum disorders Developmental disabilities Adolescent psychology UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134608 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dutoitchantel parentsperspectivesonthetransitionstheiradolescentswithautismspectrumdisorderexperienceinhighschool |