The feasibility of an adapted virtual mindfulness intervention for Special Olympics athletes and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Virtual mindfulness may be helpful for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the context of COVID-related disruptions of in-person programming, such as Special Olympics (SO). This study examined the feasibility of a virtual mindfulness intervention for SO athletes and their caregivers. METHOD: SO athletes (n = 44) and their caregivers (n = 29) participated in a 6-week adapted virtual mindfulness intervention. Athletes completed mindfulness and well-being questionnaires prior to, immediately following, and 3-months post-intervention. Caregivers completed questionnaires assessing their own stress, mindfulness, and well-being, as well as athlete mental health. Exit interviews were conducted immediately following the intervention. RESULTS: The intervention was feasible in terms of demand, implementation, acceptability, and limited testing efficacy. There were significant improvements in athlete well-being and mental health, and caregiver stress and mindfulness post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Adapted virtual mindfulness groups may be an effective intervention in improving the well-being of adults with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers.

Virtual group-based mindfulness program for autistic women: A feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Autistic women experience life differently than autistic men. For example, autistic women tend to be diagnosed significantly later than autistic men, they experience a higher number of traumas, and are at increased risk for mental health conditions. Given gender-specific life experiences, autistic women may benefit from gender-specific group-based supports. Virtual mindfulness has been shown to be helpful in improving well-being among autistic adults; however, limited research has explored the impact of virtual mindfulness when it is delivered to a group of autistic women only. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this article is to describe a preliminary evaluation of a virtual mindfulness group piloted for autistic women. Five key areas of feasibility were assessed in the current study: demand, implementation, acceptability, practicality, and limited efficacy testing. METHODS: Twenty-eight women participated in a 6-week virtual autism-informed mindfulness program and were asked to complete measures assessing psychological distress, self-compassion, and mindfulness at pre and post. Participants were also asked to complete a satisfaction survey after the program. RESULTS: Results showed that the program was feasible in terms of demand, implementation, practicality, and acceptability. While quantitative results showed there were no changes in psychological distress, self-compassion, and mindfulness from pre- to post-program, qualitative results showed some benefits. CONCLUSION: Given the unique challenges that some autistic women experience, offering groups to autistic women may have some value and it would be important to continue exploring this topic area.

Virtual Group-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Autistic Adults: a Feasibility Study.

Objectives: Although mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to be helpful in reducing psychological distress in autistic adults, limited research has explored virtual delivery in the autism community. We designed an adapted virtual group-based mindfulness intervention, based on input from autistic adults, and evaluated its feasibility in terms of demand, acceptability, implementation, practicality, adaptation, and limited efficacy testing. Methods: Informed by an online needs assessment survey of 77 autistic adults, 37 individuals completed a six-week autism informed manualized course delivered virtually. Participants completed pre, post, and 12-week follow up, and also provided qualitative feedback. Results: There was a demand for the course, adaptations were successful, and participants indicated good acceptability of the intervention. Open-ended feedback highlighted advantages and challenges with the technology, the benefits of connecting with other autistic adults, and unique aspects of the mindfulness instruction. Participants reported reduced levels of distress which were maintained at three-month follow-up, and increased mindfulness, and self-compassion. Conclusions: Autism-informed adaptations to standard mindfulness-based interventions can lead to self-reported improvements in mindfulness, self-compassion, and distress by autistic adults. Continued research with outcome measures tailored toward autistic adults will be important, during and post-pandemic.

Social isolation continued: Covid-19 shines a light on what self-advocates know too well.

Covid-19 has been an unprecedented time for social work as a profession and even more so for marginalized communities. This paper shares the reflections of three self-advocates (persons labelled/with intellectual disabilities engaged in advocacy and activism), a social worker, and a social work educator and researcher. It is intended as a rallying cry for social work to rethink how we deliver services to ensure that people who have already been made vulnerable through oppressive ableist practices and assumptions are not put at greater disadvantage at times like Covid-19. Hearing directly from self-advocates, we learn of their exclusion from pandemic planning, and of the ways that physical and social distancing protocols have worked to exacerbate the isolation, marginalization and inequities that people labelled/with intellectual disabilities have experienced over the years. We are called upon to more actively focus on advocacy efforts with people labelled/with intellectual disabilities to increase their involvement in planning, as well as access to supports, and to ensure that they do not remain "the left behind of the left behind" .

Comparative Effects of Mindfulness and Support and Information Group Interventions for Parents of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities.

This study evaluated two community based interventions for parents of adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. Parents in the mindfulness group reported significant reductions in psychological distress, while parents in the support and information group did not. Reduced levels of distress in the mindfulness group were maintained at 20 weeks follow-up. Mindfulness scores and mindful parenting scores and related constructs (e.g., self-compassion) did not differ between the two groups. Results suggest the psychological components of the mindfulness based group intervention were effective over and above the non-specific effects of group processes and informal support.

Allaying parental concerns about the human papillomavirus vaccine.

This article presents the findings of parents' views on the human papillomavirus vaccine from one area of England. The authors outline that many parents have strong views about the vaccine particularly in relation to safety and effectiveness, age, and medical and moral concerns. This article presents an analysis of some of the issues. The authors conclude that nurses should provide up-to-date advice to help allay concerns.

Palliative care in adolescents.

Specialist Palliative Care's involvement in adolescent cancer is relatively new. The challenges are not so much to do with the technicalities of symptom control, but in walking the fine line with patients and families as they wrestle with transitions into an adulthood that will not happen and attempts to pack a lost future into a few months or years whilst coping with arduous and often futile treatments that attempt to buy some more time. The article explores some underlying principles and the model of care that has emerged at this specialist centre for adolescent care.