Educational psychologists’ perspectives on the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children in the South African context

dc.contributor.authorAlly, Nazrana
dc.contributor.supervisorIsrael, Nicky
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-12T06:47:36Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.descriptionA research report submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education in Educational Psychology , In the Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024
dc.description.abstractThis qualitative study aimed to explore a sample of South African registered educational psychologists’ perspectives on and experiences with the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children in the South African context, including their awareness of available treatments, evaluation of treatment effectiveness, decision-making processes, level of involvement in treatment stages, and their roles in relation to other professionals. Additionally, it examined the psychologists’ perceptions of the challenges faced by ASD children and their parents in accessing treatment in South Africa, the common strategies they employed, and the difficulties they encountered when treating ASD children. An interpretive approach was used, employing semi-structured interviews conducted in English with eight South African registered educational psychologists specializing in ASD. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, informed by a self-reflexive journal to maintain awareness of potential biases. The findings highlighted the scarcity of educational psychologists in South Africa engaged in ASD cases, limited specialized ASD training, and a paucity of resources available in South Africa which encouraged participants to seek resources internationally. Participants emphasized the importance of evidence-based, individualized interventions tailored to each child's context. They also emphasized that diverse approaches were crucial for meeting the individual needs of both the child and the family. They raised concerns about applied behaviour analysis (ABA), citing its potential limitations in fostering flexibility and promoting rote learning. They recommended modifying cognitive-behavioural methods to suit specific contexts and moving away from clinical environments to foster creativity and resourcefulness. 4 Participants were actively involved in diagnosis and assessment, highlighting the importance of exposing educational psychology students to various ASD-specific assessments and emphasizing the need for addressing training gaps and cost barriers for accessing assessment tools. Educating stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and other professionals, was deemed essential for creating a supportive and informed environment for children with ASD. Significant challenges identified included limited ASD-specific training, a lack of support and awareness, long waiting periods for diagnosis, limited access to treatment, and stigmas associated with ASD. Addressing these challenges requires grassroots training initiatives and collaborative efforts among families, professionals, and policymakers to ensure quality care and support for individuals with ASD.
dc.description.submitterMM2025
dc.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.identifier.citationAlly, Nazrana . (2024). Educational psychologists’ perspectives on the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children in the South African context [Master`s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/45817
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/45817
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights© 2024 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolSchool of Human and Community Development
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subjectAutism spectrum disorder (ASD)
dc.subjecteducational psychologists
dc.subjecttreatment
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.subjectevidence-based intervention
dc.subjectsupport
dc.subjecttraining
dc.subjectresources
dc.subject.primarysdgSDG-4: Quality education
dc.titleEducational psychologists’ perspectives on the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children in the South African context
dc.typeDissertation

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