Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders: Ethical and Educational Issues

This assignment provides a review of the current understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), exploring its neurodevelopmental aspects, genetic and non-genetic factors, and the challenges faced by individuals with ASD. It examines the ethical issues inherent in ASD research, including honesty, objectivity, openness, and confidentiality. The paper also demonstrates an understanding of research within the field of teaching, emphasizing the need for innovative teaching strategies and the importance of understanding the unique characteristics of students with ASD. It discusses various therapeutic approaches, diagnostic instruments, and the increasing awareness of ASD as a public health issue. The assignment also considers the evolution of understanding of ASD, including the shift from earlier beliefs about causation to current genetic and biomedical perspectives. The research explores the role of teachers in creating inclusive classrooms and highlights the need for ongoing research to improve outcomes for individuals with ASD.

Research

Table of Contents
A Short Review on the Current Understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders.............................1
2. Ethical issues in research.............................................................................................................3
3. Demonstrate an understanding of research within my field (teaching). 1000 words..................4
4. Examine the strength and weaknesses of different research methods ........................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

A Short Review on the Current Understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism Spectrum Disorder is neuro- developmental disorder which can be genetic and
non genetic issues. Autism derived from Greek word “Autos” which refers to self. This is the
situation in which individual is derived from social interaction. Hence this means, they are aloof
from others. It is important and relevant for people to understand and evaluate changes ways to
deal with it. This is the issues which is faced by children in form of improper sight, numerous
loop in medication as well (Alston and Bowles, 2019). There is requirement of complete and
specific information about understanding and experiencing storms properly. This the reason due
to which individuals have to evaluate and understand changes properly. This is the reason due to
which children can not communicate properly and their experiences are not understandable by
other individuals. This is the situation in which children are facing problem due to social issues,
they sometimes behave weird. There is complete and relevant information with health care
organisation regarding ways to deal with them. This is the issue which is one of the major issue
due to which children need support and some does not want because they are trained and learned
accordingly. There are some factors which are associated with it and they have adverse impact
over children suffering from autism such as gastrointestinal disorder, sleep disorder, depression,
anxiety, etc.
In order to deal with these issues, it is important that people have to determine and deal
with patience so they doe not feel depressed regarding their issues. These children can not eye
contact with others and have interest in some related topics only, so they mindset is constraints to
limited aspects. They are sensitive regarding sound, touch, smells, etc. There are some disorder
associated with it due to which children can not understand and determine this as the issue. Some
ASD is as under- Asperger's syndrome, Autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and
Pervasive developmental disorder. This is the issue which is major occurring among children and
hence it is not easy and simple for individuals to deal with it (Ary and et. al., 2018). This is the
major issue due to which individuals can not conduct activities properly. There is requirement of
complete information among people, so they can take care of their children properly and assist
them to deal with it.
In order to deal with it, there are some situation with which they have to deal such as
treatment to them. There are some schools and training session which deal with it. It is important
and significant for people to understand and evaluate policies properly. There is autism therapy,
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behavioural therapy and language therapy through which it is easy to deal it. With the help of
this there is awareness among people regarding the way to deal with it and it is easy for them to
understand and evaluate changes properly (Bell, Bryman and Harley, 2018). If children suffering
from autism are not trained, then they can not understand what is the prospect of other people
and it is not possible to deal with it. This is the way which makes ease in providing positive
environment from people residing society. When there is proper arrangements for gathering
information, then it will be easy for autism children to understand and manage their activities as
per others.
As per the article presented by Annu Rev Med, 2013, Autism is a kind of
neurodevelopmental disorder among the children with strong genetic liability. It is a kind of
clinical syndrome with variable deficit in language and social behaviour, repetitive behaviour
and restrictive interests. The autism or autism spectrum disorder is consider as a form of
psychosis akin to childhood schizophrenia and the prevailing conventional wisdom was that it is
most commonly related with the parenting style. In earlier time it has been believed that the rare
genetic as well as biomedical conditions that leads to autism is mainly occurs due to bad
parenting as it was eventually demonstrated. But after study it has been determined that the
Phenylketonuria is the main cause behind the disorder and not bad parenting.
The recent advances within the genetics of autism put emphasis toward the ethological
heterogeneity along with each of the genetic susceptibility that is more focus toward the small
fraction of the cases that are having small effect (Berger, 2018). Therefore, this is not much
shocked that the not any unifying structural as well as neuropathological feature get identified
conclusively. In majority of cases the early intensive behavioural as well as cognitive
intervention are consider to be efficacious but in case of autism it doesn't get remit into majority
of children. There are number of changes get anticipated in the field of study related with autism
as the people are getting more aware about it that also supported in brining the advances in
autism. One among them is the development of diagnostic instrument which contribute toward
reliably and reproducibly classify the patients. Coupled with that the increase in awareness
related with the ASD as a significant public health issues along with the availability of the new
or more powerful techniques which contributed toward increasing the autism research as well as
subsequent publication. Several studies are being performed to determine the symptoms, causes
and its effects over an individual. From the postmortem of the autistic brain, no evidence related
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with inflammation but is consider as the evidence of the early development process. But from a
recent evidence from the postmortem study related with the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
the evidence related with the glial activation, increased expression of complement cascade as
well as several other potential immunomodulatory molecules that includes the macrophage
chemo-attractant protein-1 in both the tissues as well as CSF (Bestley and Noble, 2016). The
vasculature get intact against the non-inflammatory process.
2. Ethical issues in research
There is requirement of some information which has to be collected by researcher, so it
will be easy for them to complete and conduct study. It is important and relevant for researcher
to determine the changes which are taking place while conducting activities. Research ethics is
one of the most important component which has has to be considered, so it will be easy to make
study relevant and appropriate (Dawson, 2019). In order to perform activities properly, there will
proper completion of information. Some ethical issues which might arise while conducting this
issue is as under-
Honesty and integrity- There is requirement of honesty and integrity will conducting the
research because this is the way through which activities are conducted to get positive outcome.
With change in research activities, it must be communicated to individuals regrading
understanding and evaluating impact on decision making over outcome of study. With change in
research activities properly. In order to evaluate and understand activities properly, researcher
have to disclose information which is actual and authentic. There is integrity in information
which is provided, so it will be easy for researcher to justify their view point. With maintaining
honesty and integrity, this study can used in future as secondary source of information.
Objectivity- There are some objectives which are framed by researcher and on completion
of study it must be achieved. So this is the way to show that study is completed on time with
getting answer of those set questions based on objectives. With maintaining objectivity, there
will proper direction to complete the study and it will be easy to make study useable in future as
well (Denzin, 2017). There is proper understanding about reviewed individual and sources from
where information is collected, so this makes study specific ad accurate for the purpose of
maintaining authenticity.
Openness- There is requirement of openness because it is not possible to make complete
and appropriate way to determine what has to be some. Researcher mus always be ready to
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determine what can they get and activities which they performed for achieving targets. The
research outcome and conclusion which has to be performed for achieving targets (Glesne,
2016). There will prop[er knowledge to individuals who are associated with researcher outcome.
If hey have some query, then researcher have to determine and resolve it properly. There is
advancement with determining new tools and techniques, so it will be easy to disclose
information properly.
Confidentiality- there is requirement of confidentiality as well. It is important and
relevant for researcher to understand and evaluate changes properly. While conducting study,
there will collection of information from different sources, so it is important and significant to
keep their identity confidentiality. This is the major ethical issues which is faced by researcher
because sometimes reader asked for information of respondents and they have to disclose it. In
order to deal with it, there must be proper and specific changes in activities and it is not easy and
specific to deal with it.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of research in teaching
Research is the practice within which individuals have to select some topic or issue and
conduct study in order to resolve that issue and conduct activities properly. With change in
business activities, there will specific and relevant information, so it will be easy for researcher
to determine and evaluate changes properly (Hair Jr, Page and Brunsveld, 2019). This study is
conducted over autism and its advances which are taking place in current environment. It is not
so specific and relevant that people to collect and determine information properly, because this is
the topic in which individuals have their different views and this is not so specific and accurate
for the purpose of further studies. There will change in teaching activities as well because these
people does not have accurate and appropriate information regarding understanding it. Autism is
the sector in which teaching is appropriate and specific because it is not easy for them to
determine and evaluate activities properly.
In teaching sector, there is requirement of new and innovative ways through which
interest level of children suffering from autism can be maintained. When children have interest,
then it is easy for teacher to maintain proper understanding about their views and make team
clear about views of other people as well (Howitt, 2016). With conducting study over the topic, it
will be easy and specific for people to determine and evaluate changes properly. In order to
complete and make study relevant teaching is best sector. If individual is working in teaching
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sector, then they have to determine and evaluate changes properly between autism ad non autism
people. It is important and specific for people to understand and make teaching style clear and
specific. It is appropriate for people to decide that there is requirement of change in teaching
style, so activities will be planned accordingly. Teaching is the way through which individuals
makes activities completed and activities are conducted for completing the study. In order to
make autism children compatible to others, teaching is one of the important and crucial way to
communicate with others (Jacobsen, 2016). This is the way through which social growth and
development is also essential and specific way to accomplish targets properly.
With the increase in the education system constantly and autism on rise more and more
teachers that are welcoming to their classrooms students over the autism spectrum. There are
number of things that a teacher is required to consider while teaching a child having autism as it
may seem like daunting and doing this may often proves to be the most rewarding part of an
educator's career. It is very crucial for a teacher to remember that all the children which are
having autism spectrum are consider as unique and the characteristics which defines one can't
define the another one as each are different (Litosseliti, 2018). This is because while some of the
autistic children are non-verbal others are having an unbelievable talent for things such as art or
music. These children have their own strength as well as weaknesses as some of them are
excellent with memorization but find it difficult to read and having an accurate sounding out of
words phonetically. Therefore, the teachers are responsible for preparing their children for
dealing with the struggle that are having with subject to varying degrees. In addition to this the
teachers must also focuses toward helping the autism child by making their education life stress
free as much as possible while developing an understanding toward the child's routine and
sticking it with as much possible.
Considering this schedule the classroom days must be adjusted accordingly within the
same way in order to form up the classroom routine. This is so because it has been found from
the studies that the consistent routine benefit all the children and not just only the autism
spectrum (LoBiondo-Wood and Haber, 2017). Despite of all this a teacher must also go through
all kind of behaviour or thought that a child having autism display in particular situation to
provide them best possible treatment which ensure that students be able to develop themselves
within the favourable environment in which they want to live. Therefore, before welcoming an
autistic child within the classroom a teacher must try to become aware about the sensory issues
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that they are having along with the kind of issues they are require to encounter within the
classroom. In addition to this while guiding or directing the autism child it is necessary to
provide direction to that children by making use of few words as possible so that the autistic
child required to process less for developing understanding and whenever required provide
direction to autism separately.
4. Examine the strength and weaknesses of different research methods
The research methods within an investigation is consider to most crucial section as it help
in providing the pathway through which an investigator must move in order to perform study for
accomplishing the goals behind the conduction of particular study. Therefore, it remain essential
for an investigator to determine the most appropriate method for research that support in
gathering the valid and most accurate information that is required for the study. There are mainly
two type of methods used for an investigation such as qualitative and quantitative (Patten and
Newhart, 2017). Among them the qualitative methods is refers to one that help an investigator to
gather the information from the theoretical mean of investigation where the evidence are being
justified with the help of theories and concepts in order to make it more clear among the readers.
On the other side the quantitative methods is one that involve the process of gathering
information with the help of numerical facts and figures in order to represent the accuracy of
particular event and its happening. For performing the study relative with the autism is
performed with the help of qualitative research method that support in developing an
understanding related with the autism among children in effective manner.
In addition to this there are mainly two sources through which the information regarding
a particular study is being collected such as primary and secondary. Among them the primary
sources is refers to the process of gathering information which is fresh and totally new that not
yet been used by any other person before. On the other side the secondary sources of data
collection refers to one where the information is collected from already published articles in
order to develop understanding regarding the current study area (Quinlan and et. al., 2019). In
order to perform this investigation the secondary sources of data collection is used where the
information is being collected from the published articles so that better understanding can be
developed. But in order to gather further information, the primary investigation can also be
performed by extending the information gathered through the secondary sources. This in turn
support in presenting the information collected through the primary sources by evidencing its
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with the data collected from the secondary sources so that most effective understanding can be
developed (Walliman, 2017). There are number of research methods that support in gathering the
primary data such as questionnaire, interview, focused group and observation. The strength and
weaknesses of each methods are mentioned below:
Basis Strength Weaknesses
Questionnaire The major strength of this method is
that many people can be tested
quickly and in less possible time and
researcher is also not required to be
present while the respondents
answering the questions.
The weakness of using questionnaire
is that the respondents may not tell the
truth on sensitive issues or in case
when the researcher present in front of
the respondents then it may affect the
answers.
Interview With the help of interview the
detailed information can be gathered
and more attention can be provided to
individual's point of view.
It sometimes remain difficult to
analyse when it remains unstructured
and qualitative in nature as larger
amount of data is presented which
required to be simplified (Wildemuth,
2016).
Focused Group It is consider as comparatively easier
for driving or conducting as it
provide an opportunity to gather data
with the help of group interaction
while concentrating over the topic of
researcher's interest.
The major weakness of using focused
group to gather primary information is
the researcher have less control over
the data that get generated.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alston, M. and Bowles, W., 2019. Research for social workers: An introduction to methods.
Routledge.
Ary, D. and et. al., 2018. Introduction to research in education. Cengage Learning.
Bell, E., Bryman, A. and Harley, B., 2018. Business research methods. Oxford university press.
Berger, A. A., 2018. Media and communication research methods: An introduction to qualitative
and quantitative approaches. Sage Publications.
Bestley, R. and Noble, I., 2016. Visual research: An introduction to research methods in graphic
design. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Dawson, C., 2019. Introduction to Research Methods 5th Edition: A Practical Guide for Anyone
Undertaking a Research Project. Robinson.
Denzin, N. K., 2017. The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods.
Routledge.
Glesne, C., 2016. Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction. Pearson. One Lake Street,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.
Hair Jr, J. F., Page, M. and Brunsveld, N., 2019. Essentials of business research methods.
Routledge.
Howitt, D., 2016. Introduction to qualitative research methods in psychology. Pearson UK.
Jacobsen, K. H., 2016. Introduction to health research methods. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Litosseliti, L. ed., 2018. Research methods in linguistics. Bloomsbury Publishing.
LoBiondo-Wood, G. and Haber, J., 2017. Nursing research-E-book: methods and critical
appraisal for evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Patten, M. L. and Newhart, M., 2017. Understanding research methods: An overview of the
essentials. Routledge.
Quinlan, C. and et. al., 2019. Business research methods. South Western Cengage.
Walliman, N., 2017. Research methods: The basics. Routledge.
Wildemuth, B. M. ed., 2016. Applications of social research methods to questions in information
and library science. ABC-CLIO.
Online
Exp Neurobiol. 2019. A Short Review on the Current Understanding of Autism Spectrum
Disorders. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4766109/>.
Annu Rev Med. 2019. Advances in Autism. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3645857/>.
Ethical Issues in Research. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/research-ethics.html>.
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