Are observation logs completed by parent/support worker/care giver/partner useful information for clinical trials involving participants with autism? say for example testing a drug treatment or complementary therapy. Would this be useful additional information to a questionnaire? Log to monitor events of repetitive behavior, motor stereotypies, episodes of severe anxiety, aggression, "meltdowns" etc over a time period starting some time before the trial and some time after the trial has ended. I understand that participant with autism may not like the idea of a parent/SW/caregiver/parent writing information about them. Many trials involving autistic people and their families use follow up questionnaires and ask for feedback, generally with families reporting that X is doing well.
They can be if they are accurate account of behaviours and problems shown
Observation logs can be valuable adjunctive data in a study that uses complimentary mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. We found these logs particularly useful when tracking parents' subjective experiences of stress in reaction to children's problem behaviors. Such logs are commonplace in research in family studies on topics such as parental allocation of time as well as in studies of stress and coping.
Indeed it maybe emotive but as a person with autism myself HFA. and the point that have worked with behavioural scientists myself. I feel that to get the whole picture not just diagnostically you need observational and behavioural analysis logs for clinical trials to give the fuller picture as well as familial history etc.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Psychology