What works and how: Adult learner perspectives on an autism intervention training program in India.
A six-month blended course built Indian autism practitioners’ skills and confidence, showing longer reflective training pays off.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Chetna and her team asked adult trainees how they felt about a six-month autism-intervention course in India.
The course mixed online classes, face-to-face workshops, and reflective practice. It covered evidence-based methods for children with autism.
The researchers held focus groups and interviews to learn what parts of the training worked best.
What they found
Trainees said the program gave them strong new knowledge and hands-on skills.
They also felt the training helped the children and families they served.
Overall, the blended, reflective format was viewed as effective.
How this fits with other research
Xenitidis et al. (2010) ran a short ABA workshop for staff and saw quick knowledge gains. Chetna’s six-month course shows longer training can deepen skills even more.
Divan et al. (2019) trained lay workers to coach parents in rural India. Chetna’s work extends that idea by building higher-level practitioner skills in the same low-resource setting.
Granillo et al. (2022) reviewed 17 physician autism trainings and found knowledge and confidence rose in most. Chetna’s findings match that pattern, but focus on intervention staff rather than doctors.
Why it matters
If you supervise staff in India or similar settings, you can point to this study when asking for longer, blended training budgets. The adult-learning style kept staff engaged and made day-to-day work with children easier. Try adding short reflection groups after your next workshop block; trainees in this study said that piece glued everything together.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A significant treatment gap exists in low and middle income countries such as India for children with autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Intervention Training Program, a comprehensive 6-month program for training professionals in transdisciplinary evidence-based practices to address concerns associated with autism spectrum disorder, was piloted in India to address this gap. This study attempted to capture the perspectives of trainees on the effectiveness of andragogical approaches adopted in the Autism Intervention Training Program and the impact of this training on their work. An exploratory qualitative study was conceptualized, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 Autism Intervention Training Program trainees. Trainees highlighted the benefits of a blended training format, peer learning, and a responsive, reflective, experiential, and respectful approach to teaching and supervision. The impact of the program was perceived through an increase in trainees' knowledge and skills, impact on their organizations, and positive outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. There is a need to develop and document comprehensive, contextualized, and evidence-based training programs for autism spectrum disorder professionals in low and middle income countries. Focusing on andragogical frameworks while conceptualizing and delivering these training programs is underscored, as approaches that promote self-efficacy in learners and enable transformative learning can lead to a cascading impact in resource-constrained settings.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2020 · doi:10.1177/1362361319856955