Browsing by Author "Ellard, John Howard"

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    Defining A Positive Life Outcome Through Autistic Adult Female Voices: A Qualitative Exploration
    (2024-09-03) Waller, Madison; McCrimmon, Adam; Shwartz, Kelly; Ellard, John Howard
    This study explored the way in which autistic adults conceptualize and define positive life outcomes, and the types of positive life outcomes that are important to them. It also asked autistic adults about what supports and steps may be useful to best support them in acquiring the positive life outcomes they aspire to achieve. Using a qualitative approach, five autistic females over the age of 18 were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. Data was then evaluated using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Thirteen themes emerged across the three research questions including (1) Societal Understanding and Acceptance of Autism, (2) Personal Achievement, (3) Supports to produce meaningful work, (4) Chasing Passions and Interests, (5) Self-Growth and Wellbeing, (6) Helping Others, (7) Stability, (8) Relationship Happiness, (9) Obtaining Education and Qualifications, (10) Accessible Government Funding and Services, (11) Taking Action: Future Planning, Routine, and Research, (12) Giving and Receiving Social Support, (13) Considerations to Ensure Supports are Collaborative and not Combative. Future research directions and implications for researchers and important stakeholders are discussed in detail.
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    The Role of Personality Correlates and Threat Perception in Attitudes Toward Sex Education
    (2016) Gusarova, Inga; Ellard, John Howard; Alderson, Kevin George; MacInnes, Cara C.; Ellard, John Howard
    This study investigated the role of moral foundations, regulatory focus, and threat perception in attitudes toward sex education using a crowd-sourced sample of 473 participants (48% women, 52% men; ages 18-80, median age 33.5). Two dimensions of attitudes were identified (58.2% of total variance): Pragmatism, reflecting importance of sex education and its focus on tangible outcomes; and Moral Threat, reflecting perceptions that sex education could be threatening to moral values about sexuality or have harmful moral consequences. Regression analysis showed that combining social conservatism, religious attendance, moral foundations, and regulatory focus accounts for 37% of variance explained in Pragmatism and 44% in Moral Threat (p<.001). Mediation analyses indicated that most effects were direct rather than conveyed through threat perception. Findings showed that regulatory fit is unlikely to improve communication effectiveness of sex education materials, yet individualizing moral foundations and promotion focus represent promising targets for future research.