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Emma Feerick 

MSc Cyberpsychology

I completed my BAH in Psychology in the National College of Ireland in 2021 and my MSc in Cyberpsychology in IADT in 2024. I am currently working as an Assistant Psychologist assessing for ASD and ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults. Prior to this role, I worked as an Autism Practitioner from 2022-2024, where I worked with adults with ASD. Working with these adults is what inspired me to want to carry out research on an area that is overlooked – the potential impact that person-centred technology-based AAC can have on an adult diagnosed with ASD.

Fringe Vocabulary (Personalised Vocabulary) - Speech Generating Devices
Core Vocabulary - Speech Generating Devices
Project Description

Eleven autism practitioners were recruited across three adult autism day services using purposive sampling and a mixed methods approach. This research used an online survey to collect data. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale was used to measure the perceived overall wellbeing of service users in relation to using both traditional methods of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), such as Lámh and PECS, and speech generating devices. Thematic analysis was used to gain insight into the key elements of both traditional AAC and speech generating devices in relation to perceived engagement with AAC, perceived overall wellbeing of service users in relation to AAC, and the person-centred aspects of AAC.

Research Question: What is the perceived impact of person-centred technology-based AAC for adults with ASD in relation to perceived engagement with the device and perceived overall wellbeing, from the perspective of an autism practitioner.


Project Outcomes

The results of this study showed no significant difference between the perceived overall wellbeing of service users in relation to traditional methods of AAC and speech generating devices. The qualitative phase of the study provided some insight into why this result may have come about. Three main themes were generated from the data, although one theme was most prominent throughout: Familiarity with the AAC Method. Participants highlighted that there is insufficient training on how to use speech generating devices for staff members, which in turn makes it challenging for them to support their service users in using them to communicate. Participants also noted that many of their service users have been using traditional methods of AAC to communicate since diagnosis, and speech generating devices are new to them also. The results also showed that service users engaged more with traditional AAC than speech generating devices when prompted by staff. Future research should be conducted amongst a population who use speech generating devices to communicate frequently.

Cyberpsychology
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