INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOCTORAL THESIS
1. Full name of the doctoral student: Nguyen Phuong Anh 2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: 05/11/1985 4. Place of birth:Hanoi
5. Decision to admit doctoral students:Decision No. 4416/2019/QD-XHNV, dated November 26, 2019, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
6. Changes to the training process (if any):The title of the research project was adjusted according to Decision No. 2064/QD-XHNV-DT dated October 7, 2021; and Extension Document No. 3675/QD-XHNV dated December 7, 2022, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
7. Dissertation title: Social work services for families and children with autism spectrum disorder.
8. SpecializedSocial work 9. Code:9760101.01
10. Scientific supervisor: Supervisor 1: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thai Lan;
Supervisor 2: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thu Huong
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
11.1. Purpose and scope of the thesis
* Research objectives of the thesis:
This study examines the theoretical and practical aspects of social work services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families, analyzes factors influencing ASD services, and proposes solutions to improve these services in supporting families and children with ASD.
* Research subject of the thesis: Social work services for families and children with autism spectrum disorder.
11.2. Research methods used
The study used the following six methods:
- Document analysis method: Analysis of documents in both English and Vietnamese languages, a total of 178 documents were used for citation.
- Survey method: A two-stage survey was conducted with a total of 193 questionnaires for social work service providers and 248 questionnaires for parents of children with developmental disorders.
- In-depth interview method: Conducted with 3 groups of respondents including service providers (30 people), parents of children with developmental disorders (20 people), and leaders of service providers (15 people).
- Group discussion method: There were 2 group discussions among service providers and 1 group discussion among parents of children with developmental disorders.
- Expert opinion survey method: Seeking opinions from 5 experts at different stages of the research.
- Information processing methods: Quantitative information was processed using SPSS software, while qualitative information was processed through thematic analysis.
11.3. Main results and conclusions
Key results:
- Characteristics of families and children with ASD: Children with ASD receiving support services at facilities are aged from 3 to under 16 years old, with the highest number being between 3 and under 11 years old. There is a significant gender imbalance, with a male/female ratio of 3.5/1. Children with mild ASD usually attend inclusive education, while those with severe or extremely severe ASD attend special education. Families of children with ASD live in diverse geographical areas, from urban and rural to mountainous regions. The primary caregiver for children with ASD in the family is usually female, specifically the mother. The educational level of the parents is similar and generally high (mostly college and university degrees). The difficulties faced by young families with developmental disorders include stress, family conflicts, economic hardship, lack of knowledge about childcare, and stigma and discrimination. They desire support to address these challenges.
- The current state of social work services is described specifically according to its components, including: service type, service delivery process, pricing, and service delivery methods. The types of social work services currently provided to families of children with developmental disorders are preventive services (awareness campaigns, raising awareness), and intensive intervention services (mobilizing and connecting resources, referring to services, advocacy, counseling, stress relief, policy advice, education, and providing knowledge on childcare). Services provided to children with developmental disorders include initial intervention services (preliminary assessment, screening, diagnosis), intensive intervention services (RDI, ABA, TEACCH, PECS), and integration and development services (support for inclusive education in schools, vocational guidance and training, and building support networks in the community). Although social work services still play a weaker role compared to special education intervention services, social work activities have been implemented at service-providing facilities, having a certain impact on the intervention and support process for families and children with developmental disorders. Regarding service delivery procedures, there is still no unified procedure at these facilities; each facility uses different criteria for selecting its implementation process. The prices of the services provided are high compared to the average per capita income in our country. Services are mainly provided at the facilities, in the form of hourly, day-care, and inpatient services. In addition, some facilities also provide in-home services on an hourly basis.
- The difficulties in providing social work services are described in relation to the service providers and community awareness. Difficulties from the service provider's side include the service delivery capacity of the facility, and the awareness of facility leaders and service providers.
- From the perspective of service providers, there are four groups of factors affecting the effectiveness of social work services: the service delivery capacity of the facility, the awareness of facility leaders and service providers, and the awareness of the community. Of these, the community factor is considered to have the strongest impact. From the perspective of families of children with developmental disorders, there are two groups of factors affecting the use of social work services: the first is the service provider and the timing of intervention for the child; the second is family, community, and policy factors. Of these, the family, community, and policy factors have the strongest impact.
* Conclude
From the theoretical research results, the current situation, and influencing factors through regression model testing, several solutions have been proposed to improve the effectiveness of social work services for families and children with autism spectrum disorder, suitable to the practical situation in Vietnam. These solutions are grouped into four main groups, including: (1)- Improving policy mechanisms as a basis for building and developing social work services; (2)- Strengthening the capacity of service providers; (3)- Enhancing the understanding of relevant groups including the community, families, and grassroots leaders; (4)- Developing models for providing social work services at early intervention and inclusive education facilities.
12. Directions for further research:
- The role of social work in inter-sectoral coordination to support families and children with autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam.
- Social work activities for families and children with developmental disorders in healthcare facilities.
13. Publications related to the dissertation:
| No. |
Information about the project |
| 1 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh (2021), “Issues facing Vietnamese families with autism spectrum disorder children and suggestions for support from social workers”,Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on the Impacts of Climate Change and Disease on Families, Women, and Children: Solutions from Psychological Intervention and Social Work, National University of Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City, pp. 274-283. |
| 2 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Thai Lan (2022), “Social work training in supporting families and children with autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam - Some issues viewed from practice and proposed solutions”,Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference Practical training in social work: international experience and Vietnamese practice., National University of Hanoi Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 411-426. |
| 3 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Thai Lan, Nguyen Trung Hai (2022), “Current Situation of Staff Providing Social Work Services to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Vietnam”,Asian Social Work Journal (ASWJ)Vol 7 (5), pp. 1-7. |
| 4 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Trung Hai (2022), “The potential for developing social work services for children with autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam”,Magazine Human Resources and Social Security(12), pp. 47-53. |
| 5 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh (2023), “The role of social workers in supporting autistic children and their families - International experience”,Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference The role of social work in the current context, Labor Publishing House, pp. 196-205. |
| 6 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Thai Lan (2023), “Social work services for autism children in Vietnam: status quo and challenges”,The journal Anthropological Researches and Studies,Volume 13, pp. 274-287. |
INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS
- Full nameNguyen Phuong Anh
- Sex: Female
- Date of birth: 05/11/1985
- Place of birthHanoi
- Amission decisionsnumber dated 4416/2019/QD-XHNV, date November 26, 2019 by Principal University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University.
- Changes in the academic process: Adjusted the title name according to Decision No. 2064/QD-XHNV-DT dated October 7, 2021; Extension document No. 3675/QD-XHNV dated December 7, 2022 of Principal University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University.
- Official thesis title: Social work services for families and children with autism spectrum disorder
- Major:Social work
- Code: 9760101.01
- Supervisors:Nguyen Thi Thai Lan; Tran Thu Huong
- Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
- Thesis purpose and objectives
- Purpose of thesis
Theoretical and practical research to assess the current status of social work services for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families, analyze factors affecting social work services on that basis, propose some solutions to improve these services. Social work services in supporting families and children with ASD.
- Objectives of thesis:Social work services for families and children with autism spectrum disorder.
- Produce methods
The study uses 6 methods as follows:
- Document analysis method: Analyzing documents in English and Vietnamese languages, a total of 178 documents were used for citation.
- Questionnaire survey method: A 2-stage survey with a total of 193 votes for social work service providers, 248 votes for parents of children with ASD.
- In-depth interview method: Conducted with 3 groups of subjects including service providers (30 people), parents of children with ASD (20 people), leaders of service providers (15 people).
- Group discussion method: There are 2 group discussions of service providers and 1 group discussion of parents of children with ASD
- Methods of polling experts: Asking for opinions of 5 experts in the stages of research implementation.
- Methods of information processing: Quantitative information processing through SPSS software, qualitative information through analyzing information by topic.
- Major results and conclusions
- The major results
Research shows that social work services for families and children with ASD are being performed to varying degrees in both public and non-public institutions. Service groups for children with ASD, families of children with ASD and the community have certain differences. For children with ASD, focus on early detection and early intervention services through awareness raising activities from the community, followed by inclusive education services. For vocational guidance and vocational training support services, although these services are in great demand, in reality, they are being implemented at a low level. For young families with ASD, focus on services to improve awareness, knowledge, skills and methods of child care and education. In addition, there are services such as consultation, consultation, advocacy, connection, transfer, with the highest level of consultation implementation, services such as advocacy and transfer have a lower level of implementation.
The implementation of social work services is currently being implemented mainly at intervention facilities for children with autism, mainly at non-public facilities. The social work services provided to children with ASD and their families are still integrated and complementary to the child's therapy-intervention activities, not considered an independent industry, and have not played a role. stand alone in interdisciplinary activities to support children with ASD and their families. The percentage of staff providing social work services is still low, mainly focusing on long-term and experienced employees such as managers or facility directors, even staff with social work expertise after training. supplementing the short-term certificates of special education intervention has performed more special education intervention services than social work services, because they are employed as intervention teachers, not as employees. social workers. Since then, it has been shown that the use of social work human resources is not reasonable when the main profession has not had the opportunity to practice. In addition, the research situation has shown that the cost of using services is higher than the living standard of residents in Vietnam. The proportion of services provided in the home and in the community is still low, and the on-site delivery is still dominant. The provision and delivery of social work services at both public and non-public facilities is still not high because of many difficulties and barriers related to service providers, grassroots leaders, families, and characteristics of the service provider. autistic children, support policies in the field of ASD, groundswell capacity and community factors. Families also face certain difficulties when family members are children with ASD, namely economic difficulties, psychological pressure, stigma, discord in the family. The most prominent of which is the psychological stress factor of parents. They also have needs for support in using family-appropriate services related to stress relief, economic improvement, and policy access.
The fact that employees perform activities in the service delivery process at facilities shows that there are differences in aspects: type of establishment, training level, work experience, income level. There is not much difference between training majors, although the training majors in special education, psychology and pedagogy dominate, the percentage of social work workers also has a small difference. The activities in the process are closely correlated with each other, starting with the receiving of the object, followed by the screening and classification of the object. Followed by a periodic psychophysiological assessment of the subject's health status and needs, including the collection of additional information, the child's progress, or the adjustment of the family's problem needs. family, from which there will be a re-evaluation to serve as a premise for the development and adjustment of the plan. The development of a plan is not only done once, but with adjustments if necessary when relevant factors change such as problems, needs, and status of the child and family. In the process of implementing the plan, it will also need to make appropriate adjustments to always aim for the interests of the child and family. After implementing the plan, the analysis and evaluation of the object is also a follow-up and necessary activity. This is the premise for deciding whether to go to the next activity, which is to plan to stop support, integrate into the community for the child or return to the activity of developing and implementing a new plan to meet the needs and solve the problem. problem solving for the child/young family.
Social work services at public and non-public facilities are affected by different groups of factors. For the provision of social work services, the effectiveness of the service is influenced by four groups of factors: service staff, grassroots leaders, grassroots capacity and community, in which strong group of factors. The most part belongs to the human factor, which is service staff and establishment leaders. For the use of social work services, service quality is assessed through family satisfaction, which is influenced by two groups of factors in service providers: knowledge of groundswells about policy legal books, on ASD, creating conditions for staff to study to improve their child's level and time of intervention, basic capacity, and knowledge about ASD of service providers. And outside the service provider is the initiative and cooperation of the family, understanding to avoid stigma from the community, policies related to supporting families and children; in which the group of factors with the strongest impact is the group of factors outside the service provider.
- Revisions
From the research results in terms of theory, reality and influencing factors through testing the regression model, it has served as a basis to suggest some solutions to improve the effectiveness of social work services for children. families and children with ASD in line with reality in Vietnam. These solutions are grouped into 4 main groups, including: (1)- Completing mechanisms and policies as a basis for the development of social work services; (2)- Strengthening the capacity of service providers; (3)- Improve the understanding of relevant groups including Community, family and grassroots leaders; (4)- Developing a model of providing social work services at early intervention and inclusive education institutions.
- Further research directions:
- The role of social work in interdisciplinary coordination to support families and children with autism in Vietnam
- Social work activities for families and children with autism at medical facilities
- Thesis-related publications:
| No |
Publications |
| 1 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh (2021), “Issues facing Vietnamese families with autism spectrum disorder children and suggestions for support from social workers”,Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference Impact of climate change and epidemics on families, women and children: solutions to help from psychological intervention and social work, National University Publishing House Hochiminh city, HCM city, pp.274-283. |
| 2 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Thai Lan (2022), “Social work training in supporting families and children with autism spectrum disorders in Vietnam - Some issues viewed from practice and proposed solutions”,Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on Practical Training Social work profession: international experience and Vietnamese practice, Hanoi National University Publishing House, Hanoi, pp.411-426. |
| 3 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Thai Lan, Nguyen Trung Hai (2022), “Current Situation of Staff Providing Social Work Services to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Vietnam”,Asian Social Work Journal (ASWJ)Vol 7 (5), pp. 1-7. |
| 4 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Trung Hai (2022), “Possibility of developing social work services for children with autism spectrum disorders in Vietnam”,Journal of Human Resources and Social ProtectionVolume 12, pp. 47-53. |
| 5 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh (2023), "The role of social workers in supporting autistic children and their families - International experience", Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference The role of social work in the current context, Labor Publishing House, pp.196-205. |
| 6 |
Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Thai Lan (2023), “Social work services for autism children in Vietnam: status quo and challenges”,The journal Anthropological Researches and Studies,Volume 13, pp. 274-287. |
