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Description
This mixed-methods research design aimed to understand families' experiences traveling by plane with autistic children to identify supports, needs, challenges, and barriers that influence participation and well-being. Although air travel offers significant benefits for families and their children, including promoting personal growth, strengthening communication and bonding, reducing stress, and improving the overall quality of life and life satisfaction across many domains, families with autistic children face significant challenges due to sensory and environmental barriers that make the experience stressful and unpredictable. Findings highlight a need for autism-informed policies, training among airport and airline staff, sensory-friendly spaces, and extended support to improve the air travel experience and promote equitable and inclusive access for neurodiverse families.
Publication Date
Spring 4-21-2025
Publisher
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Keywords
Autism spectrum condition, Air travel, Family experience, Neurodiversity, Inclusive travel, Occupational therapy, Accessibility, Sensory processing, Environmental barriers, Travel participation, Mixed-methods research, Caregivers perspectives
Medical Subject Headings
Autistic disorder, Air travel, Research design, Quality of life, Airports, Child, Communication, Personal satisfaction
Disciplines
Occupational Therapy
Recommended Citation
Pham, T., & Park, K. (2025, April 21). Air Travel Experiences of Families with Autistic Children. Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/32
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Comments
Poster presented at the in-person OTD Capstone Symposium, held at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences on April 21, 2025