The 48th annual conference of the Adult and Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) was held online and in person in March 2024. This year's conference theme is "Enriching the Adult Learner's Experience in Higher Education." The proceedings are comprised of the following papers: (1) Creating a More Humanized Online Learning Experience (Janet…

Background: We evaluated cognitive accessibility of the VIA Inventory of Strengths Youth short form with adults with intellectual disability for use in strengths-based practice. Methods: We conducted cognitive testing with adults with intellectual disability (n = 33; M age = 36.2; range: 20.4-64.2). Data were coded for the extent to which (1)…

Background: Previous studies show that the personal support networks of people with intellectual disability are smaller and less diverse than those of people without intellectual disability. This article aims to compare the characteristics of the personal networks of young people with and without intellectual disability. Method: The Personal…

In a recent editorial, Mandy declared an autism mental health crisis and proposed six ideas for how this might be addressed, with which we agree. However, we propose that for these ideas (e.g. training for mental health professionals) to be implemented for psychologists, assumptions about best practice need to be assessed considering the evolving…

Nationally, retaining students in adult basic education (ABE) is an ongoing challenge for numerous programs. The problem is the low retention rates among adult basic education learners in a non-profit ABE program in a large metropolitan city in Georgia. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how persistence affects student…

Although some have attempted to appropriate elements of Montessori education to select groups of adults (e.g., for learning disabilities, second language acquisition, dementia patients), there have been no comprehensive attempts to validate the adaptation of this approach to the adult learner in general. This exploratory study attempts to provide…

Since the retina shares its embryological origin with the central nervous system, optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technique frequently employed in ophthalmology to analyze the macula and intraretinal layer thicknesses and volumes, has recently become increasingly important in psychiatric research. We examined 34 autistic and 31…

Drawing from the literature and the historical fiction-based feminist antimilitarist research I conducted in writing my debut novel, "A Sea of Spectres." This article discusses the what and why of fiction-based research. I detail how to: (a) move from inspiration to fiction-based research; (b) frame the research; (c) develop research…

The current study examined the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions have had on individuals with intellectual and developmental disability. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted to collect data from participants who attended day programming by local community agency. Results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic and its…

Background: Existing studies confirm that some video games can change players' attitudes. However, since we do not know the specific elements responsible for attitude change, the potential of video games to achieve desired educational or behavioural outcomes often remains unfulfilled. Objectives: To fill the research gap, our study examined…

Background: Some adults with intellectual disabilities do not acquire oral feeding skills and are dependent on gastrostomy tube supplementation. Methods: Two adults with intellectual and multiple disabilities received intervention for oral consumption during daily meals (standardised food and liquid quantities, individualised procedural…

Boredom at work occurs in the context of low demands and resources and can have a host of negative outcomes for employees. However, the existing literature is lacunary concerning the mechanisms underlying the link between boredom and its negative outcomes. Based on the concept of tedium, this study examines the link between boredom at work and…

This qualitative grounded theoretical study examined the experiences of 13 Black male alumni aged 25-50 who received special education services in the Boston Public Schools (BPS). Through semi-structured interviews and rigorous thematic analysis, this research uncovered nuanced narratives that revealed salient themes central to participants'…

Emerging research points to high rates of major psychiatric disorders and chronic medical conditions among autistic adults. However, the unique healthcare needs of autistic adults are often overlooked, perhaps due to limitations in population-level surveillance and widespread public misconceptions about autism in adulthood. Understanding the…

In an attempt to shed light on the social decision difficulties experienced by autistic adults, the current study examines the dynamics of experience-based social decisions. We developed an experiential task where participants' goal was to select the most kind and pleasant agent out of four, based on the valence (positivity/negativity) of the…