@article{pearson_martin_stewart-ginsburg_malone_manns_johnson_macko_rivera_lewis_green_et al._2024, title={Analyzing Community-Based Support Requests Made by Black Families Raising Autistic Children}, volume={9}, ISSN={["1573-3432"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06539-4}, DOI={10.1007/s10803-024-06539-4}, abstractNote={Black families experience additional barriers to accessing autism-related supports compared to White families. Community organizations can help mitigate the negative impact of systemic inequities and lack of support that Black caregivers of autistic family members experience. Little is known about the types of support Black families seek from these organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the support needs of Black families raising autistic children as evidenced by communication patterns in a community-based statewide autism organization. Our research questions were: (1) What are the autism-related support needs of Black families raising autistic children; and (2) How do familial demographics influence these support needs?}, journal={JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS}, author={Pearson, Jamie N. and Martin, DeVoshia L. Mason and Stewart-Ginsburg, Jared H. and Malone, Kayla M. and Manns, Lonnie D. and Johnson, Janelle A. and Macko, Jennifer and Rivera, Amelia D. and Lewis, Jetta and Green, Keshia and et al.}, year={2024}, month={Sep} }
 @article{pearson_manns_stewart-ginsburg_martin_johnson_2024, title={Experiences of Family Peer Advocates Supporting Black Families Raising Autistic Children}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2163-5560"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1177/00144029241271151}, DOI={10.1177/00144029241271151}, abstractNote={Professionals play an important role in when and how families access autism services. Black families often experience disparate access to autism services compared to White families. Family Peer Advocates (FPAs) are professionals who have personal experience with the diagnostic process, school-based supports, and community-based services, and provide training and support to families. Understanding the experiences of FPAs may help researchers and practitioners better address the needs of Black autistic children and their families. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore FPAs’ experiences providing autism-related services and resources for Black families with autistic children. We conducted focus groups with 32 FPAs from two agencies in one southeastern state. Three themes emerged from our inductive data analysis regarding FPA experiences: (a) serving multiple roles; (b) working with “zero resources”; and (c) variations in racial responsivity. Given our findings, we call for FPAs to ensure they are considering and responding to the intersecting impact of race on families’ experiences with autism diagnosis and services.}, journal={EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN}, author={Pearson, Jamie N. and Manns, Lonnie D. C. and Stewart-Ginsburg, Jared H. and Martin, DeVoshia L. Mason and Johnson, Janelle A.}, year={2024}, month={Aug} }
 @article{pearson_stewart-ginsburg_malone_manns_martin_sturdivant_2022, title={Best FACES Forward: Outcomes of an Advocacy Intervention for Black Parents Raising Autistic Youth}, ISSN={["1532-7035"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2022.2100392}, DOI={10.1080/09362835.2022.2100392}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT Despite increased diagnostic prevalence, Black parents raising autistic youth still experience additional and unique barriers to accessing and using autism-related services compared to their non-Black peers. Increasing parent advocacy capacity may be one way to reduce these disparities. This efficacy study examined the effects of the FACES advocacy program on advocacy capacity for Black parents raising autistic youth. Authors used a quasi-experimental research design that compared pretest and posttest measures for 16 Black parents raising autistic youth. Intervention participants demonstrated increases in family empowerment, school communication, and perceptions of advocacy ability. Findings offer emergent evidence of advocacy programs for Black families raising autistic youth.}, journal={EXCEPTIONALITY}, author={Pearson, Jamie N. and Stewart-Ginsburg, Jared H. and Malone, Kayla and Manns, Lonnie and Martin, DeVoshia Mason and Sturdivant, Danyale}, year={2022}, month={Jul} }
 @article{malone_pearson_palazzo_manns_rivera_mason martin_2022, title={The Scholarly Neglect of Black Autistic Adults in Autism Research}, ISSN={["2573-959X"]}, DOI={10.1089/aut.2021.0086}, abstractNote={Black autistic individuals, regardless of age, have not been centered in autism research. Instead, they often exist on the margins-on the periphery of autism research. In fact, Black autistic adults are largely absent from the literature. Most participants in autism research are majority-white autistic individuals and families. In this conceptual article, we use intersectionality and Dis/ability Studies and Critical Race Theory theories to contextualize Black autistic adults' experiences. Second, we argue that systemic disparities and methodological concerns are two contributors to the scholarly neglect of Black autistic adults in autism research. Third, we provide guidelines to support researchers in moving from neglect to inclusive research with Black autistic adults.}, journal={AUTISM IN ADULTHOOD}, author={Malone, Kayla M. and Pearson, Jamie N. and Palazzo, Kayla N. and Manns, Lonnie D. and Rivera, Amelia Q. and Mason Martin, DeVoshia L.}, year={2022}, month={Sep} }