Individual Accounts of Interactions with First Responders: A Pilot Study

Autistic Individuals Interactions with First Responders: A Pilot Study According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 36 people experience autism, which accounts for over 30,000 Montanans (CDC, 2023). Autism is characterized by differences in social communication and restrictive and repetitive behaviors. With these deficits come differences in communication styles and reactions in high stress situations. The literature shows minimal research on effective training practices for teaching first responders and emergency front-line medical staff how to interact with individuals with autism, especially those with complex communication needs (McGonigle et al, 2014, Cheung, et al, 2019). The research team hypothesizes that minimal first responder training impacts the experience of both the person with autism and the first responder in an emergency. This qualitative case study is three pronged, seeking to learn about the experiences of people with autism, family/caregivers, and first responders in emergency situations. This poster focuses on the experience of individuals with autism, highlighting the results of a pilot study conducted to determine the acceptability and feasibility of implementing the study statewide in Montana. Summaries from interviews will be presented in this poster session, along with feedback from the participants on how interview questions can be improved for use in the forthcoming full study where questions will be used in a focus group format. The overarching goal of the pilot study is to ensure the research team has an effective and culturally responsive instrument for gathering qualitative data about interactions and experiences with first responders from an autistic adult’s perspective.