Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person communicates and interacts with others. Because of the complexity of autism, best practices suggest an interprofessional team will best support individuals and their families.
What is interprofessional collaboration?
Interprofessional collaboration is when two or more disciplines (e.g., behavior analyst, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, etc.) work together in the treatment or intervention of a shared client. Professionals can work in parallel with one another, coordinate care together, or share roles and responsibilities in their treatment plan. It’s important to remember that the client and those they identify as important to them are equal members of the interprofessional team.
Why is collaboration important?
Research in the field of autism has shown again and again that interprofessional collaboration improves outcomes for people with autism! Each discipline brings their own area of specialization and expertise, and working together can enhance outcomes for clients by attending to all areas of client growth. In the field of autism intervention, accessing services can sometimes be difficult, and having an interprofessional team helps make the most of services that are available and increase efficiency of intervention. Clients and families, as well as service providers, often report that they like interprofessional collaboration. It makes for a more fulfilling professional career and clients and families feel less of the responsibility for coordinating their team and facilitating the collaboration.
I want to start collaborating with other disciplines, where do I begin!?
First, it’s important to understand what other disciplines do! Learning about the other discipline, their scope of practice, and potential team members’ scope of competence is the first step in collaboration. A scope of practice is what someone is able to do based on their license. For example, a licensed psychologist can diagnose autism. A scope of competence is what an individual provider feels comfortable doing, and the areas they have specific training and experience in. So, not all psychologists feel competent in diagnosing autism, so when looking for collaborators, it’s important to ask individuals what their areas of interest and expertise are!
Second, taking time to learn from other team members is really helpful in strengthening collaboration. Team members may approach situations from different perspectives, and having multiple perspectives is often beneficial in working with clients. This can be achieved through shared book clubs, journal clubs, sharing resources, and having families share things they have come across or what is working well for them.
Third, when collaborating, remember that not everyone on the team uses the same language as you! It can be helpful to remember to use less jargon when communicating with team members. In the field of autism, acronyms are everywhere, but are not shared by all disciplines and clients/families. When using acronyms, take time to define them and provide examples when communicating about discipline-specific approaches.
And finally, communication is key! When conflict or disagreements arise, be proactive in discussing those and trying to understand each other’s perspectives. Conflict is a normal part of team building and team processes, so having good conflict resolution strategies will be key. Taking time to get to know one another and engage in shared activities can also strengthen a team. For example, having lunch together or finding opportunities for connection.
In sum, we know collaboration and interprofessional teaming can positively impact people with autism and their families! It also leads to increased professional satisfaction and improved treatment outcomes. Although collaboration has challenges, the benefits far outweigh the difficulties and ultimately strengthens the team!
If you missed our last webinar on this topic, we have linked it below!
