Current Needs of People with ASD and Other Mental Disabilities Regarding Accessibility of Cultural Institutions

Objectives. Sociocultural inclusion in Russia is becoming more stable and systematic. Researching the current needs of visitors with mental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), when visiting cultural institutions is a necessary step for obtaining information that staff can use to improve and personalize inclusive programs. This study presents the collection and analysis of feedback from adult participants in inclusive programs and their accompanying individuals, conducted to enhance the quality of inclusive activities. The representativeness of parental opinions as a full reflection of children’s needs was also examined.

Methods. The study’s materials were gathered from participants in the “12MM!” project: 39 adults with ASD and their accompanying parents without developmental disabilities. The participants were divided into two groups of respondents, with each group further divided into two subgroups. The study was based on a survey administered using Google Forms. The frequencies of response variants across different groups were compared using the two-sample Newcombe-Wilson test.

Results. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in responses between adult participants with ASD without functional speech and intellectual impairments and those accompanying participants with ASD who have functional speech and/or intellectual disabilities. At the same time, participants in both groups agreed on the advantage of attending events where all participants are already familiar with each other and share similar characteristics, compared to participating in inclusive groups with an unpredictable composition formed through open registration.

Conclusions. Obtaining formative and substantive feedback from visitors with ASD and other mental characteristics is an important component in the development of inclusive activities within cultural institutions, as it allows for the consideration of the target audience’s current needs and requests when designing and implementing various events. It is critical to consider the statistically significant differences in data obtained from adult respondents with ASD and their neurotypical relatives, which indicate a different understanding of the special needs prevent the inclusion of individuals with mental characteristics in sociocultural activities.

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