Defining crisis in families of individuals with autism spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Wingsiong, Aranda; Lunsky, Yona

2014-01-01

Parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder often report higher levels of depression, anxiety, and mental health–related issues. The combination of stressors and family adjustment difficulties can cause distress which may develop into a crisis. Understanding crisis in the family is important to mental health practice since it can serve as a guide in delivering service to at-risk families. This study investigated the subjective experience of crisis in 155 mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Thematic analysis revealed that crisis is characterized by factors influencing four major areas: demands, internal capabilities, external resources, and subjective appraisal. Understanding what crisis means to families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder can help inform effective preventative and crisis services. PMID:24254639

Does the Presence of Anxiety and ADHD Symptoms Add to Social Impairment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Factor, Reina S.; Ryan, Sarah M.; Farley, Julee P.; Ollendick, Thomas H.; Scarpa, Angela

2017-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience internalizing and externalizing problems at higher rates than typically developing children, which could worsen social impairment. The present study compared impairment scores (social responsiveness scale, 2nd edition; SRS-2 scores) in 57 children (3-17 years, 82.5% male) with ASD, either…

Examination of Bidirectional Relationships between Parent Stress and Two Types of Problem Behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaidman-Zait, Anat; Mirenda, Pat; Duku, Eric; Szatmari, Peter; Georgiades, Stelios; Volden, Joanne; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Vaillancourt, Tracy; Bryson, Susan; Smith, Isabel; Fombonne, Eric; Roberts, Wendy; Waddell, Charlotte; Thompson, Ann

2014-01-01

Path analysis within a structural equation modeling framework was employed to examine the relationships between two types of parent stress and children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors over a 4-year period, in a sample of 184 mothers of young children with autism spectrum disorder. Parent stress was measured with the Parenting Stress…

Brief Report: Independent Validation of Autism Spectrum Disorder Case Status in the Utah Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakian, Amanda V.; Bilder, Deborah A.; Carbone, Paul S.; Hunt, Tyler D.; Petersen, Brent; Rice, Catherine E.

2015-01-01

An independent validation was conducted of the Utah Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network's (UT-ADDM) classification of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). UT-ADDM final case status (n = 90) was compared with final case status as determined by independent external expert reviewers (EERs). Inter-rater reliability…

Externalizing disorders: cluster 5 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-11.

PubMed

Krueger, R F; South, S C

2009-12-01

The extant major psychiatric classifications DSM-IV and ICD-10 are purportedly atheoretical and largely descriptive. Although this achieves good reliability, the validity of a medical diagnosis is greatly enhanced by an understanding of the etiology. In an attempt to group mental disorders on the basis of etiology, five clusters have been proposed. We consider the validity of the fifth cluster, externalizing disorders, within this proposal. We reviewed the literature in relation to 11 validating criteria proposed by the Study Group of the DSM-V Task Force, in terms of the extent to which these criteria support the idea of a coherent externalizing spectrum of disorders. This cluster distinguishes itself by the central role of disinhibitory personality in mental disorders spread throughout sections of the current classifications, including substance dependence, antisocial personality disorder and conduct disorder. Shared biomarkers, co-morbidity and course offer additional evidence for a valid cluster of externalizing disorders. Externalizing disorders meet many of the salient criteria proposed by the Study Group of the DSM-V Task Force to suggest a classification cluster.

Externalizing and Internalizing Symptoms Moderate Longitudinal Patterns of Facial Emotion Recognition in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Tamara E.; Lerner, Matthew D.

2016-01-01

Facial emotion recognition (FER) is thought to be a key deficit domain in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the extant literature is based solely on cross-sectional studies; thus, little is known about even short-term intra-individual dynamics of FER in ASD over time. The present study sought to examine trajectories of FER in ASD youth over…

Comorbidity of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Emotional/behavioral Disorders: Towards Improved Diagnostic Procedures, Instructional Programming, and Personnel Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clinton, Elias

2016-01-01

An emotional/behavioral disorder is a mental health disability characterized by intensive internalized behaviors (e.g., anxiety, depression) and/or externalized behaviors (e.g., physical aggression, verbal aggression). Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and repetitive behaviors (i.e., stereo…

Risk Factors for Behavioral and Emotional Difficulties in Siblings of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Walton, Katherine M

2016-11-01

This study examined risk factors for behavioral and emotional problems in 1973 siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Results revealed six correlates of sibling internalizing and externalizing problems: male gender, smaller family size, older age of the child with ASD, lower family income, child with ASD behavior problems, and sibling Broader Autism Phenotype. Siblings with few risk factors were at low risk for behavioral and emotional problems. However, siblings with many risk factors were at increased risk for both internalizing and externalizing problems. These results highlight the need to assess risk for individual siblings to best identify a sub-population of siblings who may be in need of additional support.

Examining Effectiveness of Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Externalizing and Internalizing Disorders in Urban Schools.

PubMed

Eiraldi, Ricardo; Power, Thomas J; Schwartz, Billie S; Keiffer, Jackie N; McCurdy, Barry L; Mathen, Manju; Jawad, Abbas F

2016-07-01

This article presents outcome data of the implementation of three group cognitive-behavioral therapy (GCBT) interventions for children with externalizing behavior problems, anxiety, and depression. School counselors and graduate students co-led the groups in two low-income urban schools. Data were analyzed to assess pre-treatment to post-treatment changes in diagnostic severity level. Results of the exploratory study indicated that all three GCBT protocols were effective at reducing diagnostic severity level for children who had a primary diagnosis of an externalizing disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder at the clinical or intermediate (at-risk) level. All three GCBT protocols were implemented with relatively high levels of fidelity. Data on the effectiveness of the interventions for reducing diagnostic severity level for externalizing and internalizing spectrum disorders and for specific disorders are presented. A discussion of implementation of mental health evidence-based interventions in urban schools is provided. © The Author(s) 2016.

A phenotypic structure and neural correlates of compulsive behaviors in adolescents.

PubMed

Montigny, Chantale; Castellanos-Ryan, Natalie; Whelan, Robert; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth J; Büchel, Christian; Gallinat, Jürgen; Flor, Herta; Mann, Karl; Paillère-Martinot, Marie-Laure; Nees, Frauke; Lathrop, Mark; Loth, Eva; Paus, Tomas; Pausova, Zdenka; Rietschel, Marcella; Schumann, Gunter; Smolka, Michael N; Struve, Maren; Robbins, Trevor W; Garavan, Hugh; Conrod, Patricia J

2013-01-01

A compulsivity spectrum has been hypothesized to exist across Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD), Eating Disorders (ED), substance abuse (SA) and binge-drinking (BD). The objective was to examine the validity of this compulsivity spectrum, and differentiate it from an externalizing behaviors dimension, but also to look at hypothesized personality and neural correlates. A community-sample of adolescents (N=1938; mean age 14.5 years), and their parents were recruited via high-schools in 8 European study sites. Data on adolescents' psychiatric symptoms, DSM diagnoses (DAWBA) and substance use behaviors (AUDIT and ESPAD) were collected through adolescent- and parent-reported questionnaires and interviews. The phenotypic structure of compulsive behaviors was then tested using structural equation modeling. The model was validated using personality variables (NEO-FFI and TCI), and Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) analysis. Compulsivity symptoms best fit a higher-order two factor model, with ED and OCD loading onto a compulsivity factor, and BD and SA loading onto an externalizing factor, composed also of ADHD and conduct disorder symptoms. The compulsivity construct correlated with neuroticism (r=0.638; p ≤ 0.001), conscientiousness (r=0.171; p ≤ 0.001), and brain gray matter volume in left and right orbitofrontal cortex, right ventral striatum and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The externalizing factor correlated with extraversion (r=0.201; p ≤ 0.001), novelty-seeking (r=0.451; p ≤ 0.001), and negatively with gray matter volume in the left inferior and middle frontal gyri. Results suggest that a compulsivity spectrum exists in an adolescent, preclinical sample and accounts for variance in both OCD and ED, but not substance-related behaviors, and can be differentiated from an externalizing spectrum.

A Phenotypic Structure and Neural Correlates of Compulsive Behaviors in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Montigny, Chantale; Castellanos-Ryan, Natalie; Whelan, Robert; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth J.; Büchel, Christian; Gallinat, Jürgen; Flor, Herta; Mann, Karl; Paillère-Martinot, Marie-Laure; Nees, Frauke; Lathrop, Mark; Loth, Eva; Paus, Tomas; Pausova, Zdenka; Rietschel, Marcella; Schumann, Gunter; Smolka, Michael N.; Struve, Maren; Robbins, Trevor W.; Garavan, Hugh; Conrod, Patricia J.

2013-01-01

Background A compulsivity spectrum has been hypothesized to exist across Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD), Eating Disorders (ED), substance abuse (SA) and binge-drinking (BD). The objective was to examine the validity of this compulsivity spectrum, and differentiate it from an externalizing behaviors dimension, but also to look at hypothesized personality and neural correlates. Method A community-sample of adolescents (N=1938; mean age 14.5 years), and their parents were recruited via high-schools in 8 European study sites. Data on adolescents’ psychiatric symptoms, DSM diagnoses (DAWBA) and substance use behaviors (AUDIT and ESPAD) were collected through adolescent- and parent-reported questionnaires and interviews. The phenotypic structure of compulsive behaviors was then tested using structural equation modeling. The model was validated using personality variables (NEO-FFI and TCI), and Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) analysis. Results Compulsivity symptoms best fit a higher-order two factor model, with ED and OCD loading onto a compulsivity factor, and BD and SA loading onto an externalizing factor, composed also of ADHD and conduct disorder symptoms. The compulsivity construct correlated with neuroticism (r=0.638; p≤0.001), conscientiousness (r=0.171; p≤0.001), and brain gray matter volume in left and right orbitofrontal cortex, right ventral striatum and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The externalizing factor correlated with extraversion (r=0.201; p≤0.001), novelty-seeking (r=0.451; p≤0.001), and negatively with gray matter volume in the left inferior and middle frontal gyri. Conclusions Results suggest that a compulsivity spectrum exists in an adolescent, preclinical sample and accounts for variance in both OCD and ED, but not substance-related behaviors, and can be differentiated from an externalizing spectrum. PMID:24244633

How the Parent-Child Relationship Affects Externalizing, Internalizing, and Adaptive Behavior Development in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levenson, Lauren Nicole

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parent-child relationship characteristics (attachment, involvement, discipline practices, parenting confidence, and relational frustration) and behavioral outcomes (internalizing, externalizing, and adaptive) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD presents pervasive…

High internal noise and poor external noise filtering characterize perception in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Park, Woon Ju; Schauder, Kimberly B; Zhang, Ruyuan; Bennetto, Loisa; Tadin, Duje

2017-12-14

An emerging hypothesis postulates that internal noise is a key factor influencing perceptual abilities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given fundamental and inescapable effects of noise on nearly all aspects of neural processing, this could be a critical abnormality with broad implications for perception, behavior, and cognition. However, this proposal has been challenged by both theoretical and empirical studies. A crucial question is whether and how internal noise limits perception in ASD, independently from other sources of perceptual inefficiency, such as the ability to filter out external noise. Here, we separately estimated internal noise and external noise filtering in ASD. In children and adolescents with and without ASD, we computationally modeled individuals' visual orientation discrimination in the presence of varying levels of external noise. The results revealed increased internal noise and worse external noise filtering in individuals with ASD. For both factors, we also observed high inter-individual variability in ASD, with only the internal noise estimates significantly correlating with severity of ASD symptoms. We provide evidence for reduced perceptual efficiency in ASD that is due to both increased internal noise and worse external noise filtering, while highlighting internal noise as a possible contributing factor to variability in ASD symptoms.

Sociodemographic factors in Arab children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Amr, Mostafa; Bu Ali, WaleedAl; Hablas, Hatem; Raddad, Dahoud; El-Mehesh, Fatma; El-Gilany, Abdel-Hady; Al-Shamy, Hemdan

2012-01-01

Introduction There is a critical gap in Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) research with respect to manifestations of the condition in developing countries This study examined the influence of sociodemographic variables on the severity of autistic symptoms and behavioral profile in Arab children. Methods The total study sample comprised of 60 Arab children (38 boys and 22 girls) from three Arab countries (22 Jordanians, 19 Saudis and 19 Egyptians). The diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) was based on DSM-IV criteria supplemented by direct observation according to the Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) and assessment of Intelligent Quotient (IQ). Finally, parents rated their child on the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Results It was found that the housewives and Saudi parents described more autistic symptoms and externalizing behavior problems. A significant negative correlation was found between IQ and each of ISAA, CBCL Internalizing and Externalizing problems scores. Conclusion The study concluded that the clinical presentation of ASD may be shaped by cultural factors that are likely to help to formulate specific diagnosis and intervention techniques in Arab children with ASD. PMID:23346279

Disorganized Attachment and Inhibitory Capacity: Predicting Externalizing Problem Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohlin, Gunilla; Eninger, Lilianne; Brocki, Karin Cecilia; Thorell, Lisa B.

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether attachment insecurity, focusing on disorganized attachment, and the executive function (EF) component of inhibition, assessed at age 5, were longitudinally related to general externalizing problem behaviors as well as to specific symptoms of ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and…

Neural substrates of trait impulsivity, anhedonia, and irritability: Mechanisms of heterotypic comorbidity between externalizing disorders and unipolar depression.

PubMed

Zisner, Aimee; Beauchaine, Theodore P

2016-11-01

Trait impulsivity, which is often defined as a strong preference for immediate over delayed rewards and results in behaviors that are socially inappropriate, maladaptive, and short-sighted, is a predisposing vulnerability to all externalizing spectrum disorders. In contrast, anhedonia is characterized by chronically low motivation and reduced capacity to experience pleasure, and is common to depressive disorders. Although externalizing and depressive disorders have virtually nonoverlapping diagnostic criteria in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, heterotypic comorbidity between them is common. Here, we review common neural substrates of trait impulsivity, anhedonia, and irritability, which include both low tonic mesolimbic dopamine activity and low phasic mesolimbic dopamine responding to incentives during reward anticipation and associative learning. We also consider how other neural networks, including bottom-up emotion generation systems and top-down emotion regulation systems, interact with mesolimbic dysfunction to result in alternative manifestations of psychiatric illness. Finally, we present a model that emphasizes a translational, transdiagnostic approach to understanding externalizing/depression comorbidity. This model should refine ways in which internalizing and externalizing disorders are studied, classified, and treated.

Informant Discrepancies in Externalizing and Internalizing Symptoms and Adaptive Skills of High-Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Christin A.; Lopata, Christopher; Donnelly, James P.; Thomeer, Marcus L.; Rodgers, Jonathan D.; Jordan, Allyson K.

2016-01-01

Assessment of clinical symptoms requires information from multiple informants. Discrepancies between informants' ratings can have significant implications in school settings (e.g., access to services, treatment planning, progress monitoring). This study examined parent-teacher discrepancies for ratings of internalizing and externalizing symptoms,…

Assessing Child and Adolescent Pragmatic Language Competencies: Toward Evidence-Based Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Robert L.; Grizzle, Kenneth L.

2008-01-01

Using language appropriately and effectively in social contexts requires pragmatic language competencies (PLCs). Increasingly, deficits in PLCs are linked to child and adolescent disorders, including autism spectrum, externalizing, and internalizing disorders. As the role of PLCs expands in diagnosis and treatment of developmental psychopathology,…

Hoarding in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Anxiety: Incidence, Clinical Correlates, and Behavioral Treatment Response.

PubMed

Storch, Eric A; Nadeau, Joshua M; Johnco, Carly; Timpano, Kiara; McBride, Nicole; Jane Mutch, P; Lewin, Adam B; Murphy, Tanya K

2016-05-01

This study examined the nature and correlates of hoarding among youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Forty children with ASD and a comorbid anxiety disorder were administered a battery of clinician-administered measures assessing presence of psychiatric disorders and anxiety severity. Parents completed questionnaires related to child hoarding behaviors, social responsiveness, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and functional impairment. We examined the impact of hoarding behaviors on treatment response in a subsample of twenty-six youth who completed a course of personalized cognitive-behavioral therapy targeting anxiety symptoms. Hoarding symptoms were common and occurred in a clinically significant manner in approximately 25 % of cases. Overall hoarding severity was associated with increased internalizing and anxiety/depressive symptoms, externalizing behavior, and attention problems. Discarding items was associated with internalizing and anxious/depressive symptoms, but acquisition was not. Hoarding decreased following cognitive-behavioral therapy but did not differ between treatment responders and non-responders. These data are among the first to examine hoarding among youth with ASD; implications of study findings and future directions are highlighted.

Personality traits, autobiographical memory and knowledge of self and others: A comparative study in young people with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Robinson, Sally; Howlin, Patricia; Russell, Ailsa

2017-04-01

The relationship between dissociable components of autobiographical memory (e.g. semantic personality traits and episodic memory retrieval) and other cognitive skills that are proposed to enable one to develop a sense of self (e.g. introspection) have not previously been explored for children with autism spectrum disorder. This study compared autobiographical memory (semantic and episodic) and knowledge of self (internal/external self-knowledge and introspection/mentalising abilities) in children (aged 11-18 years) with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and typically developing controls (total N = 48). Novel and standard tasks were employed. Compared to typically developing controls, young people with autism spectrum disorder had autobiographical memory difficulties that were characterised by a reduction in the retrieval of semantic personality traits, with more initial prompts required to facilitate episodic memory retrieval and fewer episodic memories containing emotional and sensory information. Knowledge of the self and others was also impaired, with reduced introspection and poorer mentalising abilities. Young people with autism spectrum disorder were also identified as presenting with an atypical relationship between autobiographical memory and self-knowledge, which was significantly different from typically developing controls. Test performance is discussed in relation to the functions of autobiographical memory, with consideration of how these cognitive difficulties may contribute to clinical practices and the social and behavioural characteristics of autism spectrum disorder.

Preliminary study of family accommodation in youth with autism spectrum disorders and anxiety: Incidence, clinical correlates, and behavioral treatment response.

PubMed

Storch, Eric A; Zavrou, Sophia; Collier, Amanda B; Ung, Danielle; Arnold, Elysse B; Mutch, P Jane; Lewin, Adam B; Murphy, Tanya K

2015-08-01

Anxiety symptoms are common in youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and directly associated with symptom severity and functional impairment. Family accommodation occurs frequently among individuals with obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders; to date, no data exist on the nature and correlates of family accommodation in youth with ASD and anxiety, as well as its relationship to cognitive-behavioral therapy outcome. Forty children with ASD and a comorbid anxiety disorder participated. Clinicians administered measures of ASD and anxiety disorder caseness, anxiety symptom severity, and family accommodation; parents completed questionnaires assessing social responsiveness, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and functional impairment. A subsample of youth (n = 24) completed a course of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Family accommodation was common and positively correlated with anxiety symptom severity, but not functional impairment, general internalizing symptoms, externalizing behavior, or social responsiveness. Family accommodation decreased following cognitive-behavioral therapy with decreases in family accommodation being associated with decreases in anxiety levels. Treatment responders reported lower family accommodation frequency and lower parent impact relative to non-responders. Clinical implications of this study in assessing and psychotherapeutically treating youth with ASD and comorbid anxiety are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The ankyrin-3 gene is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and externalizing comorbidity

PubMed Central

Logue, Mark W.; Solovieff, Nadia; Leussis, Melanie P.; Wolf, Erika J.; Melista, Efi; Baldwin, Clinton; Koenen, Karestan C.; Petryshen, Tracey; Miller, Mark W.

2013-01-01

Background The ankyrin 3 gene (ANK3) produces the ankyrin G protein that plays an integral role in regulating neuronal activity. Previous studies have linked ANK3 to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A recent mouse study suggests that ANK3 may regulate behavioral disinhibition and stress reactivity. This led us to hypothesize that ANK3 might also be associated with stress-related psychopathology such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as disorders of the externalizing spectrum such as antisocial personality disorder and substance-related disorders that are etiologically linked to impulsivity and temperamental disinhibition. Methods We examined the possibility of association between ANK3 SNPs and both PTSD and externalizing (defined by a factor score representing a composite of adult antisociality and substance abuse) in a cohort of white non-Hispanic combat veterans and their intimate partners (N=554). Initially, we focused on rs9804190— a SNP previously reported to be associated with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ankyrin G expression in brain. Then we examined 358 additional ANK3 SNPs utilizing a multiple-testing correction. Results rs9804190 was associated with both externalizing and PTSD (p=0.028 and p=0.042 respectively). Analysis of other ANK3 SNPs identified several that were more strongly associated with either trait. The most significant association with externalizing was observed at rs1049862 (p=0.00040, pcorrected=0.60). The most significant association with PTSD (p=0.00060, pcorrected=0.045) was found with three SNPs in complete linkage disequilibrium (LD)—rs28932171, rs11599164, and rs17208576. Conclusions These findings support a role of ANK3 in risk of stress-related and externalizing disorders, beyond its previous associations with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. PMID:23796624

The association between emotional and behavioral problems and gastrointestinal symptoms among children with high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Mazefsky, Carla A; Schreiber, Dana R; Olino, Thomas M; Minshew, Nancy J

2014-07-01

This study investigated the association between gastrointestinal symptoms and a broad set of emotional and behavioral concerns in 95 children with high-functioning autism and IQ scores ≥ 80. Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed via the Autism Treatment Network's Gastrointestinal Symptom Inventory, and data were gathered on autism symptom severity, adaptive behavior, and multiple internalizing and externalizing problems. The majority (61%) of children had at least one reported gastrointestinal symptom. Emotional and behavioral problems were also common but with a high degree of variability. Children with and without gastrointestinal problems did not differ in autism symptom severity, adaptive behavior, or total internalizing or externalizing problem scores. However, participants with gastrointestinal problems had significantly higher levels of affective problems. This finding is consistent with a small body of research noting a relationship between gastrointestinal problems, irritability, and mood problems in autism spectrum disorder. More research to identify the mechanisms underlying this relationship in autism spectrum disorder is warranted. Future research should include a medical assessment of gastrointestinal concerns, longitudinal design, and participants with a range of autism spectrum disorder severity in order to clarify the directionality of this relationship and to identify factors that may impact heterogeneity in the behavioral manifestation of gastrointestinal concerns. © The Author(s) 2013.

Lower-extremity rotational profile and toe-walking in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Arik, Atilla; Aksoy, Cemalettin; Aysev, Ayla; Akçakin, Melda

2018-04-24

The aim of this study was to establish the torsional and toe-walking profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to analyze the correlations between torsion, toe-walking, autism severity score, and age. In total, 79 consecutive children with autism were examined to determine their hip rotations, thigh-foot angle, degree of toe-walking, and autism severity. Femoral and tibial torsion values, of the preschool patients, were compared statistically with age-matched controls. The hip rotation profile of the patients was similar to the normal group. Nearly a half of the patients with ASD present excessive external tibial torsion. The difference in the tibial torsion between patients and normal children was statistically significant. A weak correlation was found only between tibial torsion and the autism severity score, but no correlation was found between the other parameters. External tibial torsion is the cardinal and persistent orthopedic manifestation among patients with ASD. Toe-walking is the second most common such manifestation and is an independent orthopedic feature in these patients. External tibial torsion may potentially contribute toward the described gait abnormalities in patients with ASD.

Derivation and Cross-Validation of Cutoff Scores for Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders on WAIS-IV Digit Span-Based Performance Validity Measures.

PubMed

Glassmire, David M; Toofanian Ross, Parnian; Kinney, Dominique I; Nitch, Stephen R

2016-06-01

Two studies were conducted to identify and cross-validate cutoff scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition Digit Span-based embedded performance validity (PV) measures for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In Study 1, normative scores were identified on Digit Span-embedded PV measures among a sample of patients (n = 84) with schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses who had no known incentive to perform poorly and who put forth valid effort on external PV tests. Previously identified cutoff scores resulted in unacceptable false positive rates and lower cutoff scores were adopted to maintain specificity levels ≥90%. In Study 2, the revised cutoff scores were cross-validated within a sample of schizophrenia spectrum patients (n = 96) committed as incompetent to stand trial. Performance on Digit Span PV measures was significantly related to Full Scale IQ in both studies, indicating the need to consider the intellectual functioning of examinees with psychotic spectrum disorders when interpreting scores on Digit Span PV measures. © The Author(s) 2015.

Influence of sleep disorders on the behavior of individuals with autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Fadini, Cintia C.; Lamônica, Dionísia A.; Fett-Conte, Agnes C.; Osório, Elaine; Zuculo, Gabriela M.; Giacheti, Célia M.; Pinato, Luciana

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between sleep disorders and the behavior of subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and control subjects using specific questionnaires. A small percentage (1.8%) of the control subjects had symptoms indicative of sleep-breathing disorders (SBD) and nocturnal sweating. Fifty-nine percent of the subjects with ASD had symptoms indicative of at least one sleep disorder, with SBD the most commonly reported (38%). In the control group, the symptoms of SBD were correlated with social, thought, attentional, aggression, externalizing and behavioral problems. In the ASD group, disorders of arousal (DA) were correlated with thinking problems, and disorders of excessive somnolence were correlated with thinking and behavioral problems. These results suggest that children and adolescents with ASD have a high frequency of sleep disorders, which in turn correlate with some of the behavioral traits that they already exhibit. Furthermore, sleep disturbances, when present in the typically developing children, also correlated with behavioral problems. PMID:26150777

Development and psychometric evaluation of a psychosocial quality-of-life questionnaire for individuals with autism and related developmental disorders.

PubMed

Markowitz, Leslie A; Reyes, Charina; Embacher, Rebecca A; Speer, Leslie L; Roizen, Nancy; Frazier, Thomas W

2016-10-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Child and Family Quality of Life scale, a measure of psychosocial quality of life in those with autism and related developmental disorders. Parents of 212 children suspected of autism spectrum disorder completed the Child and Family Quality of Life prior to a diagnostic evaluation. Results indicated that the Child and Family Quality of Life measured six unique quality-of-life constructs (child, family/caregiver, financial, external support, partner relationship, and coping), had good reliability across score ranges and exhibited expected patterns of convergent validity. Caregivers of autism spectrum disorder-affected children reported reduced family quality of life prior to the time of diagnosis relative to caregivers of children with other developmental disabilities. The Child and Family Quality of Life is a brief, reliable measure for assessing psychosocial quality of life in families affected by developmental disability. This study is the first to demonstrate impairments in family quality of life early in the developmental course of autism spectrum disorder, prior to formal diagnosis. In addition to traditional child-focused intervention strategies, families with autism spectrum disorder-affected children require early, broad intervention strategies that positively impact the whole family. © The Author(s) 2015.

Validity of the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory in a Criminal Offender Sample: Relations with Disinhibitory Psychopathology, Personality, and Psychopathic Features

PubMed Central

Venables, Noah C.; Patrick, Christopher J.

2013-01-01

The Externalizing Spectrum Inventory (ESI; Krueger, Markon, Patrick, Benning, & Kramer, 2007) provides a self-report based method for indexing a range of correlated problem behaviors and traits in the domain of deficient impulse control. The ESI organizes lower-order behaviors and traits of this kind around higher-order factors encompassing general disinhibitory proneness, callous-aggression, and substance abuse. The current study used data from a male prisoner sample (N = 235) to evaluate the validity of ESI total and factor scores in relation to external criterion measures consisting of externalizing disorder symptoms (including child and adult antisocial deviance and substance-related problems) assessed via diagnostic interview, personality traits assessed by self-report, and psychopathic features as assessed by both interview and self-report. Results provide evidence for the validity of the ESI measurement model and point to its potential utility as a referent for research on the neurobiological correlates and etiological bases of externalizing proneness. PMID:21787091

Validity of the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory in a criminal offender sample: relations with disinhibitory psychopathology, personality, and psychopathic features.

PubMed

Venables, Noah C; Patrick, Christopher J

2012-03-01

The Externalizing Spectrum Inventory (ESI; Krueger, Markon, Patrick, Benning, & Kramer, 2007) provides a self-report based method for indexing a range of correlated problem behaviors and traits in the domain of deficient impulse control. The ESI organizes lower order behaviors and traits of this kind around higher order factors encompassing general disinhibitory proneness, callous-aggression, and substance abuse. In the current study, we used data from a male prisoner sample (N = 235) to evaluate the validity of ESI total and factor scores in relation to external criterion measures consisting of externalizing disorder symptoms (including child and adult antisocial deviance and substance-related problems) assessed via diagnostic interviews, personality traits assessed with self-reports, and psychopathic features as assessed with both interviews and self-reports. Results provide evidence for the validity of the ESI measurement model and point to its potential usefulness as a referent for research on the neurobiological correlates and etiological bases of externalizing proneness.

Brief Report: Impact of Child Problem Behaviors and Parental Broad Autism Phenotype Traits on Substance Use among Parents of Children with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wade, Jordan L.; Cox, Neill Broderick; Reeve, Ronald E.; Hull, Michael

2014-01-01

Using data from the Simons Simplex Collection, the present study examined the impact of child externalizing behavior and parental broad autism phenotype traits on substance use among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 2,388). For both fathers and mothers, child externalizing behaviors predicted tobacco use (OR = 1.01 and OR =…

Dynamic phases of active matter systems with quenched disorder

DOE PAGES

Sandor, Csand; Libal, Andras; Reichhardt, Charles; ...

2017-03-16

Depinning and nonequilibrium transitions within sliding states in systems driven over quenched disorder arise across a wide spectrum of size scales ranging from atomic friction at the nanoscale, flux motion in type II superconductors at the mesoscale, colloidal motion in disordered media at the microscale, and plate tectonics at geological length scales. Here we show that active matter or self-propelled particles interacting with quenched disorder under an external drive represents a class of system that can also exhibit pinning-depinning phenomena, plastic flow phases, and nonequilibrium sliding transitions that are correlated with distinct morphologies and velocity-force curve signatures. When interactions withmore » the substrate are strong, a homogeneous pinned liquid phase forms that depins plastically into a uniform disordered phase and then dynamically transitions first into a moving stripe coexisting with a pinned liquid and then into a moving phase-separated state at higher drives. We numerically map the resulting dynamical phase diagrams as a function of external drive, substrate interaction strength, and self-propulsion correlation length. These phases can be observed for active matter moving through random disorder. Lastly, our results indicate that intrinsically nonequilibrium systems can exhibit additional nonequilibrium transitions when subjected to an external drive.« less

Dynamic phases of active matter systems with quenched disorder

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandor, Csand; Libal, Andras; Reichhardt, Charles

Depinning and nonequilibrium transitions within sliding states in systems driven over quenched disorder arise across a wide spectrum of size scales ranging from atomic friction at the nanoscale, flux motion in type II superconductors at the mesoscale, colloidal motion in disordered media at the microscale, and plate tectonics at geological length scales. Here we show that active matter or self-propelled particles interacting with quenched disorder under an external drive represents a class of system that can also exhibit pinning-depinning phenomena, plastic flow phases, and nonequilibrium sliding transitions that are correlated with distinct morphologies and velocity-force curve signatures. When interactions withmore » the substrate are strong, a homogeneous pinned liquid phase forms that depins plastically into a uniform disordered phase and then dynamically transitions first into a moving stripe coexisting with a pinned liquid and then into a moving phase-separated state at higher drives. We numerically map the resulting dynamical phase diagrams as a function of external drive, substrate interaction strength, and self-propulsion correlation length. These phases can be observed for active matter moving through random disorder. Lastly, our results indicate that intrinsically nonequilibrium systems can exhibit additional nonequilibrium transitions when subjected to an external drive.« less

Individual Temperament and Problem Behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamek, Lauren; Nichols, Shana; Tetenbaum, Samara P.; Bregman, Joel; Ponzio, Christine A.; Carr, Edward G.

2011-01-01

Temperament is important for considering differences among diagnostic groups and for understanding individual differences that predict problematic behavior. Temperament characteristics, such as negative affectivity, effortful control, and surgency (highly active and impulsive), are predictive of externalizing behavior in typically developing…

Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders: The Clinical Spectrum Beyond Tics.

PubMed

Martino, Davide; Ganos, Christos; Pringsheim, Tamara M

2017-01-01

The clinical surveillance and active management of Tourette syndrome (TS) and other primary chronic tic disorders cannot be limited to tics, as these patients manifest a spectrum of sensory-, behavioral-, cognitive-, and sleep-related problems that have a major impact on their functioning and quality of life, influencing enormously clinical decision making on a routine basis. The sensory phenomena of primary tic disorders consist of premonitory urges and heightened sensitivity to external somatosensory and interoceptive stimuli. Recent evidence suggests that raised interoceptive awareness may be related to the classical premonitory urges associated with tics. The burden of behavioral comorbidities is very important in determining the degree of disability of patients with primary tic disorders. Only 10%-15% of these patients presents exclusively with a tic disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are common in TS, and the clinical distinction between compulsions and complex tics may be difficult in some cases. "Tic-related OCD" represents a phenomenologically characteristic subtype of OCD, also associated with "just right" phenomena. Probably the presence of comorbid attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is the main determinant of cognitive dysfunction in TS patients and influences heavily also the risk of developing disruptive behaviors. Mood and anxiety disorders, impulse control disorders, rage attacks, "impulsive" tic-like behaviors (e.g., nonobscene socially inappropriate behaviors, and self-injurious behaviors), and autism spectrum disorders complete the wide psychopathological spectrum of primary chronic tic disorders. Moreover, specific sleep abnormalities have been reported in TS patients, although more research is needed on this specific clinical problem. As in other areas of clinical neuroscience, a comprehensive approach to both motor and nonmotor aspects of this group of disorders will help personalizing treatment interventions and, ultimately, improve quality of care. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring Behavioral Sleep Problems in Children With ADHD and Comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Thomas, Simone; Lycett, Kate; Papadopoulos, Nicole; Sciberras, Emma; Rinehart, Nicole

2015-12-04

This study (a) compared behavioral sleep problems in children with comorbid ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with those with ADHD and (b) examined child/family factors associated with sleep problems. Cross-sectional study comparison of 392 children with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis (ADHD+ASD, n=93, ADHD, n=299) recruited from 21 peadiatric practises in Victoria, Australia. Data were collected from parents. Key measures included the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Children with ADHD + ASD experienced similar levels and types of behavioral sleep problems compared with those with ADHD. In both groups, the presence of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing comorbidities was associated with sleep problems. Sleep problems were also associated with parent age in the ADHD + ASD group and poorer parent mental health in the ADHD group. Findings suggest comorbid ASD is not associated with increased behavioral sleep problems in children with ADHD and that co-occurring internalizing and externalizing comorbidities may flag children in these groups with sleep problems. © The Author(s) 2015.

Dynamics of molecular motors with finite processivity on heterogeneous tracks.

PubMed

Kafri, Yariv; Lubensky, David K; Nelson, David R

2005-04-01

The dynamics of molecular motors which occasionally detach from a heterogeneous track like DNA or RNA is considered. Motivated by recent single-molecule experiments, we study a simple model for a motor moving along a disordered track using chemical energy while an external force opposes its motion. The motors also have finite processivity, i.e., they can leave the track with a position-dependent rate. We show that the response of the system to disorder in the hopping-off rate depends on the value of the external force. For most values of the external force, strong disorder causes the motors which survive for long times on the track to be localized at preferred positions. However, near the stall force, localization occurs for any amount of disorder. To obtain these results, we study the complex eigenvalue spectrum of the time evolution operator. Existence of localized states near the top of the band implies a stretched exponential contribution to the decay of the survival probability. A similar spectral analysis also provides a very efficient method for studying the dynamics of motors with infinite processivity.

Factors influencing success of clinical genome sequencing across a broad spectrum of disorders

PubMed Central

Lise, Stefano; Broxholme, John; Cazier, Jean-Baptiste; Rimmer, Andy; Kanapin, Alexander; Lunter, Gerton; Fiddy, Simon; Allan, Chris; Aricescu, A. Radu; Attar, Moustafa; Babbs, Christian; Becq, Jennifer; Beeson, David; Bento, Celeste; Bignell, Patricia; Blair, Edward; Buckle, Veronica J; Bull, Katherine; Cais, Ondrej; Cario, Holger; Chapel, Helen; Copley, Richard R; Cornall, Richard; Craft, Jude; Dahan, Karin; Davenport, Emma E; Dendrou, Calliope; Devuyst, Olivier; Fenwick, Aimée L; Flint, Jonathan; Fugger, Lars; Gilbert, Rodney D; Goriely, Anne; Green, Angie; Greger, Ingo H.; Grocock, Russell; Gruszczyk, Anja V; Hastings, Robert; Hatton, Edouard; Higgs, Doug; Hill, Adrian; Holmes, Chris; Howard, Malcolm; Hughes, Linda; Humburg, Peter; Johnson, David; Karpe, Fredrik; Kingsbury, Zoya; Kini, Usha; Knight, Julian C; Krohn, Jonathan; Lamble, Sarah; Langman, Craig; Lonie, Lorne; Luck, Joshua; McCarthy, Davis; McGowan, Simon J; McMullin, Mary Frances; Miller, Kerry A; Murray, Lisa; Németh, Andrea H; Nesbit, M Andrew; Nutt, David; Ormondroyd, Elizabeth; Oturai, Annette Bang; Pagnamenta, Alistair; Patel, Smita Y; Percy, Melanie; Petousi, Nayia; Piazza, Paolo; Piret, Sian E; Polanco-Echeverry, Guadalupe; Popitsch, Niko; Powrie, Fiona; Pugh, Chris; Quek, Lynn; Robbins, Peter A; Robson, Kathryn; Russo, Alexandra; Sahgal, Natasha; van Schouwenburg, Pauline A; Schuh, Anna; Silverman, Earl; Simmons, Alison; Sørensen, Per Soelberg; Sweeney, Elizabeth; Taylor, John; Thakker, Rajesh V; Tomlinson, Ian; Trebes, Amy; Twigg, Stephen RF; Uhlig, Holm H; Vyas, Paresh; Vyse, Tim; Wall, Steven A; Watkins, Hugh; Whyte, Michael P; Witty, Lorna; Wright, Ben; Yau, Chris; Buck, David; Humphray, Sean; Ratcliffe, Peter J; Bell, John I; Wilkie, Andrew OM; Bentley, David; Donnelly, Peter; McVean, Gilean

2015-01-01

To assess factors influencing the success of whole genome sequencing for mainstream clinical diagnosis, we sequenced 217 individuals from 156 independent cases across a broad spectrum of disorders in whom prior screening had identified no pathogenic variants. We quantified the number of candidate variants identified using different strategies for variant calling, filtering, annotation and prioritisation. We found that jointly calling variants across samples, filtering against both local and external databases, deploying multiple annotation tools and using familial transmission above biological plausibility contributed to accuracy. Overall, we identified disease causing variants in 21% of cases, rising to 34% (23/68) for Mendelian disorders and 57% (8/14) in trios. We also discovered 32 potentially clinically actionable variants in 18 genes unrelated to the referral disorder, though only four were ultimately considered reportable. Our results demonstrate the value of genome sequencing for routine clinical diagnosis, but also highlight many outstanding challenges. PMID:25985138

Demographic and clinical correlates of autism symptom domains and autism spectrum diagnosis.

PubMed

Frazier, Thomas W; Youngstrom, Eric A; Embacher, Rebecca; Hardan, Antonio Y; Constantino, John N; Law, Paul; Findling, Robert L; Eng, Charis

2014-07-01

Demographic and clinical factors may influence assessment of autism symptoms. This study evaluated these correlates and also examined whether social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior provided unique prediction of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. We analyzed data from 7352 siblings included in the Interactive Autism Network registry. Social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms were obtained using caregiver-reports on the Social Responsiveness Scale. Demographic and clinical correlates were covariates in regression models predicting social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses evaluated the incremental validity of social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior domains over and above global autism symptoms. Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was the strongest correlate of caregiver-reported social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms. The presence of comorbid diagnoses also increased symptom levels. Social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms provided significant, but modest, incremental validity in predicting diagnosis beyond global autism symptoms. These findings suggest that autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is by far the largest determinant of quantitatively measured autism symptoms. Externalizing (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and internalizing (anxiety) behavior, low cognitive ability, and demographic factors may confound caregiver-report of autism symptoms, potentially necessitating a continuous norming approach to the revision of symptom measures. Social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms may provide incremental validity in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2013.

Demographic and clinical correlates of autism symptom domains and autism spectrum diagnosis

PubMed Central

Frazier, Thomas W; Youngstrom, Eric A; Embacher, Rebecca; Hardan, Antonio Y; Constantino, John N; Law, Paul; Findling, Robert L; Eng, Charis

2014-01-01

Demographic and clinical factors may influence assessment of autism symptoms. This study evaluated these correlates and also examined whether social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior provided unique prediction of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. We analyzed data from 7352 siblings included in the Interactive Autism Network registry. Social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms were obtained using caregiver-reports on the Social Responsiveness Scale. Demographic and clinical correlates were covariates in regression models predicting social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses evaluated the incremental validity of social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior domains over and above global autism symptoms. Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was the strongest correlate of caregiver-reported social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms. The presence of comorbid diagnoses also increased symptom levels. Social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms provided significant, but modest, incremental validity in predicting diagnosis beyond global autism symptoms. These findings suggest that autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is by far the largest determinant of quantitatively measured autism symptoms. Externalizing (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and internalizing (anxiety) behavior, low cognitive ability, and demographic factors may confound caregiver-report of autism symptoms, potentially necessitating a continuous norming approach to the revision of symptom measures. Social communication and interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior symptoms may provide incremental validity in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. PMID:24104512

Child attention deficit hyperactive disorder co morbidities on family stress: effect of medication.

PubMed

Silva, Desiree; Houghton, Stephen; Hagemann, Erika; Jacoby, Peter; Jongeling, Brad; Bower, Carol

2015-04-01

We examined the degree of parental and child mental health in a community sample of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and the effect on family stress prior to and during treatment using a community retrospective questionnaire study. In total 358 questionnaires were returned for analysis where 92 % of children had at least one co-morbid condition and mental health conditions in parents was common. Overall, the Family Strain Index was significantly reduced after commencement of medication (p < 0.0001), but remained higher in families where the children had either externalizing disorders or autism spectrum disorder.

Toward the definition of a bipolar prodrome: Dimensional predictors of bipolar spectrum disorder in at-risk youth

PubMed Central

Hafeman, Danella M.; Merranko, John; Axelson, David; Goldstein, Benjamin I.; Goldstein, Tina; Monk, Kelly; Hickey, Mary Beth; Sakolsky, Dara; Diler, Rasim; Iyengar, Satish; Brent, David; Kupfer, David; Birmaher, Boris

2016-01-01

Objective We aimed to assess dimensional symptomatic predictors of new-onset bipolar spectrum disorder in youth at familial risk of bipolar disorder (“at-risk” youth). Method Offspring aged 6–18 of parents with bipolar-I/II disorder (n=391) and offspring of community controls (n=248) were recruited without regard to non-bipolar psychopathology. At baseline, 8.4% (33/391) of offspring of bipolar parents had bipolar spectrum; 14.7% (44/299) of offspring with follow-up developed new-onset bipolar spectrum (15 with bipolar-I/II) over eight years. Scales collected at baseline and follow-up were reduced using factor analyses; factors (both at baseline and visit proximal to conversion or last contact) were then assessed as predictors of new-onset bipolar spectrum. Results Relative to community control offspring, at-risk and bipolar offspring had higher baseline levels of anxiety/depression, inattention/disinhibition, externalizing, subsydromal manic, and affective lability symptoms (p<.05). The strongest predictors of new-onset bipolar spectrum were: baseline anxiety/depression, baseline and proximal affective lability, and proximal subsyndromal manic symptoms (p<.05). While affective lability and anxiety/depression were elevated throughout follow-up in those who later developed bipolar spectrum, manic symptoms increased up to the point of conversion. A path analysis supported the hypothesized model that affective lability at baseline predicted new-onset bipolar spectrum, in part, through increased manic symptoms at the visit prior to conversion; earlier parental age of mood disorder onset also significantly increased risk of conversion (p<.001). While youth without anxiety/depression, affective lability, and mania (and with a parent with older age of mood disorder onset) had a 2% predicted chance of conversion to bipolar spectrum, those with all risk factors had a 49% predicted chance of conversion. Conclusions Dimensional measures of anxiety/depression, affective lability, and mania are important predictors of new-onset bipolar spectrum in this population of at-risk youth. These symptoms emerged from among numerous other candidates, underscoring the potential clinical and research utility of these findings. PMID:26892940

Linguistic Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Fiona M.; Murdoch, Bruce E.; Woodyatt, Gail C.

2007-01-01

Background: Two broad approaches have been used to examine linguistic skills in Asperger syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA). One approach has aimed at determining the external validity of each diagnosis by investigating whether developmental language history, which differentiates AS from HFA, is relevant in long-term linguistic…

Brief Report: Social Skills, Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms, and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuhaus, Emily; Bernier, Raphael; Beauchaine, Theodore P.

2014-01-01

Theoretical and empirical models describe respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as a peripheral biomarker of emotion regulation and social competence. Recent findings also link RSA to individual differences in social functioning within autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, associations between RSA and symptoms of internalizing/externalizing…

Comorbidities and continuities as ontogenic processes: Toward a developmental spectrum model of externalizing psychopathology

PubMed Central

Beauchaine, Theodore P.; McNulty, Tiffany

2014-01-01

Research on child and adolescent mental health problems has burgeoned since the inaugural issue of Development and Psychopathology was published in 1989. In the quarter century since, static models of psychopathology have been abandoned in favor of transactional models, following the agenda set by editor Dante Cicchetti and other proponents of the discipline. The transactional approach, which has been applied to autism, depression, self-injury, and delinquency, (a) specifies vulnerabilities and risk factors across multiple levels of analysis spanning genes to cultures, (b) identifies multifinal and equifinal pathways to psychopathology, and (c) transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. However, as noted by Rutter and Sroufe (2000), specific mechanisms of continuity, discontinuity, and comorbidity of psychopathology must be identified if we wish to understand etiology fully. In this article, we present a model of early-onset externalizing behavior in which comorbidities and continuities are viewed as ontogenic processes: products of complex longitudinal transactions between interdependent individual-level vulnerabilities (e.g., genetic, epigenetic, allostatic) and equally interdependent contextual risk factors (e.g., coercive parenting, deviant peer group affiliations, neighborhood criminality). Through interactions across levels of analysis, some individuals traverse along the externalizing spectrum, beginning with heritable trait impulsivity in preschool and ending in antisociality in adulthood. In describing our model, we note that (a) the approach outlined in the DSM to subtyping externalizing disorders continues to obscure developmental pathways to antisociality, (b) molecular genetics studies will likely not identify meaningful subtypes of externalizing disorder, and (c) ontogenic trait approaches to psychopathology are much more likely to advance the discipline in upcoming years. PMID:24342853

Disorders without borders: current and future directions in the meta-structure of mental disorders.

PubMed

Carragher, Natacha; Krueger, Robert F; Eaton, Nicholas R; Slade, Tim

2015-03-01

Classification is the cornerstone of clinical diagnostic practice and research. However, the extant psychiatric classification systems are not well supported by research evidence. In particular, extensive comorbidity among putatively distinct disorders flags an urgent need for fundamental changes in how we conceptualize psychopathology. Over the past decade, research has coalesced on an empirically based model that suggests many common mental disorders are structured according to two correlated latent dimensions: internalizing and externalizing. We review and discuss the development of a dimensional-spectrum model which organizes mental disorders in an empirically based manner. We also touch upon changes in the DSM-5 and put forward recommendations for future research endeavors. Our review highlights substantial empirical support for the empirically based internalizing-externalizing model of psychopathology, which provides a parsimonious means of addressing comorbidity. As future research goals, we suggest that the field would benefit from: expanding the meta-structure of psychopathology to include additional disorders, development of empirically based thresholds, inclusion of a developmental perspective, and intertwining genomic and neuroscience dimensions with the empirical structure of psychopathology.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and High Functioning Autism: A Conceptual Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masse, Joshua J.; McNeil, Cheryl B.; Wagner, Stephanie M.; Chorney, Daniel B.

2007-01-01

Externalizing behaviors are a common component of the clinical presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorders and are typically the initial focus of treatment for children within this population. This article examines the appropriateness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as a first-line, gateway treatment for preschoolers with High Functioning…

Corneal endothelial dysfunction in Pearson syndrome.

PubMed

Kasbekar, Shivani A; Gonzalez-Martin, Jose A; Shafiq, Ayad E; Chandna, Arvind; Willoughby, Colin E

2013-01-01

Mitochondrial disorders are associated with well recognized ocular manifestations. Pearson syndrome is an often fatal, multisystem, mitochondrial disorder that causes variable bone marrow, hepatic, renal and pancreatic exocrine dysfunction. Phenotypic progression of ocular disease in a 12-year-old male with Pearson syndrome is described. This case illustrates phenotypic drift from Pearson syndrome to Kearns-Sayre syndrome given the patient's longevity. Persistent corneal endothelial failure was noted in addition to ptosis, chronic external ophthalmoplegia and mid-peripheral pigmentary retinopathy. We propose that corneal edema resulting from corneal endothelial metabolic pump failure occurs within a spectrum of mitochondrial disorders.

The Joint Structure of DSM–IV Axis I and Axis II Disorders

PubMed Central

Røysamb, Espen; Tambs, Kristian; Ørstavik, Ragnhild E.; Torgersen, Svenn; Kendler, Kenneth S.; Neale, Michael C.; Aggen, Steven H.; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted

2011-01-01

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (4th ed. [DSM–IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) distinction between clinical disorders on Axis I and personality disorders on Axis II has become increasingly controversial. Although substantial comorbidity between axes has been demonstrated, the structure of the liability factors underlying these two groups of disorders is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the latent factor structure of a broad set of common Axis I disorders and all Axis II personality disorders and thereby to identify clusters of disorders and account for comorbidity within and between axes. Data were collected in Norway, through a population-based interview study (N = 2,794 young adult twins). Axis I and Axis II disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and the Structured Interview for DSM–IV Personality (SIDP–IV), respectively. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to investigate the underlying structure of 25 disorders. A four-factor model fit the data well, suggesting a distinction between clinical and personality disorders as well as a distinction between broad groups of internalizing and externalizing disorders. The location of some disorders was not consistent with the DSM–IV classification; antisocial personality disorder belonged primarily to the Axis I externalizing spectrum, dysthymia appeared as a personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder appeared in an interspectral position. The findings have implications for a meta-structure for the DSM. PMID:21319931

Clinical Outcomes of Behavioral Treatments for Elopement in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Call, Nathan A.; Alvarez, Jessica P.; Simmons, Christina A.; Lomas Mevers, Joanna E.; Scheithauer, Mindy C.

2017-01-01

The external validity of behavioral treatments for elopement (i.e. leaving supervision without permission) remains unclear because studies to date include only small samples (n = 1-3). This study quantified the overall effectiveness of behavioral treatments for elopement by retrospectively examining treatment data from all patients seen for the…

Proneness to Self-Conscious Emotions in Adults with and without Autism Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Denise; Vanegas, Sandra B.; Hilvert, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Self-conscious emotions, such as shame, guilt and pride, facilitate our social interactions by motivating us to adhere to social norms and external standards. In this study, we examined proneness to shame, guilt, hubristic pride and authentic pride in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder traits (ASD-T) and in neurotypical (NT) adults. Relations…

Energy gap in graphene nanoribbons with structured external electric potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apel, W.; Pal, G.; Schweitzer, L.

2011-03-01

The electronic properties of graphene zigzag nanoribbons with electrostatic potentials along the edges are investigated. Using the Dirac-fermion approach, we calculate the energy spectrum of an infinitely long nanoribbon of finite width w, terminated by Dirichlet boundary conditions in the transverse direction. We show that a structured external potential that acts within the edge regions of the ribbon can induce a spectral gap and thus switch the nanoribbon from metallic to insulating behavior. The basic mechanism of this effect is the selective influence of the external potentials on the spinorial wave functions that are topological in nature and localized along the boundary of the graphene nanoribbon. Within this single-particle description, the maximal obtainable energy gap is Emax∝πℏvF/w, i.e., ≈0.12 eV for w=15 nm. The stability of the spectral gap against edge disorder and the effect of disorder on the two-terminal conductance is studied numerically within a tight-binding lattice model. We find that the energy gap persists as long as the applied external effective potential is larger than ≃0.55×W, where W is a measure of the disorder strength. We argue that there is a transport gap due to localization effects even in the absence of a spectral gap.

The Prevalence and Psychopathological Correlates of Sibling Bullying in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Toseeb, Umar; McChesney, Gillian; Wolke, Dieter

2018-07-01

Using data from a prospective population based study, the prevalence and psychopathological correlates of sibling bullying in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were estimated. There were 475 children with ASD and 13,702 children without ASD aged 11 years. Children with ASD were more likely to be bullied by their siblings compared to those without ASD. They were also more likely than those without ASD to both bully and be bullied by their siblings, which was associated with lower prosocial skills as well as more internalizing and externalizing problems compared to those not involved in any sibling bullying. Interventions to improve social and emotional outcomes in children with ASD should focus on both the affected and the unaffected sibling.

Communicating the risks of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: effects of message framing and exemplification.

PubMed

Yu, Nan; Ahern, Lee A; Connolly-Ahern, Colleen; Shen, Fuyuan

2010-12-01

Health messages can be either informative or descriptive, and can emphasize either potential losses or gains. This study, guided by message framing theory and exemplification theory, specifically investigated the combined effects of messages with loss-gain frames mixed with statistics or exemplar appeals. The findings revealed a series of main effects and interactions for loss-gain frames and statistics-exemplar appeals on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) prevention intention, intention to know more, perceived severity, perceived fear, perceived external efficacy, and perceived internal efficacy. The gain-statistics appeal showed an advantage in promoting perceived efficacy toward FASD, while the loss-exemplar appeal revealed an advantage in increasing prevention intention, perceived severity, and perceived fear toward FASD. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Reducing Behavior Problems Among Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Coaching Teachers in a Mixed-Reality Setting.

PubMed

Pas, Elise T; Johnson, Stacy R; Larson, Kristine E; Brandenburg, Linda; Church, Robin; Bradshaw, Catherine P

2016-12-01

Most approaches aiming to reduce behavior problems among youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) focus on individual students; however, school personnel also need professional development to better support students. This study targeted teachers' skill development to promote positive outcomes for students with ASD. The sample included 19 teachers in two non-public special education settings serving students with moderate to severe ASD. Participating teachers received professional development and coaching in classroom management, with guided practice in a mixed-reality simulator. Repeated-measures ANOVAs examining externally-conducted classroom observations revealed statistically significant improvements in teacher management and student behavior over time. Findings suggest that coaching and guided practice in a mixed-reality simulator is perceived as acceptable and may reduce behavior problems among students with ASD.

Does the Presence of Anxiety and ADHD Symptoms Add to Social Impairment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

PubMed

Factor, Reina S; Ryan, Sarah M; Farley, Julee P; Ollendick, Thomas H; Scarpa, Angela

2017-04-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience internalizing and externalizing problems at higher rates than typically developing children, which could worsen social impairment. The present study compared impairment scores (social responsiveness scale, 2nd edition; SRS-2 scores) in 57 children (3-17 years, 82.5% male) with ASD, either with or without heightened levels of anxiety or ADHD symptoms, all per parent report. Children with heightened anxiety problems showed higher scores on four SRS-2 subscales (Social Cognition, Social Communication, Social Motivation, and Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behavior). Children with heightened ADHD traits showed higher scores on two subscales (Social Communication and Social Awareness). These findings suggest similarities and differences in how social deficits in ASD may worsen with anxiety or ADHD symptoms.

Management of children with autism spectrum disorder in the dental setting: Concerns, behavioural approaches and recommendations

PubMed Central

Delli, Konstantina; Reichart, Peter A.; Bornstein, Michael M.

2013-01-01

Objectives: This article reviews the present literature on the issues encountered while coping with children with autistic spectrum disorder from the dental perspective. The autistic patient profile and external factors affecting the oral health status of this patient population are discussed upon the existing body of evidence. Material and Methods: The MEDLINE database was searched using the terms ‘Autistic Disorder’, ‘Behaviour Control/methods’, ‘Child’, ‘Dental care for disabled’, ‘Education’, ‘Oral Health’, and ‘Pediatric Dentistry’ to locate related articles published up to January 2013. Results: Most of the relevant studies indicate poor oral hygiene whereas they are inconclusive regarding the caries incidence in autistic individuals. Undergraduate dental education appears to determine the competence of dental professionals to treat developmentally disabled children and account partly for compromised access to dental care. Dental management of an autistic child requires in-depth understanding of the background of the autism and available behavioural guidance theories. The dental professional should be flexible to modify the treatment approach according to the individual patient needs. Key words:Autism spectrum disorder, dental management, children. PMID:23986012

Management of children with autism spectrum disorder in the dental setting: concerns, behavioural approaches and recommendations.

PubMed

Delli, Konstantina; Reichart, Peter A; Bornstein, Michael M; Livas, Christos

2013-11-01

This article reviews the present literature on the issues encountered while coping with children with autistic spectrum disorder from the dental perspective. The autistic patient profile and external factors affecting the oral health status of this patient population are discussed upon the existing body of evidence. The MEDLINE database was searched using the terms 'Autistic Disorder', 'Behaviour Control/methods', 'Child', 'Dental care for disabled', 'Education', 'Oral Health', and 'Pediatric Dentistry' to locate related articles published up to January 2013. Most of the relevant studies indicate poor oral hygiene whereas they are inconclusive regarding the caries incidence in autistic individuals. Undergraduate dental education appears to determine the competence of dental professionals to treat developmentally disabled children and account partly for compromised access to dental care. Dental management of an autistic child requires in-depth understanding of the background of the autism and available behavioural guidance theories. The dental professional should be flexible to modify the treatment approach according to the individual patient needs.

Caregiver Strain and Sensory Features in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities

PubMed Central

Kirby, Anne V.; White, Tamira J.; Baranek, Grace T.

2015-01-01

Caring for children with disabilities contributes to increased levels of parent stress, or caregiver strain. However, the potential relationship of sensory features to strain among caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD) is unknown. Sensory features include over-reactions, under-reactions, and unusual interests in sensations, which may negatively impact family functioning. This descriptive study confirmed three caregiver strain types (i.e., objective, subjective internalized, subjective externalized) and explored differences among ASD (n=71) and DD (n=36) groups, with the ASD group reporting higher levels. Furthermore, this study explored the contribution of sensory features to caregiver strain, finding differential contributions to strain in the ASD group and covariate contributions (i.e., child cognition, mother’s education) in the DD group. PMID:25551265

A Review of Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Lofthouse, Nicholas; Hendren, Robert; Hurt, Elizabeth; Arnold, L. Eugene; Butter, Eric

2012-01-01

Given the severe and chronic problems associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and the limitations of available treatments, there exists a large public health need for additional interventions. As more parents are inquiring about complementary and alternative treatments (CATs), both parents and practitioners require up-to-date information about them and whether and how to integrate them into treatment. After presenting data on CAT usage patterns for ASD, we review 13 ingestible (i.e., orally administered) and 6 noningestible (i.e., externally administered) CATs for ASD. For each CAT we briefly describe its definition; rationale for use; current research support, limitations, and future directions; safety issues; and whether we currently recommend, not recommend, or find it acceptable for the treatment of ASD. We conclude this paper with recommendations for future research and ten clinical recommendations for practitioners. PMID:23243505

P3 event-related potential amplitude and the risk for disinhibitory disorders in adolescent boys.

PubMed

Iacono, William G; Carlson, Scott R; Malone, Stephen M; McGue, Matthew

2002-08-01

The children of parents who abuse alcohol typically show reduced amplitude of the P3 event-related potential wave. We determined if this effect was present in a population-based sample of older adolescent boys, whether it was associated with paternal antisocial personality and drug use, and whether it appeared in youth with childhood externalizing and substance use disorders. A statewide sample of 502 male youth, identified from Minnesota birth records as members of twin pairs, had their P3 amplitude measured, using a visual oddball paradigm when they were approximately 17 years old. Structured clinical interviews covering attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and substance use disorders were administered in person to the youth and his parents at the time of the P3 assessment and again to the youth 3 years later. Reduced P3 was associated with disorders and paternal risk for disorders, reflecting a behavioral disinhibition spectrum that included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, alcoholism, nicotine dependence, and illicit drug abuse and dependence. Reduced P3 at age 17 predicted the development of substance use disorders at age 20. Most effect sizes associated with these group differences exceeded 0.70, indicating medium to moderately large group differences. Maternal alcoholism and substance use during pregnancy were unrelated to P3 amplitude in offspring. Small amplitude P3 may indicate genetic risk for a dimension of disinhibiting psychiatric disorders, including childhood externalizing, adult antisocial personality disorder, and substance use disorders.

Moving into the wide clinical spectrum of consciousness disorders: Pearls, perils and pitfalls.

PubMed

Calabrò, Rocco Salvatore; Milardi, Demetrio; Cacciola, Alberto; Marra, Angela; Digangi, Giuseppina; Casella, Carmela; Manuli, Alfredo; De Luca, Rosaria; Silvestri, Rosalia; Bramanti, Placido

2016-01-01

The last few years have been characterized by a growing interest of the medical and scientific world for the field of consciousness and its related disorders. Medically speaking, consciousness can be defined as the state of awareness of self and environment and the alertness to external stimulation, besides responsiveness to inner need. Transient loss of consciousness can be due to alterations in cerebral blood flow leading to fainting or syncope, migraine, metabolic dysfunctions, unexpected intracranial pressure increases, epileptic seizures, and sleep disorders. Chronic disorders of consciousness are a tragic success of high-technology treatment, in an attempt to maintain or reestablish brain function, which is to be considered as the main goal of therapeutics. Management of vegetative or a minimally conscious state individuals involves charily getting the right diagnosis with an evidence-based prognosis, also taking into account the medical, ethical, and legal key factors of the ideal treatment. This paper is aimed at exploring the wide spectrum of consciousness disorders and their clinical differential diagnosis, with particular regards to those with a negative impact on patient and their caregiver quality of life, including epilepsy, sleep disorders, and vegetative/minimally conscious state. Copyright © 2016 The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Disorganized attachment and inhibitory capacity: predicting externalizing problem behaviors.

PubMed

Bohlin, Gunilla; Eninger, Lilianne; Brocki, Karin Cecilia; Thorell, Lisa B

2012-04-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether attachment insecurity, focusing on disorganized attachment, and the executive function (EF) component of inhibition, assessed at age 5, were longitudinally related to general externalizing problem behaviors as well as to specific symptoms of ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. General externalizing problem behaviors were also measured at age 5 to allow for a developmental analysis. Outcome variables were rated by parents and teachers. The sample consisted of 65 children with an oversampling of children with high levels of externalizing behaviors. Attachment was evaluated using a story stem attachment doll play procedure. Inhibition was measured using four different tasks. The results showed that both disorganized attachment and poor inhibition were longitudinally related to all outcome variables. Controlling for initial level of externalizing problem behavior, poor inhibition predicted ADHD symptoms and externalizing problem behaviors, independent of disorganized attachment, whereas for ASD symptoms no predictive relations remained. Disorganized attachment independently predicted CU traits.

Suicide and unintentional injury mortality among homeless people: a Danish nationwide register-based cohort study.

PubMed

Feodor Nilsson, Sandra; Hjorthøj, Carsten Rygaard; Erlangsen, Annette; Nordentoft, Merete

2014-02-01

Homeless people have elevated mortality, especially due to external causes. We aimed to examine suicide and unintentional injury mortality levels and identify predictors in the homeless population. A nationwide, register-based cohort study of homeless people aged 16 years and older was carried out using the Danish Homeless Register, 1999-2008. In all, 32 010 homeless people (70.5% men) were observed. For men, the mortality rate was 174.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 150.6-198.1] per 100 000 person-years for suicide and 463.3 (95% CI = 424.6-502.0) for unintentional injury. For women, the corresponding rates were 111.4 (95% CI = 81.7-141.1) for suicide and 241.4 (95% CI = 197.6-285.1) for unintentional injury. Schizophrenia spectrum, affective, personality and substance use disorders were strongly associated with increased risk of suicide; the highest risk estimates were found for schizophrenia spectrum disorders among both men [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.1, 95% CI = 2.0-4.9] and women (HR = 15.5, 95% CI = 4.5-54.0). Alcohol and drug use disorders were predictors of death by unintentional injury for both men and women, whereas schizophrenia spectrum disorders and personality disorders were only significant predictors among men; the highest risk estimates were found for drug use disorders among men (HR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.8-2.8) and women (HR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.8-5.4). A history of psychiatric admission and emergency room contact were predictors for dying by suicide and unintentional injury. People in the homeless shelter population with a history of a psychiatric disorder constitute a high-risk group regarding the elevated suicide and unintentional injury mortality.

The influence of media suggestions about links between criminality and autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Brewer, Neil; Zoanetti, Jordana; Young, Robyn L

2017-01-01

We examined whether media reports linking criminal behaviour and autism spectrum disorder foster negative attitudes towards individuals with autism spectrum disorder. In a between-subjects design, participants were exposed to (a) a media story in which a murderer was labelled with autism spectrum disorder (media exposure condition) or not labelled with any disorder (control) and (b) an autism spectrum disorder-education condition attacking the myth that people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are likely to be violent criminals or a no-autism spectrum disorder-education condition. Participants attitudes towards three different crime perpetrators (one with autism spectrum disorder) described in separate vignettes were probed. The media exposure linking crime and autism spectrum disorder promoted more negative attitudes towards individuals with autism spectrum disorder, whereas the positive autism spectrum disorder-related educational message had the opposite effect. © The Author(s) 2016.

High concordance of parent and teacher attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ratings in medicated and unmedicated children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Pearson, Deborah A; Aman, Michael G; Arnold, L Eugene; Lane, David M; Loveland, Katherine A; Santos, Cynthia W; Casat, Charles D; Mansour, Rosleen; Jerger, Susan W; Ezzell, Sarah; Factor, Perry; Vanwoerden, Salome; Ye, Enstin; Narain, Punya; Cleveland, Lynne A

2012-08-01

Parent and teacher ratings of core attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, as well as behavioral and emotional problems commonly comorbid with ADHD, were compared in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Participants were 86 children (66 boys; mean: age=9.3 years, intelligence quotient [IQ]=84) who met American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV) criteria for an ASD on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Parent and teacher behavioral ratings were compared on the Conners' Parent and Teacher Rating Scales (CPRS-R; CTRS-R). The degree to which age, ASD subtype, severity of autistic symptomatology, and medication status mediated this relationship was also examined. Significant positive correlations between parent and teacher ratings suggest that a child's core ADHD symptoms-as well as closely related externalizing symptoms-are perceived similarly by parents and teachers. With the exception of oppositional behavior, there was no significant effect of age, gender, ASD subtype, or autism severity on the relationship between parent and teacher ratings. In general, parents rated children as having more severe symptomatology than did teachers. Patterns of parent and teacher ratings were highly correlated, both for children who were receiving medication, and for children who were not. Parents and teachers perceived core symptoms of ADHD and closely-related externalizing problems in a similar manner, but there is less agreement on ratings of internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety). The clinical implication of these findings is that both parents and teachers provide important behavioral information about children with ASD. However, when a clinician is unable to access teacher ratings (e.g., during school vacations), parent ratings can provide a reasonable estimate of the child's functioning in these domains in school. As such, parent ratings can be reliably used to make initial diagnostic and treatment decisions (e.g., medication treatment) regarding ADHD symptoms in children with ASDs.

Temperament and character as endophenotype in adults with autism spectrum disorders or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Sizoo, Bram B; van der Gaag, Rutger Jan; van den Brink, Wim

2015-05-01

Autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder overlap in several ways, raising questions about the nature of this comorbidity. Rommelse et al. published an innovative review of candidate endophenotypes for autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in cognitive and brain domains. They found that all the endophenotypic impairments that were reviewed in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were also present in autism spectrum disorder, suggesting a continuity model with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder as "a light form of autism spectrum disorder." Using existing data, 75 adults with autism spectrum disorder and 53 with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were directly compared on autistic symptoms with the autism spectrum quotient, and on the endophenotypic measure of temperament and character, using the Abbreviated (Dutch: Verkorte) Temperament and Character Inventory. Based on the hypothesis that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder are disorders on a continuous spectrum, autism spectrum quotient scores and abbreviated Temperament and Character Inventory scores were expected to be different from normal controls in both disorders in a similar direction. In addition, the autism spectrum quotient and abbreviated Temperament and Character Inventory scores were expected to be closely correlated. These conditions applied to only two of the seven Abbreviated Temperament and Character Inventory scales (harm avoidance and self-directedness), suggesting that temperament and character as an endophenotype of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder provides only partial support for the continuity hypothesis of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. © The Author(s) 2014.

The felt presence of other minds: Predictive processing, counterfactual predictions, and mentalising in autism.

PubMed

Palmer, Colin J; Seth, Anil K; Hohwy, Jakob

2015-11-01

The mental states of other people are components of the external world that modulate the activity of our sensory epithelia. Recent probabilistic frameworks that cast perception as unconscious inference on the external causes of sensory input can thus be expanded to enfold the brain's representation of others' mental states. This paper examines this subject in the context of the debate concerning the extent to which we have perceptual awareness of other minds. In particular, we suggest that the notion of perceptual presence helps to refine this debate: are others' mental states experienced as veridical qualities of the perceptual world around us? This experiential aspect of social cognition may be central to conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, where representations of others' mental states seem to be selectively compromised. Importantly, recent work ties perceptual presence to the counterfactual predictions of hierarchical generative models that are suggested to perform unconscious inference in the brain. This enables a characterisation of mental state representations in terms of their associated counterfactual predictions, allowing a distinction between spontaneous and explicit forms of mentalising within the framework of predictive processing. This leads to a hypothesis that social cognition in autism spectrum disorder is characterised by a diminished set of counterfactual predictions and the reduced perceptual presence of others' mental states. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychodynamic day treatment programme for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Dynamics and predictors of therapeutic change.

PubMed

Pec, Ondrej; Bob, Petr; Pec, Jan; Hrubcova, Adela

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to test whether a psychodynamically based group psychotherapeutic programme might improve symptoms, social functions, or quality of life in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and to investigate factors that might predict clinical improvement or dropouts from the programme. A quantitative prospective cohort study. We have investigated 81 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who participated in a 9-month psychodynamically based psychotherapeutic day programme. The patients were assessed at the beginning and end of the programme, and then at 1-year follow-up. The assessment included psychotic manifestations (HoNOS), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), demographic data, and daily doses of medication. 21 patients dropped out from the programme, and 46 patients succeeded in undergoing follow-up assessment. The psychotic manifestations (self-rating version of HoNOS) and quality of life measured with WHOQOL-BREF (domains of social relationships and environment) were significantly improved at the end of the programme and at follow-up. However, the manifestations on the version for external evaluators of HoNOS were improved only at follow-up. Years of psychiatric treatment, number of hospitalizations or suicide attempts, and experience of relationships with a partner were negatively related to clinical improvement, whereas symptom severity, current working, or study activities were related positively. The results show that a group psychodynamic programme may improve the clinical status and quality of life of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This type of programme is more beneficial for patients with higher pre-treatment symptom severity and the presence of working or study activities. A psychodynamically based group programme improves the clinical status and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Data indicate that changes on the subjective level are detectable by the end of the programme, while changes on the objective level are detectable at follow-up assessment. Symptom severity and working or study activities are positively related to the clinical improvement in this type of programme, while a high number of years in psychiatric treatment or psychiatric hospitalizations are negatively related. The doses of medication (antipsychotics or antidepressants) show no significant relationship to clinical improvement. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of the pediatric anxiety rating scale in youth with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Storch, Eric A; Wood, Jeffrey J; Ehrenreich-May, Jill; Jones, Anna M; Park, Jennifer M; Lewin, Adam B; Murphy, Tanya K

2012-11-01

The psychometric properties of the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS), a clinician-administered measure for assessing severity of anxiety symptoms, were examined in 72 children and adolescents diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The internal consistency of the PARS was 0.59, suggesting that the items were related but not repetitive. The PARS showed high 26-day test-retest (ICC = 0.83) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.86). The PARS was strongly correlated with clinician-ratings of overall anxiety severity and parent-report anxiety measures, supporting convergent validity. Results for divergent validity were mixed. Although the PARS was not associated with the sum of the Social and Communication items on the Autism Diagnostic Observation System, it was moderately correlated with parent-reported inattention, aggression and externalizing behavior. Overall, these results suggest that the psychometric properties of the PARS are adequate for assessing anxiety symptoms in youth with ASD, although additional clarification of divergent validity is needed.

[Autism spectrum disorder. Contemporary experimental researches review].

PubMed

Luschekina, E A; Strelets, V B

2014-01-01

Autism, like schizophrenia, are heterogeneous diseases, which are directed by both genetic factors and external influences in the early stages of development. Knowledge about the similarities and differences of these disorders can help early diagnosis and treatment. Patients with autism have specific cognitive difficulties in social relations. They are characterized by impairment of social interaction, communication and behavioral flexibility. The severity of the delay the development of autistic children, clinical and psychological indicators is correlated with an increase in the high frequency of spontaneous EEG activity. Cognitive task in autistic children, unlike normal persons, does not lead to a significant restructuring of high-frequency EEG activity, which may be a violation of the reaction mechanism to external stimuli and behavioral disorders. Abnormality in high-frequency components of EEG reactivity on cognitive task, the perception of human faces and visual illusions as well as the inadequate system of mirror neurons, can be considered common mechanisms underlying disorders of autism and schizophrenia. These general mechanisms may be considered as related to violation of the inhibition-exitation balance, controlled via GABA-transmission and NMDA-receptors. A multidimensional study of patterns of disontogenesis in autism, in addition to detailing the clinical picture of disease and rehabilitation activities, allows us to clear the fundamental understanding of the brain.

The joint impact of cognitive performance in adolescence and familial cognitive aptitude on risk for major psychiatric disorders: a delineation of four potential pathways to illness.

PubMed

Kendler, K S; Ohlsson, H; Keefe, R S E; Sundquist, K; Sundquist, J

2018-04-01

How do joint measures of premorbid cognitive ability and familial cognitive aptitude (FCA) reflect risk for a diversity of psychiatric and substance use disorders? To address this question, we examined, using Cox models, the predictive effects of school achievement (SA) measured at age 16 and FCA-assessed from SA in siblings and cousins, and educational attainment in parents-on risk for 12 major psychiatric syndromes in 1 140 608 Swedes born 1972-1990. Four developmental patterns emerged. In the first, risk was predicted jointly by low levels of SA and high levels of FCA-that is a level of SA lower than would be predicted from the FCA. This pattern was strongest in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, and weakest in bipolar illness. In these disorders, a pathologic process seems to have caused cognitive functioning to fall substantially short of familial potential. In the second pattern, seen in the internalizing conditions of major depression and anxiety disorders, risk was associated with low SA but was unrelated to FCA. Externalizing disorders-drug abuse and alcohol use disorders-demonstrated the third pattern, in which risk was predicted jointly by low SA and low FCA. The fourth pattern, seen in eating disorders, was directly opposite of that observed in externalizing disorders with risk associated with high SA and high FCA. When measured together, adolescent cognitive ability and FCA identified four developmental patterns leading to diverse psychiatric disorders. The value of cognitive assessments in psychiatric research can be substantially increased by also evaluating familial cognitive potential.

Noise fluctuations and drive dependence of the skyrmion Hall effect in disordered systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reichhardt, Charles; Olson Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane

Using a particle-based simulation model, we show that quenched disorder creates a drive-dependent skyrmion Hall effect as measured by the change in the ratiomore » $$R={V}_{\\perp }/{V}_{| | }$$ of the skyrmion velocity perpendicular (V ⊥) and parallel ($${V}_{| | }$$) to an external drive. R is zero at depinning and increases linearly with increasing drive, in agreement with recent experimental observations. At sufficiently high drives where the skyrmions enter a free flow regime, R saturates to the disorder-free limit. In addition, this behavior is robust for a wide range of disorder strengths and intrinsic Hall angle values, and occurs whenever plastic flow is present. For systems with small intrinsic Hall angles, we find that the Hall angle increases linearly with external drive, as also observed in experiment. In the weak pinning regime where the skyrmion lattice depins elastically, R is nonlinear and the net direction of the skyrmion lattice motion can rotate as a function of external drive. We show that the changes in the skyrmion Hall effect correlate with changes in the power spectrum of the skyrmion velocity noise fluctuations. The plastic flow regime is associated with $1/f$ noise, while in the regime in which R has saturated, the noise is white with a weak narrow band signal, and the noise power drops by several orders of magnitude. Finally, at low drives, the velocity noise in the perpendicular and parallel directions is of the same order of magnitude, while at intermediate drives the perpendicular noise fluctuations are much larger.« less

Noise fluctuations and drive dependence of the skyrmion Hall effect in disordered systems

DOE PAGES

Reichhardt, Charles; Olson Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane

2016-09-29

Using a particle-based simulation model, we show that quenched disorder creates a drive-dependent skyrmion Hall effect as measured by the change in the ratiomore » $$R={V}_{\\perp }/{V}_{| | }$$ of the skyrmion velocity perpendicular (V ⊥) and parallel ($${V}_{| | }$$) to an external drive. R is zero at depinning and increases linearly with increasing drive, in agreement with recent experimental observations. At sufficiently high drives where the skyrmions enter a free flow regime, R saturates to the disorder-free limit. In addition, this behavior is robust for a wide range of disorder strengths and intrinsic Hall angle values, and occurs whenever plastic flow is present. For systems with small intrinsic Hall angles, we find that the Hall angle increases linearly with external drive, as also observed in experiment. In the weak pinning regime where the skyrmion lattice depins elastically, R is nonlinear and the net direction of the skyrmion lattice motion can rotate as a function of external drive. We show that the changes in the skyrmion Hall effect correlate with changes in the power spectrum of the skyrmion velocity noise fluctuations. The plastic flow regime is associated with $1/f$ noise, while in the regime in which R has saturated, the noise is white with a weak narrow band signal, and the noise power drops by several orders of magnitude. Finally, at low drives, the velocity noise in the perpendicular and parallel directions is of the same order of magnitude, while at intermediate drives the perpendicular noise fluctuations are much larger.« less

Association between severity of behavioral phenotype and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Rao, Patricia A; Landa, Rebecca J

2014-04-01

Autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are neurodevelopmental disorders that cannot be codiagnosed under existing diagnostic guidelines (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th ed., text rev.). However, reports are emerging that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is sometimes comorbid with autism spectrum disorder. In the current study, we examined rates of parent-reported clinically significant symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in school-aged children (4-8 years) with autism spectrum disorder, most of whom were first enrolled in our research protocols as toddlers. Results revealed that children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder had lower cognitive functioning, more severe social impairment, and greater delays in adaptive functioning than children with autism spectrum disorder only. Implications for clinical practice include the need to assess for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms at an early age in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Research is needed to determine efficacious interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder with comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to optimize outcomes.

Cry, Baby, Cry: Expression of Distress As a Biomarker and Modulator in Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Hiroi, Noboru; Scattoni, Maria Luisa

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is critical, because early intensive treatment greatly improves its prognosis. Methods: We review studies that examined vocalizations of infants with autism spectrum disorder and mouse models of autism spectrum disorder as a potential means to identify autism spectrum disorder before the symptomatic elements of autism spectrum disorder emerge. We further discuss clinical implications and future research priorities in the field. Results: Atypical early vocal calls (i.e., cry) may represent an early biomarker for autism spectrum disorder (or at least for a subgroup of children with autism spectrum disorder), and thus can assist with early detection. Moreover, cry is likely more than an early biomarker of autism spectrum disorder; it is also an early causative factor in the development of the disorder. Specifically, atypical crying, as recently suggested, might induce a “self-generated environmental factor” that in turn, influences the prognosis of the disorder. Because atypical crying in autism spectrum disorder is difficult to understand, it may have a negative impact on the quality of care by the caregiver (see graphical abstract). Conclusions: Evidence supports the hypothesis that atypical vocalization is an early, functionally integral component of autism spectrum disorder. PMID:28204487

Autism Spectrum Disorder - Multiple Languages

MedlinePlus

... Русский) Expand Section Autism Spectrum Disorder (An Introduction) - English PDF Autism Spectrum Disorder (An Introduction) - Русский (Russian) PDF Autism Spectrum Disorder (An Introduction) - English MP3 Autism Spectrum Disorder (An Introduction) - Русский (Russian) ...

Sex differences in the reciprocal behaviour of children with autism.

PubMed

Backer van Ommeren, Tineke; Koot, Hans M; Scheeren, Anke M; Begeer, Sander

2017-08-01

Differences in the social limitations of girls compared to boys on the autism spectrum are still poorly understood. Impaired social-emotional reciprocity is a core diagnostic criterion for an autism spectrum disorder. This study compares sex differences in reciprocal behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder (32 girls, 114 boys) and in typically developing children (24 girls, 55 boys). While children with autism spectrum disorder showed clear limitations in reciprocal behaviour compared to typically developing children, sex differences were found only in the autism spectrum disorder group: girls with autism spectrum disorder had higher reciprocity scores than boys with autism spectrum disorder. However, compared to typically developing girls, girls with autism spectrum disorder showed subtle differences in reciprocal behaviour. The sex-specific response patterns in autism spectrum disorder can inform and improve the diagnostic assessment of autism in females.

Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors in ASD

PubMed Central

Bauminger, Nirit; Solomon, Marjorie; Rogers, Sally J.

2017-01-01

The current study investigated the relationships between internalizing and externalizing (I-E) behaviors and family variables, including both parenting stress and quality of attachment relations, in children aged 8–12 with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or with typical development. Compared to the group with typical development, children with ASD exhibited significantly greater levels of psychopathology as assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist [Achenbach, 1991], and parents of children with ASD exhibited higher parenting stress as assessed by the Parenting Stress Index [Abidin, 1995]. In a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, parenting stress emerged as the most important predictor of children’s I-E problems. Results are discussed in light of the two groups’ similar relationships between parenting stress and child psychopathology. PMID:20575109

Does sex influence the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder in adults?

PubMed

Wilson, C Ellie; Murphy, Clodagh M; McAlonan, Grainne; Robertson, Dene M; Spain, Debbie; Hayward, Hannah; Woodhouse, Emma; Deeley, P Quinton; Gillan, Nicola; Ohlsen, J Chris; Zinkstok, Janneke; Stoencheva, Vladimira; Faulkner, Jessica; Yildiran, Hatice; Bell, Vaughan; Hammond, Neil; Craig, Michael C; Murphy, Declan Gm

2016-10-01

It is unknown whether sex influences the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder, or whether male and female adults within the spectrum have different symptom profiles. This study reports sex differences in clinical outcomes for 1244 adults (935 males and 309 females) referred for autism spectrum disorder assessment. Significantly, more males (72%) than females (66%) were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder of any subtype (x(2) = 4.09; p = 0.04). In high-functioning autism spectrum disorder adults (IQ > 70; N = 827), there were no significant sex differences in severity of socio-communicative domain symptoms. Males had significantly more repetitive behaviours/restricted interests than females (p = 0.001, d = 0.3). A multivariate analysis of variance indicated a significant interaction between autism spectrum disorder subtype (full-autism spectrum disorder/partial-autism spectrum disorder) and sex: in full-autism spectrum disorder, males had more severe socio-communicative symptoms than females; for partial-autism spectrum disorder, the reverse was true. There were no sex differences in prevalence of co-morbid psychopathologies. Sex influenced diagnostic evaluation in a clinical sample of adults with suspected autism spectrum disorder. The sexes may present with different manifestations of the autism spectrum disorder phenotype and differences vary by diagnostic subtype. Understanding and awareness of adult female repetitive behaviours/restricted interests warrant attention and sex-specific diagnostic assessment tools may need to be considered. © The Author(s) 2016.

Does sex influence the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder in adults?

PubMed Central

Wilson, C Ellie; Murphy, Clodagh M; McAlonan, Grainne; Robertson, Dene M; Spain, Debbie; Hayward, Hannah; Woodhouse, Emma; Deeley, P Quinton; Gillan, Nicola; Ohlsen, J Chris; Zinkstok, Janneke; Stoencheva, Vladimira; Faulkner, Jessica; Yildiran, Hatice; Bell, Vaughan; Hammond, Neil; Craig, Michael C; Murphy, Declan GM

2016-01-01

It is unknown whether sex influences the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder, or whether male and female adults within the spectrum have different symptom profiles. This study reports sex differences in clinical outcomes for 1244 adults (935 males and 309 females) referred for autism spectrum disorder assessment. Significantly, more males (72%) than females (66%) were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder of any subtype (x2 = 4.09; p = 0.04). In high-functioning autism spectrum disorder adults (IQ > 70; N = 827), there were no significant sex differences in severity of socio-communicative domain symptoms. Males had significantly more repetitive behaviours/restricted interests than females (p = 0.001, d = 0.3). A multivariate analysis of variance indicated a significant interaction between autism spectrum disorder subtype (full-autism spectrum disorder/partial-autism spectrum disorder) and sex: in full-autism spectrum disorder, males had more severe socio-communicative symptoms than females; for partial-autism spectrum disorder, the reverse was true. There were no sex differences in prevalence of co-morbid psychopathologies. Sex influenced diagnostic evaluation in a clinical sample of adults with suspected autism spectrum disorder. The sexes may present with different manifestations of the autism spectrum disorder phenotype and differences vary by diagnostic subtype. Understanding and awareness of adult female repetitive behaviours/restricted interests warrant attention and sex-specific diagnostic assessment tools may need to be considered. PMID:26802113

Precursors to the Development of Anxiety Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0527 TITLE: Precursors to the Development of Anxiety Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ...AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Precursors to the Development of Anxiety Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 5b. GRANT...ABSTRACT Anxiety disorders are extremely common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The presence of an anxiety disorder

Risk and correlates of autism spectrum disorder in children with epilepsy: a community-based study.

PubMed

Berg, Anne T; Plioplys, Sigita; Tuchman, Roberto

2011-05-01

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders for children with epilepsy in the general population is unknown. In a prospective community-based study of newly diagnosed childhood epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder was determined from parental interviews, medical records, and expert reviews by a child psychiatrist. A total of 28 (5%) participants had autism spectrum disorders. West syndrome (prevalence ratio = 4.53, P = .002) and intellectual impairment (prevalence ratio = 4.34, P = .002) were independently associated with autism spectrum disorder. Absent West syndrome, male gender was associated with autism spectrum disorder (prevalence ratio = 3.71, P = .02). For participants with overall normal cognitive abilities, 2.2% had autism spectrum disorder, which is substantially higher than estimates from the general population (0.5%-0.9%). In addition to West syndrome, which has repeatedly been shown to have a special relationship with autism spectrum disorder, the most important determinants of autism spectrum disorder in the general population (intellectual impairment and male sex) are also important in young people with epilepsy.

The mental health of individuals referred for assessment of autism spectrum disorder in adulthood: A clinic report.

PubMed

Russell, Ailsa J; Murphy, Clodagh M; Wilson, Ellie; Gillan, Nicola; Brown, Cordelia; Robertson, Dene M; Craig, Michael C; Deeley, Quinton; Zinkstok, Janneke; Johnston, Kate; McAlonan, Grainne M; Spain, Deborah; Murphy, Declan Gm

2016-07-01

Growing awareness of autism spectrum disorders has increased the demand for diagnostic services in adulthood. High rates of mental health problems have been reported in young people and adults with autism spectrum disorder. However, sampling and methodological issues mean prevalence estimates and conclusions about specificity in psychiatric co-morbidity in autism spectrum disorder remain unclear. A retrospective case review of 859 adults referred for assessment of autism spectrum disorder compares International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnoses in those that met criteria for autism spectrum disorder (n = 474) with those that did not (n = 385). Rates of psychiatric diagnosis (>57%) were equivalent across both groups and exceeded general population rates for a number of conditions. The prevalence of anxiety disorders, particularly obsessive compulsive disorder, was significantly higher in adults with autism spectrum disorder than adults without autism spectrum disorder. Limitations of this observational clinic study, which may impact generalisability of the findings, include the lack of standardised structured psychiatric diagnostic assessments by assessors blind to autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and inter-rater reliability. The implications of this study highlight the need for careful consideration of mental health needs in all adults referred for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. © The Author(s) 2015.

Autism spectrum disorder - childhood disintegrative disorder

MedlinePlus

... part of the larger developmental disorder category of autism spectrum disorder . ... American Psychiatric Association. Autism spectrum disorder. ... ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing: 2013;50-59. ...

Oral health among preschool children with autism spectrum disorders: A case-control study.

PubMed

Du, Rennan Y; Yiu, Cynthia Ky; King, Nigel M; Wong, Virginia Cn; McGrath, Colman Pj

2015-08-01

To assess and compare the oral health status of preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorders. A random sample of 347 preschool children with autism spectrum disorder was recruited from 19 Special Child Care Centres in Hong Kong. An age- and gender-matched sample was recruited from mainstream preschools as the control group. Dental caries status, gingival health status, tooth wear, malocclusion, dental trauma and oral mucosal health were assessed and compared between the two groups. It was feasible to conduct a comprehensive oral health screening among 74.1% (257) of the children with autism spectrum disorder. The mean age was 59 ± 10 months (range from 32 to 77 months), of whom 84.4% were males. Children with autism spectrum disorder had better gingival health than children without autism spectrum disorder (mean plaque score and gingival score p < 0.001). Children with autism spectrum disorder had less caries experiences than children without autism spectrum disorder (mean decayed, missing and filled surfaces and decayed surfaces, p < 0.05). Children with and without autism spectrum disorder had similar prevalence of tooth wear, malocclusion, dental trauma experience and oral mucosal lesions (p > 0.05). Differences in oral health status exist among preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Preschool children with autism spectrum disorder exhibited lower caries experiences and better gingival health than children without autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2014.

Gastrointestinal Dysfunctions as a Risk Factor for Sleep Disorders in Children with Idiopathic Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Retrospective Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCue, Lena M.; Flick, Louise H.; Twyman, Kimberly A.; Xian, Hong

2017-01-01

Sleep disorders often co-occur with autism spectrum disorder. They further exacerbate autism spectrum disorder symptoms and interfere with children's and parental quality of life. This study examines whether gastrointestinal dysfunctions increase the odds of having sleep disorders in 610 children with idiopathic autism spectrum disorder, aged 2-18…

Linking Antisocial Behavior, Substance Use, and Personality: An Integrative Quantitative Model of the Adult Externalizing Spectrum

PubMed Central

Krueger, Robert F.; Markon, Kristian E.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Benning, Stephen D.; Kramer, Mark D.

2008-01-01

Antisocial behavior, substance use, and impulsive and aggressive personality traits often co-occur, forming a coherent spectrum of personality and psychopathology. In the current research, the authors developed a novel quantitative model of this spectrum. Over 3 waves of iterative data collection, 1,787 adult participants selected to represent a range across the externalizing spectrum provided extensive data about specific externalizing behaviors. Statistical methods such as item response theory and semiparametric factor analysis were used to model these data. The model and assessment instrument that emerged from the research shows how externalizing phenomena are organized hierarchically and cover a wide range of individual differences. The authors discuss the utility of this model for framing research on the correlates and the etiology of externalizing phenomena. PMID:18020714

Identification of low risk of violent crime in severe mental illness with a clinical prediction tool (Oxford Mental Illness and Violence tool [OxMIV]): a derivation and validation study.

PubMed

Fazel, Seena; Wolf, Achim; Larsson, Henrik; Lichtenstein, Paul; Mallett, Susan; Fanshawe, Thomas R

2017-06-01

Current approaches to stratify patients with psychiatric disorders into groups on the basis of violence risk are limited by inconsistency, variable accuracy, and unscalability. To address the need for a scalable and valid tool to assess violence risk in patients with schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder, we describe the derivation of a score based on routinely collected factors and present findings from external validation. On the basis of a national cohort of 75 158 Swedish individuals aged 15-65 years with a diagnosis of severe mental illness (schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder) with 574 018 patient episodes between Jan 1, 2001, and Dec 31, 2008, we developed predictive models for violent offending (primary outcome) within 1 year of hospital discharge for inpatients or clinical contact with psychiatric services for outpatients (patient episode) through linkage of population-based registers. We developed a derivation model to determine the relative influence of prespecified criminal history and sociodemographic and clinical risk factors, which are mostly routinely collected, and then tested it in an external validation. We measured discrimination and calibration for prediction of violent offending at 1 year using specified risk cutoffs. Of the cohort of 75 158 patients with schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder, we assigned 58 771 (78%) to the derivation sample and 16 387 (22%) to the validation sample. In the derivation sample, 830 (1%) individuals committed a violent offence within 12 months of their patient episode. We developed a 16-item model. The strongest predictors of violent offending within 12 months were conviction for previous violent crime (adjusted odds ratio 5·03 [95% CI 4·23-5·98]; p<0·0001), male sex (2·32 [1·91-2·81]; p<0·0001), and age (0·63 per 10 years of age [0·58-0·67]; p<0·0001). In external validation, the model showed good measures of discrimination (c-index 0·89 [0·85-0·93]) and calibration. For risk of violent offending at 1 year, with a 5% cutoff, sensitivity was 62% (95% CI 55-68) and specificity was 94% (93-94). The positive predictive value was 11% and the negative predictive value was more than 99%. We used the model to generate a simple web-based risk calculator (Oxford Mental Illness and Violence tool [OxMIV]). We have developed a prediction score in a national cohort of patients with schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder, which can be used as an adjunct to decision making in clinical practice by identifying those who are at low risk of violent offending. The low positive predictive value suggests that further clinical assessment in individuals at high risk of violent offending is required to establish who might benefit from additional risk management. Further validation in other countries is needed. Wellcome Trust and Swedish Research Council. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Overactive lifestyle in patients with fibromyalgia as a core feature of bipolar spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Alciati, Alessandra; Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo; Batticciotto, Alberto; Torta, Riccardo; Gesuele, Felice; Atzeni, Fabiola; Angst, Jules

2012-01-01

To test the hypothesis that the premorbid overactivity previously described in subjects with fibromyalgia is a core feature of the manic/hypomanic symptoms characterising bipolar spectrum disorders. 110 consecutive patients with fibromyalgia were assessed for bipolar spectrum disorders using both categorical and dimensional approaches. The first was based on a version of the DSM-IV SCID-CV interview, modified to improve the detection of bipolar spectrum disorders, the second on the hypomania symptom checklist HCL-32, which adopts a dimensional perspective of the manic/hypomanic component of mood by including sub-syndromal hypomania. Both DSM-IV and Zurich criteria diagnosed high rates of bipolar spectrum disorder in patients with fibromyalgia (70% and 86.3%, respectively). Individuals with a major bipolar spectrum disorder (bipolar II disorder) and with a minor bipolar spectrum disorder (subthreshold depression and hypomania) did not differ in their demographic and clinical aspects. Hypomanic symptom counts on the HCL-32 confirmed high estimates of the bipolar spectrum, with 79% of subjects with fibromyalgia scoring 14 (threshold for hypomania) or above. Overactivity reported in previous studies may be considered a core feature of hypomanic symptoms or syndromes comorbid with bipolar spectrum disorders. Major and minor bipolar spectrum disorders are not associated with differences in demographic or clinical characteristics, suggesting that fibromyalgia rather than being related specifically to depression is related to bipolar spectrum disorders and in particular to the hypomania/overactivity component.

Characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in anorexia nervosa: A naturalistic study in an inpatient treatment programme.

PubMed

Tchanturia, Kate; Adamson, James; Leppanen, Jenni; Westwood, Heather

2017-11-01

Previous research has demonstrated links between anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder however, few studies have examined the possible impact of symptoms of autism spectrum disorder on clinical outcomes in anorexia nervosa. The aim of this study was to examine the association between symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and eating disorders, and other psychopathology during the course of inpatient treatment in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Participants with anorexia nervosa (n = 171) completed questionnaires exploring eating disorder psychopathology, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and everyday functioning at both admission and discharge. Characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder were assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient, short version. Autism spectrum disorder symptoms were significantly positively correlated with eating disorder psychopathology, work and social functioning, and symptoms of depression and anxiety, but not with body mass index. Autism Spectrum Quotient, short version scores remained relatively stable from admission to discharge but there was a small, significant reduction in scores. There was no interaction between time and Autism Spectrum Quotient, short version scores on clinical symptom change. In anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorder symptoms appear to be associated with a more severe clinical presentation on admission to inpatient care. Autism spectrum disorder symptoms as assessed by self-report measures may be exacerbated by other mental health psychopathology, which warrants further investigation.

Assisted reproductive technology has no association with autism spectrum disorders: The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lung, For-Wey; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lin, Shio-Jean; Lee, Meng-Chih; Shu, Bih-Ching

2018-04-01

The use of assisted reproduction technology has increased over the last two decades. Autism spectrum disorders and assisted reproduction technology share many risk factors. However, previous studies on the association between autism spectrum disorders and assisted reproduction technology have shown inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in a national birth cohort database. Furthermore, the results from the assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder propensity score matching exact matched datasets were compared. For this study, the 6- and 66-month Taiwan Birth Cohort Study datasets were used (N = 20,095). In all, 744 families were propensity score matching exact matched and selected as the assisted reproduction technology sample (ratio of assisted reproduction technology to controls: 1:2) and 415 families as the autism spectrum disorder sample (ratio of autism spectrum disorder to controls: 1:4). Using a national birth cohort dataset, controlling for the confounding factors of assisted reproduction technology conception and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, both assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder propensity score matching matched datasets showed the same results of no association between assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder. Further study on the detailed information regarding the processes and methods of assisted reproduction technology may provide us with more information on the association between assisted reproduction technology and autism spectrum disorder.

Prevalence of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders in Average-IQ Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lugo Marín, Jorge; Rodríguez-Franco, Montserrat Alviani; Mahtani Chugani, Vinita; Magán Maganto, María; Díez Villoria, Emiliano; Canal Bedia, Ricardo

2018-01-01

Since their separation as independent diagnostics, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) have been conceptualized as mutually exclusive disorders. Similarities between both disorders can lead to misdiagnosis, especially when it comes to average-IQ adults who were not identified during childhood. The aim of this…

Precursors to the Development of Anxiety Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0526 TITLE: Precursors to the Development of Anxiety Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder...2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Precursors to the Development of Anxiety Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Anxiety disorders are extremely common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The presence of an anxiety

Pathogenicity in POLG syndromes: DNA polymerase gamma pathogenicity prediction server and database.

PubMed

Nurminen, Anssi; Farnum, Gregory A; Kaguni, Laurie S

2017-06-01

DNA polymerase gamma (POLG) is the replicative polymerase responsible for maintaining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Disorders related to its functionality are a major cause of mitochondrial disease. The clinical spectrum of POLG syndromes includes Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome (AHS), childhood myocerebrohepatopathy spectrum (MCHS), myoclonic epilepsy myopathy sensory ataxia (MEMSA), the ataxia neuropathy spectrum (ANS) and progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO). We have collected all publicly available POLG-related patient data and analyzed it using our pathogenic clustering model to provide a new research and clinical tool in the form of an online server. The server evaluates the pathogenicity of both previously reported and novel mutations. There are currently 176 unique point mutations reported and found in mitochondrial patients in the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of POLG, POLG . The mutations are distributed nearly uniformly along the length of the primary amino acid sequence of the gene. Our analysis shows that most of the mutations are recessive, and that the reported dominant mutations cluster within the polymerase active site in the tertiary structure of the POLG enzyme. The POLG Pathogenicity Prediction Server (http://polg.bmb.msu.edu) is targeted at clinicians and scientists studying POLG disorders, and aims to provide the most current available information regarding the pathogenicity of POLG mutations.

Prevalence, prenatal diagnosis and clinical features of oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum: a registry-based study in Europe

PubMed Central

Barisic, Ingeborg; Odak, Ljubica; Loane, Maria; Garne, Ester; Wellesley, Diana; Calzolari, Elisa; Dolk, Helen; Addor, Marie-Claude; Arriola, Larraitz; Bergman, Jorieke; Bianca, Sebastiano; Doray, Berenice; Khoshnood, Babak; Klungsoyr, Kari; McDonnell, Bob; Pierini, Anna; Rankin, Judith; Rissmann, Anke; Rounding, Catherine; Queisser-Luft, Annette; Scarano, Gioacchino; Tucker, David

2014-01-01

Oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum is a complex developmental disorder characterised mainly by anomalies of the ear, hemifacial microsomia, epibulbar dermoids and vertebral anomalies. The aetiology is largely unknown, and the epidemiological data are limited and inconsistent. We present the largest population-based epidemiological study to date, using data provided by the large network of congenital anomalies registries in Europe. The study population included infants diagnosed with oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum during the 1990–2009 period from 34 registries active in 16 European countries. Of the 355 infants diagnosed with oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum, there were 95.8% (340/355) live born, 0.8% (3/355) fetal deaths, 3.4% (12/355) terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly and 1.5% (5/340) neonatal deaths. In 18.9%, there was prenatal detection of anomaly/anomalies associated with oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum, 69.7% were diagnosed at birth, 3.9% in the first week of life and 6.1% within 1 year of life. Microtia (88.8%), hemifacial microsomia (49.0%) and ear tags (44.4%) were the most frequent anomalies, followed by atresia/stenosis of external auditory canal (25.1%), diverse vertebral (24.3%) and eye (24.3%) anomalies. There was a high rate (69.5%) of associated anomalies of other organs/systems. The most common were congenital heart defects present in 27.8% of patients. The prevalence of oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum, defined as microtia/ear anomalies and at least one major characteristic anomaly, was 3.8 per 100 000 births. Twinning, assisted reproductive techniques and maternal pre-pregnancy diabetes were confirmed as risk factors. The high rate of different associated anomalies points to the need of performing an early ultrasound screening in all infants born with this disorder. PMID:24398798

Misinterpretation of facial expressions of emotion in verbal adults with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Eack, Shaun M; Mazefsky, Carla A; Minshew, Nancy J

2015-04-01

Facial emotion perception is significantly affected in autism spectrum disorder, yet little is known about how individuals with autism spectrum disorder misinterpret facial expressions that result in their difficulty in accurately recognizing emotion in faces. This study examined facial emotion perception in 45 verbal adults with autism spectrum disorder and 30 age- and gender-matched volunteers without autism spectrum disorder to identify patterns of emotion misinterpretation during face processing that contribute to emotion recognition impairments in autism. Results revealed that difficulty distinguishing emotional from neutral facial expressions characterized much of the emotion perception impairments exhibited by participants with autism spectrum disorder. In particular, adults with autism spectrum disorder uniquely misinterpreted happy faces as neutral, and were significantly more likely than typical volunteers to attribute negative valence to nonemotional faces. The over-attribution of emotions to neutral faces was significantly related to greater communication and emotional intelligence impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. These findings suggest a potential negative bias toward the interpretation of facial expressions and may have implications for interventions designed to remediate emotion perception in autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2014.

Examining social competence, self-perception, quality of life, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescent females with and without autism spectrum disorder: a quantitative design including between-groups and correlational analyses.

PubMed

Jamison, T Rene; Schuttler, Jessica Oeth

2015-01-01

Adolescent females with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are an understudied population, yet are also quite vulnerable, due to the increased complexities of social interaction and increased risk for internalizing symptoms in adolescence. Most research literature currently focuses on males with ASD, limiting our understanding of social experiences for females with ASD, and thus the potential to better inform supports and intervention to promote social-emotional functioning. This study examined similarities and differences in selected indicators of social-emotional health (social competence, self-perception, quality of life) and problematic behaviors such as externalizing and internalizing symptoms for adolescent females with and without ASD. This study employed a quantitative design utilizing correlational analysis as well as t test comparisons to examine selected indicators of social-emotional health and problematic symptoms using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), Youth Quality of Life Instrument (YQOL), and the Self-Perceptions Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) for adolescent females with ASD in relation to their typically developing peers. Significant differences were found between females with and without ASD in terms of their self-ratings of social-emotional health and problematic behaviors. The no-ASD group rated themselves higher across all areas of social-emotional health. Findings also suggest strong relationships between these constructs, especially for females without ASD. Parent reports of autism symptoms and social-emotional health indicated that as symptoms of autism are more severe, so too was the impact on individuals' social competence. Adolescent females with ASD perceive themselves as having lower social competence, self-worth, and quality of life and higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms as compared to their typically developing peers. Parent ratings indicate that higher levels of autism symptoms relate to lower levels of social competence. These findings lend support to the postulate that adolescent females with ASD are more vulnerable than their typically developing counterparts due to the compounded impact of ASD symptoms on social-emotional health and the higher risk for internalizing disorders for adolescent girls. Limitations and implications for further research and intervention are discussed.

Anxiety disorders moderate the association between externalizing problems and substance use disorders: data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Revised.

PubMed

Hofmann, Stefan G; Richey, J Anthony; Kashdan, Todd B; McKnight, Patrick E

2009-05-01

Anxiety disorders and externalizing problems are both associated with substance use disorders. However, the nature of this relationship remains unclear. To examine whether presence of an anxiety disorder changes the association between externalizing problems (conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and substance use disorders, we analyzed data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication, which is based on a nationally representative sample of 9282 English-speaking adults. Presence of externalizing problems was associated with an increased odds for alcohol abuse (OR: 6.7, CI: 5.6-8.1), alcohol dependence (OR: 7.6, CI: 5.9-9.6), substance abuse (OR: 9.9, CI: 8.1-12.2), and substance dependence (OR: 13.1, CI: 9.6-17.8). Similarly, anxiety disorders were associated with increased odds for substance use disorders. The highest association was found between post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder (OR: 9.2, CI: 5.4-15.5). Individuals who met diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder and externalizing problems showed consistently and significantly lower odds for substance use problems than subjects with externalizing problems without a comorbid anxiety disorder. The results suggest that presence of any anxiety disorder reduces the association between externalizing problems and substance use disorders, possibly because the fear of bodily symptoms prevents individuals with externalizing problems from engaging in drug-seeking behaviors.

Transdiagnostic Case Conceptualization of Emotional Problems in Youth with ASD: An Emotion Regulation Approach

PubMed Central

Weiss, Jonathan A

2014-01-01

Youth with autism spectrum disorder often struggle to cope with co-occurring anxiety, depression, or anger, and having both internalizing and externalizing symptoms is a common clinical presentation. A number of authors have designed cognitive-behavioral interventions to address transdiagnostic factors related to multiple emotional problems, although none have applied this focus to youth with ASD. The current review article describes how a transdiagnostic emotion regulation framework may inform cognitive-behavioral interventions for youth with ASD, which until now have focused almost exclusively on anxiety. Research is needed to empirically test how a transdiagnostic intervention can address the processes of emotion regulation and assist youth with ASD to cope with their emotional disorders. PMID:25673923

Autism spectrum disorder - Asperger syndrome

MedlinePlus

... part of the larger developmental disorder category of autism spectrum disorder . ... American Psychiatric Association. Autism spectrum disorder. ... VA: American Psychiatric Publishing: 2013;50-59. Raviola GJ, ...

The Autism Parent Screen for Infants: Predicting risk of autism spectrum disorder based on parent-reported behavior observed at 6-24 months of age.

PubMed

Sacrey, Lori-Ann R; Bryson, Susan; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Brian, Jessica; Smith, Isabel M; Roberts, Wendy; Szatmari, Peter; Vaillancourt, Tracy; Roncadin, Caroline; Garon, Nancy

2018-04-01

This study examined whether a novel parent-report questionnaire, the Autism Parent Screen for Infants, could differentiate infants subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder from a high-risk cohort (siblings of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (n = 66)) from high-risk and low-risk comparison infants (no family history of autism spectrum disorder) who did not develop autism spectrum disorder (n = 138 and 79, respectively). Participants were assessed prospectively at 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 months of age. At 36 months, a blind independent diagnostic assessment for autism spectrum disorder was completed. Parent report on the Autism Parent Screen for Infants was examined in relation to diagnostic outcome and risk status (i.e. high-risk sibling with autism spectrum disorder, high-risk sibling without autism spectrum disorder, and low-risk control). The results indicated that from 6 months of age, total score on the Autism Parent Screen for Infants differentiated between the siblings with autism spectrum disorder and the other two groups. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive validity of the Autism Parent Screen for Infants highlight its potential for the early screening of autism spectrum disorder in high-risk cohorts.

High Concordance of Parent and Teacher Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Ratings in Medicated and Unmedicated Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Aman, Michael G.; Arnold, L. Eugene; Lane, David M.; Loveland, Katherine A.; Santos, Cynthia W.; Casat, Charles D.; Mansour, Rosleen; Jerger, Susan W.; Ezzell, Sarah; Factor, Perry; Vanwoerden, Salome; Ye, Enstin; Narain, Punya; Cleveland, Lynne A.

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective Parent and teacher ratings of core attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, as well as behavioral and emotional problems commonly comorbid with ADHD, were compared in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Method Participants were 86 children (66 boys; mean: age=9.3 years, intelligence quotient [IQ]=84) who met American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV) criteria for an ASD on the Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Parent and teacher behavioral ratings were compared on the Conners' Parent and Teacher Rating Scales (CPRS-R; CTRS-R). The degree to which age, ASD subtype, severity of autistic symptomatology, and medication status mediated this relationship was also examined. Results Significant positive correlations between parent and teacher ratings suggest that a child's core ADHD symptoms—as well as closely related externalizing symptoms—are perceived similarly by parents and teachers. With the exception of oppositional behavior, there was no significant effect of age, gender, ASD subtype, or autism severity on the relationship between parent and teacher ratings. In general, parents rated children as having more severe symptomatology than did teachers. Patterns of parent and teacher ratings were highly correlated, both for children who were receiving medication, and for children who were not. Conclusions Parents and teachers perceived core symptoms of ADHD and closely-related externalizing problems in a similar manner, but there is less agreement on ratings of internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety). The clinical implication of these findings is that both parents and teachers provide important behavioral information about children with ASD. However, when a clinician is unable to access teacher ratings (e.g., during school vacations), parent ratings can provide a reasonable estimate of the child's functioning in these domains in school. As such, parent ratings can be reliably used to make initial diagnostic and treatment decisions (e.g., medication treatment) regarding ADHD symptoms in children with ASDs. PMID:22849541

Prenatal Antidepressants and Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

citalopram, fluoxetine, bupropion, valproic acid, autism spectrum disorder, developmental disorders, prenatal effects, neurodevelopment , rat, behavior...1 AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0306 TITLE: Prenatal Antidepressants and Autism Spectrum Disorder PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED 1Sept 2013-31Aug2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Prenatal Antidepressants and Autism Spectrum Disorder 5a

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadow, Kenneth D.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study compared the differential severity of specific symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and child psychiatry outpatient referrals (controls). Each group was further subdivided into subgroups with and without co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).…

Picture Exchange Communication System for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Lauren E.

2010-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder that manifests itself within an individual through cognitive, social, and academic deficits. As is true for all spectrum disorders, each individual may experience a range of deficits with varying severity. Many students with autism spectrum disorder experience difficulty in some area of…

Cable-driven elastic parallel humanoid head with face tracking for Autism Spectrum Disorder interventions.

PubMed

Su, Hao; Dickstein-Fischer, Laurie; Harrington, Kevin; Fu, Qiushi; Lu, Weina; Huang, Haibo; Cole, Gregory; Fischer, Gregory S

2010-01-01

This paper presents the development of new prismatic actuation approach and its application in human-safe humanoid head design. To reduce actuator output impedance and mitigate unexpected external shock, the prismatic actuation method uses cables to drive a piston with preloaded spring. By leveraging the advantages of parallel manipulator and cable-driven mechanism, the developed neck has a parallel manipulator embodiment with two cable-driven limbs embedded with preloaded springs and one passive limb. The eye mechanism is adapted for low-cost webcam with succinct "ball-in-socket" structure. Based on human head anatomy and biomimetics, the neck has 3 degree of freedom (DOF) motion: pan, tilt and one decoupled roll while each eye has independent pan and synchronous tilt motion (3 DOF eyes). A Kalman filter based face tracking algorithm is implemented to interact with the human. This neck and eye structure is translatable to other human-safe humanoid robots. The robot's appearance reflects a non-threatening image of a penguin, which can be translated into a possible therapeutic intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Services for Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Shattuck, Paul T; Roux, Anne M; Hudson, Laura E; Taylor, Julie Lounds; Maenner, Matthew J; Trani, Jean-Francois

2012-01-01

The need for useful evidence about services is increasing as larger numbers of children identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) age toward adulthood. The objective of this review was to characterize the topical and methodological aspects of research on services for supporting success in work, education, and social participation among adults with an ASD and to propose recommendations for moving this area of research forward. We reviewed the literature published in English from 2000 to 2010 and found that the evidence base about services for adults with an ASD is underdeveloped and can be considered a field of inquiry that is relatively unformed. Extant research does not reflect the demographic or impairment heterogeneity of the population, the range of services that adults with autism require to function with purposeful lives in the community, and the need for coordination across service systems and sectors. Future studies must examine issues related to cost and efficiency, given the broader sociopolitical and economic context of service provision. Further, future research needs to consider how demographic and impairment heterogeneity have implications for building an evidence base that will have greater external validity. PMID:22546060

No evidence of reaction time slowing in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Ferraro, F Richard

2016-01-01

A total of 32 studies comprising 238 simple reaction time and choice reaction time conditions were examined in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (n = 964) and controls (n = 1032). A Brinley plot/multiple regression analysis was performed on mean reaction times, regressing autism spectrum disorder performance onto the control performance as a way to examine any generalized simple reaction time/choice reaction time slowing exhibited by the autism spectrum disorder group. The resulting regression equation was Y (autism spectrum disorder) = 0.99 × (control) + 87.93, which accounted for 92.3% of the variance. These results suggest that there are little if any simple reaction time/choice reaction time slowing in this sample of individual with autism spectrum disorder, in comparison with controls. While many cognitive and information processing domains are compromised in autism spectrum disorder, it appears that simple reaction time/choice reaction time remain relatively unaffected in autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2014.

Explicit versus implicit social cognition testing in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Callenmark, Björn; Kjellin, Lars; Rönnqvist, Louise; Bölte, Sven

2014-08-01

Although autism spectrum disorder is defined by reciprocal social-communication impairments, several studies have found no evidence for altered social cognition test performance. This study examined explicit (i.e. prompted) and implicit (i.e. spontaneous) variants of social cognition testing in autism spectrum disorder. A sample of 19 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and 19 carefully matched typically developing controls completed the Dewey Story Test. 'Explicit' (multiple-choice answering format) and 'implicit' (free interview) measures of social cognition were obtained. Autism spectrum disorder participants did not differ from controls regarding explicit social cognition performance. However, the autism spectrum disorder group performed more poorly than controls on implicit social cognition performance in terms of spontaneous perspective taking and social awareness. Findings suggest that social cognition alterations in autism spectrum disorder are primarily implicit in nature and that an apparent absence of social cognition difficulties on certain tests using rather explicit testing formats does not necessarily mean social cognition typicality in autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2013.

Priorities for autism spectrum disorder risk communication and ethics.

PubMed

Yudell, Michael; Tabor, Holly K; Dawson, Geraldine; Rossi, John; Newschaffer, Craig

2013-11-01

Autism spectrum disorders are an issue of increasing public health significance. The incidence of autism spectrum disorders has been increasing in recent years, and they are associated with significant personal and financial impacts for affected persons and their families. In recent years, a large number of scientific studies have been undertaken, which investigate genetic and environmental risk factors for autism, with more studies underway. At present, much remains unknown regarding autism spectrum disorder risk factors, but the emerging picture of causation is in many cases complex, with multiple genes and gene-environment interactions being at play. The complexity and uncertainty surrounding autism spectrum disorder risk factors raise a number of questions regarding the ethical considerations that should be taken into account when undertaking autism spectrum disorder risk communication. At present, however, little has been written regarding autism spectrum disorder risk communication and ethics. This article summarizes the findings of a recent conference investigating ethical considerations and policy recommendations in autism spectrum disorder risk communication, which to the authors' knowledge is the first of its kind. Here, the authors discuss a number of issues, including uncertainty; comprehension; inadvertent harm; justice; and the appropriate roles of clinicians, scientists, and the media in autism spectrum disorder risk communication.

Characterizing psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorder receiving publicly funded mental health services.

PubMed

Brookman-Frazee, Lauren; Stadnick, Nicole; Chlebowski, Colby; Baker-Ericzén, Mary; Ganger, William

2017-09-01

Publicly funded mental health programs play a significant role in serving children with autism spectrum disorder. Understanding patterns of psychiatric comorbidity for this population within mental health settings is important to implement appropriately tailored interventions. This study (1) describes patterns of psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorder who present to mental health services with challenging behaviors and (2) identifies child characteristics associated with comorbid conditions. Data are drawn from baseline assessments from 201 children with autism spectrum disorder who participated in a community effectiveness trial across 29 publicly funded mental health programs. Non-autism spectrum disorder diagnoses were assessed using an adapted Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, parent version. Approximately 92% of children met criteria for at least one non-autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (78% attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 58% oppositional defiant disorder, 56% anxiety, 30% mood). Logistic regression indicated that child gender and clinical characteristics were differentially associated with meeting criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, an anxiety, or a mood disorder. Exploratory analyses supported a link between challenging behaviors and mood disorder symptoms and revealed high prevalence of these symptoms in this autism spectrum disorder population. Findings provide direction for tailoring intervention to address a broad range of clinical issues for youth with autism spectrum disorder served in mental health settings.

Social behavior and comorbidity in children with tics.

PubMed

Pringsheim, Tamara; Hammer, Tracy

2013-12-01

To examine the characteristics of children with coexisting tics and autism spectrum disorder and determine if children with tics have deficits in social behavior. Descriptive study of children referred for tics over 18 months. Parents completed the Social Responsiveness Scale and the Social Communications Questionnaire; children screening positive on these measures were evaluated for autism spectrum disorder. Characteristics of children who were diagnosed with both disorders are described. Subscales scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale for children with tics without a comorbid autism spectrum disorder were compared. The relationship between a comorbid diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder symptoms was explored using logistic and linear regression. One hundred and fourteen children were evaluated. Children with a tic disorder and autism spectrum disorder had significantly higher rates of comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (P = 0.005), rage attacks (P = 0.006), and oppositional defiant disorder (P = 0.007) than children without autism spectrum disorder. Mean tic severity and treatment rates did not differ between groups. Mean subscale scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale for children without autism spectrum disorders fell into the clinically significant range for autistic mannerisms only. All Social Responsiveness Scale scores were significantly increased by an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis (P < 0.0001). Children referred for assessment of tics should be screened for autism spectrum disorders. There is a subgroup of children with multiple neuropsychiatric comorbidities who suffer from social dysfunction and autistic mannerisms outside of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[A role of motivation for treatment in the structure of compliance in psychopharmacologically treated patients].

PubMed

Sorokin, M Yu; Lutova, N B; Wied, V D

2016-01-01

To reveal an impact of specific motivation structures on the compliance in psychiatric inpatients. The Treatment Motivation Questionnaire and the Medication Compliance Scale have been administered to 104 patients, including 67 patients with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, 15 with affective disorders, 13 with personality and neurotic disorders and 9 with organic disorders, of the department of integrative pharmaco- and psychotherapy. A motivational mechanism based on the subjective suffering from disease plays a key role in the formation of overall score of compliance. Amotivation syndrome has a negative impact on the compliance. "Passive agreement" attitude to treatment corresponds to a deficiency in both patient and physician compliance subsystems along with a reduction in insight and cognitive functions in the patient's subsystem. Extreme external motivation for treatment correlates with insufficiently constructive support on the part of significant others in patient's environment subsystem resulting in the delay of internal motivation development. Extremely low scores based on understanding of disease character leads to the deficiency of medication compliance subsystem.

Differences in praxis performance and receptive language during fingerspelling between deaf children with and without autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Bhat, Anjana N; Srinivasan, Sudha M; Woxholdt, Colleen; Shield, Aaron

2018-04-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder present with a variety of social communication deficits such as atypicalities in social gaze and verbal and non-verbal communication delays as well as perceptuo-motor deficits like motor incoordination and dyspraxia. In this study, we had the unique opportunity to study praxis performance in deaf children with and without autism spectrum disorder in a fingerspelling context using American Sign Language. A total of 11 deaf children with autism spectrum disorder and 11 typically developing deaf children aged between 5 and 14 years completed a fingerspelling task. Children were asked to fingerspell 15 different words shown on an iPad. We coded various praxis errors and fingerspelling time. The deaf children with autism spectrum disorder had greater errors in pace, sequence precision, accuracy, and body part use and also took longer to fingerspell each word. Additionally, the deaf children with autism spectrum disorder had poor receptive language skills and this strongly correlated with their praxis performance and autism severity. These findings extend the evidence for dyspraxia in hearing children with autism spectrum disorder to deaf children with autism spectrum disorder. Poor sign language production in children with autism spectrum disorder may contribute to their poor gestural learning/comprehension and vice versa. Our findings have therapeutic implications for children with autism spectrum disorder when teaching sign language.

Obsessive–compulsive spectrum of disorders: a defensible construct?

PubMed Central

Castle, David J.; Phillips, Katharine A.

2006-01-01

Objective To explore critically whether there is a robust basis for the concept of an obsessive–compulsive (OC) spectrum of disorders, and if so, which disorders should be included. Method Selective literature review concentrating on three proposed members of the OC spectrum, namely body dysmorphic disorder, hypochondriasis and trichotillomania. Results Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) itself is a heterogeneous condition or group of conditions, and this needs to be appreciated in any articulation of a ‘spectrum’ of OC disorders. The basis for ‘membership’ of the spectrum is inconsistent and varied, with varying level of support for inclusion in the putative spectrum. Conclusion A more fruitful approach may be to consider behaviours and dimensions in OCD and OC spectrum disorders, and that this should be encompassed in further developments of the OC spectrum model. PMID:16476128

Trends in Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses: 1994-2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Rebecca E.; Daniels, Amy M.; Law, J. Kiely; Law, Paul A.; Kaufmann, Walter E.

2009-01-01

We analyzed predictors of parent-reported initial diagnosis (autistic disorder [AD], pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS], pervasive developmental disorder ["PDD"] and autism spectrum disorder ["ASD"], and Asperger syndrome [AS]), among 6,176 individuals with autism spectrum disorders diagnosed from 1994 through 2007.…

Preconceptional and Prenatal Supplementary Folic Acid and Multivitamin Intake and Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virk, Jasveer; Liew, Zeyan; Olsen, Jørn; Nohr, Ellen A.; Catov, Janet M.; Ritz, Beate

2016-01-01

Objective: To evaluate whether early folic acid supplementation during pregnancy prevents diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in offspring. Methods: Information on autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was obtained from the National Hospital Register and the Central Psychiatric Register. We estimated risk ratios for autism spectrum disorders for…

When Do Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Show Superiority in Visual Search?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirama, Aya; Kato, Nobumasa; Kashino, Makio

2017-01-01

Although superior visual search skills have been repeatedly reported for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, the underlying mechanisms remain controversial. To specify the locus where individuals with autism spectrum disorder excel in visual search, we compared the performance of autism spectrum disorder adults and healthy controls in…

Bariatric surgery in patients with bipolar spectrum disorders: Selection factors, post-operative visit attendance, and weight outcomes

PubMed Central

Friedman, Kelli E.; Applegate, Katherine; Portenier, Dana; McVay, Megan

2017-01-01

Background As many of 3% of bariatric surgery candidates are diagnosed with a bipolar spectrum disorder. Objectives 1) To describe differences between patients with bipolar spectrum disorders who are approved and not approved for surgery by the mental health evaluator. 2) To examine surgical outcomes of patients with bipolar spectrum disorders. Setting Academic medical center, United States. Methods A retrospective record review was conducted of consecutive patients who applied for bariatric surgery between 2004 and 2009. Patients diagnosed with bipolar spectrum disorders who were approved for surgery (n=42) were compared with patients with a bipolar spectrum disorder who were not approved (n=31) and to matched control surgical patients without a bipolar spectrum diagnosis (n=29) on a variety of characteristics and surgical outcomes. Results Of bariatric surgery candidates diagnosed with a bipolar spectrum disorder who applied for surgery, 57% were approved by the psychologist and 48% ultimately had surgery. Patients with a bipolar spectrum disorder who were approved for surgery were less likely to have had a previous psychiatric hospitalizations than those who were not approved for surgery. Bariatric surgery patients diagnosed with a bipolar spectrum disorder were less likely to attend follow-up care appointments 2 or more years post-surgery compared to matched patients without bipolar disorder. Among patients with available data, those with a bipolar spectrum disorder and matched patients had similar weight loss at 12 months (n=21 for bipolar, n=24 for matched controls) and at 2 or more years (mean=51 months; n=11 for bipolar, n=20 for matched controls). Conclusions Patients diagnosed with a bipolar spectrum disorder have a high rate of delay/denial for bariatric surgery based on the psychosocial evaluation and are less likely to attend medical follow-up care 2 or more years post-surgery. Carefully screened patients with bipolar disorder who engage in long-term follow-up care may benefit from bariatric surgery. PMID:28169206

The Influence of Gender, Age, Psychological Resilience and Family Interaction Factors upon Anxiety and Depression in Non-Autism Spectrum Disorder Siblings of Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitsika, Vicki; Sharpley, Christopher F.; Mailli, Rebecca

2015-01-01

The influence of gender, age, Psychological resilience and family interaction factors upon generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) was investigated in 75 non-autism spectrum disorder (NASD) siblings who had a brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). GAD and MDD were much more prevalent than in…

Foster care, externalizing disorders, and antipsychotic use among Medicaid-enrolled youths.

PubMed

Vanderwerker, Lauren; Akincigil, Ayse; Olfson, Mark; Gerhard, Tobias; Neese-Todd, Sheree; Crystal, Stephen

2014-10-01

The authors investigated the extent to which clinical diagnoses of externalizing disorders explain higher rates of antipsychotic use by foster care youths. Medicaid claims data from 44 states for 2009 for youths in foster care (N=301,894) and those not in foster care (N=5,092,574) were analyzed, excluding those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and major depressive disorder. Logistic regressions assessed the relationship between foster care, externalizing disorders, and antipsychotic use. Foster care youths had higher rates of externalizing disorders than the comparison group (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, 17.3% versus 6.5%; disruptive behavior disorder, 7.2% versus 2.5%; conduct disorder, 2.3% versus .5%) and greater antipsychotic use (7.4% versus 1.4%). Foster care remained a significant predictor of antipsychotic use after control for demographic and diagnostic covariates, including externalizing disorders (adjusted odds ratio=2.59, 95% confidence interval=2.54-2.63). High rates of externalizing disorder diagnoses only partially explained elevated levels of antipsychotic use in this vulnerable population.

Classroom Needs of Community College Students with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gobbo, Ken; Shmulsky, Solvegi

2012-01-01

Community college students with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders can experience significant challenges from the social aspect of classroom learning and college life in comparison to their peers. This article explains unique challenges of postsecondary learners with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders. It also…

Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Allen, Andrea; King, Audrey; Hollander, Eric

2003-01-01

The obsessive-compulsive spectrum is an important concept referring to a number of disorders drawn from several diagnostic categories that share core obsessive-compulsive features. These disorders can be grouped by the focus of their symptoms: bodily preoccupation, impulse control, or neurological disorders. Although the disorders are clearly distinct from one another, they have intriguing similarities in phenomenology, etiology, pathophysiology, patient characteristics, and treatment response. In combination with the knowledge gained through many years of research on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the concept of a spectrum has generated much fruitful research on the spectrum disorders. It has become apparent that these disorders can also be viewed as being on a continuum of compulsivity to impulsivity, characterized by harm avoidance at the compulsive end and risk seeking at the impulsive end. The compulsive and impulsive disorders differ in systematic ways that are just beginning to be understood. Here, we review these concepts and several representative obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders including both compulsive and impulsive disorders, as well as the three different symptom clusters: OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, pathological gambling, sexual compulsivity, and autism spectrum disorders. PMID:22033547

Using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient to Discriminate Autism Spectrum Disorder from ADHD in Adult Patients with and without Comorbid Substance Use Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sizoo, Bram B.; van den Brink, Wim; Gorissen-van Eenige, Marielle; Koeter, Maarten W.; van Wijngaarden-Cremers, Patricia J. M.; van der Gaag, Rutger Jan

2009-01-01

It is unknown whether the Autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) can discriminate between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with or without comorbid Substance Use Disorder (SUD). ANOVA's were used to analyse the mean AQ (sub)scores of 129 adults with ASD or ADHD. We applied receiver operating…

Family-focused autism spectrum disorder research: a review of the utility of family systems approaches.

PubMed

Cridland, Elizabeth K; Jones, Sandra C; Magee, Christopher A; Caputi, Peter

2014-04-01

A family member with an autism spectrum disorder presents pervasive and bidirectional influences on the entire family system, suggesting a need for family-focused autism spectrum disorder research. While there has been increasing interest in this research area, family-focused autism spectrum disorder research can still be considered relatively recent, and there are limitations to the existing literature. The purpose of this article is to provide theoretical and methodological directions for future family-focused autism spectrum disorder research. In particular, this article proposes Family Systems approaches as a common theoretical framework for future family-focused autism spectrum disorder research by considering theoretical concepts such as Boundaries, Ambiguous Loss, Resilience and Traumatic Growth. We discuss reasons why these concepts are important to researching families living with autism spectrum disorder and provide recommendations for future research. The potential for research grounded in Family Systems approaches to influence clinical support services is also discussed.

Vocational Support Approaches in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Synthesis Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholas, David B.; Attridge, Mark; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Clarke, Margaret

2015-01-01

This synthesis-based analysis identifies and reviews studies evaluating vocational resources for adults with autism spectrum disorder. It is based on a larger systematic review of intervention studies in autism spectrum disorder, from which a critical interpretive synthesis was conducted on studies related to vocation and autism spectrum disorder.…

Increasing Autism Prevalence in Metropolitan New Jersey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zahorodny, Walter; Shenouda, Josephine; Howell, Sandra; Rosato, Nancy Scotto; Peng, Bo; Mehta, Uday

2014-01-01

High baseline autism spectrum disorder prevalence estimates in New Jersey led to a follow-up surveillance. The objectives were to determine autism spectrum disorder prevalence in the year 2006 in New Jersey and to identify changes in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder or in the characteristics of the children with autism spectrum disorder,…

The Influence of Media Suggestions about Links between Criminality and Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Neil; Zoanetti, Jordana; Young, Robyn L.

2017-01-01

We examined whether media reports linking criminal behaviour and autism spectrum disorder foster negative attitudes towards individuals with autism spectrum disorder. In a between-subjects design, participants were exposed to (a) a media story in which a murderer was labelled with autism spectrum disorder (media exposure condition) or not labelled…

Gestural Communication in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders during Mother-Child Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mastrogiuseppe, Marilina; Capirci, Olga; Cuva, Simone; Venuti, Paola

2015-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorders display atypical development of gesture production, and gesture impairment is one of the determining factors of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Despite the obvious importance of this issue for children with autism spectrum disorder, the literature on gestures in autism is scarce and contradictory. The…

The art of camouflage: Gender differences in the social behaviors of girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Dean, Michelle; Harwood, Robin; Kasari, Connie

2017-08-01

This study examined the extent to which gender-related social behaviors help girls with autism spectrum disorder to seemingly mask their symptoms. Using concurrent mixed methods, we examined the social behaviors of 96 elementary school children during recess (autism spectrum disorder = 24 girls and 24 boys, typically developing = 24 girls and 24 boys). Children with autism spectrum disorder had average intelligence (IQ ⩾ 70), a confirmed diagnosis, and were educated in the general education classroom. Typically developing children were matched by sex, age, and city of residence to children with autism spectrum disorder. The results indicate that the female social landscape supports the camouflage hypothesis; girls with autism spectrum disorder used compensatory behaviors, such as staying in close proximately to peers and weaving in and out of activities, which appeared to mask their social challenges. Comparatively, the male landscape made it easier to detect the social challenges of boys with autism spectrum disorder. Typically developing boys tended to play organized games; boys with autism spectrum disorder tended to play alone. The results highlight a male bias in our perception of autism spectrum disorder. If practitioners look for social isolation on the playground when identifying children with social challenges, then our findings suggest that girls with autism spectrum disorder will continue to be left unidentified.

Meta-analysis of Big Five personality traits in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Lodi-Smith, Jennifer; Rodgers, Jonathan D; Cunningham, Sara A; Lopata, Christopher; Thomeer, Marcus L

2018-04-01

The present meta-analysis synthesizes the emerging literature on the relationship of Big Five personality traits to autism spectrum disorder. Studies were included if they (1) either (a) measured autism spectrum disorder characteristics using a metric that yielded a single score quantification of the magnitude of autism spectrum disorder characteristics and/or (b) studied individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis compared to individuals without an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and (2) measured Big Five traits in the same sample or samples. Fourteen reviewed studies include both correlational analyses and group comparisons. Eighteen effect sizes per Big Five trait were used to calculate two overall effect sizes per trait. Meta-analytic effects were calculated using random effects models. Twelve effects (per trait) from nine studies reporting correlations yielded a negative association between each Big Five personality trait and autism spectrum disorder characteristics (Fisher's z ranged from -.21 (conscientiousness) to -.50 (extraversion)). Six group contrasts (per trait) from six studies comparing individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to neurotypical individuals were also substantial (Hedges' g ranged from -.88 (conscientiousness) to -1.42 (extraversion)). The potential impact of personality on important life outcomes and new directions for future research on personality in autism spectrum disorder are discussed in light of results.

Gender identity and sexual orientation in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

George, Rita; Stokes, Mark A

2017-09-01

Clinical impressions indicate that there is an overrepresentation of gender-dysphoria within the autism spectrum disorder. However, little is presently known about the demographics of gender-identity issues in autism spectrum disorder. Based upon what little is known, we hypothesized that there would be an increased prevalence of gender-dysphoria among those with autism spectrum disorder compared to a typically developing population. We surveyed gender-dysphoria with the Gender-Identity/Gender-Dysphoria Questionnaire among 90 males and 219 females with autism spectrum disorder and compared these rates to those of 103 males and 158 females without autism spectrum disorder. When compared to typically developing individuals, autistic individuals reported a higher number of gender-dysphoric traits. Rates of gender-dysphoria in the group with autism spectrum disorder were significantly higher than reported in the wider population. Mediation analysis found that the relationship between autistic traits and sexual orientation was mediated by gender-dysphoric traits. Results suggest that autism spectrum disorder presents a unique experience to the formation and consolidation of gender identity, and for some autistic individuals, their sexual orientation relates to their gender experience. It is important that clinicians working with autism spectrum disorder are aware of the gender-diversity in this population so that the necessary support for healthy socio-sexual functioning and mental well-being is provided.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities Menstruation and ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find a Study ...

Comparative Study on Knowledge About Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Paediatric and Psychiatric Nurses in Public Hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana.

PubMed

Sampson, Wireko-Gyebi; Sandra, Ashiagbor Emelia

2018-01-01

Despite the existence of autism spectrum disorder in Ghana, few studies have provided the necessary information on the phenomenon. These studies have mostly focused on speech and language therapy for children and modification of classroom environment for children with autism spectrum disorder. This approach has resulted in a paucity of knowledge on nurse's knowledge of autism spectrum disorder in Ghana. The study sought to assess the knowledge of paediatric and psychiatric on autism spectrum disorder. In this study, 130 paediatric and 93 psychiatric nurses sampled from five public hospitals in the Kumasi Metropolis participated in the survey. The Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaire was employed to assess their knowledge of autism spectrum disorder. It emerged from the study that psychiatric nurses were more knowledgeable on autism spectrum disorder than paediatric nurses in general and specifically on each of the four domains on the KCAHW questionnaire. However, the level of knowledge on autism spectrum disorder among both groups of nurses remains low. Apart from the previous encounter, there were no significant differences between paediatric and psychiatric nurses' gender, age, marital status, working experience and their knowledge. In view of the findings, it will be appropriate for autism spectrum disorder to be included in the clinical training curriculum as well as the continuous professional education for both paediatric and psychiatric nurses. This will go a long way in helping paediatric and psychiatric nurses to increase their knowledge of autism spectrum disorder.

How are they doing? Listening as fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder compare themselves to fathers of children who are typically developing.

PubMed

Cheuk, Samantha; Lashewicz, Bonnie

2016-04-01

The growing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is accompanied by ongoing efforts to understand and support parents in the face of challenges related to their child's autism spectrum disorder. Although fathers are increasingly hands-on in raising children, research focus on parenting children with autism spectrum disorder continues to be skewed toward experiences of mothers. Our purpose in this article is to contribute understandings of how fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder perceive themselves to be managing, and we undertake this by examining comparisons fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder make between their parenting experiences and experiences of fathers of typically developing children. A purposive sample of 28 fathers of children (aged 2-13 years) with autism spectrum disorder living in an urban center in Western Canada participated in in-depth interviews about their parenting successes and challenges. We found fathers speak of universal fathering experiences yet articulate their own sense of loss and efforts to come to terms with unanticipated demands associated with autism spectrum disorder. Fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder feel "pangs of jealousy" toward fathers of typically developing children, yet they are keenly attentive to their own child's development and convey a sense of gratitude for their child's capabilities and personality amidst an appreciation for trials and triumphs of fathering in general and fathering a child with autism spectrum disorder in particular. © The Author(s) 2015.

Temperament and Character as Endophenotype in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sizoo, Bram B.; van der Gaag, Rutger Jan; van den Brink, Wim

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder overlap in several ways, raising questions about the nature of this comorbidity. Rommelse et al. published an innovative review of candidate endophenotypes for autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in cognitive and brain domains. They found that…

Educational and Behavioral Interventions in Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Sengupta, Koyeli; Lobo, Leera; Krishnamurthy, Vibha

2017-01-01

The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) makes early recognition, evaluation and management an important task for pediatricians, physicians and other professionals caring for children. Educational interventions form the mainstay of management for children with autism spectrum disorder. Such interventions focus on improving social interaction, communication and challenging behaviors, thereby promoting learning and independence in children. This article provides an overview of educational and behavioral interventions in autism spectrum disorder, with special reference to challenges and feasible solutions in the Indian context. Articles were retrieved from various databases including Google Scholar, Medscape, Cochrane, PubMed using the search terms 'autism spectrum disorder OR autism AND educational interventions'; 'autism spectrum disorder OR autism, educational interventions AND India' and 'autism spectrum disorder OR autism AND India'. Reference lists from retrieved articles as well as websites of organizations working in this space in India were also searched. Extracted manuscripts were analysed for content related to various aspects of educational and behavioral interventions in autism spectrum disorder. Intervention models for autism spectrum disorder are based on various theoretical orientations and target specific deficits associated with the disorder. In addition, evidence-based principles for effective intervention are highlighted. In developing countries like India, access to interventions is a challenge and resources are limited. In such settings, the pediatrician's or physician's role is vital in supporting families choose programs that are evidence-based, target individual needs and result in improved outcomes.

The Neuroanatomy of Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview of Structural Neuroimaging Findings and Their Translatability to the Clinical Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ecker, Christine

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, which is accompanied by differences in brain anatomy, functioning and brain connectivity. Due to its neurodevelopmental character, and the large phenotypic heterogeneity among individuals on the autism spectrum, the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder is inherently difficult…

Adolescent Boys with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Experience of Sexuality: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewinter, Jeroen; Van Parys, Hanna; Vermeiren, Robert; van Nieuwenhuizen, Chijs

2017-01-01

This qualitative study explored how adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder experience their sexuality. Previous research has demonstrated that sexuality is a developmental task for boys with autism spectrum disorder, as it is for their peers. Case studies have suggested a relation between autism spectrum disorder and atypical sexual…

Is There Concordance in Attitudes and Beliefs between Parents and Scientists about Autism Spectrum Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischbach, Ruth L.; Harris, Mark J.; Ballan, Michelle S.; Fischbach, Gerald D.; Link, Bruce G.

2016-01-01

There is no reported investigation comparing concordance in attitudes and beliefs about autism spectrum disorder between parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and scientists who research autism spectrum disorder. To investigate the level of concordance between these groups on causes of autism, priorities of research, perceived stigma,…

Effectiveness of a Phonological Awareness Training Intervention on Word Recognition Ability of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammed, Adel Abdulla; Mostafa, Amaal Ahmed

2012-01-01

This study describes an action research project designed to improve word recognition ability of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A total of 47 children diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder using Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluation Inventory (Mohammed, 2006), participated in this study. The sample was randomly divided into two…

Family-Focused Autism Spectrum Disorder Research: A Review of the Utility of Family Systems Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cridland, Elizabeth K.; Jones, Sandra C.; Magee, Christopher A.; Caputi, Peter

2014-01-01

A family member with an autism spectrum disorder presents pervasive and bidirectional influences on the entire family system, suggesting a need for family-focused autism spectrum disorder research. While there has been increasing interest in this research area, family-focused autism spectrum disorder research can still be considered relatively…

Comparing Service Use and Costs among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Special Needs and Typical Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Barbara; Mosweu, Iris; Jones, Catherine R. G.; Charman, Tony; Baird, Gillian; Simonoff, Emily; Pickles, Andrew; Happé, Francesca; Byford, Sarah

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex condition that requires specialised care. Knowledge of the costs of autism spectrum disorder, especially in comparison with other conditions, may be useful to galvanise policymakers and leverage investment in education and intervention to mitigate aspects of autism spectrum disorder that negatively impact…

Obesity and Associated Factors in Youth with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granich, Joanna; Lin, Ashleigh; Hunt, Anna; Wray, John; Dass, Alena; Whitehouse, Andrew J. O.

2016-01-01

Weight status on children and youth with autism spectrum disorder is limited. We examined the prevalence of overweight/obesity in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder, and associations between weight status and range of factors. Children and youth with autism spectrum disorder aged 2-16 years (n = 208) and their parents participated in…

Evaluation of the ADHD rating scale in youth with autism

PubMed Central

Yerys, Benjamin E.; Nissley-Tsiopinis, Jenelle; de Marchena, Ashley; Watkins, Marley W.; Antezana, Ligia; Power, Thomas J.; Schultz, Robert T.

2016-01-01

Scientists and clinicians regularly use clinical screening tools for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to assess comorbidity without empirical evidence that these measures are valid in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We examined the prevalence of youth meeting ADHD criteria on the ADHD rating scale fourth edition (ADHD-RS-IV), the relationship of ADHD-RS-IV ratings with participant characteristics and behaviors, and its underlying factor structure in 386 7-17 year olds with ASD without intellectual disability. Expected parent prevalence rates, relationships with age and externalizing behaviors were observed, but confirmatory factor analyses revealed unsatisfactory fits for one-, two-, three-factor models. Exploratory analyses revealed several items cross-loading on multiple factors. Implications of screening ADHD in youth with ASD using current diagnostic criteria are discussed. PMID:27738853

Prognostic model based on nailfold capillaroscopy for identifying Raynaud's phenomenon patients at high risk for the development of a scleroderma spectrum disorder: PRINCE (prognostic index for nailfold capillaroscopic examination).

PubMed

Ingegnoli, Francesca; Boracchi, Patrizia; Gualtierotti, Roberta; Lubatti, Chiara; Meani, Laura; Zahalkova, Lenka; Zeni, Silvana; Fantini, Flavio

2008-07-01

To construct a prognostic index based on nailfold capillaroscopic examinations that is capable of predicting the 5-year transition from isolated Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) to RP secondary to scleroderma spectrum disorders (SSDs). The study involved 104 consecutive adult patients with a clinical history of isolated RP, and the index was externally validated in another cohort of 100 patients with the same characteristics. Both groups were followed up for 1-8 years. Six variables were examined because of their potential prognostic relevance (branching, enlarged and giant loops, capillary disorganization, microhemorrhages, and the number of capillaries). The only factors that played a significant prognostic role were the presence of giant loops (hazard ratio [HR] 2.64, P = 0.008) and microhemorrhages (HR 2.33, P = 0.01), and the number of capillaries (analyzed as a continuous variable). The adjusted prognostic role of these factors was evaluated by means of multivariate regression analysis, and the results were used to construct an algorithm-based prognostic index. The model was internally and externally validated. Our prognostic capillaroscopic index identifies RP patients in whom the risk of developing SSDs is high. This model is a weighted combination of different capillaroscopy parameters that allows physicians to stratify RP patients easily, using a relatively simple diagram to deduce the prognosis. Our results suggest that this index could be used in clinical practice, and its further inclusion in prospective studies will undoubtedly help in exploring its potential in predicting treatment response.

Parental romantic expectations and parent-child sexuality communication in autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Holmes, Laura G; Himle, Michael B; Strassberg, Donald S

2016-08-01

This study examined the relationship between core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, parental romantic expectations, and parental provision of sexuality and relationship education in an online sample of 190 parents of youth 12-18 years of age with a parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Regression analyses were conducted separately for youth with autism spectrum disorder + parent-reported average or above IQ and youth with autism spectrum disorder + parent-reported below average IQ. For youth with autism spectrum disorder + parent-reported average or above IQ, autism spectrum disorder severity predicted parental romantic expectations, but not parental provision of sexuality and relationship education. For youth with autism spectrum disorder + parent-reported below average IQ, parental romantic expectations mediated the relationship between autism spectrum disorder severity and parent provision of sexuality and relationship education. This supports the importance of carefully considering intellectual functioning in autism spectrum disorder sexuality research and suggests that acknowledging and addressing parent expectations may be important for parent-focused sexuality and relationship education interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Comparing service use and costs among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, special needs and typical development.

PubMed

Barrett, Barbara; Mosweu, Iris; Jones, Catherine Rg; Charman, Tony; Baird, Gillian; Simonoff, Emily; Pickles, Andrew; Happé, Francesca; Byford, Sarah

2015-07-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex condition that requires specialised care. Knowledge of the costs of autism spectrum disorder, especially in comparison with other conditions, may be useful to galvanise policymakers and leverage investment in education and intervention to mitigate aspects of autism spectrum disorder that negatively impact individuals with the disorder and their families. This article describes the services and associated costs for four groups of individuals: adolescents with autistic disorder, adolescents with other autism spectrum disorders, adolescents with other special educational needs and typically developing adolescents using data from a large, well-characterised cohort assessed as part of the UK Special Needs and Autism Project at the age of 12 years. Average total costs per participant over 6 months were highest in the autistic disorder group (£11,029), followed by the special educational needs group (£9268), the broader autism spectrum disorder group (£8968) and the typically developing group (£2954). Specialised day or residential schooling accounted for the vast majority of costs. In regression analysis, lower age and lower adaptive functioning were associated with higher costs in the groups with an autism spectrum disorder. Sex, ethnicity, number of International Classification of Diseases (10th revision) symptoms, autism spectrum disorder symptom scores and levels of mental health difficulties were not associated with cost. © The Author(s) 2014.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Young Children. AECA Research in Practice Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roe, Diana

This booklet provides an overview of the characteristics and needs of young children with autism spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders. It addresses: (1) different disabilities under the classification of autism spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders; (2) characteristics of autism; (3) characteristics of children…

Clinical and Molecular Features of POLG-Related Mitochondrial Disease

PubMed Central

Stumpf, Jeffrey D.; Saneto, Russell P.; Copeland, William C.

2013-01-01

The inability to replicate mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) by the mitochondrial DNA polymerase (pol γ) leads to a subset of mitochondrial diseases. Many mutations in POLG, the gene that encodes pol γ, have been associated with mitochondrial diseases such as myocerebrohepatopathy spectrum (MCHS) disorders, Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome, myoclonic epilepsy myopathy sensory ataxia (MEMSA), ataxia neuropathy spectrum (ANS), and progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO). This chapter explores five important topics in POLG-related disease: (1) clinical symptoms that identify and distinguish POLG-related diseases, (2) molecular characterization of defects in polymerase activity by POLG disease variants, (3) the importance of holoenzyme formation in disease presentation, (4) the role of pol γ exonuclease activity and mutagenesis in disease and aging, and (5) novel approaches to therapy and avoidance of toxicity based on primary research in pol γ replication. PMID:23545419

Recent Advances in Understanding and Managing Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Germain, Blair; Eppinger, Melissa A.; Mostofsky, Stewart H.; DiCicco-Bloom, Emanuel; Maria, Bernard L.

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder in children is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by difficulties with social communication and behavior. Growing scientific evidence in addition to clinical practice has led the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to categorize several disorders into the broader category of autism spectrum disorder. As more is learned about how autism spectrum disorder manifests, progress has been made toward better clinical management including earlier diagnosis, care, and when specific interventions are required. The 2014 Neurobiology of Disease in Children symposium, held in conjunction with the 43rd annual meeting of the Child Neurology Society, aimed to (1) describe the clinical concerns involving diagnosis and treatment, (2) review the current status of understanding in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder, (3) discuss clinical management and therapies for autism spectrum disorder, and (4) define future directions of research. The article summarizes the presentations and includes an edited transcript of question-and-answer sessions. PMID:26336201

Sleep in children with autistic spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Cortesi, Flavia; Giannotti, Flavia; Ivanenko, Anna; Johnson, Kyle

2010-08-01

Children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) suffer from sleep problems, particularly insomnia, at a higher rate than typically developing children, ranging from 40% to 80%. Sleep problems in ASD might occur as a result of complex interactions between biological, psychological, social/environmental, and family factors, including child rearing practices that are not conducive to good sleep. Interestingly, children with a history of developmental regression have a more disturbed sleep pattern than children without regression. Even though regulation of sleep in children with ASD is still poorly understood, circadian abnormalities in autism might be the result of genetic abnormalities related to melatonin synthesis and melatonin's role in modulating synaptic transmission. Recently a bifurcation of the sleep/wake cycle with increased sensitivity to external noise and short sleep duration causing irregular sleep onset and wake up times has been suggested. Identifying and treating sleep disorders may result not only in improved sleep, but also impact favorably on daytime behavior and family functioning. Several studies have also demonstrated effectiveness of behavioral interventions for sleep onset and maintenance problems in these populations. When behavioral interventions are not effective or lead only to a partial response, pharmacological treatment options should be considered. Studies of melatonin use in children with ASD provide evidence for its effectiveness and safety in the long run. The clinician assessing a child with an ASD should screen carefully for sleep disorders and make referrals as indicated. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative Study on Knowledge About Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Paediatric and Psychiatric Nurses in Public Hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana

PubMed Central

Sampson, Wireko-Gyebi; Sandra, Ashiagbor Emelia

2018-01-01

Background: Despite the existence of autism spectrum disorder in Ghana, few studies have provided the necessary information on the phenomenon. These studies have mostly focused on speech and language therapy for children and modification of classroom environment for children with autism spectrum disorder. This approach has resulted in a paucity of knowledge on nurse’s knowledge of autism spectrum disorder in Ghana. Objective: The study sought to assess the knowledge of paediatric and psychiatric on autism spectrum disorder. Method: In this study, 130 paediatric and 93 psychiatric nurses sampled from five public hospitals in the Kumasi Metropolis participated in the survey. The Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaire was employed to assess their knowledge of autism spectrum disorder. Results: It emerged from the study that psychiatric nurses were more knowledgeable on autism spectrum disorder than paediatric nurses in general and specifically on each of the four domains on the KCAHW questionnaire. However, the level of knowledge on autism spectrum disorder among both groups of nurses remains low. Apart from the previous encounter, there were no significant differences between paediatric and psychiatric nurses’ gender, age, marital status, working experience and their knowledge. Conclusion: In view of the findings, it will be appropriate for autism spectrum disorder to be included in the clinical training curriculum as well as the continuous professional education for both paediatric and psychiatric nurses. This will go a long way in helping paediatric and psychiatric nurses to increase their knowledge of autism spectrum disorder. PMID:29785200

Obesity and associated factors in youth with an autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Granich, Joanna; Lin, Ashleigh; Hunt, Anna; Wray, John; Dass, Alena; Whitehouse, Andrew Jo

2016-11-01

Weight status on children and youth with autism spectrum disorder is limited. We examined the prevalence of overweight/obesity in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder, and associations between weight status and range of factors. Children and youth with autism spectrum disorder aged 2-16 years (n = 208) and their parents participated in this study. Body mass index was calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts and the International Obesity Task Force body mass index cut-offs. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule was administered. Parents completed questionnaires about socio-demographics, diagnosed comorbidities, sleep disturbances, social functioning and medication of youth with autism spectrum disorder. The prevalence of overweight/obesity in participants with autism spectrum disorder was 35%. One quarter of obese children and youth (25.6%) had obese parents. There was a significant association between children and youth's body mass index and maternal body mass index (r = 0.25, n = 199, p < 0.001). The gender and age, parental education, family income, ethnicity, autism spectrum disorder severity, social functioning, psychotropic and complementary medication use of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder were not statistically associated with their weight status. Findings suggest the need for clinical settings to monitor weight status of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder in a bid to manage or prevent overweight/obesity in this population. Incorporating a family system approach to influence health behaviours among children and youth with autism spectrum disorder especially for specific weight interventions is warranted and should be further explored. © The Author(s) 2016.

Social analogical reasoning in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing peers.

PubMed

Green, Adam E; Kenworthy, Lauren; Gallagher, Natalie M; Antezana, Ligia; Mosner, Maya G; Krieg, Samantha; Dudley, Katherina; Ratto, Allison; Yerys, Benjamin E

2017-05-01

Analogical reasoning is an important mechanism for social cognition in typically developing children, and recent evidence suggests that some forms of analogical reasoning may be preserved in autism spectrum disorder. An unanswered question is whether children with autism spectrum disorder can apply analogical reasoning to social information. In all, 92 children with autism spectrum disorder completed a social content analogical reasoning task presented via photographs of real-world social interactions. Autism spectrum disorder participants exhibited performance that was well above chance and was not significantly worse than age- and intelligence quotient-matched typically developing children. Investigating the relationship of social content analogical reasoning performance to age in this cross-sectional dataset indicated similar developmental trajectories in the autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children groups. These findings provide new support for intact analogical reasoning in autism spectrum disorder and have theoretical implications for analogy as a metacognitive skill that may be at least partially dissociable from general deficits in processing social content. As an initial study of social analogical reasoning in children with autism spectrum disorder, this study focused on a basic research question with limited ecological validity. Evidence that children with autism spectrum disorder can apply analogical reasoning ability to social content may have long-range applied implications for exploring how this capacity might be channeled to improve social cognition in daily life.

The combined impact of social support and perceived stress on quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder and without intellectual disability.

PubMed

Bishop-Fitzpatrick, Lauren; Mazefsky, Carla A; Eack, Shaun M

2017-06-01

Identifying modifiable correlates of good quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder is of paramount importance for intervention development as the population of adults with autism spectrum disorder increases. This study sought to examine social support and perceived stress as potential modifiable correlates of quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder. We hypothesized that adults with autism spectrum disorder without co-occurring intellectual disabilities ( N = 40; aged 18-44 years) would report lower levels of social support and quality of life than typical community volunteers who were matched for age, sex, and race ( N = 25). We additionally hypothesized that social support would buffer the effect of perceived stress on quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Results indicated that adults with autism spectrum disorder reported significantly lower levels of social support and quality of life than matched typical community volunteers. In addition, findings showed significant direct effects of social support and perceived stress on quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Social support did not buffer the effect of perceived stress on quality of life. Interventions that teach adults with autism spectrum disorder skills to help them better manage stress and cultivate supportive social relationships have the potential to improve quality of life.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Part I: A Comparison of Parenting Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Shelley L.; Coons, Kelly D.; Hayes, Stephanie A.

2013-01-01

Background: There is a long history of research on parents of children with disabilities, but to the authors' knowledge, no study has compared the stress of parents of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: Twenty-five parents of children with ASD and 25 parents of…

Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Germany: Time Trends in Administrative Prevalence and Diagnostic Stability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachmann, Christian J.; Gerste, Bettina; Hoffmann, Falk

2018-01-01

For Germany, no data on trends in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses are available. The primary aim of this study was to establish the time trends in the administrative prevalence of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. The second aim was to assess the stability of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses over time. We analysed administrative outpatient…

Plugged in: Electronics use in youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

MacMullin, Jennifer A; Lunsky, Yona; Weiss, Jonathan A

2016-01-01

Although electronic technology currently plays an integral role for most youth, there are growing concerns of its excessive and compulsive use. This study documents patterns and impact of electronics use in individuals with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing peers. Participants included 172 parents of typically developing individuals and 139 parents of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, ranging in age from 6 to 21 years. Parents completed an online survey of demographics and the frequency, duration, and problematic patterns of electronics use in their youth and young adults. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder were reported to use certain electronics more often in the last month and on an average day, and had greater compulsive Internet and video game use than individuals without autism spectrum disorder. Across both samples, males used video games more often than females. Compared to parents of individuals without autism spectrum disorder, parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder were significantly more likely to report that electronics use was currently having a negative impact. The implications of problematic electronics use for individuals with autism spectrum disorder are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Clinical Assessment and Management of Toddlers With Suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights From Studies of High-Risk Infants

PubMed Central

Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Bryson, Susan; Lord, Catherine; Rogers, Sally; Carter, Alice; Carver, Leslie; Chawarska, Kasia; Constantino, John; Dawson, Geraldine; Dobkins, Karen; Fein, Deborah; Iverson, Jana; Klin, Ami; Landa, Rebecca; Messinger, Daniel; Ozonoff, Sally; Sigman, Marian; Stone, Wendy; Tager-Flusberg, Helen; Yirmiya, Nurit

2010-01-01

With increased public awareness of the early signs and recent American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations that all 18- and 24-month-olds be screened for autism spectrum disorders, there is an increasing need for diagnostic assessment of very young children. However, unique challenges exist in applying current diagnostic guidelines for autism spectrum disorders to children under the age of 2 years. In this article, we address challenges related to early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders in this age group. We provide a comprehensive review of findings from recent studies on the early development of children with autism spectrum disorders, summarizing current knowledge on early signs of autism spectrum disorders, the screening properties of early detection tools, and current best practice for diagnostic assessment of autism spectrum disorders before 2 years of age. We also outline principles of effective intervention for children under the age of 2 with suspected/confirmed autism spectrum disorders. It is hoped that ongoing studies will provide an even stronger foundation for evidence-based diagnostic and intervention approaches for this critically important age group. PMID:19403506

Mental Illness Statistics

MedlinePlus

... Top ı cs Mental Illness Any Anxiety Disorder Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Bipolar ... Anorexia Nervosa Any Anxiety Disorder Any Mood Disorder Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Binge ...

Trajectories and correlates of special education supports for youth with autism spectrum disorder and psychiatric comparisons.

PubMed

Spaulding, Christine J; Lerner, Matthew D; Gadow, Kenneth D

2017-05-01

Relatively little is known about patterns of school-based supportive services for youth with autism spectrum disorder. This study describes these supportive services and their correlates, both cross-sectionally and retrospectively, in a large sample ( N = 283) of 6- to 18- year-old youth. To assess whether special education designation and classroom placement patterns were peculiar to autism spectrum disorder, we also conducted analyses comparing youth with autism spectrum disorder to those with other psychiatric diagnoses ( N = 1088). In higher grades, the relative quantity of three common supportive services received by youth with autism spectrum disorder decreased, while total supportive service quantity remained stable over time. Youth with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to receive a special education designation and were placed in less inclusive classroom settings than youth with other psychiatric diagnoses. These findings suggest that as youth with autism spectrum disorder reach higher grades, changes in service provision occur in terms of both time and quantity.

Parenting stress as an indirect pathway to mental health concerns among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Tomeny, Theodore S

2017-10-01

The link between autism spectrum disorder symptoms and maternal stress has been well established, yet many mothers remain resilient to more severe psychopathology. For the current online study, 111 mothers of a child with autism spectrum disorder completed questionnaires about their child's symptoms, their own stress related to parenting, and any psychopathology symptoms they were experiencing. Autism spectrum disorder symptom severity was positively related to both parenting stress and maternal psychopathology symptoms. Furthermore, parenting stress mediated the relation between autism spectrum disorder symptom severity and maternal psychopathology symptoms. These results provide evidence for a pathway through which psychopathology may develop among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder and a potential point of intervention for clinicians serving this population.

Does obsessive-compulsive personality disorder belong within the obsessive-compulsive spectrum?

PubMed

Fineberg, Naomi A; Sharma, Punita; Sivakumaran, Thanusha; Sahakian, Barbara; Chamberlain, Sam R; Chamberlain, Sam

2007-06-01

It has been proposed that certain Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Axis I disorders share overlapping clinical features, genetic contributions, and treatment response and fall within an "obsessive-compulsive" spectrum. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) resembles obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other spectrum disorders in terms of phenomenology, comorbidity, neurocognition, and treatment response. This article critically examines the nosological profile of OCPD with special reference to OCD and related disorders. By viewing OCPD as a candidate member of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum, we gain a fresh approach to understanding its neurobiology, etiology, and potential treatments.

Socioeconomic status and intelligence quotient as predictors of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and in their siblings.

PubMed

Rosa, Mireia; Puig, Olga; Lázaro, Luisa; Calvo, Rosa

2016-11-01

Previous studies have shown high rates of comorbid disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, but failed to compare them with general population and few of them have identified predictors of comorbidity. This study compared the rates of psychiatric disorders in 50 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, 24 of their siblings, 32 controls from general population and 22 of their siblings. Children and adolescent with autism spectrum disorder and their siblings had higher rates of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder compared to controls. Lower socioeconomic status and intelligence quotient were the main risk factors. The contribution of socioeconomic status and intelligence quotient to increase the risk of developing comorbidity in autism spectrum disorder and psychopathology in their siblings deserves further study. © The Author(s) 2016.

Enhancing Work Outcomes of Employees with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Leadership: Leadership for Employees with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parr, Alissa D.; Hunter, Samuel T.

2014-01-01

The focus of this study was to identify leader behaviors that elicit successful engagement of employees with autism spectrum disorder, a population that is powerfully emerging into the workplace. The ultimate goal was to improve the quality of life of employees with autism spectrum disorder by facilitating an environment leading to their success.…

An Examination of the Reliability of a New Observation Measure for Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Autism Spectrum Disorder Observation for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neal, Daniene; Matson, Johnny L.; Belva, Brian C.

2013-01-01

The "autism spectrum disorder observation for children" ("ASD-OC") is a newly created 54-item observation measure for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Due to the fact that many of the ASD observation measures currently available do not have established psychometric properties and require extensive time and training to administer, the "ASD-OC"…

How Are They Doing? Listening as Fathers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compare Themselves to Fathers of Children Who Are Typically Developing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheuk, Samantha; Lashewicz, Bonnie

2016-01-01

The growing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is accompanied by ongoing efforts to understand and support parents in the face of challenges related to their child's autism spectrum disorder. Although fathers are increasingly hands-on in raising children, research focus on parenting children with autism spectrum disorder continues to be skewed…

Maternal Brain-Reactive Antibodies and Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) occurs in 1 in 68 births, preferentially affecting males. It encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental ...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0369 TITLE: Maternal Brain-Reactive Antibodies and Autism Spectrum Disorder PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Betty Diamond...Sep 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Maternal Brain-Reactive Antibodies and Autism Spectrum 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Disorder 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1

Social Engagement with Parents in 11-Month-Old Siblings at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Susan B.; Leezenbaum, Nina B.; Mahoney, Amanda S.; Day, Taylor N.; Schmidt, Emily N.

2015-01-01

Infant siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder are at heightened genetic risk to develop autism spectrum disorder. We observed high risk (n?=?35) and low risk (n?=?27) infants at 11?months during free play with a parent. Children were assessed for autism spectrum disorder in toddlerhood. High-risk infants with a later diagnosis…

Easing the Transition to Secondary Education for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Evaluation of the Systemic Transition in Education Programme for Autism Spectrum Disorder (STEP-ASD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandy, William; Murin, Marianna; Baykaner, Ozlem; Staunton, Sara; Cobb, Robert; Hellriegel, Josselyn; Anderson, Seonaid; Skuse, David

2016-01-01

In mainstream education, the transition from primary to secondary school ("school transition") is difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder, being marked by high levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Systemic Transition in Education Programme for Autism Spectrum Disorder (STEP-ASD) is a new, manualised school…

Early markers of autism spectrum disorders in infants and toddlers prospectively identified in the Social Attention and Communication Study.

PubMed

Barbaro, Josephine; Dissanayake, Cheryl

2013-01-01

The Social Attention and Communication Study involved the successful implementation of developmental surveillance of the early markers of autism spectrum disorders in a community-based setting. The objective in the current study was to determine the most discriminating and predictive markers of autism spectrum disorders used in the Social Attention and Communication Study at 12, 18 and 24 months of age, so that these could be used to identify children with autism spectrum disorders with greater accuracy. The percentage of 'yes/no' responses for each behavioural marker was compared between children with autistic disorder (n = 39), autism spectrum disorder (n = 50) and developmental and/or language delay (n = 20) from 12 to 24 months, with a logistic regression also conducted at 24 months. Across all ages, the recurring key markers of both autistic disorder and autism spectrum disorder were deficits in eye contact and pointing, and from 18 months, deficits in showing became an important marker. In combination, these behaviours, along with pretend play, were found to be the best group of predictors for a best estimate diagnostic classification of autistic disorder/autism spectrum disorder at 24 months. It is argued that the identified markers should be monitored repeatedly during the second year of life by community health-care professionals.

Rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis Under the DSM-5 Criteria Compared to DSM-IV-TR Criteria in a Hospital-Based Clinic.

PubMed

Hartley-McAndrew, Michelle; Mertz, Jana; Hoffman, Martin; Crawford, Donald

2016-04-01

We aimed to determine whether there was a decrease in the number of children diagnosed on the autism spectrum after the implementation of the new diagnostic criteria as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fifth Edition published in May 2013. We reviewed 1552 charts of children evaluated at the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic. A comparison was made of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (autism, Asperger disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified) from 2010 to May 2013 using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria with children diagnosed from June 2013 through June 2015 under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fifth Edition. Using χ(2) analysis, the 2013-2015 rate of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (39%) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the 2010 to May 2013 sample years rate (50%). The rate of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was significantly lower under the recently implemented Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Fifth Edition criteria. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Lobular patterns of cerebellar resting-state connectivity in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Olivito, Giusy; Lupo, Michela; Laghi, Fiorenzo; Clausi, Silvia; Baiocco, Roberto; Cercignani, Mara; Bozzali, Marco; Leggio, Maria

2018-03-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core deficits in social functioning. Core autistics traits refer to poor social and imagination skills, poor attention-switching/strong focus of attention, exceptional attention to detail, as expressed by the autism-spectrum quotient. Over the years, the importance of the cerebellum in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder has been acknowledged. Neuroimaging studies have provided a strong support to this view, showing both structural and functional connectivity alterations to affect the cerebellum in autism spectrum disorder. According to the underconnectivity theory, disrupted connectivity within cerebello-cerebral networks has been specifically implicated in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder. However, inconsistent results have been generated across studies. In this study, an integrated approach has been used in a selected population of adults with autism spectrum disorder to analyse both cerebellar morphometry and functional connectivity. In individuals with autism spectrum disorder, a decreased cerebellar grey matter volume affected the right Crus II, a region showing extensive connections with cerebral areas related to social functions. This grey matter reduction correlates with the degree of autistic traits as measured by autism-spectrum quotient. Interestingly, altered functional connectivity was found between the reduced cerebellar Crus II and contralateral cerebral regions, such as frontal and temporal areas. Overall, the present data suggest that adults with autism spectrum disorder present with specific cerebellar structural alterations that may affect functional connectivity within cerebello-cerebral modules relevant to social processing and account for core autistics traits. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Symptoms of Autism and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders in Clinically Referred Youth with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadow, Kenneth D.; Drabick, Deborah A. G.

2012-01-01

Examined autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) symptoms in a clinically referred, non-ASD sample (N = 1160; ages 6-18) with and without oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Mothers and teachers completed "DSM-IV"-referenced symptom checklists. Youth with ODD were subdivided into angry/irritable symptom (AIS) or…

Exploring the Agreement between Questionnaire Information and DSM-IV Diagnoses of Comorbid Psychopathology in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gjevik, Elen; Sandstad, Berit; Andreassen, Ole A.; Myhre, Anne M.; Sponheim, Eili

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are often comorbid with other psychiatric symptoms and disorders. However, identifying psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorders is challenging. We explored how a questionnaire, the Child Behavior Check List, agreed with a "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth…

Psychotherapy for Anxiety in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

ClinicalTrials.gov

2017-11-30

Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autism; Asperger's Syndrome; Pervasive Developmental Disability - Not Otherwise Specified; Obsessive-compulsive Disorder; Social Phobia; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Specific Phobia; Separation Anxiety Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Related Topics

MedlinePlus

... Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Q: Do vaccines cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? A: Many studies that have ... whether there is a relationship between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To date, the studies continue ...

Sexuality and gender role in autism spectrum disorder: a case control study.

PubMed

Bejerot, Susanne; Eriksson, Jonna M

2014-01-01

The 'extreme male brain theory of autism' describes an extreme male pattern of cognitive traits defined as strong systemising abilities paired with empathising weaknesses in autism spectrum disorder. However, beyond these cognitive traits, clinical observations have suggested an ambiguous gender-typed pattern regarding several sexually dimorphic traits. The aim of the present study was to investigate if patterns of non-cognitive sexually dimorphic traits differed between the autism spectrum disorder and control groups. Fifty adults with autism spectrum disorder and intelligence within the normal range, and 53 neurotypical controls responded to questions on gender role, self-perceived gender typicality and gender identity, as well as sexuality. Measures used were a Swedish modification of the Bem Sex Role Inventory and questions on sexuality and gender designed for the purpose of this study. Our results showed that one common gender role emerged in the autism spectrum disorder group. Masculinity (e.g. assertiveness, leadership and competitiveness) was weaker in the autism spectrum disorder group than in the controls, across men and women. Self-perceived gender typicality did not differ between the groups but tomboyism and bisexuality were overrepresented amongst women with autism spectrum disorder. Lower libido was reported amongst both male and female participants with autism spectrum disorder compared with controls. We conclude that the extreme male patterns of cognitive functions in the autistic brain do not seem to extend to gender role and sexuality. A gender-atypical pattern for these types of characteristics is suggested in autism spectrum disorder.

Sexuality and Gender Role in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Control Study

PubMed Central

Bejerot, Susanne; Eriksson, Jonna M.

2014-01-01

The ‘extreme male brain theory of autism’ describes an extreme male pattern of cognitive traits defined as strong systemising abilities paired with empathising weaknesses in autism spectrum disorder. However, beyond these cognitive traits, clinical observations have suggested an ambiguous gender-typed pattern regarding several sexually dimorphic traits. The aim of the present study was to investigate if patterns of non-cognitive sexually dimorphic traits differed between the autism spectrum disorder and control groups. Fifty adults with autism spectrum disorder and intelligence within the normal range, and 53 neurotypical controls responded to questions on gender role, self-perceived gender typicality and gender identity, as well as sexuality. Measures used were a Swedish modification of the Bem Sex Role Inventory and questions on sexuality and gender designed for the purpose of this study. Our results showed that one common gender role emerged in the autism spectrum disorder group. Masculinity (e.g. assertiveness, leadership and competitiveness) was weaker in the autism spectrum disorder group than in the controls, across men and women. Self-perceived gender typicality did not differ between the groups but tomboyism and bisexuality were overrepresented amongst women with autism spectrum disorder. Lower libido was reported amongst both male and female participants with autism spectrum disorder compared with controls. We conclude that the extreme male patterns of cognitive functions in the autistic brain do not seem to extend to gender role and sexuality. A gender-atypical pattern for these types of characteristics is suggested in autism spectrum disorder. PMID:24498228

Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder Questionnaire.

PubMed

Hirschfeld, R M; Williams, J B; Spitzer, R L; Calabrese, J R; Flynn, L; Keck, P E; Lewis, L; McElroy, S L; Post, R M; Rapport, D J; Russell, J M; Sachs, G S; Zajecka, J

2000-11-01

Bipolar spectrum disorders, which include bipolar I, bipolar II, and bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, frequently go unrecognized, undiagnosed, and untreated. This report describes the validation of a new brief self-report screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorders called the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. A total of 198 patients attending five outpatient clinics that primarily treat patients with mood disorders completed the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. A research professional, blind to the Mood Disorder Questionnaire results, conducted a telephone research diagnostic interview by means of the bipolar module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. A Mood Disorder Questionnaire screening score of 7 or more items yielded good sensitivity (0.73) and very good specificity (0.90). The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a useful screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder in a psychiatric outpatient population.

Early brain enlargement and elevated extra-axial fluid in infants who develop autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Shen, Mark D; Nordahl, Christine W; Young, Gregory S; Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L; Lee, Aaron; Liston, Sarah E; Harrington, Kayla R; Ozonoff, Sally; Amaral, David G

2013-09-01

Prospective studies of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder have provided important clues about the early behavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, however, is not currently made until at least 18 months of age. There is substantially less research on potential brain-based differences in the period between 6 and 12 months of age. Our objective in the current study was to use magnetic resonance imaging to identify any consistently observable brain anomalies in 6-9 month old infants who would later develop autism spectrum disorder. We conducted a prospective infant sibling study with longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging scans at three time points (6-9, 12-15, and 18-24 months of age), in conjunction with intensive behavioural assessments. Fifty-five infants (33 'high-risk' infants having an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder and 22 'low-risk' infants having no relatives with autism spectrum disorder) were imaged at 6-9 months; 43 of these (27 high-risk and 16 low-risk) were imaged at 12-15 months; and 42 (26 high-risk and 16 low-risk) were imaged again at 18-24 months. Infants were classified as meeting criteria for autism spectrum disorder, other developmental delays, or typical development at 24 months or later (mean age at outcome: 32.5 months). Compared with the other two groups, infants who developed autism spectrum disorder (n = 10) had significantly greater extra-axial fluid at 6-9 months, which persisted and remained elevated at 12-15 and 18-24 months. Extra-axial fluid is characterized by excessive cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space, particularly over the frontal lobes. The amount of extra-axial fluid detected as early as 6 months was predictive of more severe autism spectrum disorder symptoms at the time of outcome. Infants who developed autism spectrum disorder also had significantly larger total cerebral volumes at both 12-15 and 18-24 months of age. This is the first magnetic resonance imaging study to prospectively evaluate brain growth trajectories from infancy in children who develop autism spectrum disorder. The presence of excessive extra-axial fluid detected as early as 6 months and the lack of resolution by 24 months is a hitherto unreported brain anomaly in infants who later develop autism spectrum disorder. This is also the first magnetic resonance imaging evidence of brain enlargement in autism before age 2. These findings raise the potential for the use of structural magnetic resonance imaging to aid in the early detection of children at risk for autism spectrum disorder or other neurodevelopmental disorders.

[Sleep disturbances in children with autistic spectrum disorders].

PubMed

Kelmanson, I A

2015-01-01

An association between sleep disorders and autistic spectrum disorders in children is considered. Characteristic variants of sleep disorders, including resistance to going to bed, frequent night awakenings, parasomnias, changes in sleep structure, primarily, the decrease in the percentage of rapid eye movement sleep, are presented. Attention is focused on the possibility of the direct relationship between sleep disturbance and the pathogenesis of autistic spectrum disorders. A role of pathological alterations in the production of neuromediators and morphological changes in the brain structures characteristic of autistic spectrum disorders in the genesis of sleep disorders in children is discussed. Possible non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches are suggested.

Brain Mechanisms of Affective Language Comprehension in Autism Spectrum Disorders

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0457 TITLE: Brain Mechanisms of Affective Language Comprehension in Autism Spectrum Disorders PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Brain Mechanisms of Affective Language Comprehension in Autism Spectrum Disorders 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14...Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Profound deficits in the domain of social communication are a hallmark of autism spectrum disorders (ASD

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Intranasal Oxytocin as an Adjunct to Behavioral Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

Intranasal Oxytocin as an Adjunct to Behavioral Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: John Gabrieli...SUBTITLE A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Intranasal Oxytocin as an Adjunct to Behavioral Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...dysfunctions and (2) oxytocin (OT) administration prior to CBT sessions will each enhance social function in young adults with autism spectrum disorders

Comparison of nutritional status between children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children in the Mediterranean Region (Valencia, Spain).

PubMed

Marí-Bauset, Salvador; Llopis-González, Agustín; Zazpe, Itziar; Marí-Sanchis, Amelia; Morales Suárez-Varela, Maria

2017-04-01

This case-control study investigated nutrient intake, healthy eating index with 10 items on foods and nutrients, on 3-day food diaries and anthropometric measurements in 105 children with autism spectrum disorder and 495 typically developing children (6-9 years) in Valencia (Spain). Children with autism spectrum disorder were at a higher risk for underweight, eating more legumes, vegetables, fiber, and some micronutrients (traditional Mediterranean diet) but fewer dairy and cereal products, and less iodine, sodium, and calcium than their typically developing peers. Differences existed in total energy intake but healthy eating index and food variety score differences were not significant. Autism spectrum disorder group failed to meet dietary recommendations for thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C, or calcium. Risk of inadequate intake of fiber, vitamin E, and sodium was lower in children with autism spectrum disorder than typically developing children. Results suggest that (1) risk of inadequate intake of some micronutrients in children with autism spectrum disorder and (2) cultural patterns and environment may influence food intake and anthropometric characteristics in autism spectrum disorder. Primary care should include anthropometric and nutritional surveillance in this population to identify intervention on a case-by-case basis. Future research should explore dietary patterns and anthropometric characteristics in different autism spectrum disorder populations in other countries, enhancing our understanding of the disorder's impact.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlates with early childhood social interaction in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Makinodan, Manabu; Iwata, Keiko; Ikawa, Daisuke; Yamashita, Yasunori; Yamamuro, Kazuhiko; Toritsuka, Michihiro; Kimoto, Sohei; Okumura, Kazuki; Yamauchi, Takahira; Yoshino, Hiroki; Tsujii, Masatsugu; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Tsuchiya, Kenji; Mori, Norio; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Kishimoto, Toshifumi

2017-03-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, poor communication skills, and repetitive/restrictive behaviors. Elevated blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been reported in subjects with autism spectrum disorder. On the other hand, early childhood adverse experience also increases blood levels of these cytokines. Since social experience of children with autism spectrum disorder is generally unlike to typically developing children, we hypothesized that social interaction during childhood contribute to pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in subjects with autism spectrum disorder. We compared revised Autism Diagnostic Interview scores and expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of subjects with autism spectrum disorder (n = 30). The score of domain A on the revised Autism Diagnostic Interview, indicating social interaction impairment in early childhood, was negatively correlated with tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA expression level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells but not interleukin-1β or -6. Consistently, tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA expression was markedly low in subjects with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing children who presumably experienced the regular levels of social interaction. These findings suggest that the low blood levels of tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA in subjects with autism spectrum disorder might be due to impaired social interaction in early childhood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regression in autistic spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Stefanatos, Gerry A

2008-12-01

A significant proportion of children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder experience a developmental regression characterized by a loss of previously-acquired skills. This may involve a loss of speech or social responsitivity, but often entails both. This paper critically reviews the phenomena of regression in autistic spectrum disorders, highlighting the characteristics of regression, age of onset, temporal course, and long-term outcome. Important considerations for diagnosis are discussed and multiple etiological factors currently hypothesized to underlie the phenomenon are reviewed. It is argued that regressive autistic spectrum disorders can be conceptualized on a spectrum with other regressive disorders that may share common pathophysiological features. The implications of this viewpoint are discussed.

Frequent behavioural challenges in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: a needs-based assessment reported by caregivers and clinicians.

PubMed

Green, Courtney R; Roane, Jessica; Hewitt, Amy; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Mushquash, Christopher; Sourander, Andre; Lingley-Pottie, Patricia; McGrath, Patrick; Reynolds, James N

2014-01-01

Despite substantial research characterizing the brain injury, a significant gap still exists in providing timely and effective care for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The objective of this study was to conduct a needs assessment that could help inform intervention programs and appropriate strategies to manage challenging behaviours targeted to families impacted by FASD. Sixty caregivers and 26 clinicians from across Canada completed a semi-structured telephone interview. Caregivers reported that the most challenging behaviour categories were "Externalizing Behaviours", "Cognitive Difficulties", and "Social Difficulties/Maladjustment", whereas the most successful parenting strategies were "Parental Reflection", "Routine/Structure/Consistency", and "Environmental Modification". Clinicians reported that "Insufficient Support/Knowledge from Health and Social Professionals and Agencies" and "Behavioural Difficulties/Challenges" were the most common concerns from caregivers of children with FASD. The number and extent of challenges reported make it evident that there are many unmet needs that compromise the quality of life for these caregivers, their children, and their families. These data will be used to inform the development of an intervention program that will provide a family-centered approach to training, education, and support for children with FASD and their families.

Socioeconomic Status and Intelligence Quotient as Predictors of Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and in Their Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosa, Mireia; Puig, Olga; Lázaro, Luisa; Calvo, Rosa

2016-01-01

Previous studies have shown high rates of comorbid disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, but failed to compare them with general population and few of them have identified predictors of comorbidity. This study compared the rates of psychiatric disorders in 50 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, 24…

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Africa: Current Challenges in Identification, Assessment, and Treatment: A Report on the International Child Neurology Association Meeting on ASD in Africa, Ghana, April 3-5, 2014.

PubMed

Ruparelia, Kavita; Abubakar, Amina; Badoe, Eben; Bakare, Muideen; Visser, Karren; Chugani, Diane C; Chugani, Harry T; Donald, Kirsten A; Wilmshurst, Jo M; Shih, Andy; Skuse, David; Newton, Charles R

2016-07-01

Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders has increased over recent years, however, little is known about the identification and management of autism spectrum disorder in Africa. This report summarizes a workshop on autism spectrum disorder in Africa under the auspices of the International Child Neurology Association and the African Child Neurology Association through guided presentations and working group reports, focusing on identification, diagnosis, management, and community support. A total of 47 delegates participated from 14 African countries. Although there was a huge variability in services across the countries represented, numbers of specialists assessing and managing autism spectrum disorder was small relative to populations served. Strategies were proposed to improve identification, diagnosis, management and support delivery for individuals with autism spectrum disorder across Africa in these culturally diverse, low-resource settings. Emphasis on raising public awareness through community engagement and improving access to information and training in autism spectrum disorder. Special considerations for the cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors within Africa are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Ruminations on Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) and autism.

PubMed

Ranft, Patricia

2014-05-01

The article brings together contemporary research on autism spectrum disorder and historical sources concerning the medical condition of a 12th century nun, Hildegard of Bingen, to test two hypotheses: first, that Hildegard manifested disabilities that meet the criteria for autism spectrum disorder and, second, that medieval monasticism was unwittingly well-suited to treat Hildegard's condition. Abundant Hildegardian sources document traces of autism spectrum disorder behaviour in Hildegard's unusual childhood and the composite picture that emerges, when these individual traits are gathered together, is consistent with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. The role monasticism played in helping Hildegard overcome these behaviours is documented and aspects that monasticism shares with modern autism spectrum disorder treatment programs are identified. By recognizing the presence of autism spectrum disorder traits in a major cultural leader of another era and by identifying the type of life she lived while those traits were minimized, we gain insight into the history of autism, medieval monastic life and effective elements of autism spectrum disorder treatment. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Abnormal autonomic and associated brain activities during rest in autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Eilam-Stock, Tehila; Xu, Pengfei; Cao, Miao; Gu, Xiaosi; Van Dam, Nicholas T.; Anagnostou, Evdokia; Kolevzon, Alexander; Soorya, Latha; Park, Yunsoo; Siller, Michael; He, Yong; Hof, Patrick R.

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are associated with social and emotional deficits, the aetiology of which are not well understood. A growing consensus is that the autonomic nervous system serves a key role in emotional processes, by providing physiological signals essential to subjective states. We hypothesized that altered autonomic processing is related to the socio-emotional deficits in autism spectrum disorders. Here, we investigated the relationship between non-specific skin conductance response, an objective index of sympathetic neural activity, and brain fluctuations during rest in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder relative to neurotypical controls. Compared with control participants, individuals with autism spectrum disorder showed less skin conductance responses overall. They also showed weaker correlations between skin conductance responses and frontal brain regions, including the anterior cingulate and anterior insular cortices. Additionally, skin conductance responses were found to have less contribution to default mode network connectivity in individuals with autism spectrum disorders relative to controls. These results suggest that autonomic processing is altered in autism spectrum disorders, which may be related to the abnormal socio-emotional behaviours that characterize this condition. PMID:24424916

Theory of mind in children with and without autism spectrum disorder: Associations with the sibling constellation.

PubMed

Matthews, Nicole L; Goldberg, Wendy A

2018-04-01

The two prior studies that have examined associations between the sibling constellation and theory of mind in autism spectrum disorder yielded discrepant findings. Thus, efforts to better understand the sibling-theory of mind link in autism spectrum disorder are necessary. This study examined a sample of prekindergarten- and kindergarten-aged (i.e. 4-6 years) typically developing children ( n = 39) and verbal children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 61). Sibling presence, number of siblings, and having younger and older siblings were positively associated with theory of mind in typically developing children, but not in the full sample of children with autism spectrum disorder. However, in the subgroup of children with autism spectrum disorder without sibling recurrence, the presence of at least one older sibling was positively associated with theory of mind. Findings expand previous limited research on the sibling-theory of mind link in children with autism spectrum disorder by demonstrating a potential difference in the influence of the sibling constellation between children from simplex and multiplex families.

DSM-5 under-Identifies PDDNOS: Diagnostic Agreement between the DSM-5, DSM-IV, and Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayes, Susan Dickerson; Black, Amanda; Tierney, Cheryl D.

2013-01-01

Agreement between the DSM-5, DSM-IV, and Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder was assessed in 125 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which included high and low functioning autism (HFA and LFA) and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS), and children with other clinical disorders (e.g., ADHD, mental…

Does Sex Influence the Diagnostic Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, C. Ellie; Murphy, Clodagh M.; McAlonan, Grainne; Robertson, Dene M.; Spain, Debbie; Hayward, Hannah; Woodhouse, Emma; Deeley, P. Quinton; Gillan, Nicola; Ohlsen, J. Chris; Zinkstok, Janneke; Stoencheva, Vladimira; Faulkner, Jessica; Yildiran, Hatice; Bell, Vaughan; Hammond, Neil; Craig, Michael C.; Murphy, Declan G. M.

2016-01-01

It is unknown whether sex influences the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder, or whether male and female adults within the spectrum have different symptom profiles. This study reports sex differences in clinical outcomes for 1,244 adults (935 males and 309 females) referred for autism spectrum disorder assessment. Significantly, more…

Reliability and Validity the Brief Problem Monitor, an Abbreviated Form of the Child Behavior Checklist

PubMed Central

Piper, Brian J.; Gray, Hilary M.; Raber, Jacob; Birkett, Melissa A.

2014-01-01

Aim The parent form of the 113 item Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is widely utilized by child psychiatrists and psychologists. This report examines the reliability and validity of a recently developed abbreviated version of the CBCL, the Brief Problem Monitor (BPM). Methods Caregivers (N=567) completed the CBCL online and the 19 BPM items were examined separately. Results Internal consistency of the BPM was high (Cronbach’s alpha=0.91) and satisfactory for the Internalizing (0.78), Externalizing (0.86), and Attention (0.87) scales. High correlations between the CBCL and BPM were identified for the total score (r=0.95) as well as the Internalizing (0.86), Externalizing (0.93), and Attention (0.97) scales. The BPM and scales were sensitive and identified significantly higher behavioral and emotional problems among children whose caregiver reported a psychiatric diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, bipolar, depression, anxiety, developmental disabilities, or Autism Spectrum Disorders relative to a comparison group that had not been diagnosed with these disorders. BPM ratings also differed by the socioeconomic status and education of the caregiver. Mothers with higher annual incomes rated their children as having 38.8% fewer total problems (Cohen’s d=0.62) as well as 42.8% lower Internalizing (d=0.53), 44.1% less Externalizing (d=0.62), and 30.9% decreased Attention (d=0.39). A similar pattern was evident for maternal education (d=0.30 to 0.65). Conclusion Overall, these findings provide strong psychometric support for the BPM although the differences based on the characteristics of the parent indicates that additional information from other sources (e.g., teachers) should be obtained to complement parental reports. PMID:24735087

Implicit Learning Abilities Predict Treatment Response in Autism Spectrum Disorders

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

2 AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0261 TITLE: Implicit Learning Abilities Predict Treatment Response in Autism Spectrum Disorders PRINCIPAL...Treatment Response in Autism Spectrum Disorders 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0261 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER...for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but almost half of the children do not make significant gains. Implicit learning skills are integral to

Brain-Computer Interface for Clinical Purposes: Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Carelli, Laura; Solca, Federica; Faini, Andrea; Meriggi, Paolo; Sangalli, Davide; Cipresso, Pietro; Riva, Giuseppe; Ticozzi, Nicola; Ciammola, Andrea; Silani, Vincenzo; Poletti, Barbara

2017-01-01

Alongside the best-known applications of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology for restoring communication abilities and controlling external devices, we present the state of the art of BCI use for cognitive assessment and training purposes. We first describe some preliminary attempts to develop verbal-motor free BCI-based tests for evaluating specific or multiple cognitive domains in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, disorders of consciousness, and other neurological diseases. Then we present the more heterogeneous and advanced field of BCI-based cognitive training, which has its roots in the context of neurofeedback therapy and addresses patients with neurological developmental disorders (autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), stroke patients, and elderly subjects. We discuss some advantages of BCI for both assessment and training purposes, the former concerning the possibility of longitudinally and reliably evaluating cognitive functions in patients with severe motor disabilities, the latter regarding the possibility of enhancing patients' motivation and engagement for improving neural plasticity. Finally, we discuss some present and future challenges in the BCI use for the described purposes.

Teacher Support in the Implementation of Classroom Interventions for Middle School Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantoja, Danitza

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder is generally regarded as complex, neurologically based, developmental disability that typically has its onset early in life (Myles & Simpson, 2001). Autism spectrum disorder is considered a universal disorder that affects children across all socioeconomic and educational levels (Wilkinson, 2010). Autism spectrum…

Attention and Written Expression in School-Aged, High-Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zajic, Matthew C.; McIntyre, Nancy; Swain-Lerro, Lindsay; Novotny, Stephanie; Oswald, Tasha; Mundy, Peter

2016-01-01

High-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders often find writing challenging. These writing difficulties may be specific to autism spectrum disorder or to a more general clinical effect of attention disturbance, as these children are often comorbid for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology (and children with…

Attention and Written Expression in School-Age, High-Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zajic, Matthew C.; McIntyre, Nancy; Swain-Lerro, Lindsay; Novotny, Stephanie; Oswald, Tasha; Mundy, Peter

2018-01-01

High-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders often find writing challenging. These writing difficulties may be specific to autism spectrum disorder or to a more general clinical effect of attention disturbance, as these children are often comorbid for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology (and children with…

Stability and change in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis from age 3 to middle childhood in a high-risk sibling cohort.

PubMed

Brian, Jessica; Bryson, Susan E; Smith, Isabel M; Roberts, Wendy; Roncadin, Caroline; Szatmari, Peter; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie

2016-10-01

Considerable evidence on autism spectrum disorder emergence comes from longitudinal high-risk samples (i.e. younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder). Diagnostic stability to age 3 is very good when diagnosed as early as 18-24 months, but sensitivity is weaker, and relatively little is known beyond toddlerhood. We examined stability and change in blinded, clinical best-estimate diagnosis from age 3 to middle childhood (mean age = 9.5 years) in 67 high-risk siblings enrolled in infancy. Good agreement emerged for clinical best-estimate diagnoses (89.6% overall; kappa = 0.76, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.59-0.93). At age 3, 18 cases (26.9%) were classified with "autism spectrum disorder": 17 retained their autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (94.4%; 13 boys, 4 girls) and 1 no longer met autism spectrum disorder criteria at follow-up. Among "non-autism spectrum disorder" cases at age 3, 43/49 remained non-autism spectrum disorder at follow-up (87.8%; 22 boys, 21 girls) and 6/49 met lower autism symptomatology criteria ("Later-Diagnosed"; 3 boys, 3 girls). Later-diagnosed cases had significantly lower autism spectrum disorder symptomatology and higher receptive language at age 3 and trends toward lower autism symptoms and higher cognitive abilities at follow-up. Emerging developmental concerns were noted in all later-diagnosed cases, by age 3 or 5. High-risk children need to be followed up into middle childhood, particularly when showing differences in autism-related domains. © The Author(s) 2015.

Parent-reported patterns of loss and gain in communication in 1- to 2-year-old children are not unique to autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Brignell, Amanda; Williams, Katrina; Prior, Margot; Donath, Susan; Reilly, Sheena; Bavin, Edith L; Eadie, Patricia; Morgan, Angela T

2017-04-01

We compared loss and gain in communication from 1 to 2 years in children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (n = 41), language impairment (n = 110) and in children with typical language development at 7 years (n = 831). Participants were selected from a prospective population cohort study of child language (the Early Language in Victoria Study). Parent-completed communication tools were used. As a group, children with autism spectrum disorder demonstrated slower median skill gain, with an increasing gap between trajectories compared to children with typical development and language impairment. A proportion from all groups lost skills in at least one domain (autism spectrum disorder (41%), language impairment (30%), typical development (26%)), with more children with autism spectrum disorder losing skills in more than one domain (autism spectrum disorder (47%), language impairment (15%, p = 0.0003), typical development (16%, p < 0.001)). Loss was most common for all groups in the domain of 'emotion and eye gaze' but with a higher proportion for children with autism spectrum disorder (27%; language impairment (12%, p = 0.03), typical development (14%, p = 0.03)). A higher proportion of children with autism spectrum disorder also lost skills in gesture (p = 0.01), sounds (p = 0.009) and understanding (p = 0.004) compared to children with typical development but not with language impairment. These findings add to our understanding of early communication development and highlight that loss is not unique to autism spectrum disorder.

Quality versus quantity: The role of socioeconomic status on parent-reported service knowledge, service use, unmet service needs, and barriers to service use.

PubMed

Pickard, Katherine E; Ingersoll, Brooke R

2016-01-01

Research within the autism spectrum disorder field has emphasized the role of socioeconomic status in shaping parents' ability to access services for their child with autism spectrum disorder. However, research has yet to explore the possible mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study sought to address this research gap by examining the following questions: (1) Does parents' service knowledge mediate the relationship between parent socioeconomic status and parents' autism spectrum disorder service use? (2) What are parents' reported service needs and service barriers, and do these needs vary across higher and lower socioeconomic status groups? Quantitative results from 244 parents of a child with autism spectrum disorder indicate that parents' autism spectrum disorder service knowledge partially mediates the relationship between parent socioeconomic status and parents' autism spectrum disorder service use. Qualitative findings helped to clarify this relationship by suggesting that both high and low socioeconomic status parents are aware of their child's basic autism spectrum disorder needs. However, low socioeconomic status parents more often report needing more information about services and more in-home services and emphasize that a number of structural barriers impede their ability to meet their child's autism spectrum disorder needs. On the other hand, high socioeconomic status parents more often report a need for "higher quality services," possibly reflecting their better recognition of best practice guidelines. These results highlight the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling unmet service needs within the autism spectrum disorder field. © The Author(s) 2015.

Outcomes of Diagnostic Exome Sequencing in Patients With Diagnosed or Suspected Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Rossi, Mari; El-Khechen, Dima; Black, Mary Helen; Farwell Hagman, Kelly D; Tang, Sha; Powis, Zöe

2017-05-01

Exome sequencing has recently been proved to be a successful diagnostic method for complex neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the diagnostic yield of exome sequencing for autism spectrum disorders has not been extensively evaluated in large cohorts to date. We performed diagnostic exome sequencing in a cohort of 163 individuals with autism spectrum disorder (66.3%) or autistic features (33.7%). The diagnostic yield observed in patients in our cohort was 25.8% (42 of 163) for positive or likely positive findings in characterized disease genes, while a candidate genetic etiology was reported for an additional 3.3% (4 of 120) of patients. Among the positive findings in the patients with autism spectrum disorder or autistic features, 61.9% were the result of de novo mutations. Patients presenting with psychiatric conditions or ataxia or paraplegia in addition to autism spectrum disorder or autistic features were significantly more likely to receive positive results compared with patients without these clinical features (95.6% vs 27.1%, P < 0.0001; 83.3% vs 21.2%, P < 0.0001, respectively). The majority of the positive findings were in recently identified autism spectrum disorder genes, supporting the importance of diagnostic exome sequencing for patients with autism spectrum disorder or autistic features as the causative genes might evade traditional sequential or panel testing. These results suggest that diagnostic exome sequencing would be an efficient primary diagnostic method for patients with autism spectrum disorders or autistic features. Moreover, our data may aid clinicians to better determine which subset of patients with autism spectrum disorder with additional clinical features would benefit the most from diagnostic exome sequencing. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetics Home Reference: monoamine oxidase A deficiency

MedlinePlus

... may have features of other behavioral disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ... Health Topic: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Health Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder Health Topic: Developmental Disabilities Genetic and ...

Association of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Symptoms in Children with ASD and Clinic Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadow, Kenneth D.

2013-01-01

Objective: This study examines relations between the severity of specific symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) and severity of the three defining symptom domains of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children with ASD (N = 147) and child psychiatry outpatient referrals (Controls; N = 339). Method: Participants were subdivided into four…

Offending Profiles of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study of All Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Examined by the Forensic Psychiatric Service in Norway between 2000 and 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helverschou, Sissel Berge; Rasmussen, Kirsten; Steindal, Kari; Søndanaa, Erik; Nilsson, Britta; Nøttestad, Jim Aage

2015-01-01

This study examined the characteristics of adults with autism spectrum disorder who have undergone a forensic examination and explored any relationships between the diagnosis and the offence. The reports described 41 men and 7 women. The autism spectrum disorder was diagnosed late (mean age: 25.3?years), and 22 of the 48 cases were diagnosed with…

[An investigation of the imitation skills in children with autism spectrum disorder and their association with receptive-expressive language development].

PubMed

Turan, Figen; Ökçün Akçamuş, Meral Çilem

2013-01-01

This study aimed to compare imitation skills in children with autism spectrum disorder, and age-matched typically developing children and children with developmental delay, as well as to examine the association between imitation skills, and receptive and expressive language development in children with autism spectrum disorder. Imitation skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (n=18), and age-matched children with developmental delay (n=15) and typically developing children (n= 16) were assessed using the Motor Imitation Scale and Imitation Battery, and the differences in mean imitation scores between the groups were examined. Receptive language and expressive language development in the children with autism spectrum disorder were assessed using the Turkish Communicative Development Inventory (TCDI), and their association with imitation scores was explored. The children with autism spectrum disorder had significantly lower imitation scores than the children with developmental delay and typically developing children; however, there wasn't a significant difference in imitation scores between the children with developmental delay and typically developing children. A significant association between imitation scores, and receptive and expressive language development was observed in the children with autism spectrum disorder. The present findings indicate that deficient imitation skills are a distinctive feature of children with autism spectrum disorder and that imitation skills play a crucial role in children's language development.

Investigating the cross-cultural validity of DSM-5 autism spectrum disorder: evidence from Finnish and UK samples.

PubMed

Mandy, William; Charman, Tony; Puura, Kaija; Skuse, David

2014-01-01

The recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) reformulation of autism spectrum disorder has received empirical support from North American and UK samples. Autism spectrum disorder is an increasingly global diagnosis, and research is needed to discover how well it generalises beyond North America and the United Kingdom. We tested the applicability of the DSM-5 model to a sample of Finnish young people with autism spectrum disorder (n = 130) or the broader autism phenotype (n = 110). Confirmatory factor analysis tested the DSM-5 model in Finland and compared the fit of this model between Finnish and UK participants (autism spectrum disorder, n = 488; broader autism phenotype, n = 220). In both countries, autistic symptoms were measured using the Developmental, Diagnostic and Dimensional Interview. Replicating findings from English-speaking samples, the DSM-5 model fitted well in Finnish autism spectrum disorder participants, outperforming a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) model. The DSM-5 model fitted equally well in Finnish and UK autism spectrum disorder samples. Among broader autism phenotype participants, this model fitted well in the United Kingdom but poorly in Finland, suggesting that cross-cultural variability may be greatest for milder autistic characteristics. We encourage researchers with data from other cultures to emulate our methodological approach, to map any cultural variability in the manifestation of autism spectrum disorder and the broader autism phenotype. This would be especially valuable given the ongoing revision of the International Classification of Diseases-11th Edition, the most global of the diagnostic manuals.

Traumatic Stress Disorders and Risk of Subsequent Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder or Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Okkels, Niels; Trabjerg, Betina; Arendt, Mikkel; Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker

2017-01-01

Objective: Traumatic stress disorders are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, there is a lack of prospective longitudinal studies investigating the risk of severe mental illness for people diagnosed with traumatic stress disorders. We aimed to assess if patients with acute stress reaction (ASR) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk of schizophrenia spectrum disorders or bipolar disorder. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study covering the entire Danish population including information on inpatient and outpatient mental hospitals over 2 decades. Predictors were in- or outpatient diagnoses of ASR or PTSD. We calculated incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% CIs of schizophrenia, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder. Results: Persons with a traumatic stress disorder had a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia (IRR 3.80, CI 2.33–5.80), schizophrenia spectrum disorder (IRR 2.34, CI 1.46–3.53), and bipolar disorder (IRR 4.22, CI 2.25–7.13). Risks were highest in the first year after diagnosis of the traumatic stress disorder and remained significantly elevated after more than 5 years. Mental illness in a parent could not explain the association. Conclusion: Our findings support an association between diagnosed traumatic stress disorders and subsequent schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder. If replicated, this may increase clinical focus on patients with traumatic stress disorders. PMID:27245172

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Primary Care Principles.

PubMed

Sanchack, Kristian E; Thomas, Craig A

2016-12-15

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by difficulty with social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interest, or activities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., created an umbrella diagnosis that includes several previously separate conditions: autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. There is insufficient evidence to recommend screening for autism spectrum disorder in children 18 to 30 months of age in whom the disorder is not suspected; however, there is a growing body of evidence that early intensive behavioral intervention based on applied behavior analysis improves cognitive ability, language, and adaptive skills. Therefore, early identification of autism spectrum disorder is important, and experts recommend the use of a validated screening tool at 18- and 24-month well-child visits. Medications can be used as adjunctive treatment for maladaptive behaviors and comorbid psychiatric conditions, but there is no single medical therapy that is effective for all symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Prognosis is heavily affected by the severity of diagnosis and the presence of intellectual disability. Children with optimal outcomes receive earlier, more intensive behavioral interventions and less pharmacologic treatment.

Frontal networks in adults with autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Catani, Marco; Dell’Acqua, Flavio; Budisavljevic, Sanja; Howells, Henrietta; Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel; Froudist-Walsh, Seán; D’Anna, Lucio; Thompson, Abigail; Sandrone, Stefano; Bullmore, Edward T.; Suckling, John; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Lombardo, Michael V.; Wheelwright, Sally J.; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Ruigrok, Amber N. V.; Leemans, Alexander; Ecker, Christine; Consortium, MRC AIMS; Craig, Michael C.

2016-01-01

Abstract It has been postulated that autism spectrum disorder is underpinned by an ‘atypical connectivity’ involving higher-order association brain regions. To test this hypothesis in a large cohort of adults with autism spectrum disorder we compared the white matter networks of 61 adult males with autism spectrum disorder and 61 neurotypical controls, using two complementary approaches to diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. First, we applied tract-based spatial statistics, a ‘whole brain’ non-hypothesis driven method, to identify differences in white matter networks in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Following this we used a tract-specific analysis, based on tractography, to carry out a more detailed analysis of individual tracts identified by tract-based spatial statistics. Finally, within the autism spectrum disorder group, we studied the relationship between diffusion measures and autistic symptom severity. Tract-based spatial statistics revealed that autism spectrum disorder was associated with significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in regions that included frontal lobe pathways. Tractography analysis of these specific pathways showed increased mean and perpendicular diffusivity, and reduced number of streamlines in the anterior and long segments of the arcuate fasciculus, cingulum and uncinate—predominantly in the left hemisphere. Abnormalities were also evident in the anterior portions of the corpus callosum connecting left and right frontal lobes. The degree of microstructural alteration of the arcuate and uncinate fasciculi was associated with severity of symptoms in language and social reciprocity in childhood. Our results indicated that autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition associated with abnormal connectivity of the frontal lobes. Furthermore our findings showed that male adults with autism spectrum disorder have regional differences in brain anatomy, which correlate with specific aspects of autistic symptoms. Overall these results suggest that autism spectrum disorder is a condition linked to aberrant developmental trajectories of the frontal networks that persist in adult life. PMID:26912520

Frontal networks in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Catani, Marco; Dell'Acqua, Flavio; Budisavljevic, Sanja; Howells, Henrietta; Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel; Froudist-Walsh, Seán; D'Anna, Lucio; Thompson, Abigail; Sandrone, Stefano; Bullmore, Edward T; Suckling, John; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Lombardo, Michael V; Wheelwright, Sally J; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Ruigrok, Amber N V; Leemans, Alexander; Ecker, Christine; Consortium, Mrc Aims; Craig, Michael C; Murphy, Declan G M

2016-02-01

It has been postulated that autism spectrum disorder is underpinned by an 'atypical connectivity' involving higher-order association brain regions. To test this hypothesis in a large cohort of adults with autism spectrum disorder we compared the white matter networks of 61 adult males with autism spectrum disorder and 61 neurotypical controls, using two complementary approaches to diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. First, we applied tract-based spatial statistics, a 'whole brain' non-hypothesis driven method, to identify differences in white matter networks in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Following this we used a tract-specific analysis, based on tractography, to carry out a more detailed analysis of individual tracts identified by tract-based spatial statistics. Finally, within the autism spectrum disorder group, we studied the relationship between diffusion measures and autistic symptom severity. Tract-based spatial statistics revealed that autism spectrum disorder was associated with significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in regions that included frontal lobe pathways. Tractography analysis of these specific pathways showed increased mean and perpendicular diffusivity, and reduced number of streamlines in the anterior and long segments of the arcuate fasciculus, cingulum and uncinate--predominantly in the left hemisphere. Abnormalities were also evident in the anterior portions of the corpus callosum connecting left and right frontal lobes. The degree of microstructural alteration of the arcuate and uncinate fasciculi was associated with severity of symptoms in language and social reciprocity in childhood. Our results indicated that autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition associated with abnormal connectivity of the frontal lobes. Furthermore our findings showed that male adults with autism spectrum disorder have regional differences in brain anatomy, which correlate with specific aspects of autistic symptoms. Overall these results suggest that autism spectrum disorder is a condition linked to aberrant developmental trajectories of the frontal networks that persist in adult life. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain.

Risk Assessment for Parents Who Suspect Their Child Has Autism Spectrum Disorder: Machine Learning Approach.

PubMed

Ben-Sasson, Ayelet; Robins, Diana L; Yom-Tov, Elad

2018-04-24

Parents are likely to seek Web-based communities to verify their suspicions of autism spectrum disorder markers in their child. Automated tools support human decisions in many domains and could therefore potentially support concerned parents. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of assessing autism spectrum disorder risk in parental concerns from Web-based sources, using automated text analysis tools and minimal standard questioning. Participants were 115 parents with concerns regarding their child's social-communication development. Children were 16- to 30-months old, and 57.4% (66/115) had a family history of autism spectrum disorder. Parents reported their concerns online, and completed an autism spectrum disorder-specific screener, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-Revised, with Follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F), and a broad developmental screener, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). An algorithm predicted autism spectrum disorder risk using a combination of the parent's text and a single screening question, selected by the algorithm to enhance prediction accuracy. Screening measures identified 58% (67/115) to 88% (101/115) of children at risk for autism spectrum disorder. Children with a family history of autism spectrum disorder were 3 times more likely to show autism spectrum disorder risk on screening measures. The prediction of a child's risk on the ASQ or M-CHAT-R was significantly more accurate when predicted from text combined with an M-CHAT-R question selected (automatically) than from the text alone. The frequently automatically selected M-CHAT-R questions that predicted risk were: following a point, make-believe play, and concern about deafness. The internet can be harnessed to prescreen for autism spectrum disorder using parental concerns by administering a few standardized screening questions to augment this process. ©Ayelet Ben-Sasson, Diana L Robins, Elad Yom-Tov. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 24.04.2018.

Investigating the Cross-Cultural Validity of "DSM-5" Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence from Finnish and UK Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandy, William; Charman, Tony; Puura, Kaija; Skuse, David

2014-01-01

The recent "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition" ("DSM-5") reformulation of autism spectrum disorder has received empirical support from North American and UK samples. Autism spectrum disorder is an increasingly global diagnosis, and research is needed to discover how well it generalises beyond…

Caregiver Perspectives about Assistive Technology Use with Their Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardon, Teresa A.; Wilcox, M. Jeanne; Campbell, Philippa H.

2011-01-01

The purpose was to examine how caregivers of infants and toddlers with autism spectrum disorder view their daily activities/routines and in what way, if any, assistive technology (AT) acts as a support. A total of 134 families who reported their child's disability as autism spectrum disorder/pervasive developmental disorder completed a survey…

Brief Measures of Anxiety in Non-Treatment-Seeking Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerns, Connor Morrow; Maddox, Brenna B.; Kendall, Philip C.; Rump, Keiran; Berry, Leandra; Schultz, Robert T.; Souders, Margaret C.; Bennett, Amanda; Herrington, John; Miller, Judith

2015-01-01

This study investigated the accuracy of brief anxiety scales for non-treatment-seeking youth with autism spectrum disorder. In all, 54 youth (7-17?years; IQ: 67-158) with autism spectrum disorder and their parents completed (a) an expanded version of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule--Child/Parent designed to capture typical and atypical…

Social network analysis of children with autism spectrum disorder: Predictors of fragmentation and connectivity in elementary school classrooms

PubMed Central

Anderson, Ariana; Locke, Jill; Kretzmann, Mark; Kasari, Connie

2016-01-01

Although children with autism spectrum disorder are frequently included in mainstream classrooms, it is not known how their social networks change compared to typically developing children and whether the factors predictive of this change may be unique. This study identified and compared predictors of social connectivity of children with and without autism spectrum disorder using a social network analysis. Participants included 182 children with autism spectrum disorder and 152 children without autism spectrum disorder, aged 5–12 years in 152 general education K-5 classrooms. General linear models were used to compare how age, classroom size, gender, baseline connectivity, diagnosis, and intelligence quotient predicted changes in social connectivity (closeness). Gender and classroom size had a unique interaction in predicting final social connectivity and the change in connectivity for children with autism spectrum disorder; boys who were placed in larger classrooms showed increased social network fragmentation. This increased fragmentation for boys when placed in larger classrooms was not seen in typically developing boys. These results have implications regarding placement, intervention objectives, and ongoing school support that aimed to increase the social success of children with autism spectrum disorder in public schools. PMID:26567264

Absence of sex differences in mental rotation performance in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Rohde, Melanie S; Georgescu, Alexandra L; Vogeley, Kai; Fimmers, Rolf; Falter-Wagner, Christine M

2017-08-01

Mental rotation is one of the most investigated cognitive functions showing consistent sex differences. The 'Extreme Male Brain' hypothesis attributes the cognitive profile of individuals with autism spectrum disorder to an extreme version of the male cognitive profile. Previous investigations focused almost exclusively on males with autism spectrum disorder with only limited implications for affected females. This study is the first testing a sample of 12 female adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder compared to 14 males with autism spectrum disorder, 12 typically developing females and 14 typically developing males employing a computerised version of the mental rotation test. Reaction time and accuracy served as dependent variables. Their linear relationship with degree of rotation allows separation of rotational aspects of the task, indicated by slopes of the psychometric function, and non-rotational aspects, indicated by intercepts of the psychometric function. While the typical and expected sex difference for rotational task aspects was corroborated in typically developing individuals, no comparable sex difference was found in autism spectrum disorder individuals. Autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals did not differ in mental rotation performance. This finding does not support the extreme male brain hypothesis of autism.

Race, disability, and grade: Social relationships in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Azad, Gazi F; Locke, Jill; Kasari, Connie; Mandell, David S

2017-01-01

Race is associated with social relationships among typically developing children; however, studies rarely examine the impact of race on social outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined how race (African American, Latino, Asian, or White) in conjunction with disability status (autism spectrum disorders or typically developing) and grade (grades K-2 or 3-5) affects friendships and social networks. The sample comprises 85 children with autism spectrum disorders and 85 typically developing controls matched on race, gender, age/grade, and classroom (wherever possible). Race, disability, and grade each had an independent effect on friendship nominations, and there was an interaction among the three variables. Specifically, children with autism spectrum disorders who were African American or Latino in the upper elementary grades received fewer friendship nominations than typically developing White children in the lower elementary grades. Only the presence of autism spectrum disorders was associated with social network centrality. Our results also suggested that Latino children with autism spectrum disorders in the upper elementary grades were at the highest risk of social isolation. Implications for re-conceptualizing social skills interventions are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Delineating the joint hierarchical structure of clinical and personality disorders in an outpatient psychiatric sample.

PubMed

Forbes, Miriam K; Kotov, Roman; Ruggero, Camilo J; Watson, David; Zimmerman, Mark; Krueger, Robert F

2017-11-01

A large body of research has focused on identifying the optimal number of dimensions - or spectra - to model individual differences in psychopathology. Recently, it has become increasingly clear that ostensibly competing models with varying numbers of spectra can be synthesized in empirically derived hierarchical structures. We examined the convergence between top-down (bass-ackwards or sequential principal components analysis) and bottom-up (hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis) statistical methods for elucidating hierarchies to explicate the joint hierarchical structure of clinical and personality disorders. Analyses examined 24 clinical and personality disorders based on semi-structured clinical interviews in an outpatient psychiatric sample (n=2900). The two methods of hierarchical analysis converged on a three-tier joint hierarchy of psychopathology. At the lowest tier, there were seven spectra - disinhibition, antagonism, core thought disorder, detachment, core internalizing, somatoform, and compulsivity - that emerged in both methods. These spectra were nested under the same three higher-order superspectra in both methods: externalizing, broad thought dysfunction, and broad internalizing. In turn, these three superspectra were nested under a single general psychopathology spectrum, which represented the top tier of the hierarchical structure. The hierarchical structure mirrors and extends upon past research, with the inclusion of a novel compulsivity spectrum, and the finding that psychopathology is organized in three superordinate domains. This hierarchy can thus be used as a flexible and integrative framework to facilitate psychopathology research with varying levels of specificity (i.e., focusing on the optimal level of detailed information, rather than the optimal number of factors). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perspective-taking deficits in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a prospective investigation.

PubMed

Schiffman, Jason; Lam, Cecilia W; Jiwatram, Tina; Ekstrom, Morten; Sorensen, Holger; Mednick, Sarnoff

2004-11-01

This study examined data from a Danish prospective longitudinal project in attempt to address the state/trait controversy regarding theory of mind deficits in schizophrenia. Deficits in perspective-taking--a component of theory of mind--were investigated prospectively among children who developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders as adults in comparison to children who did not develop schizophrenia spectrum disorders. A total of 265 high risk and control subjects were studied in 1972. At the time of initial assessment, the Role-Taking Task (RTT) was administered. Two hundred and forty-two of these children were evaluated in 1992 during follow-up examinations. Sixteen developed schizophrenia, 10 developed a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, 70 had outcomes of other psychopathology, and 146 did not develop a mental illness. Children who later developed schizophrenia or a schizophrenia spectrum disorder had lower RTT scores, controlling for verbal IQ and age, compared to those who did not develop any mental illness. Although in the expected direction, RTT scores for those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were not significantly different from those who developed a non-psychotic disorder. Deficits in perspective-taking among children who later developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders suggest that a facet of theory of mind is impaired prior to development of schizophrenia. Our findings lend support to the hypothesis that theory of mind deficits in schizophrenia are trait markers of the disorder.

Schizotypal personality disorder inside and outside the schizophrenic spectrum.

PubMed

Torgersen, Svenn; Edvardsen, J; Øien, P A; Onstad, S; Skre, I; Lygren, S; Kringlen, E

2002-03-01

The concept of schizotypal personality disorder has been heavily discussed since its introduction into the official classification of mental disorders in DSM-III. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference between schizotypal personality disorder within and outside the genetic spectrum of schizophrenia. Schizotypals with and without schizophrenic cotwins and first-degree relatives were compared, with individuals with other mental disorders and no mental disorders as controls. It appeared that only inadequate rapport and odd communication were more pronounced among schizotypals within, compared to schizotypals outside the schizophrenic spectrum. Schizotypals outside the schizophrenic spectrum, however, scored higher than schizotypals inside the schizophrenic spectrum on ideas of reference, suspiciousness, paranoia, social anxiety, self-damaging acts, chronic anger, free-floating anxiety and sensitivity to rejection. Interestingly, the four last features are seldom observed among schizotypals inside the schizophrenic spectrum. Monozygotic non-schizophrenic cotwins of schizophrenics score high on inadequate rapport, odd communication, social isolation and delusions/hallucinations. Monozygotic non-schizophrenic cotwins of schizotypals outside the schizophrenic genetic spectrum score high on illusions, depersonalization, derealization and magical thinking. Negative schizotypal features appear to be inside the schizophrenic spectrum, while positive borderline-like features are outside having another genetic endowment.

Efficacy of the Direct Instruction Language for Learning (DI-LL) Program to Promote Expressive and Receptive Language in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

Receptive Language in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Lawrence Scahill, MSN, PhD CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Emory...REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED 15Jun2015 - 14Jun2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Receptive Language in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 5a...indicates that as many as 75% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have language delay ranging from mild to severe. Many interventions have

Enhancing work outcomes of employees with autism spectrum disorder through leadership: leadership for employees with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Parr, Alissa D; Hunter, Samuel T

2014-07-01

The focus of this study was to identify leader behaviors that elicit successful engagement of employees with autism spectrum disorder, a population that is powerfully emerging into the workplace. The ultimate goal was to improve the quality of life of employees with autism spectrum disorder by facilitating an environment leading to their success. Through a series of interviews with 54 employees with autism spectrum disorder, results indicated that leadership has a great effect on employee attitudes and performance, and that the notion of leadership preferences is quite complex culminating in several important behaviors rather than one superior leadership theory. Implications and future research directions are discussed. © The Author(s) 2013.

Association of adoptive child's thought disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders with their genetic liability for schizophrenia spectrum disorders, season of birth and parental Communication Deviance.

PubMed

Roisko, Riikka; Wahlberg, Karl-Erik; Hakko, Helinä; Tienari, Pekka

2015-04-30

Joint effects of genotype and the environment have turned out to be significant in the development of psychotic disorders. The purpose of the present study was to assess the association of an adoptive child׳s thought and schizophrenia spectrum disorders with genetic and environmental risk indicators and their interactions. A subgroup of the total sample used in the Finnish Adoptive Family Study was considered in the present study. The subjects were 125 adoptees at a high (n=53) or low (n=72) genetic risk of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their adoptive parents. The risk factors evaluated were the adoptive child's genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders, winter or spring birth and parental Communication Deviance (CD). Thought disorders in the adoptees were assessed using the Thought Disorder Index and diagnoses were made according to DSM-III-R criteria. The adoptive child׳s Thought Disorder Index was only associated with parental Communication Deviance. The adoptive child's heightened genetic risk or winter or spring birth or parental CD or their interactions did not predict the adoptee's schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The results suggest that studies taking several risk indicators and their interactions into account may change views on the mutual significance of well-known risk factors. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

From Asperger's Autistischen Psychopathen to DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder and Beyond: A Subthreshold Autism Spectrum Model

PubMed Central

Dell’Osso, Liliana; Luche, Riccardo Dalle; Gesi, Camilla; Moroni, Ilenia; Carmassi, Claudia; Maj, Mario

2016-01-01

Growing interest has recently been devoted to partial forms of autism, lying at the diagnostic boundaries of those conditions previously diagnosed as Asperger’s Disorder. This latter includes an important retrieval of the European classical psychopathological concepts of adult autism to which Hans Asperger referred in his work. Based on the review of Asperger's Autistische Psychopathie, from first descriptions through the DSM-IV Asperger’s Disorder and up to the recent DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder, the paper aims to propose a Subthreshold Autism Spectrum Model that encompasses not only threshold-level manifestations but also mild/atypical symptoms, gender-specific features, behavioral manifestations and personality traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This model includes, but is not limited to, the so-called broad autism phenotype spanning across the general population that does not fully meet Autism Spectrum Disorder criteria. From this perspective, we propose a subthreshold autism as a unique psychological/behavioral model for research that could help to understand the neurodevelopmental trajectories leading from autistic traits to a broad range of mental disorders. PMID:27867417

78 FR 31568 - Proposed Collection; 60-day Comment Request: Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Portfolio Analysis

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

... Comment Request: Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Portfolio Analysis SUMMARY: In compliance with the... the proposed project, contact: The Office of Autism Research Coordination, NIMH, NIH, Neuroscience.... Proposed Collection: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Research Portfolio Analysis, 0925--NEW--National...

Loneliness, friendship, and well-being in adults with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Mazurek, Micah O

2014-04-01

This study examined the relations among loneliness, friendship, and emotional functioning in adults (N = 108) with autism spectrum disorders. Participants completed self-report measures of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, loneliness, number and nature of friendships, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. The results indicated that loneliness was associated with increased depression and anxiety and decreased life satisfaction and self-esteem, even after controlling for symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. In addition, greater quantity and quality of friendships were associated with decreased loneliness among adults with autism spectrum disorders. Multivariate models indicated that friendship did not moderate the relationship between loneliness and well-being; however, number of friends provided unique independent effects in predicting self-esteem, depression, and anxiety above and beyond the effects of loneliness. This was the first study to examine the relations among these aspects of social and emotional functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorders, and the results indicate that this topic warrants further clinical and research attention.

Service system and cognitive outcomes for young children with autism spectrum disorders in a rural area of Taiwan.

PubMed

Chu, Ching-Lin; Chiang, Chung-Hsin; Wu, Chin-Chin; Hou, Yuh-Ming; Liu, Jiun-Horng

2017-07-01

Chiayi is a rural county located in southwestern Taiwan, and the effectiveness of its early intervention service system for autism spectrum disorders was studied in detail. A total of 71 children with autism spectrum disorders ( n = 35) and developmental delay ( n = 36) aged 2.5 years were referred from the only Early Intervention Reporting and Referral Center in Chiayi and followed up at 4 years. Results showed relatively low and varied services of early intervention for both groups during two time-point periods and a relative lack of specific early intervention programs for children with autism spectrum disorders. It was found, however, that cognitive abilities were increased for autism spectrum disorders and developmental delay groups. Additionally, the Early Learning Score at the initial evaluation could contribute to the high learner autism spectrum disorders subgroup. Parental socio-economic level was also determined to benefit the high learner developmental delay subgroup.

Vaccine-related beliefs and practices of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Bazzano, Alicia; Zeldin, Ari; Schuster, Erica; Barrett, Christopher; Lehrer, Danise

2012-05-01

Although the assertion of a link between vaccines and autism has been scientifically rejected, the theory continues to be popular and may influence the attitudes of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. The authors sought to assess how often parents change or discontinue their child's vaccine schedule after autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and whether beliefs about the etiology of autism affect their decision to do so. The authors surveyed 197 (43%) of 460 eligible parents of children under 18 years of age with autism spectrum disorders who were enrolled in a state-funded agency that provides services to those with developmental disabilities in western Los Angeles County. Half of the parents discontinued or changed vaccination practices, and this was associated with a belief that vaccines contributed to autism spectrum disorders, indicating a potential subset of undervaccinated children. Educational tools should be designed to assist physicians when talking to parents of children with autism spectrum disorders about vaccination.

The relationship of DSM-IV pathological gambling to compulsive buying and other possible spectrum disorders: results from the Iowa PG family study.

PubMed

Black, Donald W; Coryell, William; Crowe, Raymond; Shaw, Martha; McCormick, Brett; Allen, Jeff

2015-03-30

This study investigates the possible relationship between pathological gambling (PG) and potential spectrum disorders including the DSM-IV impulse control disorders (intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania, pyromania, trichotillomania) and several non-DSM disorders (compulsive buying disorder, compulsive sexual behavior, Internet addiction). PG probands, controls, and their first-degree relatives were assessed with instruments of known reliability. Detailed family history information was collected on relatives who were deceased or unavailable. Best estimate diagnoses were assigned blind to family status. The results were analyzed using logistic regression by the method of generalized estimating equations. The sample included 95 probands with PG, 91 controls, and 1075 first-degree relatives (537 PG, 538 controls). Compulsive buying disorder and having "any spectrum disorder" were more frequent in the PG probands and their first-degree relatives vs. controls and their relatives. Spectrum disorders were significantly more prevalent among PG relatives compared to control relatives (adjusted OR=8.37), though much of this difference was attributable to the contribution from compulsive buying disorder. We conclude that compulsive buying disorder is likely part of familial PG spectrum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Refinements in the hierarchical structure of externalizing psychiatric disorders: Patterns of lifetime liability from mid-adolescence through early adulthood.

PubMed

Farmer, Richard F; Seeley, John R; Kosty, Derek B; Lewinsohn, Peter M

2009-11-01

Research on hierarchical modeling of psychopathology has frequently identified 2 higher order latent factors, internalizing and externalizing. When based on the comorbidity of psychiatric diagnoses, the externalizing domain has usually been modeled as a single latent factor. Multivariate studies of externalizing symptom features, however, suggest multidimensionality. To address this apparent contradiction, confirmatory factor analytic methods and information-theoretic criteria were used to evaluate 4 theoretically plausible measurement models based on lifetime comorbidity patterns of 7 putative externalizing disorders. Diagnostic information was collected at 4 assessment waves from an age-based cohort of 816 persons between the ages of 14 and 33. A 2-factor model that distinguished oppositional behavior disorders (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder) from social norm violation disorders (conduct disorder, adult antisocial behavior, alcohol use disorder, cannabis use disorder, hard drug use disorder) demonstrated consistently good fit and superior approximating abilities. Analyses of psychosocial outcomes measured at the last assessment wave supported the validity of this 2-factor model. Implications of this research for the theoretical understanding of domain-related disorders and the organization of classification systems are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Revised Home Situations Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Home Situations Questionnaire-Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhury, Monali; Aman, Michael G.; Lecavalier, Luc; Smith, Tristram; Johnson, Cynthia; Swiezy, Naomi; McCracken, James T.; King, Bryan; McDougle, Christopher J.; Bearss, Karen; Deng, Yanhong; Scahill, Lawrence

2016-01-01

Previously, we adapted the Home Situations Questionnaire to measure behavioral non-compliance in everyday settings in children with pervasive developmental disorders. In this study, we further revised this instrument for use in autism spectrum disorder and examined its psychometric properties (referred to as the Home Situations…

Factors influencing the probability of a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in girls versus boys.

PubMed

Duvekot, Jorieke; van der Ende, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C; Slappendel, Geerte; van Daalen, Emma; Maras, Athanasios; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin

2017-08-01

In order to shed more light on why referred girls are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder than boys, this study examined whether behavioral characteristics influence the probability of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis differently in girls versus boys derived from a multicenter sample of consecutively referred children aged 2.5-10 years. Based on information from the short version of the Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 130 children (106 boys and 24 girls) received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.) criteria and 101 children (61 boys and 40 girls) did not. Higher overall levels of parent-reported repetitive and restricted behavior symptoms were less predictive of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in girls than in boys (odds ratio interaction = 0.41, 95% confidence interval = 0.18-0.92, p = 0.03). In contrast, higher overall levels of parent-reported emotional and behavioral problems increased the probability of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis more in girls than in boys (odds ratio interaction = 2.44, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-5.29, p = 0.02). No differences were found between girls and boys in the prediction of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis by overall autistic impairment, sensory symptoms, and cognitive functioning. These findings provide insight into possible explanations for the assumed underidentification of autism spectrum disorder in girls in the clinic.

Clinical features of bipolar spectrum with binge eating behaviour.

PubMed

McElroy, Susan L; Crow, Scott; Blom, Thomas J; Cuellar-Barboza, Alfredo B; Prieto, Miguel L; Veldic, Marin; Winham, Stacey J; Bobo, William V; Geske, Jennifer; Seymour, Lisa R; Mori, Nicole; Bond, David J; Biernacka, Joanna M; Frye, Mark A

2016-09-01

To determine whether bipolar spectrum disorder with binge eating behavior (BE) is an important clinical sub-phenotype. Prevalence rates and correlates of different levels of BE were assessed in 1114 bipolar spectrum patients participating in a genetic biobank. BE and eating disorders (EDs) were assessed with the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS). Psychiatric illness burden was evaluated with measures of suicidality, psychosis, mood instability, anxiety disorder comorbidity, and substance abuse comorbidity. Medical illness burden was evaluated with body mass index (BMI) and the Cumulative Index Rating Scale (CIRS). Thirty percent of patients had any BE and 27% had BE plus an ED diagnosis. Compared with bipolar spectrum patients without BE, bipolar spectrum patients with BE were younger and more likely to be female; had significantly higher levels of eating psychopathology, suicidality, mood instability, and anxiety disorder comorbidity; had a significantly higher mean BMI and a significantly higher rate of obesity; and had a significantly higher medical illness burden. Bipolar spectrum patients with BE but no ED diagnosis were more similar to bipolar spectrum patients without BE than to those with an ED. Nonetheless, the positive predictive value and specificity of BE predicting an ED was 0.90 and 0.96, respectively. As only two patients had co-occurring anorexia nervosa, these results may not generalize to bipolar spectrum patients with restricting EDs. Bipolar spectrum disorder with broadly-defined BE may not be as clinically relevant a sub-phenotype as bipolar spectrum disorder with an ED but may be an adequate proxy for the latter when phenotyping large samples of individuals. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Autism spectrum disorder: Consensus guidelines on assessment, treatment and research from the British Association for Psychopharmacology.

PubMed

Howes, Oliver D; Rogdaki, Maria; Findon, James L; Wichers, Robert H; Charman, Tony; King, Bryan H; Loth, Eva; McAlonan, Gráinne M; McCracken, James T; Parr, Jeremy R; Povey, Carol; Santosh, Paramala; Wallace, Simon; Simonoff, Emily; Murphy, Declan G

2018-01-01

An expert review of the aetiology, assessment, and treatment of autism spectrum disorder, and recommendations for diagnosis, management and service provision was coordinated by the British Association for Psychopharmacology, and evidence graded. The aetiology of autism spectrum disorder involves genetic and environmental contributions, and implicates a number of brain systems, in particular the gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonergic and glutamatergic systems. The presentation of autism spectrum disorder varies widely and co-occurring health problems (in particular epilepsy, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and irritability) are common. We did not recommend the routine use of any pharmacological treatment for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. In children, melatonin may be useful to treat sleep problems, dopamine blockers for irritability, and methylphenidate, atomoxetine and guanfacine for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The evidence for use of medication in adults is limited and recommendations are largely based on extrapolations from studies in children and patients without autism spectrum disorder. We discuss the conditions for considering and evaluating a trial of medication treatment, when non-pharmacological interventions should be considered, and make recommendations on service delivery. Finally, we identify key gaps and limitations in the current evidence base and make recommendations for future research and the design of clinical trials.

High self-perceived stress and poor coping in intellectually able adults with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Hirvikoski, Tatja; Blomqvist, My

2015-08-01

Despite average intellectual capacity, autistic traits may complicate performance in many everyday situations, thus leading to stress. This study focuses on stress in everyday life in intellectually able adults with autism spectrum disorders. In total, 53 adults (25 with autism spectrum disorder and 28 typical adults from the general population) completed the Perceived Stress Scale. Autistic traits were assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient. Adults with autism spectrum disorder reported significantly higher subjective stress and poorer ability to cope with stress in everyday life, as compared to typical adults. Autistic traits were associated with both subjective stress/distress and coping in this cross-sectional series. The long-term consequences of chronic stress in everyday life, as well as treatment intervention focusing on stress and coping, should be addressed in future research as well as in the clinical management of intellectually able adults with autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2014.

Validity of the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; LoVullo, Santino V.; Rivet, Tessa T.; Boisjoli, Jessica A.

2009-01-01

A limited number of studies currently exist focusing on comorbid psychopathology of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Due to the heterogeneity of ASD symptoms, communication deficits, and impairments in intellectual functioning, assessing symptoms of psychopathology is complicated. The "Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for…

Neurodiversity: Autism Pride among Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cascio, M. Ariel

2012-01-01

The neurodiversity movement takes an identity politics approach to autism spectrum disorders, proposing autism spectrum disorders as a positive "neuro-variation" to be approached only with interventions that assist individuals without changing them. This article explicates the concept of "neurodiversity" and places it within…

Loneliness, Friendship, and Well-Being in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazurek, Micah O.

2014-01-01

This study examined the relations among loneliness, friendship, and emotional functioning in adults "(N" = 108) with autism spectrum disorders. Participants completed self-report measures of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, loneliness, number and nature of friendships, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. The…

Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Natural Fit with DDD.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myles, Brenda Smith; Simpson, Richard L.; Babkie, Andrea M.

2003-01-01

This position statement from the Critical Issues Committee of the Developmental Disabilities Division of the Council for Exceptional Children focuses on clarifying the place of autism spectrum disorders within the field of developmental disabilities. The representation of concerns relating to autism spectrum disorders by the Developmental…

Recent Advances in Pharmacotherapies for the Externalizing Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ronald T.

2006-01-01

This article provides a review of various psychotropic agents employed for children and adolescents with externalizing disorders. With the exception of the stimulants, clinical use of psychotropic medications for children with externalizing disorders far exceeds the available empirical literature. Further, there are insufficient data pertaining to…

[Asperger's syndrome: continuum or spectrum of autistic disorders?].

PubMed

Bryńska, Anita

2011-01-01

Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PPD) refers to the group of disorders characterised by delayed or inappropriate development of multiple basic functions including socialisation, communication, behaviour and cognitive functioning. The term,,autistic spectrum disorders" was established as a result of the magnitude of the intensity of symptoms and their proportions observed in all types of pervasive developmental disorders. Asperger's Syndrome (AS) remains the most controversial diagnosis in terms of its place within autism spectrum disorders. AS if often described as an equivalent of High Functioning Autism (HFA) or as a separate spectrum-related disorder with unique diagnostic criteria. Another important issue is the relationship between AS and speech disorders. Although it is relatively easy to draw a line between children with classical autism and speech disorders, the clear cut frontiers between them still remain to be found. The main distinguishing feature is the lack of stereotypic interests and unimpaired social interaction observed in children with speech disorders, such as semantic-pragmatic disorder.

Full spectrum of psychiatric disorders related to foreign migration: a Danish population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Cantor-Graae, Elizabeth; Pedersen, Carsten B

2013-04-01

Although increased risk for schizophrenia among immigrants is well established, knowledge of the broader spectrum of psychiatric disorders associated with a foreign migration background is lacking. To examine the full range of psychiatric disorders associated with any type of foreign migration background among persons residing in Denmark, including foreign-born adoptees, first- and second-generation immigrants, native Danes with a history of foreign residence, and persons born abroad to Danish expatriates. Danish population-based cohort study. Persons were followed up from their 10th birthday for the development of mental disorders based on outpatient and inpatient data. All persons born between January 1, 1971, and December 31, 2000 (N = 1 859 419) residing in Denmark by their 10th birthday with follow-up data to December 31, 2010. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and cumulative incidences for psychiatric outcomes. All categories of foreign migration background, except persons born abroad to Danish expatriates, were associated with increased risk for at least 1 psychiatric disorder. Foreign-born adoptees had increased IRRs for all psychiatric disorders and had the highest IRRs for these disorders compared with other foreign migration categories. First- and second-generation immigrants having 2 foreign-born parents had significantly increased IRRs for schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders and had similar risk magnitudes. Second-generation immigrants having 1 foreign-born parent had significantly increased IRRs for all psychiatric disorders. Native Danes with a history of foreign residence had increased IRRs for bipolar affective disorder, affective disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The extent to which a background of foreign migration confers an increased risk for the broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders varies according to parental origin, with greatest risks for foreign-born adoptees. The spectrum of psychiatric disorders showed greater variation within the second-generation immigrant group than between first-generation vs second-generation immigrants, and the spectrum differed according to whether individuals had 1 or 2 foreign-born parents.

Maladaptive cognitive appraisals in children with high-functioning autism: associations with fear, anxiety and theory of mind.

PubMed

Sharma, Shilpi; Woolfson, Lisa M; Hunter, Simon C

2014-04-01

Despite the well-documented success of cognitive restructuring techniques in the treatment of anxiety disorders, there is still little clarity on which cognitions underpin fear and anxiety in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. This study examined whether certain cognitive appraisals, known to be associated with fear and anxiety in typically developing groups, may help explain these emotions in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. It also investigated relations between these cognitive appraisals and theory of mind. Appraisals, fear and anxiety were assessed using a vignette approach in 22 children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders and 22 typically developing children. The two groups differed significantly on all four appraisal types. Anxiety was negatively correlated with future expectancy and positively with problem-focused coping potential in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group but was not correlated with appraisals in the typically developing group. The two appraisals associated with fear were emotion-focused coping potential (in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group only) and self-accountability (in the typically developing group only). Linear regression analysis found that appraisals of emotion-focused coping potential, problem-focused coping potential and future expectancy were significant predictors of theory-of-mind ability in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorders group. These findings indicate that specific, problematic patterns of appraisal may characterise children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.

Coping strategies of Taiwanese children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Chin, Wei-Chih; Chao, Kuo-Yu; Chang, Hsueh-Ling; Li, Hsin-Mei; Chen, Sue-Hsien

2017-11-01

To explore and describe the coping experiences of children with autism spectrum disorders in Taiwan. Children with autism spectrum disorders are faced with daily social and living challenges, which can cause stress. Chinese culture emphasises discipline and obedience, which may influence coping strategies of children with autism spectrum disorders in Taiwan. This qualitative study employed an exploratory descriptive design. Data were collected from in-depth, face-to-face structured interviews. Interviews explored coping strategies of Taiwanese school-aged children (aged 6-19) with autism spectrum disorders. Children (N = 17) and their caregivers were recruited by purposive sampling. Transcribed interview data were thematically analysed using the procedure of Miles and Huberman. Five themes emerged from the analysis of the data, which described the coping strategies of the children: (1) problem-solving, (2) acting-out, (3) avoidance, (4) seeking help and (5) self-regulation. These themes included multiple coping strategies, which employed the concepts of engagement and disengagement. The children with autism spectrum disorder used many strategies to cope with the stresses resulting from behaviours and symptoms associated with the disorder. Most of the Taiwanese children use both problem-solving and emotional-focused coping strategies. Understanding coping strategies of children with autism spectrum disorder could help caregivers (parents, teachers) and medical professionals develop interventions to reduce these challenges, which could alleviate stress and improve social functioning for these children. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Stimuli-Responsive Nanomaterials for Therapeutic Protein Delivery

PubMed Central

Lu, Yue; Sun, Wujin; Gu, Zhen

2014-01-01

Protein therapeutics have emerged as a significant role in treatment of a broad spectrum of diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders and autoimmune diseases. The efficacy of protein therapeutics, however, is limited by their instability, immunogenicity and short half-life. In order to overcome these barriers, tremendous efforts have recently been made in developing controlled protein delivery systems. Stimuli-triggered release is an appealing and promising approach for protein delivery and has made protein delivery with both spatiotemporal- and dosage-controlled manners possible. This review surveys recent advances in controlled protein delivery of proteins or peptides using stimuli-responsive nanomaterials. Strategies utilizing both physiological and external stimuli are introduced and discussed. PMID:25151983

Possible neuronal mechanisms of sleep disturbances in patients with autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Kohyama, Jun

2016-12-01

The most common form of sleep disturbance among both patients with autism spectrum disorders and patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is sleep-onset insomnia, but the neuronal mechanisms underlying it have yet to be elucidated and no specific treatment strategy has been proposed. This means that many caregivers struggle to manage this problem on a daily basis. This paper presents a hypothesis about the neuronal mechanisms underlying insomnia in patients with autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder based on recent clinical and basic research. It is proposed that three neuronal mechanisms (increased orexinergic system activity, reduced 5-hydroxytryptamine and melatonergic system activity, rapid eye movement sleep reduction) are involved in insomnia in both autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This suggests that antagonists against the orexin receptors may have beneficial effects on insomnia in patients with autism spectrum disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. To the best of the author's knowledge there has been no research into the effects of this agent on insomnia in these patient groups. Large, controlled trials should be carried out. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annual Research Review: Transgenic Mouse Models of Childhood-Onset Psychiatric Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Holly R.; Feng, Guoping

2011-01-01

Childhood-onset psychiatric disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mood disorders, obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSD), and schizophrenia (SZ), affect many school-age children, leading to a lower quality of life, including difficulties in school and personal relationships that…

Improving Transportability of a Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Intervention for Anxiety in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Results from a US-Canada Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reaven, Judy; Blakeley-Smith, Audrey; Beattie, Tricia L.; Sullivan, April; Moody, Eric J.; Stern, Jessica A; Hepburn, Susan L.; Smith, Isabel M.

2015-01-01

Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur in youth with autism spectrum disorders. In addition to developing efficacious treatments for anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders, it is important to examine the transportability of these treatments to real-world settings. Study aims were to (a) train clinicians to deliver Facing Your Fears:…

Three-Item Direct Observation Screen (TIDOS) for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oner, Pinar; Oner, Ozgur; Munir, Kerim

2014-01-01

We compared ratings on the Three-Item Direct Observation Screen test for autism spectrum disorders completed by pediatric residents with the Social Communication Questionnaire parent reports as an augmentative tool for improving autism spectrum disorder screening performance. We examined three groups of children (18-60 months) comparable in age…

A Meta-Analysis of the Social Communication Questionnaire: Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesnut, Steven R.; Wei, Tianlan; Barnard-Brak, Lucy; Richman, David M.

2017-01-01

The current meta-analysis examines the previous research on the utility of the Social Communication Questionnaire as a screening instrument for autism spectrum disorder. Previously published reports have highlighted the inconsistencies between Social Communication Questionnaire-screening results and formal autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. The…

Play-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallo-Lopez, Loretta, Ed.; Rubin, Lawrence C., Ed.

2012-01-01

"Play-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders" explores the most recognized, researched, and practical methods for using play therapy with the increasing number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and shows clinicians how to integrate these methods into their practices. Using a…

Explicit versus Implicit Social Cognition Testing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callenmark, Björn; Kjellin, Lars; Rönnqvist, Louise; Bölte, Sven

2014-01-01

Although autism spectrum disorder is defined by reciprocal social-communication impairments, several studies have found no evidence for altered social cognition test performance. This study examined explicit (i.e. prompted) and implicit (i.e. spontaneous) variants of social cognition testing in autism spectrum disorder. A sample of 19 adolescents…

Developing Undergraduate Coursework in Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masterson, Tracy Loye; Dimitriou, Francine; Turko, Kristine; McPartland, James

2014-01-01

With rates of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) continuing to rise alongside improvements in early identification and treatment, service providers are in great demand. Providing undergraduate students with opportunities for education and applied experiences with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can help fill a valuable niche in the autism community.…

Are Males and Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder More Similar than We Thought?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mussey, Joanna L.; Ginn, Nicole C.; Klinger, Laura G.

2017-01-01

Differences in behavioral and cognitive profiles have been suggested to potentially impact the presentation of social and communication symptoms in females with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined gender differences in age of diagnosis, cognitive profiles, social communication symptomatology, and autism spectrum disorder symptom severity…

Multimodal Brain Imaging in Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Promise of Twin Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mevel, Katell; Fransson, Peter; Bölte, Sven

2015-01-01

Current evidence suggests the phenotype of autism spectrum disorder to be driven by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors impacting onto brain maturation, synaptic function, and cortical networks. However, findings are heterogeneous, and the exact neurobiological pathways of autism spectrum disorder still remain poorly…

Self Representation in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmody, Dennis P.; Lewis, Michael

2012-01-01

In order to examine the roles of mental age, social interaction, and communication in self-representation abilities, typically-developing children were compared with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Typically-developing children (TD, n = 66) and children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD, n = 20), including subgroups of autistic disorder…

Desired Outcomes for Children and Adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beresford, Bryony; Tozer, Rosemary; Rabiee, Parvaneh; Sloper, Patricia

2007-01-01

Within children's services, frameworks for assessing outcomes have been developed in the absence of consultation with children with autistic spectrum disorders and their parents. The research reported here worked with parents, other key adults and children with autistic spectrum disorders to identify desired outcomes. It found similarities with…

Psychopharmacology of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Selective Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohiuddin, Sarah; Ghaziuddin, Mohammad

2013-01-01

While there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, psychopharmacologic agents are often used with behavioral and educational approaches to treat its comorbid symptoms of hyperactivity, irritability, and aggression. Studies suggest that at least 50% of persons with autism spectrum disorder receive psychotropic medications during their life span.…

Video Self-Modeling as an Intervention Strategy for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelbar, Nicholas W.; Anderson, Candace; McCarthy, Scott; Buggey, Tom

2012-01-01

Video self-modeling demonstrates promise as an intervention strategy to improve outcomes in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. This article summarizes the empirical evidence supporting the use of video self-modeling with individuals with autism spectrum disorders to increase language and communication, increase social skills, modify…

Autism spectrum disorder: seeing is not understanding.

PubMed

Fecteau, Shirley; Lepage, Jean-François; Théoret, Hugo

2006-02-21

Impairments in social and emotional skills are a defining feature of autism spectrum disorder. Recent research shows that structural and functional abnormalities within the neural system that matches observation and execution of actions--the mirror neuron system--may explain the social aspects of the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder.

Immunization Uptake in Younger Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuwaik, Ghassan Abu; Roberts, Wendy; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Bryson, Susan; Smith, Isabel M.; Szatmari, Peter; Modi, Bonnie M.; Tanel, Nadia; Brian, Jessica

2014-01-01

Background: Parental concerns persist that immunization increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder, resulting in the potential for reduced uptake by parents of younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder ("younger sibs"). Objective: To compare immunization uptake by parents for their younger child relative to their…

Video Modeling and Word Identification in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morlock, Larissa; Reynolds, Jennifer L.; Fisher, Sycarah; Comer, Ronald J.

2015-01-01

Video modeling involves the learner viewing videos of a model demonstrating a target skill. According to the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders (2011), video modeling is an evidenced-based intervention for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in elementary through middle school. Little research exists…

An International Review of Autism Knowledge Assessment Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Ashley J.; Slane, Mylissa M.; Hoang, Linh; Campbell, Jonathan M.

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder-specific knowledge deficits contribute to current disparities in the timing and quality of autism spectrum disorder services throughout the United States and globally. This study conducted a systematic review of Western and International literature to examine measures used to assess autism spectrum disorder knowledge. This…

Group Social Skills Interventions for Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spain, Debbie; Blainey, Sarah H.

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are characterised by impairments in communication and social interaction. Social skills interventions have been found to ameliorate socio-communication deficits in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Little is known about the effectiveness of social skills interventions for adults with…

The Role of Developmental Histories in the Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plotts, Cindy; Webber, Jo

2002-01-01

This article discusses the importance of obtaining developmental history in the screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in children. Steps for obtaining developmental history are described and general guidelines are provided. Instruments for collecting developmental history and diagnostic indicators for autism spectrum disorders are…

Training of child and adolescent psychiatry fellows in autism and intellectual disability.

PubMed

Marrus, Natasha; Veenstra-Vanderweele, Jeremy; Hellings, Jessica A; Stigler, Kimberly A; Szymanski, Ludwik; King, Bryan H; Carlisle, L Lee; Cook, Edwin H; Pruett, John R

2014-05-01

Patients with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability can be clinically complex and often have limited access to psychiatric care. Because little is known about post-graduate clinical education in autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, we surveyed training directors of child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship programs. On average, child and adolescent psychiatry directors reported lectures of 3 and 4 h per year in autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, respectively. Training directors commonly reported that trainees see 1-5 patients with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability per year for outpatient pharmacological management and inpatient treatment. Overall, 43% of directors endorsed the need for additional resources for training in autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, which, coupled with low didactic and clinical exposure, suggests that current training is inadequate.

The influence of maternal language responsiveness on the expressive speech production of children with autism spectrum disorders: a microanalysis of mother-child play interactions.

PubMed

Walton, Katherine M; Ingersoll, Brooke R

2015-05-01

Adult responsiveness is related to language development both in young typically developing children and in children with autism spectrum disorders, such that parents who use more responsive language with their children have children who develop better language skills over time. This study used a micro-analytic technique to examine how two facets of maternal utterances, relationship to child focus of attention and degree of demandingness, influenced the immediate use of appropriate expressive language of preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders (n = 28) and toddlers with typical development (n = 16) within a naturalistic mother-child play session. Mothers' use of follow-in demanding language was most likely to elicit appropriate expressive speech in both children with autism spectrum disorders and children with typical development. For children with autism spectrum disorders, but not children with typical development, mothers' use of orienting cues conferred an additional benefit for expressive speech production. These findings are consistent with the naturalistic behavioral intervention philosophy and suggest that following a child's lead while prompting for language is likely to elicit speech production in children with autism spectrum disorders and children with typical development. Furthermore, using orienting cues may help children with autism spectrum disorders to verbally respond. © The Author(s) 2014.

Deficits in metacognitive monitoring in mathematics assessments in learners with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Brosnan, Mark; Johnson, Hilary; Grawemeyer, Beate; Chapman, Emma; Antoniadou, Konstantina; Hollinworth, Melissa

2016-05-01

Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder have been found to have deficits in metacognition that could impact upon their learning. This study explored metacognitive monitoring in 28 (23 males and 5 females) participants with autism spectrum disorder and 56 (16 males and 40 females) typically developing controls who were being educated at the same level. Participants were asked a series of mathematics questions. Based upon previous research, after each question they were asked two metacognitive questions: (1) whether they thought they had got the answer correct or not (or 'don't know') and (2) whether they meant to get the answer correct or not (or 'don't know'). Participants with autism spectrum disorder were significantly more likely than the typically developing group to erroneously think that they had got an incorrect answer correct. Having made an error, those with autism spectrum disorder were also significantly more likely to report that they had meant to make the error. Different patterns in the types of errors made were also identified between the two groups. Deficits in metacognition were identified for the autism spectrum disorder group in the learning of mathematics. This is consistent with metacognitive research from different contexts and the implications for supporting learning in autism spectrum disorder are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

The importance of context in early autism intervention: A qualitative South African study.

PubMed

Guler, Jessy; de Vries, Petrus J; Seris, Noleen; Shabalala, Nokuthula; Franz, Lauren

2017-09-01

The majority of individuals with autism spectrum disorder live in low- and middle-income countries and receive little or no services from health or social care systems. The development and validation of autism spectrum disorder interventions has almost exclusively occurred in high-income countries, leaving many unanswered questions regarding what contextual factors would need to be considered to ensure the effectiveness of interventions in low- and middle-income countries. This study qualitatively explored contextual factors relevant to the adaptation of a caregiver-mediated early autism spectrum disorder intervention in a low-resource South African setting. We conducted four focus groups and four in-depth interviews with 28 caregivers of young children with autism spectrum disorder and used thematic analysis to identify key themes. Eight contextual factors including culture, language, location of treatment, cost of treatment, type of service provider, support, parenting practices, and stigma emerged as important. Caregivers reported a preference for an affordable, in-home, individualized early autism spectrum disorder intervention, where they have an active voice in shaping treatment goals. Distrust of community-based health workers and challenges associated with autism spectrum disorder-related stigma were identified. Recommendations that integrate caregiver preferences with the development of a low-cost and scalable caregiver-mediated early autism spectrum disorder intervention are included.

A national profile of the health care experiences and family impact of autism spectrum disorder among children in the United States, 2005-2006.

PubMed

Kogan, Michael D; Strickland, Bonnie B; Blumberg, Stephen J; Singh, Gopal K; Perrin, James M; van Dyck, Peter C

2008-12-01

We sought to examine the health care experiences of children with autism spectrum disorder and the impact of autism spectrum disorder on the family and to assess whether having a medical home is associated with less family impact. We used the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs to compare 2088 children with special health care needs, aged 3 to 17 years, reported by their parents to have autism spectrum disorder, with children with special health care needs with "other emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems" (excluding autism spectrum disorder; n=9534) and 26751 other children with special health care needs. We used weighted logistic regression to examine unmet needs for specific health care and support services, delayed care, no usual care source or personal physician, difficulty receiving referrals, and financial, employment, or time problems because of child's care. Nationally, an estimated 535000 children have special health care needs and autism spectrum disorder, a prevalence of 86 per 10000 children aged 3 to 17 years. Among children with special health care needs, 5.6% have autism spectrum disorder. Compared with other children with special health care needs without emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems, children with special health care needs with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to have unmet needs for specific health care services, family support services, delayed or foregone care, difficulty receiving referrals, and care that is not family centered. Children with special health care needs with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to live in families that report financial problems, need additional income for the child's medical care, reduce or stop work because of the child's condition, spend >or=10 hours per week providing or coordinating care, and paid more than $1000 in the previous year for the child's care. The financial impacts of autism spectrum disorder were significantly more burdensome when children with special health care needs did not have a medical home. Children with special health care needs with autism spectrum disorder are significantly more likely to have problems regarding access to care and unmet needs, and their families have greater financial, employment, and time burdens compared with other children with special health care needs. Receipt of primary care in a medical home may reduce these burdens.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strock, Margaret

2007-01-01

This booklet focuses on classic autism, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome, with brief descriptions of Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. The booklet describes possible indicators of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their diagnosis, available aids, treatment options, adults…

Genetics Home Reference: 17q12 deletion syndrome

MedlinePlus

... spectrum disorder (which affects social interaction and communication), schizophrenia , anxiety, and bipolar disorder . Less commonly, 17q12 deletion ... Encyclopedia: Autism Spectrum Disorder Encyclopedia: Bipolar Disorder Encyclopedia: ... Topic: Developmental Disabilities Health Topic: Diabetes Health ...

Structure and Etiology of Co-Occurring Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosgrove, Victoria E.; Rhee, Soo H.; Gelhorn, Heather L.; Boeldt, Debra; Corley, Robin C.; Ehringer, Marissa A.; Young, Susan E.; Hewitt, John K.

2011-01-01

Several studies suggest that a two-factor model positing internalizing and externalizing factors explains the interrelationships among psychiatric disorders. However, it is unclear whether the covariation between internalizing and externalizing disorders is due to common genetic or environmental influences. We examined whether a model positing two…

Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder through Brain Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder through Brain Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging THESIS MARCH 2016 Kyle A. Palko, Second Lieutenant, USAF AFIT...declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. AFIT-ENC-MS-16-M-123 DIAGNOSING AUTISM SPECTRUM...PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT-ENC-MS-16-M-123 DIAGNOSING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER THROUGH BRAIN FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING Kyle

Plasmon excitations in doped square-lattice atomic clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yaxin; Yu, Ya-Bin

2017-12-01

Employing the tight-binding model, we theoretically study the properties of the plasmon excitations in doped square-lattice atomic clusters. The results show that the dopant atoms would blur the absorption spectra, and give rise to extra plasmon resonant peaks as reported in the literature; however, our calculated external-field induced oscillating charge density shows that no obvious evidences indicate the so-called local mode of plasmon appearing in two-dimensional-doped atomic clusters, but the dopants may change the symmetry of the charge distribution. Furthermore, we show that the disorder of the energy level due to dopant makes the absorption spectrum has a red- or blue-shift, which depends on the position of impurities; disorder of hopping due to dopant makes a blue- or red-shift, a larger (smaller) hopping gives a blue-shift (red-shift); and a larger (smaller) host-dopant and dopant-dopant intersite coulomb repulsion induces a blue-shift (red-shift).

Autism and autistic spectrum disorders in the context of new DSM-V classification, and clinical and epidemiological data.

PubMed

Stanković, Miodrag; Lakić, Aneta; Ilić, Neda

2012-01-01

Autism is one of disorders from the autism spectrum, besides Asperger syndrome, atypical autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. They are classified as mental disorders as being manifested by a wide range of cognitive, emotional and neurobehavioural abnormalities. Key categorical characteristics of the disorder are clear impairments of the development of the child's socialisation, understanding and production of verbal and non-verbal communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour. Demarcation boundaries are not clear, neither within the very group of the disorders from the autistic spectrum, nor with respect to the autistic behavioural features in the general population. For this reason, the term spectrum points out the significance of the dimensional assessment of autistic disorders, which will most likely be the basis of the new diagnostic classification of the disorders belonging to the current group of pervasive developmental disorders in the new DSM-V classification. The understanding, as well as the prevalence of the autistic spectrum disorders has changed drastically in the last four decades. From the previous 4 per 10,000 people, today's prevalence estimates range from 0.6 to around 1%, and the increase of prevalence cannot be explained solely by better recognition on the part of experts and parents or by wider diagnostic criteria. The general conclusion is that the autistic spectrum disorders are no longer rare conditions and that the approach aimed at acknowledging the warning that this is an urgent public health problem is completely justified.

Should an Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Grouping of Disorders Be Included in DSM-V?

PubMed Central

Phillips, Katharine A.; Stein, Dan J.; Rauch, Scott; Hollander, Eric; Fallon, Brian A.; Barsky, Arthur; Fineberg, Naomi; Mataix-Cols, David; Ferrão, Ygor Arzeno; Saxena, Sanjaya; Wilhelm, Sabine; Kelly, Megan M.; Clark, Lee Anna; Pinto, Anthony; Bienvenu, O. Joseph; Farrow, Joanne; Leckman, James

2014-01-01

The obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum has been discussed in the literature for two decades. Proponents of this concept propose that certain disorders characterized by repetitive thoughts and/or behaviors are related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and suggest that such disorders be grouped together in the same category (i.e., grouping, or “chapter”) in DSM. This paper addresses this topic and presents options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V. The paper builds upon and extends prior reviews of this topic that were prepared for and discussed at a DSM-V Research Planning Conference on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders held in 2006. Our preliminary recommendation is that an OC-spectrum grouping of disorders be included in DSM-V. Furthermore, we preliminarily recommend that consideration be given to including this group of disorders within a larger supraordinate category of “Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders.” These preliminary recommendations must be evaluated in light of recommendations for, and constraints upon, the overall structure of DSM-V. PMID:20533367

Should an obsessive-compulsive spectrum grouping of disorders be included in DSM-V?

PubMed

Phillips, Katharine A; Stein, Dan J; Rauch, Scott L; Hollander, Eric; Fallon, Brian A; Barsky, Arthur; Fineberg, Naomi; Mataix-Cols, David; Ferrão, Ygor Arzeno; Saxena, Sanjaya; Wilhelm, Sabine; Kelly, Megan M; Clark, Lee Anna; Pinto, Anthony; Bienvenu, O Joseph; Farrow, Joanne; Leckman, James

2010-06-01

The obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum has been discussed in the literature for two decades. Proponents of this concept propose that certain disorders characterized by repetitive thoughts and/or behaviors are related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and suggest that such disorders be grouped together in the same category (i.e. grouping, or "chapter") in DSM. This article addresses this topic and presents options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V. The article builds upon and extends prior reviews of this topic that were prepared for and discussed at a DSM-V Research Planning Conference on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders held in 2006. Our preliminary recommendation is that an OC-spectrum grouping of disorders be included in DSM-V. Furthermore, we preliminarily recommend that consideration be given to including this group of disorders within a larger supraordinate category of "Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders." These preliminary recommendations must be evaluated in light of recommendations for, and constraints upon, the overall structure of DSM-V. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Anxiety Symptoms in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or Chronic Multiple Tic Disorder and Community Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guttmann-Steinmetz, Sarit; Gadow, Kenneth D.; DeVincent, Carla J.; Crowell, Judy

2010-01-01

We compared symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in 5 groups of boys with neurobehavioral syndromes: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) plus autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD plus chronic multiple tic disorder (CMTD), ASD only, ADHD only, and community Controls. Anxiety symptoms were…

Autism spectrum disorders: wading through the controversies on the web.

PubMed

Coates, Heather

2009-07-01

Autism is one of three developmental disorders in the group known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This spectrum of disorders has an estimated prevalence of one in 150 children. Increased awareness and diagnosis has led to an explosion of information available about the disorder. This explosion has made scientific research more readily available, along with inaccurate and spurious information. Autism is a disorder without a known cause or cure and few treatments with sufficient evidence to indicate effectiveness. Due to the variable presentation of autism, there is no single intervention that is effective for all individuals. The complexity of the disorder is addressed by research and practice across several disciplines, including education, psychology, psychiatry, neurology, genetics, and internal medicine. This resource guide will introduce the range of autism spectrum disorders, its various perspectives and treatments, and will point librarians and patrons to introductory resources to provide links for further learning.

Traumatic Stress Disorders and Risk of Subsequent Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder or Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

PubMed

Okkels, Niels; Trabjerg, Betina; Arendt, Mikkel; Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker

2017-01-01

Traumatic stress disorders are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, there is a lack of prospective longitudinal studies investigating the risk of severe mental illness for people diagnosed with traumatic stress disorders. We aimed to assess if patients with acute stress reaction (ASR) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk of schizophrenia spectrum disorders or bipolar disorder. We performed a prospective cohort study covering the entire Danish population including information on inpatient and outpatient mental hospitals over 2 decades. Predictors were in- or outpatient diagnoses of ASR or PTSD. We calculated incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% CIs of schizophrenia, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder. Persons with a traumatic stress disorder had a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia (IRR 3.80, CI 2.33-5.80), schizophrenia spectrum disorder (IRR 2.34, CI 1.46-3.53), and bipolar disorder (IRR 4.22, CI 2.25-7.13). Risks were highest in the first year after diagnosis of the traumatic stress disorder and remained significantly elevated after more than 5 years. Mental illness in a parent could not explain the association. Our findings support an association between diagnosed traumatic stress disorders and subsequent schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder. If replicated, this may increase clinical focus on patients with traumatic stress disorders. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Increased repetitive behaviours and prolactin responsivity to oral m-chlorophenylpiperazine in adults with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Novotny, Sherie; Hollander, Eric; Phillips, Ann; Allen, Andrea; Wasserman, Stacey; Iyengar, Rupa

2004-09-01

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by dysfunction in three primary behavioural domains: repetitive behaviours, social deficits, and language abnormalities. There is evidence that abnormalities exist in the serotonin (5-HT) system in autism spectrum patients. Furthermore, 5-HT is known to play a role in repetitive and social behaviours. This study examined the effect of m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) on repetitive behaviours and prolactin response in 11 adults with autism or Aspergers disorder and 8 age- and gender-matched healthy controls via randomized double-blind, m-CPP and placebo challenges. The primary outcome measure was an instrument rating six repetitive behaviours: need to know, repeating, ordering, need to tell/ask, self-injury, and touching. Patients with autism spectrum disorders showed a significant increase in repetitive behaviours at end-point following oral m-CPP in comparison to placebo. Additionally subjects with autism spectrum disorders showed a significantly increased prolactin response to m-CPP compared to normal controls, with neither group responding to placebo. This study provides further evidence for altered 5-HT sensitivity in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, as well as a possible relationship between repetitive behaviours in autism spectrum disorders and abnormalities in the 5-HT system.

Family Studies of Sensorimotor and Neurocognitive Heterogeneity in Autism Spectrum Disorders

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

understanding the role of the cerebellum in this disorder. b. Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journals: Wang Z, Magnon GC, White SP, Greene RK, Vaillancourt DE...cortico-cerebellar abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder.Society for Neuroscience (SfN); (2014; November). Washington, DC. Wang Z, Magnon GC, Greene RK... Magnon GC, Greene RK, Vaillancourt DE, Mosconi MW. (in press). Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show abnormalities during initial impulse

Comparison of psychopathological dimensions between major depressive disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders focusing on language, affectivity and motor behavior.

PubMed

Steinau, Sarah; Stegmayer, Katharina; Lang, Fabian U; Jäger, Markus; Strik, Werner; Walther, Sebastian

2017-04-01

This study tested whether patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders would differ in three dimensions of psychopathology (language, affectivity and motor behavior) as assessed by the Bern Psychopathology Scale (BPS) in a cohort of 58 patients with MDD and 146 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The overall estimation of severity of each of the three dimensions was rated on a seven-point Likert scale from severely inhibited to severely disinhibited. Here, more than half of the patients endorsed ratings that showed normal or mildly (dis-)inhibited behavior. At group level more pronounced negative ratings of affect were seen in MDD. Group comparisons of the severity ratings on language or motor behavior yielded no differences between schizophrenia spectrum disorders and MDD. At the individuals' levels, extreme ratings in the language and motor dimensions were more frequent in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and in the affectivity dimension more frequent in MDD. Shared psychopathological features could be seen across diagnoses, supporting a dimensional approach to psychopathology in endogenous psychoses. However, the groups differ in the severity of affect ratings as well as in the distribution of language, affectivity and motor ratings with more variance among the group of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensory Experiences of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: In Their Own Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Anne V.; Dickie, Virginia A.; Baranek, Grace T.

2015-01-01

First-person perspectives of children with autism spectrum disorder are rarely included in research, yet their voices may help more clearly illuminate their needs. This study involved phenomenological interviews with children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 12, ages 4-13) used to gain insights about their sensory experiences. This article…

Treatment of Early-Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (TEOSS): Rationale, Design, and Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClellan, Jon; Sikich, Linmarie; Findling, Robert L.; Frazier, Jean A.; Vitiello, Benedetto; Hlastala, Stefanie A.; Williams, Emily; Ambler, Denisse; Hunt-Harrison, Tyehimba; Maloney, Ann E.; Ritz, Louise; Anderson, Robert; Hamer, Robert M.; Lieberman, Jeffrey A.

2007-01-01

Objective: The Treatment of Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Study is a publicly funded clinical trial designed to compare the therapeutic benefits, safety, and tolerability of risperidone, olanzapine, and molindone in youths with early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The rationale, design, and methods of the Treatment of Early…

Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreation. 2nd Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Phyllis; Fullerton, Ann

2014-01-01

The second edition of "Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreation" is expanded to provide the most up-to-date, practical approaches for professionals, as well as families, to support the increasing number of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) of all ages and levels who will be participating in every…

Goal-Directed Action Control in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geurts, Hilde M; de Wit, Sanne

2014-01-01

Repetitive behavior is a key characteristic of autism spectrum disorders. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis that this abnormal behavioral repetition results from a tendency to over-rely on habits at the expense of flexible, goal-directed action. Twenty-four children with autism spectrum disorders and 24 age- and gender-matched controls…

Social Analogical Reasoning in School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Adam E.; Kenworthy, Lauren; Gallagher, Natalie M.; Antezana, Ligia; Mosner, Maya G.; Krieg, Samantha; Dudley, Katherina; Ratto, Allison; Yerys, Benjamin E.

2017-01-01

Analogical reasoning is an important mechanism for social cognition in typically developing children, and recent evidence suggests that some forms of analogical reasoning may be preserved in autism spectrum disorder. An unanswered question is whether children with autism spectrum disorder can apply analogical reasoning to social information. In…

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Have an Exceptional Explanatory Drive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, M. D.; Subiaul, Francys

2016-01-01

An "explanatory drive" motivates children to explain ambiguity. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders are interested in how systems work, but it is unknown whether they have an explanatory drive. We presented children with and without autism spectrum disorder unsolvable problems in a physical and in a social context and evaluated…

Parental Romantic Expectations and Parent-Child Sexuality Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Laura G.; Himle, Michael B.; Strassberg, Donald S.

2016-01-01

This study examined the relationship between core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, parental romantic expectations, and parental provision of sexuality and relationship education in an online sample of 190 parents of youth 12-18 years of age with a parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Regression analyses were conducted…

Examining Playground Engagement between Elementary School Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locke, Jill; Shih, Wendy; Kretzmann, Mark; Kasari, Connie

2016-01-01

Little is known about the social behavior of children with and without autism spectrum disorder during recess. This study documented the naturally occurring recess engagement and peer interaction behaviors of children with and without autism spectrum disorder in inclusive school settings. Participants included 51 children with autism spectrum…

Coexistence of 9p Deletion Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Günes, Serkan; Ekinci, Özalp; Ekinci, Nuran; Toros, Fevziye

2017-01-01

Deletion or duplication of the short arm of chromosome 9 may lead to a variety of clinical conditions including craniofacial and limb abnormalities, skeletal malformations, mental retardation, and autism spectrum disorder. Here, we present a case report of 5-year-old boy with 9p deletion syndrome and autism spectrum disorder.

Developing Social Interaction and Understanding in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Groupwork Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKay, Tommy; Knott, Fiona; Dunlop, Aline-Wendy

2007-01-01

Background: Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication disorder that characterises the autism spectrum. This study sought to improve social communication for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by means of a groupwork intervention focusing on social and emotional perspective-taking,…

Training Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to Be Compliant with an Oral Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuvo, Anthony J.; Godard, Anna; Huckfeldt, Rachel; DeMattei, Ronda

2010-01-01

Little research has been conducted on teaching children with autism spectrum disorders to be compliant with dental procedures. This study evaluated a behavioral package to train children with autism spectrum disorders to be compliant with an 8 component oral assessment. After a dental hygienist performed an assessment pretest, noncompliance on…

The Needs of College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger's Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

Many colleges and universities have seen increases in students identified as having autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or Asperger's syndrome (AS). The purpose of this study was to analyze the needs of college students with autism spectrum disorders. The study implemented a naturalistic inquiry design incorporating three data collection formats. A…

Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Group Recreational Activity for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesselmark, Eva; Plenty, Stephanie; Bejerot, Susanne

2014-01-01

Although adults with autism spectrum disorder are an increasingly identified patient population, few treatment options are available. This "preliminary" randomized controlled open trial with a parallel design developed two group interventions for adults with autism spectrum disorders and intelligence within the normal range: cognitive…

Personal Experiences of the Criminal Justice System by Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helverschou, Sissel Berge; Steindal, Kari; Nøttestad, Jim Aage; Howlin, Patricia

2018-01-01

The processes of arrest, investigation, trial and imprisonment are often extremely difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. In this study, nine offenders with autism spectrum disorders were interviewed about the circumstance surrounding the criminal acts, their views of the arrest, the police interrogation, the trial and the…

Employment Programmes and Interventions Targeting Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedley, Darren; Uljarevic, Mirko; Cameron, Lauren; Halder, Santoshi; Richdale, Amanda; Dissanayake, Cheryl

2017-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder face significant challenges entering the workforce; yet research in this area is limited and the issues are poorly understood. In this systematic review, empirical peer-reviewed studies on employment programmes, interventions and employment-related outcomes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder over…

Overweight and Obese Status in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Disruptive Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Criado, Kristen K.; Sharp, William G.; McCracken, Courtney E.; De Vinck-Baroody, Oana; Dong, Liansai; Aman, Michael G.; McDougle, Christopher J.; McCracken, James T.; Eugene Arnold, L.; Weitzman, Carol; Leventhal, John M.; Vitiello, Benedetto; Scahill, Lawrence

2018-01-01

Overweight and obesity are common in pediatric populations. Children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior may be at higher risk. This study examined whether children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior are more likely to be overweight or obese than matched controls. Baseline data from medication-free children…

Word Problem Solving of Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Students with Typical Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bae, Young Seh

2013-01-01

Mathematical Word Problem Solving of Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Students with Typical Development Young Seh Bae This study investigated mathematical word problem solving and the factors associated with the solution paths adopted by two groups of participants (N=40), students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and typically…

Saccadic Eye Movements in Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zalla, Tiziana; Seassau, Magali; Cazalis, Fabienne; Gras, Doriane; Leboyer, Marion

2018-01-01

In this study, we examined the accuracy and dynamics of visually guided saccades in 20 adults with autism spectrum disorder, as compared to 20 typically developed adults using the Step/Overlap/Gap paradigms. Performances in participants with autistic spectrum disorder were characterized by preserved Gap/Overlap effect, but reduced gain and peak…

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Part II: A Qualitative Comparison of Parenting Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Shelley L.; Hayes, Stephanie A.; Coons, Kelly D.; Radford-Paz, Elisa

2013-01-01

Background: Researchers investigating the impact of parenting children with disabilities suggest that regardless of the specific diagnosis, parents experience increased levels of stress. However, particular disabilities may be associated with distinct stressors and strains. Method: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and…

Investigating a Reading Comprehension Intervention for High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reutebuch, Colleen K.; El Zein, Farah; Kyung Kim, Min; Weinberg, Aron N.; Vaughn, Sharon

2015-01-01

We adapted and piloted Collaborative Strategic Reading-High School, a reading comprehension intervention, with three high school students with autism spectrum disorder to investigate its effects on their reading comprehension. Using a nonconcurrent, multiple-baseline design, participants with autism spectrum disorder were paired with a…

No Evidence of Reaction Time Slowing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferraro, F. Richard

2016-01-01

A total of 32 studies comprising 238 simple reaction time and choice reaction time conditions were examined in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (n?=?964) and controls (n?=?1032). A Brinley plot/multiple regression analysis was performed on mean reaction times, regressing autism spectrum disorder performance onto the control performance as…

Phenotypic Differences in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Born Preterm and at Term Gestation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Katherine; Wink, Logan K.; Pottenger, Amy; McDougle, Christopher J.; Erickson, Craig

2015-01-01

The objective of the study was to characterize the phenotype of males and females with autism spectrum disorder born preterm versus those born at term. Descriptive statistical analyses identified differences between male and female autism spectrum disorder subjects born preterm compared to term for several phenotypic characteristics and…

Improving Social Competence in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders through a Combined-Strategy Group Intervention: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sotelo, Marlene

2009-01-01

This applied dissertation investigated whether a combined-strategy group intervention improved social competence among children with autism spectrum disorders. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders exhibit deficits in social behaviors that may negatively impact all aspects of their lives. Social competence for individuals with autism spectrum…

Risk Factors for Bullying among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zablotsky, Benjamin; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Anderson, Connie M.; Law, Paul

2014-01-01

Although children with disabilities have been found to be at an increased risk of bullying, there are limited studies investigating predictors of bullying involvement in children with autism spectrum disorders. The current study presents findings from 1221 parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who were selected from a…

Experiences of Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Survey of Professionals in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Claire L.; Goddard, Lorna; Hill, Elisabeth L.; Henry, Lucy A.; Crane, Laura

2016-01-01

To date, research exploring experiences of diagnosing autism spectrum disorder has largely focused on parental perspectives. In order to obtain a more complete account of the autism spectrum disorder diagnostic process, it is essential that the views and experiences of professionals are heard. In this study, 116 multidisciplinary professionals…

School-Based Social Skills Training for Preschool-Age Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radley, Keith C.; Hanglein, Jeanine; Arak, Marisa

2016-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder display impairments in social interactions and communication that appear at early ages and result in short- and long-term negative outcomes. As such, there is a need for effective social skills training programs for young children with autism spectrum disorder--particularly interventions capable of being…

Misinterpretation of Facial Expressions of Emotion in Verbal Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eack, Shaun M.; Mazefsky, Carla A.; Minshew, Nancy J.

2015-01-01

Facial emotion perception is significantly affected in autism spectrum disorder, yet little is known about how individuals with autism spectrum disorder misinterpret facial expressions that result in their difficulty in accurately recognizing emotion in faces. This study examined facial emotion perception in 45 verbal adults with autism spectrum…

Race, Disability, and Grade: Social Relationships in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azad, Gazi F.; Locke, Jill; Kasari, Connie; Mandell, David S.

2017-01-01

Race is associated with social relationships among typically developing children; however, studies rarely examine the impact of race on social outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined how race (African American, Latino, Asian, or White) in conjunction with disability status (autism spectrum disorders or typically…

Assisted Reproductive Technology Has No Association with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lung, For-Wey; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lin, Shio-Jean; Lee, Meng-Chih; Shu, Bih-Ching

2018-01-01

The use of assisted reproduction technology has increased over the last two decades. Autism spectrum disorders and assisted reproduction technology share many risk factors. However, previous studies on the association between autism spectrum disorders and assisted reproduction technology have shown inconsistent results. The purpose of this study…

Sensory and Repetitive Behaviors among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Anne V.; Boyd, Brian A.; Williams, Kathryn L.; Faldowski, Richard A.; Baranek, Grace T.

2017-01-01

Atypical sensory and repetitive behaviors are defining features of autism spectrum disorder and are thought to be influenced by environmental factors; however, there is a lack of naturalistic research exploring contexts surrounding these behaviors. This study involved video recording observations of 32 children with autism spectrum disorder (2-12…

Characterizing Caregiver Responses to Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrop, Clare; Gulsrud, Amanda; Shih, Wendy; Hovsepyan, Lilit; Kasari, Connie

2016-01-01

Restricted and repetitive behaviors are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder. This descriptive study documented the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors in 85 toddlers with autism spectrum disorder as they interacted with their caregiver in a play interaction. For each child restricted and repetitive behavior, a caregiver…

Holistic Processing of Faces as Measured by the Thatcher Illusion Is Intact in Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleary, Laura; Brady, Nuala; Fitzgerald, Michael; Gallagher, Louise

2015-01-01

Impaired face perception in autism spectrum disorders is thought to reflect a perceptual style characterized by componential rather than configural processing of faces. This study investigated face processing in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders using the Thatcher illusion, a perceptual phenomenon exhibiting "inversion effects"…

Priorities for Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk Communication and Ethics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yudell, Michael; Tabor, Holly K.; Dawson, Geraldine; Rossi, John; Newschaffer, Craig

2013-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are an issue of increasing public health significance. The incidence of autism spectrum disorders has been increasing in recent years, and they are associated with significant personal and financial impacts for affected persons and their families. In recent years, a large number of scientific studies have been undertaken,…

Play complexity and toy engagement in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder: Do girls and boys differ?

PubMed

Harrop, Clare; Green, Jonathan; Hudry, Kristelle

2017-01-01

While sex differences in play have been extensively observed in typical development, only a handful of studies have explored this phenomenon in depth with children with autism spectrum disorders. This study explored sex differences in play complexity and toy engagement within caregiver-child interaction samples for preschool-aged children (2-5 years 11 months) with an autism spectrum disorder who were matched to typically developing children on sex and non-verbal development. Overall we found that girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder were largely equivalent in their play complexity. Despite similar play, girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder differed in a number of ways in their toy engagement, replicating traditional gender differences-girls played more with dolls and domestic items (though at lower rates than typically developing girls) and boys played more with the garage and cars (though at lower rates than typically developing boys). Our findings support the importance and utility of examining sex differences in autism spectrum disorder in light of those observed within typical development. © The Author(s) 2016.

Object-directed imitation in autism spectrum disorder is differentially influenced by motoric task complexity, but not social contextual cues.

PubMed

Chetcuti, Lacey; Hudry, Kristelle; Grant, Megan; Vivanti, Giacomo

2017-11-01

We examined the role of social motivation and motor execution factors in object-directed imitation difficulties in autism spectrum disorder. A series of to-be-imitated actions was presented to 35 children with autism spectrum disorder and 20 typically developing children on an Apple ® iPad ® by a socially responsive or aloof model, under conditions of low and high motor demand. There were no differences in imitation performance (i.e. the number of actions reproduced within a fixed sequence), for either group, in response to a model who acted socially responsive or aloof. Children with autism spectrum disorder imitated the high motor demand task more poorly than the low motor demand task, while imitation performance for typically developing children was equivalent across the low and high motor demand conditions. Furthermore, imitative performance in the autism spectrum disorder group was unrelated to social reciprocity, though positively associated with fine motor coordination. These results suggest that difficulties in object-directed imitation in autism spectrum disorder are the result of motor execution difficulties, not reduced social motivation.

Disrupted prediction errors index social deficits in autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Balsters, Joshua H; Apps, Matthew A J; Bolis, Dimitris; Lehner, Rea; Gallagher, Louise; Wenderoth, Nicole

2017-01-01

Abstract Social deficits are a core symptom of autism spectrum disorder; however, the perturbed neural mechanisms underpinning these deficits remain unclear. It has been suggested that social prediction errors—coding discrepancies between the predicted and actual outcome of another’s decisions—might play a crucial role in processing social information. While the gyral surface of the anterior cingulate cortex signalled social prediction errors in typically developing individuals, this crucial social signal was altered in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Importantly, the degree to which social prediction error signalling was aberrant correlated with diagnostic measures of social deficits. Effective connectivity analyses further revealed that, in typically developing individuals but not in autism spectrum disorder, the magnitude of social prediction errors was driven by input from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These data provide a novel insight into the neural substrates underlying autism spectrum disorder social symptom severity, and further research into the gyral surface of the anterior cingulate cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex could provide more targeted therapies to help ameliorate social deficits in autism spectrum disorder. PMID:28031223

Investigation of the Association Between Motor Stereotypy Behavior With Fundamental Movement Skills, Adaptive Functioning, and Autistic Spectrum Disorder Symptomology in Children With Intellectual Disabilities.

PubMed

Powell, Joanne L; Pringle, Lydia; Greig, Matt

2017-02-01

Motor stereotypy behaviors are patterned, coordinated, repetitive behaviors that are particularly evident in those with an autistic spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. The extent to which motor stereotypy behavior severity is associated with motor skills and maladaptive behavior, measures of adaptive functioning, along with fundamental movement skills and degree of autistic spectrum disorder symptomology is assessed in this preliminary report. Twelve participants, aged 7 to 16 years, with a reported motor stereotypy behavior and either mild or severe intellectual disability comprising developmental or global delay took part in the study. Spearman rho correlational analysis showed that severity of motor stereotypy behavior was significantly positively correlated with autistic spectrum disorder symptomology ( P = .008) and maladaptive behavior ( P = .008) but not fundamental movement skills ( P > .05). An increase in fundamental movement skills score was associated with a decrease in autistic spectrum disorder symptomology ( P = .01) and an increase in motor skills ( P = .002). This study provides evidence showing a significant relationship between motor stereotypy behavior severity with degree of autistic spectrum disorder symptomology and maladaptive behavior.

Negative Affect Shares Genetic and Environmental Influences with Symptoms of Childhood Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikolajewski, Amy J.; Allan, Nicholas P.; Hart, Sara A.; Lonigan, Christopher J.; Taylor, Jeanette

2013-01-01

The co-occurrence of internalizing and externalizing disorders suggests that they may have common underlying vulnerability factors. Research has shown that negative affect is moderately positively correlated with both internalizing and externalizing disorders in children. The present study is the first to provide an examination of negative affect…

Comorbid Psychiatric Diagnoses in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayashida, Kristen; Anderson, Bryan; Paparella, Tanya; Freeman, Stephanny F. N.; Forness, Steven R.

2010-01-01

Although comorbid or co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, and oppositional defiant or conduct disorders have been well studied in children or adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), very little research is available on preschool samples. The current study…

School-based social skills training for preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Radley, Keith C; Hanglein, Jeanine; Arak, Marisa

2016-11-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder display impairments in social interactions and communication that appear at early ages and result in short- and long-term negative outcomes. As such, there is a need for effective social skills training programs for young children with autism spectrum disorder-particularly interventions capable of being delivered in educational settings. The study evaluated the effects of the Superheroes Social Skills program on accurate demonstration of social skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Two preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder participated in a weekly social skills intervention. A multiple probe design across skills was used to determine the effects of the intervention. Both participants demonstrated substantial improvements in skill accuracy. Social skills checklists also indicated improvements in social functioning over baseline levels. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Autism spectrum syndrome replaces Asperger syndrome and autism].

PubMed

Bejerot, Susanne; Nordin, Viviann

2014-09-23

Autism spectrum disorder describes a behaviourally defined impairment in social interaction and communication, along with the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviours. Although the etiology is mostly unknown, it is evident that biological factors affect the brain and result in the autistic clinical presentation. Assessment for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder should be comprehensive in order to cover all sorts of problems related to the disorder. Knowledge and experience from working with neurological and psychiatric disorders are a prerequisite for quality in the examination. Up to now, there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, but support and adaptations in education are nevertheless important for obtaining sufficient life quality for the patients and the family.

Demographic profile of families and children in the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED): Case-control study of autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

DiGuiseppi, Carolyn G.; Daniels, Julie L.; Fallin, Daniele M.; Rosenberg, Steven A.; Schieve, Laura A.; Thomas, Kathleen C.; Windham, Gayle C.; Goss, Cynthia W.; Soke, Gnakub N.; Currie, Dustin W.; Singer, Alison B.; Lee, Li-Ching; Bernal, Pilar; Croen, Lisa A.; Miller, Lisa A.; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer A.; Young, Lisa M.; Schendel, Diana E.

2016-01-01

Background The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is designed to enhance knowledge of autism spectrum disorder characteristics and etiologies. Objective This paper describes the demographic profile of enrolled families and examines sociodemographic differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and children with other developmental problems or who are typically developing. Methods This multi-site case-control study used health, education, and birth certificate records to identify and enroll children aged 2–5 years into one of three groups: 1) cases (children with autism spectrum disorder), 2) developmental delay or disorder controls, or 3) general population controls. Study group classification was based on sampling source, prior diagnoses, and study screening tests and developmental evaluations. The child's primary caregiver provided demographic characteristics through a telephone (or occasionally face-to-face) interview. Groups were compared using ANOVA, chi-squared test, or multinomial logistic regression as appropriate. Results Of 2768 study children, sizeable proportions were born to mothers of non-White race (31.7%), Hispanic ethnicity (11.4%), and foreign birth (17.6%); 33.0% of households had incomes below the US median. The autism spectrum disorder and population control groups differed significantly on nearly all sociodemographic parameters. In contrast, the autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay or disorder groups had generally similar sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions SEED enrolled a sociodemographically diverse sample, which will allow further, in-depth exploration of sociodemographic differences between study groups and provide novel opportunities to explore sociodemographic influences on etiologic risk factor associations with autism spectrum disorder and phenotypic subtypes. PMID:26917104

Demographic profile of families and children in the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED): Case-control study of autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

DiGuiseppi, Carolyn G; Daniels, Julie L; Fallin, Daniele M; Rosenberg, Steven A; Schieve, Laura A; Thomas, Kathleen C; Windham, Gayle C; Goss, Cynthia W; Soke, Gnakub N; Currie, Dustin W; Singer, Alison B; Lee, Li-Ching; Bernal, Pilar; Croen, Lisa A; Miller, Lisa A; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer A; Young, Lisa M; Schendel, Diana E

2016-07-01

The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is designed to enhance knowledge of autism spectrum disorder characteristics and etiologies. This paper describes the demographic profile of enrolled families and examines sociodemographic differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and children with other developmental problems or who are typically developing. This multi-site case-control study used health, education, and birth certificate records to identify and enroll children aged 2-5 years into one of three groups: 1) cases (children with autism spectrum disorder), 2) developmental delay or disorder controls, or 3) general population controls. Study group classification was based on sampling source, prior diagnoses, and study screening tests and developmental evaluations. The child's primary caregiver provided demographic characteristics through a telephone (or occasionally face-to-face) interview. Groups were compared using ANOVA, chi-squared test, or multinomial logistic regression as appropriate. Of 2768 study children, sizeable proportions were born to mothers of non-White race (31.7%), Hispanic ethnicity (11.4%), and foreign birth (17.6%); 33.0% of households had incomes below the US median. The autism spectrum disorder and population control groups differed significantly on nearly all sociodemographic parameters. In contrast, the autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay or disorder groups had generally similar sociodemographic characteristics. SEED enrolled a sociodemographically diverse sample, which will allow further, in-depth exploration of sociodemographic differences between study groups and provide novel opportunities to explore sociodemographic influences on etiologic risk factor associations with autism spectrum disorder and phenotypic subtypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of the New mTOR Complex, mTORC2, in Autism Spectrum Disorders

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

1 AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0380 TITLE: "The Role of the New mTOR Complex, mTORC2, in Autism Spectrum Disorders " PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Mauro...34The Role of the New mTOR Complex, mTORC2, in Autism Spectrum Disorders " 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0380 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM...Pten. These insights hold the promise for new mTORC2-based treatment of ASD. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), mTORC2, mTORC1

Treatment of Seizure Disorders and EEG Abnormalities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuchman, Roberto

2000-01-01

The treatment of seizure disorders and EEG epileptiform abnormalities without epilepsy in children with autism spectrum disorders in considered within the context of the relationship epilepsy and epileptiform disorders to language, behavior, and cognition. The use of anticonvulsants to treat epileptiform discharges thought to be producing…

When Autistic Behavior Suggests a Disease Other than Classic Autism.

PubMed

Simms, Mark D

2017-02-01

Most neurodevelopmental disorders are defined by their clinical symptoms and many disorders share common features. Recently there has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, although concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the reported prevalence rates. This article reviews the essential features of autism spectrum disorder and describes other conditions that may include similar symptoms that may be misdiagnosed as autism spectrum disorder (primary communication disorders, anxiety disorders, attachment disorders, intellectual disability, vision and hearing impairment, and normal variations). An approach to differential diagnosis is discussed with particular attention to evaluation of young children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding self-reported difficulties in decision-making by people with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Vella, Lydia; Ring, Howard A; Aitken, Mike Rf; Watson, Peter C; Presland, Alexander; Clare, Isabel Ch

2017-04-01

Autobiographical accounts and a limited research literature suggest that adults with autism spectrum disorders can experience difficulties with decision-making. We examined whether some of the difficulties they describe correspond to quantifiable differences in decision-making when compared to adults in the general population. The participants (38 intellectually able adults with autism spectrum disorders and 40 neurotypical adults) were assessed on three tasks of decision-making (Iowa Gambling Task, Cambridge Gamble Task and Information Sampling Task), which quantified, respectively, decision-making performance and relative attention to negative and positive outcomes, speed and flexibility, and information sampling. As a caution, all analyses were repeated with a subset of participants ( n ASD  = 29 and n neurotypical  = 39) who were not taking antidepressant or anxiolytic medication. Compared to the neurotypical participants, participants with autism spectrum disorders demonstrated slower decision-making on the Cambridge Gamble Task, and superior performance on the Iowa Gambling Task. When those taking the medications were excluded, participants with autism spectrum disorders also sampled more information. There were no other differences between the groups. These processing tendencies may contribute to the difficulties self-reported in some contexts; however, the results also highlight strengths in autism spectrum disorders, such as a more logical approach to, and care in, decision-making. The findings lead to recommendations for how adults with autism spectrum disorders may be better supported with decision-making.

Multicausal systems ask for multicausal approaches: A network perspective on subjective well-being in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Deserno, Marie K; Borsboom, Denny; Begeer, Sander; Geurts, Hilde M

2017-11-01

Given the heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder, an important limitation of much autism spectrum disorder research is that outcome measures are statistically modeled as separate dependent variables. Often, their multivariate structure is either ignored or treated as a nuisance. This study aims to lift this limitation by applying network analysis to explicate the multivariate pattern of risk and success factors for subjective well-being in autism spectrum disorder. We estimated a network structure for 27 potential factors in 2341 individuals with autism spectrum disorder to assess the centrality of specific life domains and their importance for well-being. The data included both self- and proxy-reported information. We identified social satisfaction and societal contribution as the strongest direct paths to subjective well-being. The results suggest that an important contribution to well-being lies in resources that allow the individual to engage in social relations, which influence well-being directly. Factors most important in determining the network's structure include self-reported IQ, living situation, level of daily activity, and happiness. Number of family members with autism spectrum disorder and openness about one's diagnosis are least important of all factors for subjective well-being. These types of results can serve as a roadmap for interventions directed at improving the well-being of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

A meta-analysis of the social communication questionnaire: Screening for autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Chesnut, Steven R; Wei, Tianlan; Barnard-Brak, Lucy; Richman, David M

2017-11-01

The current meta-analysis examines the previous research on the utility of the Social Communication Questionnaire as a screening instrument for autism spectrum disorder. Previously published reports have highlighted the inconsistencies between Social Communication Questionnaire-screening results and formal autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. The variations in accuracy resulted in some researchers questioning the validity of the Social Communication Questionnaire. This study systematically examined the accuracy of the Social Communication Questionnaire as a function of the methodological decisions made by researchers screening for autism spectrum disorder over the last 15 years. Findings from this study suggest that the Social Communication Questionnaire is an acceptable screening instrument for autism spectrum disorder (area under the curve = 0.885). Variations in methodological decisions, however, greatly influenced the accuracy of the Social Communication Questionnaire in screening for autism spectrum disorder. Of these methodological variations, using the Current instead of the Lifetime version of the Social Communication Questionnaire resulted in the largest detrimental effect ( d = -3.898), followed by using the Social Communication Questionnaire with individuals younger than 4 years of age ( d = -2.924) and relying upon convenience samples ( d = -4.828 for clinical samples, -2.734 for convenience samples, and -1.422 for community samples). Directions for future research and implications for using the Social Communication Questionnaire to screen for autism spectrum disorder are discussed.

Implicit and explicit Theory of Mind reasoning in autism spectrum disorders: the impact of experience.

PubMed

Schuwerk, Tobias; Vuori, Maria; Sodian, Beate

2015-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between explicit and implicit forms of Theory of Mind reasoning and to test the influence of experience on implicit Theory of Mind reasoning in individuals with autism spectrum disorders and in neurotypical adults. Results from two standard explicit Theory of Mind tasks are mixed: Individuals with autism spectrum disorders did not differ from neurotypical adults in their performance in the Strange Stories Test, but scored significantly lower on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Furthermore, in an implicit false-belief task, individuals with autism spectrum disorders differed from neurotypical adults in false belief-congruent anticipatory looking. However, this group difference disappeared by (1) providing participants with the outcome of a false belief-based action and (2) subsequently repeating this test trial. Although the tendency to fixate the false belief-congruent location significantly increased from the first to the second test trial in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, it differed in neither test trial from chance. These findings support the notion of an implicit Theory of Mind deficit in autism spectrum disorders, but give rise to the idea that anticipatory looking behaviors in autism spectrum disorders may be affected by experience. Additionally, the pattern of results from implicit and explicit Theory of Mind measures supports the theory of two independent Theory of Mind reasoning systems. © The Author(s) 2014.

Serum Antibody Biomarkers for ASD

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

autism blood biomarker. In addition, we have identified two new proteins that are linked to ASD. 15. SUBJECT TERMS ASD, autism spectrum disorders . TD...4 8. Appendices…………………………………………………………. 5 3 Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder ...immune responses in young children with autism spectrum disorders : their relationship to gastrointestinal symptoms and dietary intervention

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

MedlinePlus

... Español (Spanish) Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that ... key findings. ABOUT US Overview of CDC’s work. Autism: What's New MMWR article: Prevalence of Autism Spectrum ...

Influence of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet quality in childhood on the incidence of internalizing and externalizing disorders during adolescence: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Wu, XiuYun; Bastian, Kerry; Ohinmaa, Arto; Veugelers, Paul

2018-02-01

Studies among youth suggest that physical inactivity, sedentary behaviors, and poor diet quality are associated with poor mental health. Few population-based studies have investigated these relationships longitudinally. We examined the association between physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and diet quality in childhood and the incidence of internalizing and externalizing disorders throughout adolescence. We linked health behavior survey data from 2003 among 10- to 11-year-old children across Nova Scotia, Canada, with administrative health care data from 2003 to 2011. Students' diet quality was assessed using the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors were self-reported, and internalizing and externalizing disorders were diagnosed by a physician. We applied Cox regression to examine the associations of the health behaviors with the incidence of internalizing and externalizing disorders between 2003 and 2011. Of the 4861 participating students, 23.7% and 9.4% had a diagnosis of internalizing and externalizing disorders, respectively. The incidences of internalizing and externalizing disorders were higher among students who were less physically active and spent more time using computers and video games. These findings suggest that promoting an active lifestyle in childhood may contribute to the prevention of both internalizing and externalizing disorders during adolescence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rett Syndrome: Overview

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find ...

An Investigation of Comorbid Psychological Disorders, Sleep Problems, Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Epilepsy in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mannion, Arlene; Leader, Geraldine; Healy, Olive

2013-01-01

The current study investigated comorbidity in eighty-nine children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Ireland. Comorbidity is the presence of one or more disorders in addition to a primary disorder. The prevalence of comorbid psychological disorders, behaviours associated with comorbid psychopathology, epilepsy, gastrointestinal…

Evaluation of an Information Resource for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Janice; Steel, Lee; MacCulloch, Radha; Nicholas, David

2010-01-01

This study sought to evaluate a newly created information resource book for parents of children newly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder entitled "Autism Spectrum Disorder: Information for Parents." A purposive sample of 13 participants (comprised of mothers of children with ASD and ASD service providers) participated in 1 of 3…

Family Quality of Life of South African Families Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlebusch, Liezl; Dada, Shakila; Samuels, Alecia E.

2017-01-01

This article describes the family quality of life among families who are raising a young child with autism spectrum disorder. Survey research was conducted with 180 families of children with autism spectrum disorder who were receiving disability-related services in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The principle measure used was the Beach…

High Self-Perceived Stress and Poor Coping in Intellectually Able Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirvikoski, Tatja; Blomqvist, My

2015-01-01

Despite average intellectual capacity, autistic traits may complicate performance in many everyday situations, thus leading to stress. This study focuses on stress in everyday life in intellectually able adults with autism spectrum disorders. In total, 53 adults (25 with autism spectrum disorder and 28 typical adults from the general population)…

Parental Mediation of Television Viewing and Videogaming of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Melissa H.; Magill-Evans, Joyce; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie

2015-01-01

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder spend considerable time in media activities. Parents play an important role in shaping adolescents' responses to media. This study explored the mediation strategies that parents of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder used to manage television and video game use, factors associated with their use of…

Challenging Behaviors in Adults with Intellectual Disability: The Effects of Race and Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horovitz, Max; Matson, Johnny L.; Hattier, Megan A.; Tureck, Kimberly; Bamburg, Jay W.

2013-01-01

Rates of challenging behaviors were assessed in 175 adults with intellectual disability (ID) or ID and a comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The relationship between ASD diagnosis, race, and challenging behaviors was assessed using the "Autism Spectrum Disorders-Behavior Problems for Adults (ASD-BPA)." Those with ASD and ID were…

Supported Employment for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Preliminary Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wehman, Paul; Lau, Stephanie; Molinelli, Alissa; Brooke, Valerie; Thompson, Katie; Moore, Chandler; West, Michael

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of supported employment in securing and maintaining competitive employment for people with autism spectrum disorder, a group that has typically been found to be underemployed or unemployed. This prospective study followed and collected data on 33 individuals with autism spectrum disorder as they…

Emotion Recognition from Congruent and Incongruent Emotional Expressions and Situational Cues in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tell, Dina; Davidson, Denise

2015-01-01

In this research, the emotion recognition abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children were compared. When facial expressions and situational cues of emotion were congruent, accuracy in recognizing emotions was good for both children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children. When…

Anxiety and Repetitive Behaviours in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Williams Syndrome: A Cross-Syndrome Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers, Jacqui; Riby, Deborah M.; Janes, Emily; Connolly, Brenda; McConachie, Helen

2012-01-01

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Williams syndrome are vulnerable to anxiety. The factors that contribute to this risk remain unclear. This study compared anxiety in autism spectrum disorder and Williams Syndrome and examined the relationship between repetitive behaviours and anxiety. Thirty-four children with autism and twenty children…

Factors Influencing the Probability of a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Girls versus Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duvekot, Jorieke; van der Ende, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C.; Slappendel, Geerte; van Daalen, Emma; Maras, Athanasios; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin

2017-01-01

In order to shed more light on why referred girls are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder than boys, this study examined whether behavioral characteristics influence the probability of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis differently in girls versus boys derived from a multicenter sample of consecutively referred children…

The Mental Health of Individuals Referred for Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adulthood: A Clinic Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Ailsa J.; Murphy, Clodagh M.; Wilson, Ellie; Gillan, Nicola; Brown, Cordelia; Robertson, Dene M.; Craig, Michael C.; Deeley, Quinton; Zinkstok, Janneke; Johnston, Kate; McAlonan, Grainne M.; Spain, Deborah; Murphy, Declan G. M.

2016-01-01

Growing awareness of autism spectrum disorders has increased the demand for diagnostic services in adulthood. High rates of mental health problems have been reported in young people and adults with autism spectrum disorder. However, sampling and methodological issues mean prevalence estimates and conclusions about specificity in psychiatric…

Longitudinal Study of Driver Licensing Rates among Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Allison E.; Yerys, Benjamin E.; Huang, Patty; Metzger, Kristi B.

2018-01-01

Driving may increase mobility and independence for adolescents with autism without intellectual disability (autism spectrum disorder); however, little is known about rates of licensure. To compare the proportion of adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder who acquire a learner's permit and driver's license, as well as the rate at…

Untended Wounds: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddox, Brenna B.; Trubanova, Andrea; White, Susan W.

2017-01-01

Recent studies have examined non-suicidal self-injury in community and clinical samples, but there is no published research on non-suicidal self-injury in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. This lack of research is surprising, since individuals with autism spectrum disorder have high rates of risk factors for non-suicidal self-injury,…

A Comparison of WISC-IV and SB-5 Intelligence Scores in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baum, Katherine T.; Shear, Paula K.; Howe, Steven R.; Bishop, Somer L.

2015-01-01

In autism spectrum disorders, results of cognitive testing inform clinical care, theories of neurodevelopment, and research design. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Stanford-Binet are commonly used in autism spectrum disorder evaluations and scores from these tests have been shown to be highly correlated in typically developing…

Age of Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Latino Children: The Case of Venezuelan Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montiel-Nava, Cecilia; Chacín, José A.; González-Ávila, Zoila

2017-01-01

Latino children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder later in life, usually with more severe symptoms, and lower IQs, compared with non-Latino children. Possible reasons for such disparities could be due to lower levels of parent education, lower socioeconomic status, limited knowledge of parents about autism spectrum disorder, and…

Different Aberrant Mentalizing Networks in Males and Females with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence from Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jie; Lee, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Previous studies have found that individuals with autism spectrum disorders show impairments in mentalizing processes and aberrant brain activity compared with typically developing participants. However, the findings are mainly from male participants and the aberrant effects in autism spectrum disorder females and sex differences are still…

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Höfer, Juliana; Hoffmann, Falk; Bachmann, Christian

2017-01-01

Despite limited evidence, complementary and alternative medicine treatments are popular in autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this review was to summarize the available evidence on complementary and alternative medicine use frequency in autism spectrum disorder. A systematic search of three electronic databases was performed. All research…

Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (FIPS-A): Overview and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lampi, Katja M.; Banerjee, P. Nina; Gissler, Mika; Hinkka-Yli-Salomaki, Susanna; Huttunen, Jukka; Kulmala, Ulla; Lindroos, Jarna; Niemela, Solja; Rihko, Maria; Ristkari, Terja; Saanakorpi, Kristiina; Sarlin, Tanja; Sillanmaki, Lauri; McKeague, Ian W.; Surcel, Helja-Marja; Helenius, Hans; Brown, Alan S.; Sourander, Andre

2011-01-01

This article presents an overview of the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (FIPS-A), a new study designed to examine the relationship between prenatal serologic factors, mediating and moderating developmental antecedents, and risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The FIPS-A is based on register linkages between…

Maltreatment and Depression in Adolescent Sexual Offenders with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Jessica Bleil; Hughes, Tammy L.; Sutton, Lawrence R.; Marshall, Stephanie N.; Crothers, Laura M.; Lehman, Cathryn; Paserba, Dave; Talkington, Vanessa; Taormina, Rochelle; Huang, Ann

2013-01-01

This study examined the self-reported presence and severity of abuse, neglect, and depressive symptoms for 43 adolescents adjudicated delinquent due to a sexual offense. Twenty-seven of the adolescent sexual offenders were also diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, and 16 did not carry an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Both groups…

Validity of the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterling, Lindsey; Renno, Patricia; Storch, Eric A.; Ehrenreich-May, Jill; Lewin, Adam B.; Arnold, Elysse; Lin, Enjey; Wood, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

High rates of anxiety and depression are reported among youth with autism spectrum disorders. These conditions are generally assessed using measures validated for typically developing youth. Few studies have investigated their validity for autism spectrum disorders, which is crucial for accurate assessment and the provision of proper treatment.…

Measuring Social Communication Behaviors as a Treatment Endpoint in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anagnostou, Evdokia; Jones, Nancy; Huerta, Marisela; Halladay, Alycia K.; Wang, Paul; Scahill, Lawrence; Horrigan, Joseph P.; Kasari, Connie; Lord, Cathy; Choi, Dennis; Sullivan, Katherine; Dawson, Geraldine

2015-01-01

Social communication impairments are a core deficit in autism spectrum disorder. Social communication deficit is also an early indicator of autism spectrum disorder and a factor in long-term outcomes. Thus, this symptom domain represents a critical treatment target. Identifying reliable and valid outcome measures for social communication across a…

"MYmind": Mindfulness Training for Youngsters with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Bruin, Esther I.; Blom, René; Smit, Franka M. A.; van Steensel, Francisca J. A.; Bögels, Susan M.

2015-01-01

Background: Despite the dramatic increase in autism spectrum disorder in youth and the extremely high costs, hardly any evidence-based interventions are available. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of mindfulness training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, combined with Mindful Parenting training. Method: A total of 23…

A Virtual Joy-Stick Study of Emotional Responses and Social Motivation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Kwanguk; Rosenthal, M. Zachary; Gwaltney, Mary; Jarrold, William; Hatt, Naomi; McIntyre, Nancy; Swain, Lindsay; Solomon, Marjorie; Mundy, Peter

2015-01-01

A new virtual reality task was employed which uses preference for interpersonal distance to social stimuli to examine social motivation and emotion perception in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Nineteen high function children with higher functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD) and 23 age, gender, and IQ matched children with typical…

A Virtual Joy-Stick Study of Emotional Responses and Social Motivation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Kwanguk; Rosenthal, Zachary; Gwaltney, Mary; Jarrold, William; Lerro, Lindsay; Mundy, Peter

2015-01-01

A new virtual reality task was employed which uses preference for interpersonal distance to social stimuli to examine social motivation and emotion perception in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Nineteen children with higher functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFA SD) and 23 age, gender, and IQ matched children with typical development…

Impact of Employee Benefits on Families with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gnanasekaran, Sangeeth; Choueiri, Roula; Neumeyer, Ann; Ajari, Ogheneochuko; Shui, Amy; Kuhlthau, Karen

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the employee benefits parents of children with autism spectrum disorders have, how benefits are used, work change, and job satisfaction. We conducted a cross-sectional mailed survey study of 435 families with children with autism spectrum disorders residing in the United States. We received 161 surveys…

Unmet Needs of Families of School-Aged Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Hilary K.; Ouellette-Kuntz, Helene; Hunter, Duncan; Kelley, Elizabeth; Cobigo, Virginie

2012-01-01

Background: To aid decision making regarding the allocation of limited resources, information is needed on the perceived unmet needs of parents of school-aged children with an autism spectrum disorder. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 101 Canadian families of school-aged children with an autism spectrum disorder.…

Feasibility of an Empirically Based Program for Parents of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dababnah, Sarah; Parish, Susan L.

2016-01-01

This article reports on the feasibility of implementing an existing empirically based program, "The Incredible Years," tailored to parents of young children with autism spectrum disorder. Parents raising preschool-aged children (aged 3-6?years) with autism spectrum disorder (N?=?17) participated in a 15-week pilot trial of the…

How well Are Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Doing Academically at School? An Overview of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keen, Deb; Webster, Amanda; Ridley, Greta

2016-01-01

The academic achievement of individuals with autism spectrum disorder has received little attention from researchers despite the importance placed on this by schools, families and students with autism spectrum disorder. Investigating factors that lead to increased academic achievement thus would appear to be very important. A review of the…

Using Contact Work in Interactions with Adults with Learning Disabilities and Autistic Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Sharon; Paterson, Gail

2011-01-01

This article describes a project about using contact work with people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. People with learning disabilities and additional autistic spectrum disorder are at risk of becoming socially isolated because of their difficulties in interacting with others. Contact work is a form of Pre-Therapy, which…

The Questions Verbal Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Encounter in the Inclusive Preschool Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Eric J.; Irvin, Dwight W.; Belardi, Katie; McCune, Luke; Boyd, Brian A.; Odom, Samuel L.

2016-01-01

This study investigated questions adults asked to children with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive pre-kindergarten classrooms, and whether child (e.g. autism severity) and setting (i.e. adult-to-child ratio) characteristics were related to questions asked during center-time. Videos of verbal children with autism spectrum disorder (n?=?42) were…

Challenges of Parenting Children with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Concept Map

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jason D.; Bednar, Lisa M.

2004-01-01

The purpose of the study was to describe the challenges of parents of children with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Nineteen birth, foster or adoptive parents were asked to answer the following question: "What are the challenges you face parenting a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder?" The data were analyzed using…

The Lived Experience of US Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systemic Review and Meta-Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corcoran, Jacqueline; Berry, Amber; Hill, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Current US statistics indicate that 1 in 68 children is diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder (Centers for Disease Control (2014) Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years--autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 Sites, United States, 2010. "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report"…

Spoken Word Recognition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Visual Disengagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venker, Courtney E.

2017-01-01

Deficits in visual disengagement are one of the earliest emerging differences in infants who are later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Although researchers have speculated that deficits in visual disengagement could have negative effects on the development of children with autism spectrum disorder, we do not know which skills are…

Motor Proficiency and Physical Fitness in Adolescent Males with and without Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Chien-Yu

2014-01-01

This study compared components of motor proficiency and physical fitness in adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorders, and assessed the associations between the two measures within each group. A total of 62 adolescent males with ("n" = 31) and without ("n" = 31) autism spectrum disorders aged 10-17 years completed…

Attachment in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Examination of Separation and Reunion Behaviors with both Mothers and Fathers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grzadzinski, Rebecca L.; Luyster, Rhiannon; Spencer, Amelia Gunn; Lord, Catherine

2014-01-01

Most studies examining attachment in children with autism spectrum disorder used a strange situation paradigm and have found few significant group differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and comparisons. However, these studies predominantly used formal attachment categorizations (e.g. secure vs insecure), a method that may…

Addressing Medical Needs of Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Primary Care Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saqr, Youssra; Braun, Erika; Porter, Kyle; Barnette, Debra; Hanks, Christopher

2018-01-01

Little has been reported about how to improve health care access and delivery for adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder. To understand the contributions to the health disparities in the autism spectrum disorder population, we conducted two independent research approaches to learn about current medical needs. A retrospective chart…

Use of Early Intervention for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder across Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salomone, Erica; Beranová, Štepánka; Bonnet-Brilhault, Frédérique; Briciet Lauritsen, Marlene; Budisteanu, Magdalena; Buitelaar, Jan; Canal-Bedia, Ricardo; Felhosi, Gabriella; Fletcher-Watson, Sue; Freitag, Christine; Fuentes, Joaquin; Gallagher, Louise; Garcia Primo, Patricia; Gliga, Fotinica; Gomot, Marie; Green, Jonathan; Heimann, Mikael; Jónsdóttir, Sigridur Loa; Kaale, Anett; Kawa, Rafal; Kylliainen, Anneli; Lemcke, Sanne; Markovska-Simoska, Silvana; Marschik, Peter B; McConachie, Helen; Moilanen, Irma; Muratori, Filippo; Narzisi, Antonio; Noterdaeme, Michele; Oliveira, Guiomar; Oosterling, Iris; Pijl, Mirjam; Pop-Jordanova, Nada; Poustka, Luise; Roeyers, Herbert; Rogé, Bernadette; Sinzig, Judith; Vicente, Astrid; Warreyn, Petra; Charman, Tony

2016-01-01

Little is known about use of early interventions for autism spectrum disorder in Europe. Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder aged 7?years or younger (N?=?1680) were recruited through parent organisations in 18 European countries and completed an online survey about the interventions their child received. There was considerable…

Theory of Mind in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Associations with the Sibling Constellation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Nicole L.; Goldberg, Wendy A.

2018-01-01

The two prior studies that have examined associations between the sibling constellation and theory of mind in autism spectrum disorder yielded discrepant findings. Thus, efforts to better understand the sibling-theory of mind link in autism spectrum disorder are necessary. This study examined a sample of prekindergarten- and kindergarten-aged…

Sex Differences in Co-Occurring Conditions of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stacy, Maria E.; Zablotsky, Benjamin; Yarger, Heather A.; Zimmerman, Andrew; Makia, Barraw; Lee, Li-Ching

2014-01-01

This study investigated differences in co-occurring diagnoses made in females compared to males with autism spectrum disorders in 913 children (746 males and 167 females) living in the United States with a current autism spectrum disorder diagnosis identified via caregiver-reported data from the National Survey of Children's Health 2007. The…

Music Therapy Promotes Self-Determination in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadberry, Anita L.; Harrison, Angela

2016-01-01

Self-determination leads to a higher quality of life, yet many individuals with autism spectrum disorder struggle with the component skills necessary for self-determination. Music therapy is one method of treatment for persons with autism spectrum disorder and has the ability to improve or develop skills in communication, self-awareness,…

Deficits in Metacognitive Monitoring in Mathematics Assessments in Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brosnan, Mark; Johnson, Hilary; Grawemeyer, Beate; Chapman, Emma; Antoniadou, Konstantina; Hollinworth, Melissa

2016-01-01

Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder have been found to have deficits in metacognition that could impact upon their learning. This study explored metacognitive monitoring in 28 (23 males and 5 females) participants with autism spectrum disorder and 56 (16 males and 40 females) typically developing controls who were being educated at…

Social Skill Interventions for Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ke, Fengfeng; Whalon, Kelly; Yun, Joonmo

2018-01-01

This article is intended to synthesize the broader literature investigating the effectiveness and salient features of interventions designed to enhance the social competence of youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder. Outcomes for adults with autism spectrum disorder remain poor with only minimal improvement shown for decades. Among 796…

The Effect of Autism Spectrum Disorders on Adaptive Independent Living Skills in Adults with Severe Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Dempsey, Timothy; Fodstad, Jill C.

2009-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorders are a class of conditions categorized by communication problems, ritualistic behaviors, and deficits in social behaviors. While evidence supporting a genetic component of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) is strong, no specific genetic marker has been identified. Thus, professionals have had to utilize intelligence tests…

Developing a Brief Cross-Culturally Validated Screening Tool for Externalizing Disorders in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zwirs, Barbara W. C.; Burger, Huibert; Schulpen, Tom W. J.; Buitelaar, Jan K.

2008-01-01

The study aims at developing and validating a brief, easy-to-use screening instrument for teachers to predict externalizing disorders in children and recommending them for timely referral. The scores are compared between Dutch and non-Dutch immigrant children and a significant amount of cases for externalizing disorders were identified but sex and…

Fractionation of social brain circuits in autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Gotts, Stephen J; Simmons, W Kyle; Milbury, Lydia A; Wallace, Gregory L; Cox, Robert W; Martin, Alex

2012-09-01

Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders characterized by impairments in social and communication abilities and repetitive behaviours. Converging neuroscientific evidence has suggested that the neuropathology of autism spectrum disorders is widely distributed, involving impaired connectivity throughout the brain. Here, we evaluate the hypothesis that decreased connectivity in high-functioning adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder relative to typically developing adolescents is concentrated within domain-specific circuits that are specialized for social processing. Using a novel whole-brain connectivity approach in functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that not only are decreases in connectivity most pronounced between regions of the social brain but also they are selective to connections between limbic-related brain regions involved in affective aspects of social processing from other parts of the social brain that support language and sensorimotor processes. This selective pattern was independently obtained for correlations with measures of social symptom severity, implying a fractionation of the social brain in autism spectrum disorders at the level of whole circuits.

Fractionation of social brain circuits in autism spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Simmons, W. Kyle; Milbury, Lydia A.; Wallace, Gregory L.; Cox, Robert W.; Martin, Alex

2012-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders characterized by impairments in social and communication abilities and repetitive behaviours. Converging neuroscientific evidence has suggested that the neuropathology of autism spectrum disorders is widely distributed, involving impaired connectivity throughout the brain. Here, we evaluate the hypothesis that decreased connectivity in high-functioning adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder relative to typically developing adolescents is concentrated within domain-specific circuits that are specialized for social processing. Using a novel whole-brain connectivity approach in functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that not only are decreases in connectivity most pronounced between regions of the social brain but also they are selective to connections between limbic-related brain regions involved in affective aspects of social processing from other parts of the social brain that support language and sensorimotor processes. This selective pattern was independently obtained for correlations with measures of social symptom severity, implying a fractionation of the social brain in autism spectrum disorders at the level of whole circuits. PMID:22791801

Fragile X Syndrome Overview

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find ...

Vocational rehabilitation for adults with psychotic disorders in a Scandinavian welfare society.

PubMed

Falkum, Erik; Klungsøyr, Ole; Lystad, June Ullevoldsæter; Bull, Helen Christine; Evensen, Stig; Martinsen, Egil W; Friis, Svein; Ueland, Torill

2017-01-17

This study examined the outcomes of a vocational rehabilitation program (The Job Management Program, JUMP) for persons with psychotic disorders based on close collaboration between health and welfare services. Participants (N = 148) with broad schizophrenia spectrum disorders (age 18-65) were recruited from six counties in Norway. Three counties were randomized to vocational rehabilitation augmented with cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), while the remaining three counties were randomized to vocational rehabilitation augmented with cognitive remediation (CR). This paper compares the vocational activity of the total group of JUMP participants with a treatment as usual group (N = 341), and further examines differences between the two JUMP interventions. Employment status (working/not working) was registered at the time of inclusion and at the end of the intervention period. The total number of JUMP participants in any kind of vocational activity increased from 17 to 77% during the intervention. Of these, 8% had competitive employment, 36% had work placements in ordinary workplaces with social security benefits as their income, and 33% had sheltered work. The total number of working participants in the TAU group increased from 15.5 to 18.2%. The JUMP group showed significant improvements of positive (t = -2.33, p = 0.02) and general (t = -2.75, p = 0.007) symptoms of psychosis. Significant differences between the CBT and CR interventions were not demonstrated. The study supports existing evidence that the majority of persons with broad schizophrenia spectrum disorders can cope with some kind of work, given that internal and external barriers are reduced. Those who wish to work should be offered vocational rehabilitation. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01139502 . Registered on 6 February 2010.

Use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring.

PubMed

Andrade, Chittaranjan

2016-02-01

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is available over the counter in most countries and is widely considered to be safe for use during pregnancy; studies report gestational exposures to acetaminophen that lie in the 46%-65% range. Acetaminophen influences inflammatory and immunologic mechanisms and may predispose to oxidative stress; these and other effects are hypothesized to have the potential to compromise neurodevelopment in the fetal and infant brain. Two ecological studies suggested that population-level trends in the use of acetaminophen were associated with trends in the incidence/prevalence of autism; one of these studies specifically examined acetaminophen use during pregnancy. One large prospective observational cohort study found that gestational exposure to acetaminophen (especially when the duration of exposure was 28 days or more) was associated with motor milestone delay, gross and fine motor impairments, communication impairment, impairments in internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and hyperactivity, all at age 3 years; however, social and emotional developmental behaviors were mostly unaffected. A very recent large cohort study with a 12.7-year follow-up found that gestational exposure to acetaminophen was associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder, but only when a hyperkinetic disorder was also present. In the light of existing data associating acetaminophen use during pregnancy and subsequent risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, this new finding suggests that the predisposition, if any, is toward the hyperkinetic syndrome rather than to autism. In summary, the empirical data are very limited, but whatever empirical data exist do not support the suggestion that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy increases the risk of autism in the offspring. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Hypomania spectrum disorder in adolescence: a 15-year follow-up of non-mood morbidity in adulthood

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background We investigated whether adolescents with hypomania spectrum episodes have an excess risk of mental and physical morbidity in adulthood, as compared with adolescents exclusively reporting major depressive disorder (MDD) and controls without a history of adolescent mood disorders. Methods A community sample of adolescents (N = 2 300) in the town of Uppsala, Sweden, was screened for depressive symptoms. Both participants with positive screening and matched controls (in total 631) were diagnostically interviewed. Ninety participants reported hypomania spectrum episodes (40 full-syndromal, 18 with brief episode, and 32 subsyndromal), while another 197 fulfilled the criteria for MDD without a history of a hypomania spectrum episode. A follow up after 15 years included a blinded diagnostic interview, a self-assessment of personality disorders, and national register data on prescription drugs and health services use. The participation rate at the follow-up interview was 71% (64/90) for the hypomania spectrum group, and 65.9% (130/197) for the MDD group. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data. Results The outcomes of the hypomania spectrum group and the MDD group were similar regarding subsequent non-mood Axis I disorders in adulthood (present in 53 vs. 57%). A personality disorder was reported by 29% of the hypomania spectrum group and by 20% of the MDD group, but a statistically significant difference was reached only for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (24 vs. 14%). In both groups, the risk of Axis I disorders and personality disorders in adulthood correlated with continuation of mood disorder. Prescription drugs and health service use in adulthood was similar in the two groups. Compared with adolescents without mood disorders, both groups had a higher subsequent risk of psychiatric morbidity, used more mental health care, and received more psychotropic drugs. Conclusions Although adolescents with hypomania spectrum episodes and adolescents with MDD do not differ substantially in health outcomes, both groups are at increased risk for subsequent mental health problems. Thus, it is important to identify and treat children and adolescents with mood disorders, and carefully follow the continuing course. PMID:24428938

Autism in 2016: the need for answers.

PubMed

Posar, Annio; Visconti, Paola

Autism spectrum disorders are lifelong and often devastating conditions that severely affect social functioning and self-sufficiency. The etiopathogenesis is presumably multifactorial, resulting from a very complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The dramatic increase in autism spectrum disorder prevalence observed during the last decades has led to placing more emphasis on the role of environmental factors in the etiopathogenesis. The objective of this narrative biomedical review was to summarize and discuss the results of the most recent and relevant studies about the environmental factors hypothetically involved in autism spectrum disorder etiopathogenesis. A search was performed in PubMed (United States National Library of Medicine) about the environmental factors hypothetically involved in the non-syndromic autism spectrum disorder etiopathogenesis, including: air pollutants, pesticides and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals, electromagnetic pollution, vaccinations, and diet modifications. While the association between air pollutants, pesticides and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and risk for autism spectrum disorder is receiving increasing confirmation, the hypothesis of a real causal relation between them needs further data. The possible pathogenic mechanisms by which environmental factors can lead to autism spectrum disorder in genetically predisposed individuals were summarized, giving particular emphasis to the increasingly important role of epigenetics. Future research should investigate whether there is a significant difference in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among nations with high and low levels of the various types of pollution. A very important goal of the research concerning the interactions between genetic and environmental factors in autism spectrum disorder etiopathogenesis is the identification of vulnerable populations, also in view of proper prevention. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Galactic Cosmic Ray Simulator at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norbury, John W.; Slaba, Tony C.; Rusek, Adam

2015-01-01

The external Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) spectrum is significantly modified when it passes through spacecraft shielding and astronauts. One approach for simulating the GCR space radiation environment is to attempt to reproduce the unmodified, external GCR spectrum at a ground based accelerator. A possibly better approach would use the modified, shielded tissue spectrum, to select accelerator beams impinging on biological targets. NASA plans for implementation of a GCR simulator at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory will be discussed.

Multi-informant assessment of transition-related skills and skill importance in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Hume, Kara; Dykstra Steinbrenner, Jessica; Sideris, John; Smith, Leann; Kucharczyk, Suzanne; Szidon, Kate

2018-01-01

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder have limited participation in the transition planning process, despite the link between active participation and an improvement in postsecondary education and employment outcomes. The Secondary School Success Checklist was designed to support transition planning for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder by incorporating their own assessments of strengths, skill deficits, and prioritization for instruction along with those of their parents and teachers across multiple skill domains. Findings from more than 500 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder across the United States indicate discrepancies between adolescent, teacher, and parent ratings of skills highlighting the importance of the inclusion of multiple perspectives in transition planning. Although ratings varied, agreement between adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, parents, and teachers across the highest and lowest rated skills suggests the need to broaden the focus on critical transition skills to include problem-solving, planning for life after high school, and self-advocacy.

Atypical Categorization in Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Church, Barbara A.; Krauss, Maria S.; Lopata, Christopher; Toomey, Jennifer A.; Thomeer, Marcus L.; Coutinho, Mariana V.; Volker, Martin A.; Mercado, Eduardo

2010-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder process many perceptual and social events differently from typically developing children, suggesting that they may also form and recognize categories differently. We used a dot pattern categorization task and prototype comparison modeling to compare categorical processing in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder and matched typical controls. We were interested in whether there were differences in how children with autism use average similarity information about a category to make decisions. During testing, the group with autism spectrum disorder endorsed prototypes less and was seemingly less sensitive to differences between to-be-categorized items and the prototype. The findings suggest that individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder are less likely to use overall average similarity when forming categories or making categorical decisions. Such differences in category formation and use may negatively impact processing of socially relevant information, such as facial expressions. PMID:21169581

The presence of migraines and its association with sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety symptomatology in children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Sullivan, Jillian C; Miller, Lucy J; Nielsen, Darcy M; Schoen, Sarah A

2014-08-01

Migraine headaches are associated with sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety in the general population, but it is unknown whether this is also the case in autism spectrum disorders. This pilot study asked parents of 81 children (aged 7-17 years) with autism spectrum disorders to report their child's migraine occurrence, sensory hyperreactivity (Sensory Over-Responsivity Inventory), and anxiety symptoms (Spence Child Anxiety Scale). Children with autism spectrum disorders who experienced migraine headaches showed greater sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety symptomatology (p < 0.01; medium effect size for both) than those without migraines. Sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety symptomatology were additionally correlated (ρ = 0.31, p = 0.005). This study provides preliminary evidence for a link between migraine headaches, sensory hyperreactivity, and anxiety symptomatology in autism spectrum disorders, which may suggest strategies for subtyping and exploring a common pathogenesis. © The Author(s) 2013.

Awareness about autism among school teachers in Oman: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Al-Sharbati, Marwan M; Al-Farsi, Yahya M; Ouhtit, Allal; Waly, Mostafa I; Al-Shafaee, Mohamed; Al-Farsi, Omar; Al-Khaduri, Maha; Al-Said, Mona F; Al-Adawi, Samir

2015-01-01

Children with special needs such as those with autism spectrum disorder have been recorded as ostracized and stigmatized in many parts of the world. Little is known about whether such negative views are present among mainstream teachers in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate school teachers' awareness about autism spectrum disorder in an urban region in Oman. A total of 164 teachers were randomly enrolled from five schools. Misconceptions about autism spectrum disorder were found to be common among mainstream teachers in the country. We posit that such lack of awareness was likely to be rooted with sociocultural patterning as well as conflicting views often "spun" by the scientific community and mass media. Enlightened views toward children with autism spectrum disorder should be presented to Omani teachers to overcome misconceptions and negative attitudes toward children with autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2013.

Fragile X Syndrome: Other FAQs

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find ...

Separation anxiety disorder from the perspective of DSM-5: clinical investigation among subjects with panic disorder and associations with mood disorders spectrum.

PubMed

Gesi, Camilla; Abelli, Marianna; Cardini, Alessandra; Lari, Lisa; Di Paolo, Luca; Silove, Derrick; Pini, Stefano

2016-02-01

High levels of comorbidity between separation anxiety disorder (SEPAD) and panic disorder (PD) have been found in clinical settings. In addition, there is some evidence for a relationship involving bipolar disorder (BD) and combined PD and SEPAD. We aim to investigate the prevalence and correlates of SEPAD among patients with PD and whether the presence of SEPAD is associated with frank diagnoses of mood disorders or with mood spectrum symptoms. Adult outpatients (235) with PD were assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), the Structured Clinical Interview for Separation Anxiety Symptoms (SCI-SAS), and the Mood Spectrum Self-Report Instrument (MOODS-SR, lifetime version). Of ther 235 subjects, 125 (53.2%) were categorized as having SEPAD and 110 (46.8%) as not. Groups did not differ regarding onset of PD, lifetime prevalence of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social phobia, simple phobia, BD I and II, or major depressive disorder (MDD). SEPAD subjects were more likely to be female and younger; they showed higher rates of childhood SEPAD, higher PDSS scores, and higher MOODS-SR total and manic component scores than subjects without SEPAD. Discussion SEPAD is highly prevalent among PD subjects. Patients with both PD and SEPAD show higher lifetime mood spectrum symptoms than patients with PD alone. Specifically, SEPAD is correlated with the manic/hypomanic spectrum component. Our data confirm the high prevalence of SEPAD in clinical settings. Moreover, our findings corroborate a relationship between mood disorders and SEPAD, highlighting a relationship between lifetime mood spectrum symptoms and SEPAD.

Response Inhibition in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Kate; Madden, Anya K.; Bramham, Jessica; Russell, Ailsa J.

2011-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are hypothesised to involve core deficits in executive function. Previous studies have found evidence of a double dissociation between the disorders on specific executive functions (planning and response inhibition). To date most research has been conducted with…

Association between Severity of Behavioral Phenotype and Comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Patricia A.; Landa, Rebecca J.

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are neurodevelopmental disorders that cannot be codiagnosed under existing diagnostic guidelines ("Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association," 4th ed., text rev.). However, reports are emerging that attention deficit hyperactivity…

Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Technology, Curriculum, and Common Sense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis-Cole, Demetria

2012-01-01

Autism is a spectrum of disorders which comprises Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Delay-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Rett's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Autistic Disorder. It affects 1 in 110 children (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, [CDC], 2011), and it is a complex neurological disorder that is…

Drug-refractory aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums in autism spectrum disorders: a chart review study.

PubMed

Adler, Benjamin A; Wink, Logan K; Early, Maureen; Shaffer, Rebecca; Minshawi, Noha; McDougle, Christopher J; Erickson, Craig A

2015-01-01

Aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums are impairing symptoms frequently experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Despite US Food and Drug Administration approval of two atypical antipsychotics targeting these symptoms in youth with autistic disorder, they remain frequently drug refractory. We define drug-refractory aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums in people with autism spectrum disorders as behavioral symptoms requiring medication adjustment despite previous trials of risperidone and aripiprazole or previous trials of three psychotropic drugs targeting the symptom cluster, one of which was risperidone or aripiprazole. We reviewed the medical records of individuals of all ages referred to our clinic for autism spectrum disorder diagnostic evaluation, as well as pharmacotherapy follow-up notes for all people meeting autism spectrum disorder criteria, for drug-refractory symptoms. Among 250 consecutively referred individuals, 135 met autism spectrum disorder and enrollment criteria, and 53 of these individuals met drug-refractory symptom criteria. Factors associated with drug-refractory symptoms included age 12 years or older (p < 0.0001), diagnosis of autistic disorder (p = 0.0139), and presence of intellectual disability (p = 0.0273). This pilot report underscores the significance of drug-refractory aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums; suggests the need for future study clarifying factors related to symptom development; and identifies the need for focused treatment study of this impairing symptom domain. © The Author(s) 2014.

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS): Other FAQs

MedlinePlus

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What Are the Treatments for Osteogenesis Imperfecta?

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find ...

Structural Brain Abnormalities in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Patients with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brieber, Sarah; Neufang, Susanne; Bruning, Nicole; Kamp-Becker, Inge; Remschmidt, Helmut; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Fink, Gereon R.; Konrad, Kerstin

2007-01-01

Background: Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two distinct neurodevelopmental diseases, they share behavioural, neuropsychological and neurobiological characteristics. For the identification of endophenotypes across diagnostic categories, further investigations of phenotypic overlap…

Are Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Different Manifestations of One Overarching Disorder? Cognitive and Symptom Evidence from a Clinical and Population-Based Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Meer, Jolanda M. J.; Oerlemans, Anoek M.; van Steijn, Daphne J.; Lappenschaar, Martijn G. A.; de Sonneville, Leo M. J.; Buitelaar, Jan K.; Rommelse, Nanda N. J.

2012-01-01

Objective: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occur. Given the heterogeneity of both disorders, several more homogeneous ASD-ADHD comorbidity subgroups may exist. The current study examined whether such subgroups exist, and whether their overlap or distinctiveness in associated…

Differentiating Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Learning Disabilities and Autistic Spectrum Disorders by Means of Their Motor Behavior Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efstratopoulou, Maria; Janssen, Rianne; Simons, Johan

2012-01-01

The study was designed to investigate the discriminant validity of the Motor Behavior Checklist (MBC) for distinguishing four group of children independently classified with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD; N = 22), Conduct Disorder (CD; N = 17), Learning Disabilities (LD; N = 24) and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD; N = 20).…

Examining the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorder-71 as an Assessment Tool for Anxiety in Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Steensel, Francisca J. A.; Deutschman, Amber A. C. G.; Bögels, Susan M.

2013-01-01

The psychometric properties of a questionnaire developed to assess symptoms of anxiety disorders (SCARED-71) were compared between two groups of children: children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and comorbid anxiety disorders (ASD-group; "n" = 115), and children with anxiety disorders (AD-group; "n" = 122).…

Prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in Israeli adolescents: results from a national mental health survey.

PubMed

Farbstein, Ilana; Mansbach-Kleinfeld, Ivonne; Levinson, Daphna; Goodman, Robert; Levav, Itzhak; Vograft, Itzik; Kanaaneh, Rasim; Ponizovsky, Alexander M; Brent, David A; Apter, Alan

2010-05-01

The development of epidemiological instruments has enabled the assessment of mental disorders in youth in countries that plan policy according to evidence-based principles. The Israel Survey of Mental Health among Adolescents (ISMEHA) was conducted in 2004-2005 in a representative sample of 957 adolescents aged 14-17 and their mothers. The aims of this study were to estimate prevalence rates of internalizing and externalizing mental disorders and their socio-demographic and health correlates. Disorders were ascertained with the Development and Well-Being Assessment inventory and verified by child psychiatrists. The prevalence rates were 11.7%, 8.1% and 4.8% for any disorder, internalizing disorders and externalizing disorders, respectively. Distinct risk factors were associated with the different types of disorders: internalizing disorders were associated with female gender, chronic medical conditions and being cared for by a welfare agency. Risk factors for externalizing disorders were male gender, having divorced or single parents, being an only child or having only one sibling. Learning disability was associated with both types of disorders. The risk and protective factors related to internalizing and externalizing disorders are interpreted within the framework of family composition in this multicultural society.

Assessing the influence of researcher-partner involvement on the process and outcomes of participatory research in autism spectrum disorder and neurodevelopmental disorders: a scoping review.

PubMed

Jivraj, Jamil; Sacrey, Lori-Ann; Newton, Amanda; Nicholas, David; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie

2014-10-01

Participatory research aims to increase the relevance and broaden the implementation of health research by involving those affected by the outcomes of health studies. Few studies within the field of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorders, have involved autistic individuals as partners. This study sought to identify and characterize published participatory research partnerships between researchers and individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other neurodevelopmental disorders and examine the influence of participatory research partnerships on the research process and reported study outcomes. A search of databases and review of gray literature identified seven studies that described participatory research partnerships between academic researchers and individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other neurodevelopmental disorders. A comparative analysis of the studies revealed two key themes: (1) variations in the participatory research design and (2) limitations during the reporting of the depth of the partner's involvement. Both themes potentially limit the application and generalizability of the findings. The results of the review are discussed in relation to the use of evaluative frameworks for such participatory research studies to determine the potential benefits of participatory research partnerships within the neurodevelopmental and autism spectrum disorder populations. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Efficiency of Peer Teaching of Developing Non Verbal Communication to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alshurman, Wael; Alsreaa, Ihsani

2015-01-01

This study aimed at identifying the efficiency of peer teaching of developing non-verbal communication to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study was carried out on a sample of (10) children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), diagnosed according to basics and criteria adopted at Al-taif qualification center at (2013) in The…

An Evolution of Virtual Reality Training Designs for Children with Autism and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strickland, Dorothy C.; McAllister, David; Coles, Claire D.; Osborne, Susan

2007-01-01

This article describes an evolution of training programs to use first-person interaction in virtual reality (VR) situations to teach safety skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Multiple VR programs for children aged 2 to 9 were built and tested between 1992 and 2007. Based on these…

Parenting Stress as an Indirect Pathway to Mental Health Concerns among Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomeny, Theodore S.

2017-01-01

The link between autism spectrum disorder symptoms and maternal stress has been well established, yet many mothers remain resilient to more severe psychopathology. For the current online study, 111 mothers of a child with autism spectrum disorder completed questionnaires about their child's symptoms, their own stress related to parenting, and any…

The Art of Camouflage: Gender Differences in the Social Behaviors of Girls and Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dean, Michelle; Harwood, Robin; Kasari, Connie

2017-01-01

This study examined the extent to which gender-related social behaviors help girls with autism spectrum disorder to seemingly mask their symptoms. Using concurrent mixed methods, we examined the social behaviors of 96 elementary school children during recess (autism spectrum disorder = 24 girls and 24 boys, typically developing = 24 girls and 24…

The Relationship between Autism Symptoms and Arousal Level in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as Measured by Electrodermal Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prince, Emily Barbara; Kim, Elizabeth S.; Wall, Carla Anne; Gisin, Eugenia; Goodwin, Matthew S.; Simmons, Elizabeth Schoen; Chawarska, Kaisa; Shic, Frederick

2017-01-01

Electrodermal activity was examined as a measure of physiological arousal within a naturalistic play context in 2-year-old toddlers (N = 27) with and without autism spectrum disorder. Toddlers with autism spectrum disorder were found to have greater increases in skin conductance level than their typical peers in response to administered play…

Association between Anger Rumination and Autism Symptom Severity, Depression Symptoms, Aggression, and General Dysregulation in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patel, Shivani; Day, Taylor N.; Jones, Neil; Mazefsky, Carla A.

2017-01-01

Rumination has a large direct effect on psychopathology but has received relatively little attention in autism spectrum disorder despite the propensity to perseverate in this population. This study provided initial evidence that adolescents with autism spectrum disorder self-report more anger-focused rumination than typically developing controls,…

Oral Health among Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Case-Control Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Rennan Y; Yiu, Cynthia K. Y.; King, Nigel M.; Wong, Virginia C. N.; McGrath, Colman P. J.

2015-01-01

Aim: To assess and compare the oral health status of preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorders. Methods: A random sample of 347 preschool children with autism spectrum disorder was recruited from 19 Special Child Care Centres in Hong Kong. An age- and gender-matched sample was recruited from mainstream preschools as the control…

Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young isiZulu-Speaking Children in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Nola J.; Wetherby, Amy M.; Stronach, Sheri T.; Njongwe, Nonyameko; Kauchali, Shuaib; Grinker, Richard R.

2017-01-01

Culturally appropriate tools are needed for detecting symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in young South African children. The objectives of this study were to (1) adapt and translate into isiZulu existing measures for detecting early signs of autism spectrum disorder, (2) use the measures to characterize and compare behavioural profiles of young…

Measuring the Attitudes of Novice Drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder as an Indication of Apprehensive Driving: Going beyond Basic Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Veerle; Cox, Daniel J.; Reeve, Ron; Brown, Timothy; Moncrief, Matthew; Schmitt, Rose; Gaffney, Gary

2018-01-01

For some individuals with autism spectrum disorder, driving apprehension may interfere with the acquisition and application of driving privileges. The Driving Attitude Scale Parent-Report provides an indication of novice drivers' positive and negative attitudes toward driving. Responses were compared for parents of 66 autism spectrum disorder and…

The Experiences and Needs of Female Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Susanna; Costley, Debra

2016-01-01

There is limited large-scale research into the lived experiences of female adults who have an autism spectrum disorder with no co-occurring intellectual disability. Drawing on the findings of an Australia-wide survey, this report presents self-report data from n = 82 women with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder in the areas of health,…

The Presence of Migraines and Its Association with Sensory Hyperreactivity and Anxiety Symptomatology in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Jillian C.; Miller, Lucy J.; Nielsen, Darcy M.; Schoen, Sarah A.

2014-01-01

Migraine headaches are associated with sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety in the general population, but it is unknown whether this is also the case in autism spectrum disorders. This pilot study asked parents of 81 children (aged 7-17 years) with autism spectrum disorders to report their child's migraine occurrence, sensory hyperreactivity…

Relationship between Perceived Limit-Setting Abilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder Severity, Behaviour Problems and Parenting Stress in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Phil; Howse, Jessie; Ho, Ben; Osborne, Lisa A.

2017-01-01

Parenting stress in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is high and impacts perceptions about parenting. This study examined the relationship between parenting stress and observer-perceived limit-setting ability. Participants' perceptions of other parents' limit-setting ability were assessed by showing participants video clips…

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Youth with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Follow-Up Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selles, Robert R.; Arnold, Elysse B.; Phares, Vicky; Lewin, Adam B.; Murphy, Tanya K.; Storch, Eric A.

2015-01-01

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in youth with an autism spectrum disorder appears efficacious; however, maintenance of treatment gains has not yet been studied. Using a sample of 32 youth who had benefited at least minimally from a past trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in autism spectrum disorder, this study assessed…

Early Markers of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers Prospectively Identified in the Social Attention and Communication Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbaro, Josephine; Dissanayake, Cheryl

2013-01-01

The Social Attention and Communication Study involved the successful implementation of developmental surveillance of the early markers of autism spectrum disorders in a community-based setting. The objective in the current study was to determine the most discriminating and predictive markers of autism spectrum disorders used in the Social…

Meta-Analysis of Parent-Mediated Interventions for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevill, Rose E.; Lecavalier, Luc; Stratis, Elizabeth A.

2018-01-01

A number of studies of parent-mediated interventions in autism spectrum disorder have been published in the last 15 years. We reviewed 19 randomized clinical trials of parent-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 1 and 6 years and conducted a meta-analysis on their efficacy. Meta-analysis outcomes…

Superior Disembedding Performance of High-Functioning Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Parents: The Need for Subtle Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Jonge, Maretha V.; Kemner, Chantal; van Engeland, Herman

2006-01-01

We assessed the disembedding performance on the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) of high-functioning subjects with autism or autism spectrum disorders from multi-incidence families and the performance of their parents. The individuals with autism spectrum disorders were significantly faster than matched controls in locating the shape, but their parents…

Genetic and Diagnostic Biomarker Development in ASD Toddlers Using Resting State Functional MRI

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

for public release; distribution unlimited Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); biomarker; early brain development; intrinsic functional brain networks...three large neuroimaging/neurobehavioral datasets to identify brain-imaging based biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). At Yale, we focus...neurobehavioral!datasets!in!order!to!identify! brainFimaging!based!biomarkers!for! Autism ! Spectrum ! Disorders !(ASD),!including!1)!BrainMap,! developed!and

Still Stressed but Feeling Better: Well-Being in Autism Spectrum Disorder Families as Children Become Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pozo, Pilar; Sarriá, Encarnación

2015-01-01

The transition to adulthood and adulthood itself have been identified as times of stress for parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Longitudinal studies, however, show improvements in the well-being of mothers of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. This article presents a cross-sectional study of 102 Spanish…

Resources and Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Families in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Zheng; Giannotti, Tierney; Reichow, Brian

2013-01-01

Although there is growing recognition of the global impact of autism spectrum disorders, much less is known about the condition outside of North America and Western Europe. In this study, we surveyed 49 parents who had a child with an autism spectrum disorder in China and about their experiences with diagnosis, intervention, and resource support.…

Living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Parental Experiences of Raising a Child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazzard, Jonathan; Overall, Katy

2012-01-01

The focus of the study was to explore parental experiences of raising a child with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). A mixed-method approach consisting of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews was used in order to elicit parental perspectives of raising a child with ASD. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of…

Video Game Access, Parental Rules, and Problem Behavior: A Study of Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelhardt, Christopher R.; Mazurek, Micah O.

2014-01-01

Environmental correlates of problem behavior among individuals with autism spectrum disorder remain relatively understudied. The current study examined the contribution of in-room (i.e. bedroom) access to a video game console as one potential correlate of problem behavior among a sample of 169 boys with autism spectrum disorder (ranging from 8 to…

Parent and Health Care Provider Perspectives Related to Disclosure of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Pediatric Emergency Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muskat, Barbara; Greenblatt, Andrea; Nicholas, David B.; Ratnapalan, Savithiri; Cohen-Silver, Justine; Newton, Amanda S.; Craig, William R.; Kilmer, Christopher; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie

2016-01-01

Children and youth with autism spectrum disorder presenting in emergency departments face potential cognitive, sensory, and behavioral challenges, and it is crucial for providers to be aware of their unique needs. However, disclosure of a child's autism spectrum disorder can be complex for parental caregivers and is not well understood. This…

The Experiences and Perceptions of Social Support by Single Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varin-Mignano, Regina

2013-01-01

This study explored the single mothers perceptions of social support relative to raising a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. It used a qualitative framework with grounded theory methods. Two well-researched stressors exist that affect the lives of single mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: parenting a child…

The Association of Quality of Social Relations, Symptom Severity and Intelligence with Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eussen, Mart L. J. M.; Van Gool, Arthur R.; Verheij, Fop; De Nijs, Pieter F. A.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin

2013-01-01

Limited quality of social relations, milder symptom severity and higher intelligence were shown to account for higher anxiety levels in autism spectrum disorders. The current study replicated and extended earlier findings by combining these three determinants of anxiety in autism spectrum disorders in one study. The sample consisted of 134…

"I Was Just so Different": The Experiences of Women Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adulthood in Relation to Gender and Social Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanfiszer, Lucie; Davies, Fran; Collins, Suzanne

2017-01-01

Existing literature exploring autism spectrum disorders within female populations predominantly utilises quantitative methodology. A limited number of small-scale, qualitative studies have explored the experiences of adolescent girls with autism spectrum disorder, but adult women have remained largely unheard. This study aims to broaden the…

Evidence-Based, Parent-Mediated Interventions for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Case of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrop, Clare

2015-01-01

Restricted and repetitive behaviors represent a core symptom of autism spectrum disorders. While there has been an increase in research into this domain in recent years, compared to social-communication impairments experienced by children with autism spectrum disorders, much less is known about their development, etiology, and management.…

Anxiety Symptoms in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder Attending Special Schools: Associations with Gender, Adaptive Functioning and Autism Symptomatology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magiati, Iliana; Ong, Clarissa; Lim, Xin Yi; Tan, Julianne Wen-Li; Ong, Amily Yi Lin; Patrycia, Ferninda; Fung, Daniel Shuen Sheng; Sung, Min; Poon, Kenneth K.; Howlin, Patricia

2016-01-01

Anxiety-related problems are among the most frequently reported mental health difficulties in autism spectrum disorder. As most research has focused on clinical samples or high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder, less is known about the factors associated with anxiety in community samples across the ability range. This…

Behavioral and Emotional Problems in High-Functioning Girls and Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Parents' Reports and Adolescents' Self-Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pisula, Ewa; Pudlo, Monika; Slowinska, Monika; Kawa, Rafal; Strzaska, Magdalena; Banasiak, Anna; Wolanczyk, Tomasz

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate sex differences in behavioral and emotional problems in high-functioning girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder. The results obtained by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder were compared with those of typically developing girls and boys. Correlations between parents' and adolescents' ratings…

Using Qualitative Methods to Guide Scale Development for Anxiety in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bearss, Karen; Taylor, Christopher A.; Aman, Michael G.; Whittemore, Robin; Lecavalier, Luc; Miller, Judith; Pritchett, Jill; Green, Bryson; Scahill, Lawrence

2016-01-01

Anxiety is common in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Despite this common co-occurrence, studies targeting anxiety in this population are hindered by the under-developed state of measures in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Content validity (the extent to which an instrument measures the domain of interest) and an instrument's relevance to…

Attentional Allocation of Autism Spectrum Disorder Individuals: Searching for a Face-in-the-Crowd

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, David J.; Reidy, John; Heavey, Lisa

2016-01-01

A study is reported which tests the proposition that faces capture the attention of those with autism spectrum disorders less than a typical population. A visual search task based on the Face-in-the-Crowd paradigm was used to examine the attentional allocation of autism spectrum disorder adults for faces. Participants were required to search for…

Sex Differences in Pre-Diagnosis Concerns for Children Later Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiller, Rachel M.; Young, Robyn L.; Weber, Nathan

2016-01-01

In the absence of intellectual impairment, girls are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder significantly less and later than boys. This study explored potential reasons for why autism spectrum disorder may be more difficult to identify in girls, based on carer concerns during the pre-diagnosis period. Carers of 92 boys and 60 girls diagnosed…

Maternal Exposure to Intimate Partner Abuse before Birth Is Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Offspring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Andrea L.; Lyall, Kristen; Rich-Edwards, Janet W.; Ascherio, Alberto; Weisskopf, Marc G.

2016-01-01

We sought to determine whether maternal (a) physical harm from intimate partner abuse during pregnancy or (b) sexual, emotional, or physical abuse before birth increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. We calculated risk ratios for autism spectrum disorder associated with abuse in a population-based cohort of women and their children (54,512…

Multicausal Systems Ask for Multicausal Approaches: A Network Perspective on Subjective Well-Being in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deserno, Marie K.; Borsboom, Denny; Begeer, Sander; Geurts, Hilde M.

2017-01-01

Given the heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder, an important limitation of much autism spectrum disorder research is that outcome measures are statistically modeled as separate dependent variables. Often, their multivariate structure is either ignored or treated as a nuisance. This study aims to lift this limitation by applying network…

Effectiveness of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Social Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Shiraz, Iran

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghorban, Hemati; Sedigheh, Rezaei Dehnavi; Marzieh, Gholami; Yaghoob, Gharghani

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of therapeutic horseback riding on social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants were 6 children with autism spectrum disorder in a special education center for autistic children in Shiraz, Iran. The hypothesis of the study was that participants would demonstrate…

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Who Do Not Develop Phrase Speech in the Preschool Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norrelgen, Fritjof; Fernell, Elisabeth; Eriksson, Mats; Hedvall, Asa; Persson, Clara; Sjölin, Maria; Gillberg, Christopher; Kjellmer, Liselotte

2015-01-01

There is uncertainty about the proportion of children with autism spectrum disorders who do not develop phrase speech during the preschool years. The main purpose of this study was to examine this ratio in a population-based community sample of children. The cohort consisted of 165 children (141 boys, 24 girls) with autism spectrum disorders aged…

Referential communication in children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Dahlgren, Svenolof; Sandberg, Annika Dahlgren

2008-07-01

Referential communication was studied in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including children with autism and Asperger syndrome. The aim was to study alternative explanations for the children's communicative problems in such situations. Factors studied were theory of mind, IQ, verbal ability and memory. The main results demonstrated diminished performance in children with autism spectrum disorder, mirroring performance in everyday life, in comparison to verbal IQ and mental age matched typically developing children. Among children with autism spectrum disorders, there was a positive relationship between performance in referential communication and theory of mind. Memory capacity also proved to play a role in success in the task.

Canadian Guidelines for the Pharmacological Treatment of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders in Children and Youth.

PubMed

Abidi, Sabina; Mian, Irfan; Garcia-Ortega, Iliana; Lecomte, Tania; Raedler, Thomas; Jackson, Kevin; Jackson, Kim; Pringsheim, Tamara; Addington, Donald

2017-09-01

Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders often have their onset in adolescence. The sequelae of these illnesses can negatively alter the trajectory of emotional, cognitive, and social development in children and youth if left untreated. Early and appropriate interventions can improve outcomes. This article aims to identify best practices in the pharmacotherapy management of children and youth with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. A systematic search was conducted for published guidelines for schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders in children and youth (under age 18 years). Recommendations were drawn from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on psychosis and schizophrenia in children and youth (2013 and 2015 updates). Current guidelines were adopted using the ADAPTE process, which includes consensus ratings by a panel of experts. Recommendations identified covered a range of issues in the pharmacotherapy management of children and youth with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Further work in this area is warranted as we continue to further understand their presentation in the developing brain. Canadian guidelines for the pharmacotherapy management of children and youth with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are essential to assist clinicians in treating this vulnerable population. Ongoing work in this area is recommended.

Relationship between perceived limit-setting abilities, autism spectrum disorder severity, behaviour problems and parenting stress in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Reed, Phil; Howse, Jessie; Ho, Ben; Osborne, Lisa A

2017-11-01

Parenting stress in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is high and impacts perceptions about parenting. This study examined the relationship between parenting stress and observer-perceived limit-setting ability. Participants' perceptions of other parents' limit-setting ability were assessed by showing participants video clips of parenting behaviours. Mothers of 93 children with autism spectrum disorder completed an online survey regarding the severity of their own child's autism spectrum disorder (Social Communication Questionnaire), their child's behaviour problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and their own levels of parenting stress (Questionnaire on Resources and Stress). They were shown five videos of other parents interacting with children with autism spectrum disorder and were asked to rate the limit-setting abilities observed in each video using the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory. Higher parenting stress negatively related to judgements about others' limit-setting skills. This mirrors the literature regarding the relationship between self-reported parenting stress and rating child behaviour more negatively. It suggests that stress negatively impacts a wide range of judgements and implies that caution may be required when interpreting the results of studies in which parenting skills are assessed by self-report.

Prevalence and Correlates of Bullying Involvement among Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Sterzing, Paul R.; Shattuck, Paul T.; Narendorf, Sarah C.; Wagner, Mary; Cooper, Benjamin P.

2012-01-01

Objectives Produce nationally representative estimates for rates of bullying involvement among adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder, compare population estimates to adolescents with other developmental disabilities, and identify social ecological correlates of bullying involvement Design Nationally representative surveys from 2001 Setting United States Participants Parents of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder, principals of the schools they attended, and staff members most familiar with their school programs Main Exposure Autism spectrum disorders Outcomes Measures: Bullying involvement (parent report of victimization, perpetration, and victimization/perpetration within the last school year) Results The prevalence rates of bullying involvement for adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder were 46.3% (victimization), 14.8% (perpetration), and 8.9% (victimization/perpetration). Victimization was related to having a non-Hispanic ethnic identity, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, lower social skills, some form of conversational ability, and more classes in general education. Correlates of perpetration included being White, having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and getting together with friends at least once a week. Victimization/perpetration was associated with being White, non-Hispanic ethnicity, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and getting together with friends at least once a week Conclusions School-based bullying interventions need to target the core deficits of autism (conversational ability, social skills) and comorbid conditions (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Future bullying interventions also need to address the higher rates of victimization that occur in general education settings by increasing social integration into protective peer groups and increasing the empathy and social skills of typically developing students toward their peers with an autism spectrum disorder. PMID:22945284

A Family-Based Association Study of CYP11A1 and CYP11B1 Gene Polymorphisms With Autism in Chinese Trios.

PubMed

Deng, Hong-Zhu; You, Cong; Xing, Yu; Chen, Kai-Yun; Zou, Xiao-Bing

2016-05-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with the higher prevalence in males. Our previous studies have indicated lower progesterone levels in the children with autism spectrum disorder, suggesting involvement of the cytochrome P-450scc gene (CYP11A1) and cytochrome P-45011beta gene (CYP11B1) as candidate genes in autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the family-based genetic association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs2279357 in the CYP11A1 gene and rs4534 and rs4541 in the CYP11B1 gene and autism spectrum disorder in Chinese children, which were selected according to the location in the coding region and 5' and 3' regions and minor allele frequencies of greater than 0.05 in the Chinese populations. The transmission disequilibrium test and case-control association analyses were performed in 100 Chinese Han autism spectrum disorder family trios. The genotype and allele frequency of the 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms had no statistical difference between the children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents (P> .05). Transmission disequilibrium test analysis showed transmission disequilibrium of CYP11A1 gene rs2279357 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (χ(2)= 5.038,P< .001). Our findings provide further support for the hypothesis that a susceptibility gene for autism spectrum disorder exists within or near the CYP11A1 gene in the Han Chinese population. © The Author(s) 2015.

Tics and tourette syndrome.

PubMed

Ganos, Christos; Martino, Davide

2015-02-01

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is a common neuropsychiatric disorder spectrum with tics as the defining feature. Comorbidities such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder often complicate clinical presentation. Their recognition is paramount for the introduction of efficient treatment strategies to promote healthy development and good quality of life. Here, knowledge on the movement disorder of tics, the spectrum of associated comorbidities, and the list of differential diagnoses of tic disorders are summarized. Also, an account of the prevailing pathophysiologic models of tic generation is provided, and a concise update on contemporary treatment strategies is presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gyrotropic response in the absence of a bias field

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhiyu; Wang, Zheng; Wang, Jingyu; Zhang, Bin; Huangfu, Jiangtao; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin; Ran, Lixin

2012-01-01

Electromagnetic materials lacking local time-reversal symmetry, such as gyrotropic materials, are of keen interest and importance both scientifically and technologically. Scientifically, topologically nontrivial phenomena, such as photonic chiral edge states, allow for reflection-free transport even in the presence of large disorder. Technologically, nonreciprocal photonic devices, such as optical isolators and circulators, play critical roles in optical communication and computing technologies because of their ability to eliminate cross-talk and feedback. Nevertheless, most known natural materials that lack local time-reversal symmetry require strong external fields and function only in a limited range of the electromagnetic spectrum. By taking advantage of metamaterials capable of translating the property of unidirectional active electronic circuits into effective dielectric response, we introduce a microwave gyrotropic metamaterial that does not require an external magnetic bias. Strong bulk Faraday-like effects, observed in both simulations and experiments, confirm nonreciprocity of the effective medium. This approach is scalable to many other wavelengths, and it also illustrates an opportunity to synthesize exotic electromagnetic materials. PMID:22847403

External self-representations improve self-awareness in a child with autism.

PubMed

Root, Nicholas B; Case, Laura K; Burrus, Caley J; Ramachandran, V S

2015-01-01

We have previously suggested that the social symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be caused in part by a dysfunctional mirror neuron system (MNS). Since the recursive activity of a functioning MNS might enable the brain to integrate visual and motor sensations into a coherent body schema, the deficits in self-awareness often seen in ASD might be caused by the same mirror neuron dysfunction. CL is an autistic adolescent who is profoundly fascinated with his reflection, looking in mirrors at every opportunity. We demonstrate that CL's abnormal gait improves significantly when using a mirror for visual feedback. We also show that both the fascination and the happiness that CL derives from looking at a computer-generated reflection diminish when a delay is introduced between the camera input and screen output. We believe that immediate, real-time visual feedback allows CL to integrate motor sensations with external visual ones into a coherent body schema that he cannot internally generate, perhaps due to a dysfunctional MNS.

Gyrotropic response in the absence of a bias field.

PubMed

Wang, Zhiyu; Wang, Zheng; Wang, Jingyu; Zhang, Bin; Huangfu, Jiangtao; Joannopoulos, John D; Soljačić, Marin; Ran, Lixin

2012-08-14

Electromagnetic materials lacking local time-reversal symmetry, such as gyrotropic materials, are of keen interest and importance both scientifically and technologically. Scientifically, topologically nontrivial phenomena, such as photonic chiral edge states, allow for reflection-free transport even in the presence of large disorder. Technologically, nonreciprocal photonic devices, such as optical isolators and circulators, play critical roles in optical communication and computing technologies because of their ability to eliminate cross-talk and feedback. Nevertheless, most known natural materials that lack local time-reversal symmetry require strong external fields and function only in a limited range of the electromagnetic spectrum. By taking advantage of metamaterials capable of translating the property of unidirectional active electronic circuits into effective dielectric response, we introduce a microwave gyrotropic metamaterial that does not require an external magnetic bias. Strong bulk Faraday-like effects, observed in both simulations and experiments, confirm nonreciprocity of the effective medium. This approach is scalable to many other wavelengths, and it also illustrates an opportunity to synthesize exotic electromagnetic materials.

Conducting research with minimally verbal participants with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Tager-Flusberg, Helen; Plesa Skwerer, Daniela; Joseph, Robert M; Brukilacchio, Brianna; Decker, Jessica; Eggleston, Brady; Meyer, Steven; Yoder, Anne

2017-10-01

A growing number of research groups are now including older minimally verbal individuals with autism spectrum disorder in their studies to encompass the full range of heterogeneity in the population. There are numerous barriers that prevent researchers from collecting high-quality data from these individuals, in part because of the challenging behaviors with which they present alongside their very limited means for communication. In this article, we summarize the practices that we have developed, based on applied behavioral analysis techniques, and have used in our ongoing research on behavioral, eye-tracking, and electrophysiological studies of minimally verbal children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Our goal is to provide the field with useful guidelines that will promote the inclusion of the entire spectrum of individuals with autism spectrum disorder in future research investigations.

Disorders Related to (And Sometimes Confused with) OCD

MedlinePlus

... perfectionism problems. Do not like their OCD “symptoms” Autism Spectrum Disorders To learn more: Read the Expert Opinion on Asperger’s and OCD. Visit the Autism Speaks Website . People with Autism Spectrum Disorders and ...

What Are the Symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome?

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find ...

What Are the Treatments for Fragile X Syndrome?

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find ...

How Do Health Care Providers Diagnose Fragile X Syndrome?

MedlinePlus

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How Do Health Care Providers Diagnose Rett Syndrome?

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How Is Vaginitis Treated?

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... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities Menstruation and ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find a Study ...

What Causes Prader-Willi Syndrome?

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What Happens During Sleep?

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... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities Menstruation and ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find a Study ...

Treatments for STDs and STIs

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities Menstruation and ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find a Study ...

Medical Treatments for Fibroids

MedlinePlus

... Browse AZTopics Browse A-Z Adrenal Gland Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Down Syndrome Endometriosis Learning Disabilities Menstruation and ... NICHD Research Information Find a Study More Information Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) About NICHD Research Information Find a Study ...

Autism phenotype versus registered diagnosis in Swedish children: prevalence trends over 10 years in general population samples.

PubMed

Lundström, Sebastian; Reichenberg, Abraham; Anckarsäter, Henrik; Lichtenstein, Paul; Gillberg, Christopher

2015-04-28

To compare the annual prevalence of the autism symptom phenotype and of registered diagnoses for autism spectrum disorder during a 10 year period in children. Population based study. Child and Adolescent Twin Study and national patient register, Sweden. 19, 993 twins (190 with autism spectrum disorder) and all children (n=1,078,975; 4620 with autism spectrum disorder) born in Sweden over a 10 year period from 1993 to 2002. Annual prevalence of the autism symptom phenotype (that is, symptoms on which the diagnostic criteria are based) assessed by a validated parental telephone interview (the Autism-Tics, ADHD and other Comorbidities inventory), and annual prevalence of reported diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder in the national patient register. The annual prevalence of the autism symptom phenotype was stable during the 10 year period (P=0.87 for linear time trend). In contrast, there was a monotonic significant increase in prevalence of registered diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder in the national patient register (P<0.001 for linear trend). The prevalence of the autism symptom phenotype has remained stable in children in Sweden while the official prevalence for registered, clinically diagnosed, autism spectrum disorder has increased substantially. This suggests that administrative changes, affecting the registered prevalence, rather than secular factors affecting the pathogenesis, are important for the increase in reported prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. © Lundström et al 2015.

MYmind: Mindfulness training for Youngsters with autism spectrum disorders and their parents.

PubMed

de Bruin, Esther I; Blom, René; Smit, Franka Ma; van Steensel, Francisca Ja; Bögels, Susan M

2015-11-01

Despite the dramatic increase in autism spectrum disorder in youth and the extremely high costs, hardly any evidence-based interventions are available. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of mindfulness training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, combined with Mindful Parenting training. A total of 23 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, referred to a mental health clinic, received nine weekly sessions of mindfulness training in group format. Their parents (18 mothers, 11 fathers) participated in parallel Mindful Parenting training. A pre-test, post-test, and 9-week follow-up design was used. Data were analyzed using multi-level analyses. Attendance rate was 88% for adolescents and fathers and 86% for mothers. Adolescents reported an increase in quality of life and a decrease in rumination, but no changes in worry, autism spectrum disorder core symptoms, or mindful awareness. Although parents reported no change in adolescent's autism spectrum disorder core symptoms, they reported improved social responsiveness, social communication, social cognition, preoccupations, and social motivation. About themselves, parents reported improvement in general as well as in parental mindfulness. They reported improved competence in parenting, overall parenting styles, more specifically a less lax, verbose parenting style, and an increased quality of life. Mindfulness training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder combined with Mindful Parenting is feasible. Although the sample size was small and no control group was included, the first outcomes of this innovative training are positive. © The Author(s) 2014.

A training and development project to improve services and opportunities for social inclusion for children and young people with autism in Romania.

PubMed

Pasco, Greg; Clark, Bruce; Dragan, Ioana; Kalambayi, Fidelie; Slonims, Vicky; Tarpan, Adelaide Katerine; Wittemeyer, Kerstin

2014-10-01

In 2010, the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation launched a 3-year national training and development programme to develop and deliver a model of diagnostic and therapeutic services aimed at promoting social inclusion for children and young people with autism spectrum disorders. The project adopted a number of strategies aimed at developing knowledge and skills among professionals and increasing awareness in political and public spheres: (a) a three-stage training programme designed to increase knowledge of autism spectrum disorders and promote best practice among professionals working in services providing for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families, on a nationwide basis; (b) two online courses for general practitioners and psychiatrists, with content relating to the identification, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders; (c) a total of 40 counselling and assistance centres for people with autism spectrum disorders were launched in partnership with local authorities; (d) a national strategy for social and professional integration of people with autism spectrum disorders developed through consultation with political, statutory and voluntary sector partners; and (e) a nationwide media campaign to raise awareness of the needs of children and young people with autism spectrum disorders that reached over eight million people. The project provides a transferable model to achieve important improvements in the quantity and quality of services on a national level within a brief time frame. © The Author(s) 2014.

Antisocial Peer Affiliation and Externalizing Disorders in the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Selection versus Socialization Effects

PubMed Central

Samek, Diana R.; Goodman, Rebecca J.; Erath, Stephen A.; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G.

2016-01-01

Prior research has demonstrated both socialization and selection effects for the relationship between antisocial peer affiliation and externalizing problems in adolescence. Less research has evaluated such effects post-adolescence. In this study, a cross-lagged panel analysis was used to evaluate the extent of socialization (i.e., the effect of antisocial peer affiliation on subsequent externalizing disorders) and selection (i.e., the effect of externalizing disorders on subsequent antisocial peer affiliation) in the prospective relationships between antisocial peer affiliation and externalizing disorders from adolescence through young adulthood. Data from a community sample of 2,769 individuals (52% female) with assessments at ages 17, 20, 24, and 29 were used. Analyses with a latent externalizing measure (estimated using clinical symptom counts of nicotine dependence, alcohol use disorder, illicit drug use disorder, and adult antisocial behavior) and self-reported antisocial peer affiliation revealed significantly stronger socialization effects from age 17 to 20, followed by significantly stronger selection effects from age 20 to 24 and 24 to 29. To better understand the impact of college experience, moderation by college status was evaluated at each developmental transition. Results were generally consistent for those who were in or were not in college. Results suggest selection effects are more important in later developmental periods than earlier periods, particularly in relation to an overall liability towards externalizing disorders, likely due to more freedom in peer selection post-adolescence. PMID:26914216

Executive Functioning Differences between Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Spectrum Disorder in Initiation, Planning and Strategy Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bramham, Jessica; Ambery, Fiona; Young, Susan; Morris, Robin; Russell, Ailsa; Xenitidis, Kiriakos; Asherson, Philip; Murphy, Declan

2009-01-01

Executive functioning deficits characterize the neuropsychological profiles of the childhood neurodevelopmental disorders of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). This study sought to determine whether similar impairments exist in adults with ADHD (N = 53) and ASD (N = 45) in comparison with a…

Personal FM Systems for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and/or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An Initial Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schafer, Erin C.; Mathews, Lauren; Mehta, Smita; Hill, Margaret; Munoz, Ashley; Bishop, Rachel; Moloney, Molly

2013-01-01

The goal of this initial investigation was to examine the potential benefit of a frequency modulation (FM) system for 11 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or both disorders through measures of speech recognition performance in noise, observed classroom behavior, and…

Test Review: Siegel, B. (2004). "Pervasive Developmental Disorder Screening Test--II (PDDST-II)." San Antonio, TX: Harcourt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Janine M.; Duncan, C. Randy; Francis, Garnett C.

2007-01-01

The "Pervasive Developmental Disorder Screening Test-II (PDDST-II)--Early Childhood Screener for Autistic Spectrum Disorders" is a clinical screening tool for pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) or autism spectrum disorders (ASD) designed for use by nonspecialist clinicians. It was designed to differentiate children as young as 18 months who…

Classification of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Finite Mixture Modeling Approach to Heterogeneity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eagle, Rose F.; Romanczyk, Raymond G.; Lenzenweger, Mark F.

2010-01-01

The heterogeneity found in autism and related disorders (i.e., "autism spectrum disorders") is widely acknowledged. Even within a specific disorder, such as Autistic Disorder, the range in abilities and clinical presentation is broad. The heterogeneity observed has prompted many researchers to propose subtypes beyond the commonly used DSM-IV-TR…

Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Steensel, Francisca J. A.; Bogels, Susan M.; Perrin, Sean

2011-01-01

There is considerable evidence that children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are at increased risk of anxiety and anxiety disorders. However, it is less clear which of the specific DSM-IV anxiety disorders occur most in this population. The present study used meta-analytic techniques to help clarify this issue. A systematic…

Association of ADHD, Tics, and Anxiety with Dopamine Transporter ("DAT1") Genotype in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadow, Kenneth D.; Roohi, Jasmin; DeVincent, Carla J.; Hatchwell, Eli

2008-01-01

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with high rates of psychiatric disturbance to include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), tic disorder, and anxiety disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) functional polymorphism located in the…

Stimuli-responsive nanomaterials for therapeutic protein delivery.

PubMed

Lu, Yue; Sun, Wujin; Gu, Zhen

2014-11-28

Protein therapeutics have emerged as a significant role in treatment of a broad spectrum of diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders and autoimmune diseases. The efficacy of protein therapeutics, however, is limited by their instability, immunogenicity and short half-life. In order to overcome these barriers, tremendous efforts have recently been made in developing controlled protein delivery systems. Stimuli-triggered release is an appealing and promising approach for protein delivery and has made protein delivery with both spatiotemporal- and dosage-controlled manners possible. This review surveys recent advances in controlled protein delivery of proteins or peptides using stimuli-responsive nanomaterials. Strategies utilizing both physiological and external stimuli are introduced and discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pathological gambling and compulsive buying: do they fall within an obsessive-compulsive spectrum?

PubMed Central

Black, Donald W.; Shaw, Martha; Blum, Nancee

2010-01-01

Both compulsive buying (CB) and pathological gambling (PG) have been proposed as members of a spectrum of disorders related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The spectrum hypothesis originated in the early 1990s and has gained considerable support, despite the lack of empirical evidence. Interest in this hypothesis has become critical because some investigators have recommended the creation of a new category that includes these disorders in DSM-5, now under development. In this article, the authors describe the origin of the obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum and its theoretical underpinnings, review both CB and PG, and discuss the data both in support of and against an OC spectrum. Both disorders are described in terms of their history, definition, classification, phenomenology, family history, pathophysiology, and clinical management. The authors conclude that: (i) CB and PG are probably not related to OCD, and there is insufficient evidence to place them within an OC spectrum in DSM-V; (ii) PG should stay with the impulse-control disorders (ICDs); and ( iii) a new diagnosis of CB should be created and be classified as an ICD. PMID:20623922