| 1. |
- Falkmer, Marita, et al.
(författare)
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Viewpoints of adults with and without Autism Spectrum Disorders on public transport
- 2015
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Ingår i: Transportation Research. Part A: Policy & Practice. - : Elsevier BV. - 0965-8564 .- 1879-2375. ; 80, s. 163-183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Public transport is low cost, allows for independence, and facilitates engagement and participation for non-drivers. However, the viewpoints of individuals with cognitive disabilities are rarely considered. In Australia, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is approximately 1% and increasing. Many individuals with ASD do not possess a driver's licence, indicating that access to public transport is crucial for their independence. However, at present, there is no research on the opinions of adults with ASD on public transport. Aim: To identify the viewpoints of adults with ASD regarding the barriers and facilitators of public transport usage and their transportation preferences, and to contrast these against the viewpoints of neurotypical adults. Methods: Q. method was used to identify the viewpoints of both participant groups on public transport. Participants consisted of 55 adults with a diagnosis of ASD and a contrast group of 57 neurotypical adults. Both groups completed a Q sort task which took place in either Perth or Melbourne, Australia. Results: The most prominent viewpoint indicated that both groups preferred to use public transport over driving and believed that it supported their independence. This viewpoint also indicated that both groups preferred to use electronic ticketing when using public transport. Interestingly, the second most prominent viewpoint indicated that both groups preferred to drive themselves by private car rather than use public transport. Discussion: It appears that the viewpoints of adults with and without ASD regarding public transportation were largely similar. However, questions arose about whether the preference for public transport in the ASD group may be more a result of difficulties obtaining a driving licence than a deliberate choice. The only barrier specified by adults with ASD related to crowding on public transport. Safety and convenience in relation to location and timing of services were barriers reported by neurotypical adults. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Falkmer, Torbjorn, et al.
(författare)
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Diagnostic procedures in autism spectrum disorders: a systematic literature review
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. - : Springer Verlag (Germany). - 1018-8827 .- 1435-165X. ; 22:6, s. 329-340
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- At present, gold standard diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a lengthy and time consuming process that requires suitably qualified multi-disciplinary team (MDT) personnel to assess behavioural, historical, and parent-report information to determine a diagnosis. A number of different tools have been developed to assist in determination. To optimise the diagnostic procedures, the best diagnostic instruments need to be identified. This study is a systematic review addressing the accuracy, reliability, validity and utility of reported diagnostic tools and assessments. To be included in this review, studies must have (1) identified an ASD diagnostic tool; (2) investigated either diagnostic procedure or the tools or personnel required; (3) be presented in English; (4) be conducted in the Western world; (5) be one of three types of studies [adapted from Samtani et al. in Cochrane Database Syst Rev 3:1-13, 2011], viz. (a) cohort studies or cross-sectional studies, (b) randomised studies of test accuracy, (c) case-control studies. MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Scopus, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were scrutinised for relevant literature published from 2000 inclusive on 20th January 2012. In total, 68 articles were included. 17 tools were assessed. However, many lacked an evidence base of high quality-independent studies. The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) stood out with the largest evidence base and highest sensitivity and specificity. When the ADI-R and ADOS were used in combination they revealed levels of accuracy very similar to the correct classification rates for the current gold standard diagnostic procedure viz. 80.8 % for ASD. There is scope for future studies on the use of the ADI-R and ADOS in combination.
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| 3. |
- Falkmer, Torbjörn, et al.
(författare)
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Usability of the SAFEWAY2SCHOOL system in children with cognitive disabilities
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Transport Research Review. - : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 1867-0717 .- 1866-8887. ; 6:2, s. 127-137
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- SAFEWAY2SCHOOL is a programme based on several systems for the enhancement of school transportation safety for children. The aim of the study was to explore whether children with cognitive disabilities will notice, realise, understand, trust and accept the SAFEWAY2SCHOOL system and act in accordance with its instructions. Methods: Fourteen children with cognitive disabilities and a control group of 23 children were shown five videos of scenarios involving journeys to and from school. During the first viewing visual scanning patterns were recorded with an eye tracking device. After a second viewing the participant was asked ten questions per scenario. Five questions addressed what the children saw on the video, and the remaining five what they would need to know and/or do within the scenario. Additional ratings of trust, likability, acceptability and usability were also collected. Results: Very few differences were found in the visual scanning patterns of children with disabilities compared to children who participated in the control group. Of the 50 questions regarding what children saw or needed to know and/or do, only one significant difference between groups was found. No significant differences were found regarding self-reported ratings of trust, acceptability or usability of the system. Despite some significant differences across five of the 11 likability aspects, ratings were consistently high for both groups. Conclusions: Children with cognitive disabilities proved that the SAFEWAY2SCHOOL system is as useful for them as it was for children in the control group. However, a valid estimation of the full utility of SAFEWAY2SCHOOL requires in situ testing of the system with these children. © 2013 The Author(s).
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| 4. |
- Horlin, Chiara, et al.
(författare)
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Proficiency of individuals with autism spectrum disorder at disembedding figures: A systematic review
- 2016
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Ingår i: Developmental Neurorehabilitation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1751-8423 .- 1751-8431. ; 19:1, s. 54-63
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: This systematic review examines the proficiency and visual search strategies of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) while disembedding figures and whether they differ from typical controls and other comparative samples.Methods: Five databases, including Proquest, Psychinfo, Medline, CINAHL and Science Direct were used to identify published studies meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: Twenty articles were included in the review, the majority of which matched participants by mental age. Outcomes discussed were time taken to identify targets, the number correctly identified, and fixation frequency and duration.Conclusions: Individuals with ASD perform at the same speed or faster than controls and other clinical samples. However, there appear to be no differences between individuals with ASD and controls for number of correctly identified targets. Only one study examined visual search strategies and suggests that individuals with ASD exhibit shorter first and final fixations to targets compared with controls.
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| 5. |
- Horlin, Chiara, et al.
(författare)
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The cost of autism spectrum disorders
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveA diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorders is usually associated with substantial lifetime costs to an individual, their family and the community. However, there remains an elusive factor in any cost-benefit analysis of ASD diagnosis, namely the cost of not obtaining a diagnosis. Given the infeasibility of estimating the costs of a population that, by its nature, is inaccessible, the current study compares expenses between families whose children received a formal ASD diagnosis immediately upon suspecting developmental atypicality and seeking advice, with families that experienced a delay between first suspicion and formal diagnosis.DesignA register based questionnaire study covering all families with a child with ASD in Western Australia.ParticipantsFamilies with one or more children diagnosed with an ASD, totalling 521 children diagnosed with an ASD; 317 records were able to be included in the final analysis.ResultsThe median family cost of ASD was estimated to be AUD $34,900 per annum with almost 90% of the sum ($29,200) due to loss of income from employment. For each additional symptom reported, approximately $1,400 cost for the family per annum was added. While there was little direct influence on costs associated with a delay in the diagnosis, the delay was associated with a modest increase in the number of ASD symptoms, indirectly impacting the cost of ASD.ConclusionsA delay in diagnosis was associated with an indirect increased financial burden to families. Early and appropriate access to early intervention is known to improve a child's long-term outcomes and reduce lifetime costs to the individual, family and society. Consequently, a per symptom dollar value may assist in allocation of individualised funding amounts for interventions rather than a nominal amount allocated to all children below a certain age, regardless of symptom presentation, as is the case in Western Australia.
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| 6. |
- Horlin, Chiara, et al.
(författare)
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The influence of static versus naturalistic stimuli on face processing in children with and without Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism
- 2013
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 7:12, s. 1617-1624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Questions regarding the use of static or dynamic facial stimuli in experimental studies investigating facial processing of individuals with AS/HFA raises issues of both ecological validity and the applicability of experimental findings to clinical or everyday practice. Children with and without AS/HFA (n = 38) were fitted with a head-mounted eye-tracker and exposed to either static or interactive dynamic facial stimuli. Average fixation duration, the proportion of fixations in areas of interest and a comparative index that was independent of differences in presentation length between stimuli types were calculated. Visual scanning patterns of individuals with AS/HFA were not affected by stimuli type. However, control participants exhibited different scanning patterns between dynamic and static stimuli for certain regions of the face. Visual scanning patterns in children with AS/HFA are consistent regardless of the stimuli being a static photo or dynamic in the form of a real face. Hence, information from experimental studies with static photos of faces provide information that is valid and can be generalised to "real world" interactions.
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| 7. |
- Joosten, Annette, et al.
(författare)
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Gaze and visual search strategies of children with Asperger syndrome/high functioning autism viewing a magic trick
- 2016
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Ingår i: Developmental Neurorehabilitation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1751-8423 .- 1751-8431. ; 19:2, s. 95-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To examine visual search patterns and strategies used by children with and without Asperger syndrome/high functioning autism (AS/HFA) while watching a magic trick. Limited responsivity to gaze cues is hypothesised to contribute to social deficits in children with AS/HFA. Methods: Twenty-one children with AS/HFA and 31 matched peers viewed a video of a gaze-cued magic trick twice. Between the viewings, they were informed about how the trick was performed. Participants’ eye movements were recorded using a head-mounted eye-tracker.Results: Children with AS/HFA looked less frequently and had shorter fixation on the magician’s direct and averted gazes during both viewings and more frequently at not gaze-cued objects and on areas outside the magician’s face. After being informed of how the trick was conducted, both groups made fewer fixations on gaze-cued objects and direct gaze.Conclusions: Information may enhance effective visual strategies in children with and without AS/HFA.
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| 8. |
- Milbourn, Ben, et al.
(författare)
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An exploration of the experience of parents with children with autism spectrum disorder after diagnosis and intervention
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology. - : EXELEY INC. - 2245-8875. ; 5:3, s. 104-110
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Delays and difficulties in both diagnosis and access to services can compound existing stressors experienced by families with children with autism spectrum disorder Early and accurate diagnosis and appropriate intervention may not only improve child-specific outcomes but may also mitigate some of the stressors impacting family relationships and quality of life. We aimed to understand the experience of over 500 families that had sought autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and intervention, their perceptions of the efficacy of these services, and the impact that this process had on their family life. Parents overwhelmingly described frustration with access to a timely diagnosis, specialized intervention services, and funding that impacted their family life and relationships. However, parents simultaneously reported positive perceptions of change as a consequence of diagnosis and effective intervention.
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| 9. |
- Tang, Julia, et al.
(författare)
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Face Recognition and Visual Search Strategies in Autism Spectrum Disorders : Amending and Extending a Recent Review by Weigelt et al
- 2015
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 10:8, s. e0134439-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this review was to build upon a recent review by Weigelt et al. which examined visual search strategies and face identification between individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing peers. Seven databases, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, ERIC, Medline, Proquest, PsychInfo and PubMed were used to locate published scientific studies matching our inclusion criteria. A total of 28 articles not included in Weigelt et al. met criteria for inclusion into this systematic review. Of these 28 studies, 16 were available and met criteria at the time of the previous review, but were mistakenly excluded; and twelve were recently published. Weigelt et al. found quantitative, but not qualitative, differences in face identification in individuals with ASD. In contrast, the current systematic review found both qualitative and quantitative differences in face identification between individuals with and without ASD. There is a large inconsistency in findings across the eye tracking and neurobiological studies reviewed. Recommendations for future research in face recognition in ASD were discussed.
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