| 1. |
- Achermann, Sheila, et al.
(författare)
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Parents' experiences from participating in an infant sibling study of autism spectrum disorder
- 2020
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background:Prospective longitudinal studies of infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) play an important role in advancing our knowledge about early developmental pathways in ASD. Despite this clear benefit, currently little is known about potential risks or disadvantages for participating families. As a first step in addressing this issue, we asked parents about their experiences from participating in an infant sibling study.Method:Eighty-eight families responded to a questionnaire examining parents' experiences from participating in an infant sibling study. The questions assessed parents' satisfaction with the study, the child's perceived satisfaction, and the parents' motivation for participating. The study included parents of two groups, (1) infants with an older sibling diagnosed with ASD (HR, high risk, n = 43) and (2) infants with no familial history of ASD (LR, low risk, n = 21).Results:The results indicated that parents are generally positive about study participation and few disadvantages were reported. This pattern was mirrored when splitting parents' responses into the two groups. There was no indication for group differences between parents of infants at high risk and low risk for ASD.Conclusion:Our findings present a first step into understanding parents' experiences from participating in an infant sibling study. Most parents were satisfied with participation in the study and only few disadvantages were reported. Our results have implications for ethical discussions about benefits and risks regarding infant sibling studies in various fields.
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| 2. |
- Albrecht, Matthew A., et al.
(författare)
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Visual search strategies during facial recognition in children with ASD
- 2014
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 8:5, s. 559-569
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Facial recognition is a complex skill necessary for successful human interpersonal and social interactions. Given that the most prevalent disorder of social interaction is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a number of studies have investigated and found impaired facial recognition abilities in people with ASD. Further, this impairment may be critically involved in mediating the deficits in interpersonal and social interactions in people with ASD. We sought to address the question of whether face processing is impaired in children with ASD in the current study. While there were a number of differences in visual search behaviours between the 19 children with ASD and the 15 controls, this did not manifest in deficits in facial recognition accuracy. In addition, there were notable differences with respect to eye fixation behaviours and recognition accuracy in this study compared to the findings in a previous similar study conducted in adults with ASD. These differences suggest a performance enhancing developmental trajectory in facial processing in controls that may not be present in individuals with ASD.
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| 3. |
- Backman, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Functioning and quality of life in transition-aged youth on the autism spectrum – associations with autism symptom severity and mental health problems
- 2023
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 104
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous research notes difficulties in functioning and low quality of life (QoL) among transition-age youth on the autism spectrum, and poor mental health may contribute to these difficulties. This study examined the role of autism symptom severity and mental health problems on self-reported functioning and QoL in treatment-seeking transition-age autistic youth. The study included 140 autistic youth (16–25 years, M = 20.44 (SD = 2.95); n = 91 females [65%], n = 42 males [30%], n = 7 non-binary [5%]). We assessed functioning using a structured interview and QoL through a self-report questionnaire. Factors potentially associated with functioning and QoL were assessed using standardized self-report questionnaires of autism symptom severity, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and information from medical records. Participants reported functioning on the 90th percentile compared to general population norms, indicating significant disability, and also rated low overall QoL. Regression analysis showed that autism symptom severity and anxiety symptoms, and to some extent gender and having an ADHD diagnosis, explained 46% of the variance in overall functioning. Symptoms of anxiety and depression, and to a lesser extent, active friendship, explained 43% of the variance in QoL. Sampling limitations of the study include the overrepresentation of women and newly diagnosed participants. We highlight that functioning and QoL are multifactorial, necessitating a comprehensive assessment of transition-aged autistic youth, including mental health problems, to plan tangible interventions.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Berenguer, Carmen, et al.
(författare)
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The implication of sleep disturbances on daily executive functioning and learning problems in children with autism without intellectual disability
- 2024
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 114
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have sleep disturbances, executive functioning difficulties, and learning problems. The aim of this study was twofold. First, to examine the quality of sleep in children with ASD without intellectual disability and typically developing (TD) children. Second, to explore the implication of sleep disturbances in the association between daily executive functioning and learning problems in children with ASD without intellectual disability.Method: The sample included 47 children with autism without intellectual disability and 32 TD children. Parent-reported questionnaires were used to assess participants' sleep disturbances, daily executive functions, and learning problems. All statistical analyses performed were adjusted for age, IQ, and medication.Results: As expected, the prevalence of sleep disturbances was significantly higher in the ASD group than in the TD group. Regarding the second aim of the study, the total score of sleep disturbances was significantly associated with learning problems and the metacognition subdomain of executive functioning in children with autism without intellectual disability. In turn, executive functions and learning problems were also significantly associated. Finally, sleep disturbances were found to mediate the relationship between global executive functioning and learning problems in children with ASD without intellectual disability.Conclusions: The findings suggest that sleep disturbances are common in children with autism, and that they play a mediating role in the association between executive functions and learning problems. Therefore, sleep should be a crucial aspect of interventions to improve the learning and academic performance of school-aged children with ASD without intellectual disability.
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| 6. |
- Black, Melissa H., et al.
(författare)
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Disembedding performance and eye gaze behavior of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- 2019
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Atypical visual perception in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) may contribute to superiority in disembedding tasks. Gaze behavior has provided some insights in to mechanisms underlying this purported superiority in children, however evidence is limited and requires additional investigation.Method: The performance and gaze behavior of 27 adolescents with ASD and 27 matched typically developing (TD) peers were examined during the Figure Ground Subtest of the Test of Visual Perception Skills-third edition (TVPS-3).Results: Compared to their TD counterparts, adolescents with ASD were no different in accuracy, however, had a longer response time. Differences in gaze behavior were also observed, characterized by adolescents with ASD spending less time viewing the incorrect and target figures, and spending a greater proportion of time viewing irrelevant areas of the stimuli compared to TD adolescents.Conclusions: Results suggest that while altered visual perception was observed, this did not contribute to superiority in disembedding tasks in adolescents with ASD. Future research is required to elucidate conditions under which altered visual perception may contribute to behavioral superiority.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Cederlund, Mats, 1962
(författare)
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Microcephaly in preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- 2021
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 88
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The present study presents results of head circumference (HC) measurements in a group of children being part of a larger group of children referred for neuropsychiatric assessment to a neuropsychiatric assessment team in Sweden. Methods: Of the 126 children included in the present study HC was possible to measure in 114 individuals. However, two of these children were not diagnosed since they did not conclude the study, leaving 112 children for further assessment. In addition, birth data was recovered either from the digital birth sheet used in Sweden for the registration of birth data, or in a few cases from the Child Care Centers or medical journals if the child had been admitted to hospital care after birth. Results: Of the 112 individuals, only one individual, a boy, diagnosed with ICD-10 Autism, had a HC above the 97.5th percentile at birth. At the physical assessment included in the study one individual, a boy (not the same boy as mentioned above) was found to have a HC above the 97.5th percentile. Hence, 1.2 % of the boys in this study with an ICD-10 ASD diagnosis were macrocephalic. In contrast, 6.7 % of the boys, and 8% of the girls, who received an ICD-10 ASD diagnosis had a HC below the 2.5th percentile and were considered microcephalic at the assessment. Conclusions: The results from this study could not confirm previous research arguing macrocephaly to be considerably more common in ASD than in the general population. However, in contrast, the results from this study indicated that microcephaly could be more common in children with ICD-10 ASD, for both sexes, than in the general population. Since none of the children had been microcephalic at birth the results indicate a relative decrease in HC over time in these individuals.
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| 9. |
- Cervin, Matti, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on core aspects of anxiety in anxious youth with autism
- 2023
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - 1750-9467. ; 107, s. 1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundAnxiety disorders (ADs) are common in youth with autism and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may be less efficacious than among anxious youth without autism. Yet, little is known about which aspects of anxiety are targeted less effectively by CBT in youth with autism.MethodWe pooled youth with autism and ADs randomized to CBT or a control condition from five randomized controlled trials (RCTs; CBT, n = 197, Mage = 10.30 [2.05], age range: 7–16; control conditions, n = 83; Mage = 10.57 [2.30], age range: 7–16) and examined whether CBT outperformed control conditions across core aspects of anxiety and whether more pronounced autism traits predicted outcomes. CBT response in youth with autism was also compared to CBT response among anxious youth without autism (n = 129; Mage = 11.16 [2.80], age range: 7–17).ResultsCBT for youth with autism yielded significantly better effects than control conditions for frequency of symptoms, intensity of anxiety, avoidance, family interference, and social interference but not for physical symptoms of anxiety. Youth with more pronounced autism traits had poorer outcomes for frequency of symptoms, family interference, and social interference. Compared to anxious youth without autism, youth with autism had poorer outcomes for physical symptoms and family interference.ConclusionsCBT is efficacious across core aspects of anxiety for youth with autism, but outcomes for anxiety-related interference, particularly for those with more pronounced autism traits, may be poorer than among youth without autism. More work is needed to better understand how anxiety impacts the everyday lives of anxious youth with autism and which interventions and support are needed.
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| 10. |
- D’Arcy, Emily, et al.
(författare)
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Get it right, make it easy, see it all : Viewpoints of autistic individuals and parents of autistic individuals about the autism diagnostic process in Australia
- 2021
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 85
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The clinical process for being evaluated for an autism diagnosis is often time consuming and stressful for individuals and their caregivers. While experience of and satisfaction with the diagnostic process has been reviewed in the literature, few studies have directly investigated the viewpoints of individuals diagnosed with autism and caregivers of autistic individuals about what is important in the autism diagnostic process.Method: A Q methodological design was employed to capture the subjective viewpoints about the diagnostic process of individuals on the autism spectrum and caregivers of autistic individuals. Thirty-eight participants responded to a set of 66 statements representing different aspects of the autism diagnostic process.Results: The analysis identified three significant viewpoints: Get it Right, Make it Easy, and See it All. Participants reflected upon the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic assessment process, ease of diagnostic processes, and a holistic approach to autism diagnosis for autistic individuals and caregivers of autistic individuals.Conclusions: The findings provide a consumer perspective that encourages reform of the current process for diagnosing autism in Australia, and an insight into what consumers are wanting from diagnostic services. This information is useful for policy-makers and service providers to create a more supportive and client-centred diagnostic process at all levels of service delivery.
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| 11. |
- deWit, Tessa, et al.
(författare)
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Young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder look differently at positive versus negative emotional faces
- 2008
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 2:4, s. 651-659
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One of the core issues in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is problematic social interaction, which for an important part is reflected by poor processing of emotional information. Typically, adults show specific viewing patterns while scanning positive and negative emotional expressions in faces. In this study, we investigated whether the same pattern is present in a group of 3- to 6-year-old children with ASD and a 5-year-old control group. We found that although the group with ASD looked less at feature areas of the face (eye, mouth, nose) than the control group, both the children with ASD and the normally developing children displayed differential scanning patterns for faces displaying positive and negative emotions. Specifically, we found increased scanning of the eye region when looking at faces displaying negative emotions. This study shows that, although young children with ASD exhibit abnormal face scanning patterns, they do exhibit differential viewing strategies while scanning positive and negative facial expressions.
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| 12. |
- Dewrang, Petra, et al.
(författare)
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Repetitive behaviour and obsessive-compulsive features in Asperger syndrome: Parental and self-reports
- 2011
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Ingår i: RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS. - 1750-9467. ; 5:3, s. 1176-1186
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Symptoms of repetitive, obsessive and compulsive behaviour were explored in a group of adolescents and young adults with Asperger syndrome and compared to a typically developing group. By means of self-evaluations and an interview regarding such symptoms with the adolescents and young adults and parental evaluations, the parents retrospectively assessed the behaviour of their children from preschool years to middle teens, and the young participants assessed their own behaviour from school years until present time. An anxiety scale was also used. The results revealed no significant differences between the groups on the interview and the anxiety scale. There were, however, significant differences on both the parental and the self-evaluations. Thus, the parents reported that their children had difficulties with repetitive, obsessive–compulsive behaviour, and social interaction from preschool years, and both the parents and the adolescents and young adults reported considerable difficulties in those areas during school years. When comparing the evaluations from the parents and the young participants it was shown that the parents in the Asperger group reported significantly more problems than their children while in the comparison group the parents reported less problems than their children.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Falck-Ytter, Terje
(författare)
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Gaze performance during face-to-face communication : A live eye tracking study of typical children and children with autism
- 2015
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 17, s. 78-85
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by socio-communicative impairments, and limited attention to other people's faces is thought to be an important underlying mechanism. Here, non-invasive eye-tracking technology was used to quantify the amount of time spent looking at another person's face during face-to-face communication in children with ASD (n = 13, age 6 years) and age and IQ-matched neurotypical children (n = 27, 6 years). We found that in one context of high ecological relevance - listening to an adult telling a children's story - children with ASD showed a markedly reduced tendency to look at the adult's face. In interactions between typical children and the adult, the amount of gaze to the other's face aligned between the two individuals. No such relation was found when the ASD group interacted with the adult. Despite these differences in the storytelling context, we also observed that social looking atypicalities did not generalize to another and more structured context, implying that social looking cannot not be considered fundamentally disrupted in children with ASD.
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| 15. |
- Falkmer, Marita, et al.
(författare)
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Recognition of facially expressed emotions and visual search strategies in adults with Asperger syndrome
- 2011
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Ingår i: RES AUTISM SPECTR DISORD. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 5:1, s. 210-217
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Can the disadvantages persons with Asperger syndrome frequently experience with reading facially expressed emotions be attributed to a different visual perception, affecting their scanning patterns? Visual search strategies, particularly regarding the importance of information from the eye area, and the ability to recognise facially expressed emotions were compared between 24 adults with Asperger syndrome and their matched controls. While wearing a head mounted eye tracker, the participants viewed 12 pairs of photos of faces. The first photo in each pair was cut up into puzzle pieces. Six of the 12 puzzle pieced photos had the eyes bisected. The second photo showed a happy, an angry and a surprised face of the same person as in the puzzle pieced photo. Differences in visual search strategies between the groups were established. Adults with Asperger syndrome had greater difficulties recognizing these basic emotions than controls. The distortion of the eye area affected the ability to identify emotions even more negatively for participants with Asperger syndrome.
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| 16. |
- Falkmer, Marita, et al.
(författare)
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The importance of the eye area in face identification abilities and visual search strategies in persons with Asperger syndrome
- 2010
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 4:4, s. 724-730
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Partly claimed to explain social difficulties observed in people with Asperger syndrome, face identification and visual search strategies become important. Previous research findings are, however, disparate. In order to explore face identification abilities and visual search strategies, with special focus on the importance of the eye area, 24 adults with Asperger syndrome and matched controls viewed puzzle pieced photos of faces, in order to identify them as one of three intact photos of persons. Every second puzzle pieced photo had the eyes distorted. Fixation patterns were measured by an eye tracker. Adults with Asperger syndrome had greater difficulties in identifying faces than controls. However, the entire face identification superiority in controls was found in the condition when the eyes were distorted supporting that adults with Aspergers syndrome do use the eye region to a great extent in face identification. The visual search strategies in controls were more effective and relied on the use of the 'face information triangle', i.e. the two eyes and the mouth, while adults with Asperger syndrome had more fixations on other parts of the face, both when obtaining information and during the identification part, suggesting a less effective use of the 'face information triangle'.
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| 17. |
- Falkmer, Marita, et al.
(författare)
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The influences of static and interactive dynamic facial stimuli on visual strategies in persons with Asperger syndrome
- 2011
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 5:2, s. 935-940
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several studies, using eye tracking methodology, suggest that different visual strategies in persons with autism spectrum conditions, compared with controls, are applied when viewing facial stimuli. Most eye tracking studies are, however, made in laboratory settings with either static (photos) or non-interactive dynamic stimuli, such as video clips. Whether or not these results are transferable to a "real world" dialogue situation remains unclear. In order to examine the consistency of visual strategies across conditions, a comparison of two static conditions and an interactive dynamic "real world" condition, in 15 adults with Asperger syndrome and 15 matched controls, was made using an eye tracker. The static stimuli consisted of colour photos of faces, while a dialogue between the participants and the test leader created the interactive dynamic condition. A within-group comparison showed that people with AS, and their matched controls, displayed a high degree of stability in visual strategies when viewing faces, regardless of the facial stimuli being static or real, as in the interactive dynamic condition. The consistency in visual strategies within the participants suggests that results from studies with static facial stimuli provide important information on individual visual strategies that may be generalized to "real world" situations.
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| 18. |
- Fusar-Poli, Laura, et al.
(författare)
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Psychometric properties of the Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults Screening Questionnaire (ASDASQ) in a sample of Italian psychiatric outpatients
- 2020
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 78
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The present study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Italian version of the Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults Screening Questionnaire (ASDASQ), a screening tool for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among psychiatric outpatients. Methods: We recruited 340 subjects via an outpatient psychiatric service in Italy. Forty-eight had a diagnosis of ASD, confirmed after a comprehensive clinical assessment and the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2). The remaining 292 participants had other diagnoses, confirmed after a careful psychiatric evaluation and the administration of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5). The ASDASQ was administered to contact clinicians of each subject. Results: The ASDASQ showed outstanding accuracy (AUC = 0.96) in discriminating between ASD and non-ASD patients, with good sensitivity (0.85) and specificity (0.92). Agreement with clinical diagnosis was substantial (k = 0.68). Internal consistency of the tool was good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82), while intra- (ICC = 0.97) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.92) were excellent. We found also a moderate correlation between ASDASQ and ADOS-2 scores in the ASD sample (r = 0.56). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the ASDASQ, in the Italian adaptation, may be considered a quick, simple, and effective tool to screen for ASD among psychiatric outpatients. Further studies are needed to evaluate its utility in other clinical settings.
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| 19. |
- Haraguchi, Hideyuki, et al.
(författare)
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One-year outcomes of low-intensity behavioral interventions among Japanese preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders : Community-based study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 76
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite the need for evidence-based practice for children with autism spectrum disorders in the community, especially in areas with a scarcity of qualified experts and high financial costs, there is a lack of evidence concerning the potential benefits of early interventions which may be affordable in the real world (e.g. low-intensity behavioral or eclectic interventions). This study examined behavioral changes in preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders who received low-intensity behavioral interventions (a mean of 5.5 h per week) or non-behavioral eclectic interventions delivered in community settings in Japan across a 1-year period and compared outcomes between the groups. We assessed children’s developmental quotient, adaptive behavior, autism symptom/severity, and maternal stress and depression at baseline and after 1 year. Our results revealed that children receiving interventions in their communities showed improvement in language and social development. Further, the degree of improvement in children receiving low-intensity behavioral interventions was significantly greater than in children receiving non-behavioral eclectic interventions. The improvement was associated with the intensity of total, especially one-to-one interventions. On the other hand, there were no group differences in the degree of improvement in other outcome measures. Our results suggest that some preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder may benefit from low-intensity behavioral interventions for their language and social development. A greater intensity of one-to-one interventions was found to be associated with greater progress in language development and communication skills. The current study highlights the importance of implementing early interventions in the community, even at a low intensity.
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| 20. |
- 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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| 21. |
- Horlin, C., et al.
(författare)
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Visual search strategies of children with and without autism spectrum disorders during an embedded figures task
- 2014
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 8:5, s. 463-471
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Individuals with ASD often demonstrate superior performance on embedded figures tasks (EFTs). We investigated visual scanning behaviour in children with ASD during an EFT in an attempt replicating a previous study examining differences in visual search behaviour. Twenty-three children with, and 31 children without an ASD were shown 16 items from the Figure-Ground subtest of the TVPS-3 while wearing an eye tracker. Children with ASD exhibited fewer fixations, and less time per fixation, on the target figure. Accuracy was similar between the two groups. There were no other noteworthy differences between children with and without ASD. Differences in visual scanning patterns in the presence of typical behavioural performance suggest that any purported differences in processing style may not be detrimental to cognitive performance and further refinement of the current methodology may lead to support for a purported advantageous cognitive style. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
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| 22. |
- Kjellmer, Liselotte, et al.
(författare)
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Language comprehension in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders without intellectual disability: Use of the Reynell Developmental Language Scales.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 6:3, s. 1119-1125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aimed to (a) assess language comprehension in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability, (b) assess differences between ASD diagnostic subgroups, and (c) analyze the relationship between language comprehension and performance and verbal IQ, respectively. The 94 participants (83 boys, 11 girls; 4:0–6:8 years) were a subgroup of a large cohort of 208 Swedish preschool children with ASD that had been followed longitudinally over 2 years. The Comprehension Scale of the Reynell Developmental Language Scales III (RDLS) was used at follow-up to assess language comprehension. Results revealed a delay in the development of language comprehension as well as high variability within the group as a whole. The Asperger syndrome and the Autistic feature groups performed within the normal range whereas the PDD-NOS and the Autistic disorder groups performed at the lower boundary of the normal range. However, importantly, 38% or more of the children showed results in the impaired range (i.e., <10th percentile) regardless of ASD type. Explained variance in language comprehension scores were 10% for non-verbal and 41% for verbal IQ. Many children with ASD without intellectual disability may have difficulties comprehending instructions in the classroom and in other everyday situations. The results highlight the need for detailed linguistic assessment of children with ASD.
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| 23. |
- Leung, Denise, et al.
(författare)
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Facial emotion recognition and visual search strategies of children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome
- 2013
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - Elsevier : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 7:7, s. 833-844
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adults with high functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger syndrome (AS) are often less able to identify facially expressed emotions than their matched controls. However, results regarding emotion recognition abilities in children with HFA/AS remain equivocal. Emotion recognition ability and visual search strategies of 26 children with HFA/AS and matched controls were compared. An eye tracker measured the number of fixations and fixation durations as participants were shown 12 pairs of slides, displaying photos of faces expressing anger, happiness or surprise. The first slide of each pair showed a face broken up into puzzle pieces. The eyes in half of the puzzle piece slides were bisected, while those in the remaining half were whole. Participants then identified which of three alternative faces was expressing the same emotion shown in the preceding puzzle piece slide. No differences between the participant groups were found for either emotion recognition ability or number of fixations. Both groups fixated more often on the eyes and performed better when the eyes were whole, suggesting that both children with HFA/AS and controls consider the eyes to be the most important source of information during emotion recognition. Fixation durations were longer in the group with HFA/AS, which indicates that while children with HFA/AS may be able to accurately recognise emotions, they find the task more demanding.
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| 24. |
- Lundqvist, Lars-Olov, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of vibroacoustic music on challenging behaviors in individuals with autism and developmental disabilities
- 2009
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 3:2, s. 390-400
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vibroacoustic music has been proposed to be an effective treatment for individuals with developmental disorders and challenging behaviors. The present study experimentally tested the effects of vibroacoustic music on self-injurious, stereotypical, and aggressive destructive behaviors in 20 individuals with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. The participants were randomized into two groups in a randomized controlled trial evaluation. The first group received 10–20 min sessions with vibroacoustic music treatment for 5 weeks. Then the second group received the same treatment during the next 5 weeks. Behavior was assessed using the Behavior Problems Inventory in all participants before the treatment, after the first group had completed their treatment, and again after the second group had completed their treatment. In order to evaluate each session, the accompanying assistants assessed behavior on different scales after each session. In addition, the sessions were videotaped and analyzed minute by minute for challenging behaviors. The results revealed that vibroacoustic music reduced self-injurious, stereotypic, and aggressive destructive behaviors in the participants. In addition, the results indicated that the effect of vibroacoustic music was to some extent dependent on the participants’ diagnosis. Implications for vibroacoustic music theory and practice are discussed.
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| 25. |
- Lundqvist, Lars-Olov, 1958-
(författare)
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Hyper-responsiveness to touch mediates social dysfunction in adults with autism spectrum disorders
- 2015
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 9, s. 13-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated whether hyper-responsiveness to touch serves as a mediating variable that predicts social dysfunction in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Data were obtained from all adults with administratively defined intellectual disability in a region in Sweden (n = 915, where 143 had ASD). A multiple mediation modeling analysis revealed a well-fitted model (Satorra-Bentler scaled chi-square = 10.91, df = 7, p = 0.14, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.025), demonstrating that social dysfunction among adults with ASD was completely mediated by hyper-responsiveness to touch followed by impairment of speech and aggressive/destructive behavior. The results demonstrated that in adulthood, the tactile sensory system is foundational for social functioning in people with ASD, with diagnosis and intervention implications.
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| 26. |
- Manouilenko, Irina, et al.
(författare)
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Autistic traits, ADHD symptoms, neurological soft signs and regional cerebral blood flow in adults with autism spectrum disorders
- 2013
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - Oxon, United Kingdom : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 7, s. 566-578
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The resting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) patterns related to co-occurring symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, neurological soft signs and motor problems have not yet been disclosed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In this study thirteen adults with ASD and ten matched neurotypical controls underwent PET. The scores of rating scales for autistic traits, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and neurological soft signs were included in a factorial analysis and correlated with rCBF. Factors corresponding to “autistic/ADHD traits”, “sensory-motor integration” and “intelligence/motor sequencing” were identified. In the ASD group, positive correlations with CBF were found for “autistic/ADHD traits” in caudate bilaterally and the inferior parietal lobule, for “sensory-motor integration” in parieto-occipital cortex and for “intelligence/motor sequencing” in the right temporal cortex. Notably, CBF in the left thalamus correlated negatively with all three factors. Autistic traits and ADHD symptoms were associated with shared neural substrates. The correlation between “autistic/ADHD traits” and rCBF in the caudate is possibly associated with the executive impairments and ritualistic/stereotyped behaviors apparent in ASD. Furthermore, sensory-motor deficits were correlated with rCBF in the occipital visual cortex, involved in atypical visual perception in ASD. Various behavioral and neurological symptoms are suggested to converge into the ASD phenotype.
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| 27. |
- Miniscalco, Carmela, 1963, et al.
(författare)
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Meaning what you say? Comprehension and word production skills in young children with autism.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1878-0237 .- 1750-9467. ; 6:1, s. 204-211
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thirty-one, representative, one- to three-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were given the MacArthur Communicative Developmental Inventory (CDI) for parent completion and the Reynell Developmental Language Scales III (RDLS) for assessment by a speech and language pathologist. Correspondence across scales was good to excellent, indicating that parents of children with ASD can often be trusted in their report on children's language and communication abilities. The children had considerably better word production than comprehension and gesture skills, which is a pattern that is reversed in comparison with typically developing children. These findings suggest that children with ASD who have some spoken language may well be overestimated on the basis of superficially (at least relatively) good word production skills.
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| 28. |
- Murray, Nina, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of career planning tools for use with individuals with autism spectrum disorder : A systematic review
- 2016
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 23, s. 188-202
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This systematic review aimed to identify tools published in peer reviewed journals that could be utilised in career planning for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to describe their clinical utility and psychometric properties. Due to limited results for ASD-specific tools, the search was broadened to career planning tools for individuals with a cognitive or developmental disability, which could be used by individuals with ASD. Six databases were electronically searched. Main search terms used were 'disability', 'young adult', 'assessment' and 'employment'. Boolean operators expanded the search strategy. Two independent reviewers undertook data extraction and quality assessment. Electronic searches located 2348 literature items; 14 articles met inclusion criteria covering 10 career planning tools. Identified tools were of a predictive nature; however, none of the studies assessed all the psychometric properties necessary for evaluating a sound predictive tool. Only one addressed all three components of clinical utility. None of the identified tools had strong reliability or validity and their clinical utility remains unexplored.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
- Nydén, Agneta, et al.
(författare)
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A cognitive endophenotype of autism in families with multiple incidence
- 2011
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 5:1, s. 191-200
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Twin and family studies have established that there is a strong genetic basis for autism spectrum disorders. To facilitate the identification of susceptibility genes and to study pathways from gene-brain to cognition a more refined endophenotype-based approach may be useful. The purpose of the present study was to examine the neurocognitive endophenotype of autism, in families with multiple incidence autism. Eighty-sixmembers of 18 families containing at least two individuals with autism were neuropsychological assessed. Children with autism, showed weak central coherence, but this ‘‘trait’’ could not be found in their parents nor in non-affected siblings. All family members, including the sibpairs with autism, showed deficits within executive functions, involving planning ability, but normal set-shifting. The sibpairs with autism – but not their other family members – showed significant correlations within two visuo-spatial tasks. Deficits in executive functions (specifically planning ability) appear to characterize the broader endophenotype of autism. Our findings do not confirm the hypotheses of weak central coherence or deficits in theory of mind as part of the broader endophenotype of autism. Deficits in visual scanning may be a feature of the manifest phenotype of autism.
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| 31. |
- Nydén, Agneta, 1945, et al.
(författare)
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Adults with Asperger syndrome with and without a cognitive profile associated with “non-verbal learning disability.” A brief report
- 2010
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 4:4, s. 612-618
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Asperger syndrome (AS) and non-verbal learning disability (NLD) are both characterized by impairments in motor coordination, visuo-perceptual abilities, pragmatics and comprehension of language and social understanding. NLD is also defined as a learning disorder affecting functions in the right cerebral hemisphere. The present study investigates if individuals with AS and a cognitive profile consistent with NLD (i.e. verbal IQ > performance IQ) would also have other problems inherent in NLD, visual memory and attention, reading/writing ability and arithmetic in the presence of preserved verbal memory and attention. Forty-four individuals with AS were assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests. Reading/writing and arithmetic abilities were investigated. Education and global social adaptive levels were studied. Very few AS participants, even though with NLD cognitive profile showed problems with any of the neurocognitive abilities or academic achievements. However, all had poor global social adaptive functioning and few had paid employment, regardless of their cognitive profile. The present study suggests that AS and NLD are two different conditions even though some individuals in both groups have the verbal IQ > performance IQ profile that has been proposed to be typical of both AS and NLD.
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| 32. |
- Rydzewska, E., et al.
(författare)
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General health of adults with autism spectrum disorders - A whole country population cross-sectional study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 60, s. 59-66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: General health status in adult populations with autism spectrum disorders has been little studied. We aimed to investigate general health status and predictors of poor health in adults with autism spectrum disorders compared with other adults. Method: Whole country data were drawn from Scotland's Census, 2011. We calculated and compared the frequencies of health status in adults with and without autism spectrum disorders. We then used logistic regressions to calculate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of autism predicting poor general health in the whole population, adjusted for age and gender, and OR (95% CI) of age and gender predicting poor general health within the autism spectrum disorders population. Results: Autism spectrum disorders were reported for 6649/3,746,584 (0.2%) adults aged 25 + years, of whom 46.8% (N = 3111) had poor general health, compared with 23.7% (N = 887,878) of other people. Poor health was common across the entire lifecourse for adults with autism spectrum disorders. Autism had OR = 5.1 (4.9-5.4, 95% CI) for predicting poor general health, or OR = 7.5 (6.9-8.2, 95% CI) when the interaction with age was included. Poorer health was more common at older age, and for women. Conclusions: Poor general health merits attention across the full lifecourse for adults with autism. Health practitioners need to be alert to the burden of potential health problems to seek them out to be addressed, and so the health agenda can turn towards potential mechanisms for prevention and better support for adults who may call upon services for people with autism.
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| 33. |
- Ryland, H. K., et al.
(författare)
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Autistic features in school age children: IQ and gender effects in a population-based cohort
- 2014
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 8:3, s. 266-274
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Level and characteristics of intellectual function (IQ) have been associated with symptom presentation in children with autism spectrum disorder. The present study examined associations between IQ and autistic features in a sample of school aged boys and girls selected from a population-based cohort. The study included detailed examinations of 325 children aged 8-12 years, selected from the sample of the Bergen Child Study. IQ was assessed using the third version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) and autistic features by parent reports on the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). Boys obtained higher ASSQ scores than girls. Gender and FSIQ had main effects on ASSQ scores, with the ASSQ scores showing a gradual decline with higher FSIQ for both genders. Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQ were relatively unrelated to ASSQ scores. The findings emphasize the importance of conducting careful assessments of children before reaching conclusions about cognitive function and autistic features. © 2013 The Author.
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Silva, C., et al.
(författare)
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Motivational approach and avoidance in autism spectrum disorder : A comparison between real photographs and cartoons
- 2015
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 17, s. 13-24
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show a lack of motivation to engage in spontaneous social encounters with other human beings. However, the basis for these diminished approach-related social behaviours is still unclear. This study investigated social motivation in ASD using an approach-avoidance task. In particular, we presented a group of ASD and a group of neurotypical adolescents with a series of emotionally positive, negative, and neutral visual stimuli, comprised of real photographs and cartoons - a stimulus with incentive salience for individuals with ASD. Participants were asked to either push or pull a joystick in response to an emotionally independent feature of the stimuli (colour frame). Following the main task, participants also rated the stimuli for affective valence and arousal. Results showed a dissociation in motivational responses towards positive stimuli for the ASD group only: faster avoidance from positive real photographs, but greater approach to positive cartoons, while no differences were found between emotionally negative or neutral stimuli. By contrast, no differences between the groups were found for the self-reported affective ratings. In light of the social motivation hypothesis, these atypical motivational responses suggest a deficit in assigning reward to socio-emotional stimuli in adolescents with ASD. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 37. |
- Silva, Catarina, et al.
(författare)
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Seeing the funny side of things : Humour processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders
- 2017
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 43-44, s. 8-17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Humour is fundamentally a social phenomenon, occurring frequently in social and playful contexts. The positive affect resulting from an experience of enjoyed humour makes it socially rewarding. A lack of sense of humour has been associated with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), however, the existing literature is sparse and inconclusive. In this study, we investigated implicit and explicit humour understanding and appreciation in ASD. Method Specifically, an implicit item-item associative task was used, in which participants saw neutral-humorous and neutral-neutral sequences of two pictures in an encoding phase. Following a filler task, sequence recognition was measured in a yes/no test phase. At the end of the task, explicit measures of humour understanding and appreciation were completed by the participants, who rated the picture sequences for humour appreciation and funniness. Results Results revealed that, at an explicit level, participants with ASD were able to enjoy and understand the humorous stimuli as much as typically developing (TD) participants. At an implicit level, however, the results suggest that humour processing may be specially content-dependent in ASD. Fine-grained analysis on task performance indeed showed an altered humorous processing for social, but not for non-social humorous content in the ASD group, while that was not the case for the TD group. Conclusions These results suggest that participants with ASD may be distinctively motivated to attend to social reward cues such as social humorous stimuli. These findings are discussed within the social motivation hypothesis framework.
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| 38. |
- Sim, Angela, et al.
(författare)
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Relationship satisfaction in couples raising a child with autism spectrum disorder : A systematic review of the literature
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 31, s. 30-52
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Couples raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges that may impact on their relationship. The purpose of this review was to compare relationship satisfaction in couples raising children with and without ASD and to identify factors associated with satisfaction in couples with a child with ASD.Methods Thirteen databases were searched and studies were systematically screened against predetermined inclusion criteria. Twenty six articles, ranging from good to strong methodological quality, met the criteria for inclusion. Of these, seven were included in a meta-analysis comparing relationship satisfaction in couples raising a child with ASD with couples raising children without disabilities.Results The meta-analysis showed that couples raising a child with ASD were found to experience less relationship satisfaction than couples raising a child without a disability (Hedges's g = 0.41, p < 0.001); however, evidence from the narrative synthesis was mixed when compared with couples raising children with other disabilities. The most consistent evidence implicated challenging child behaviours, parental stress and poor psychological wellbeing as risk factors, and positive cognitive appraisal and social support as protective factors.Conclusion Findings demonstrate that couples raising a child with ASD would benefit from support to assist them in maintaining satisfaction in their relationship with their partner. However, further studies are needed to gain a greater understanding of the risk and protective factors and how these co-vary with relationship satisfaction over time. A theoretical framework has been developed to scaffold future research.
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| 39. |
- Sim, Angela, et al.
(författare)
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Viewpoints on what is important to maintain relationship satisfaction in couples raising a child with autism spectrum disorder
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 65, s. 1-13
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Despite the challenges associated with raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many couples maintain satisfying relationships. However, it is not clear which factors couples prioritise as most important to this positive adaptation. Methods This study used Q-methodology to explore the viewpoints on factors most important to maintaining relationship satisfaction from the perspective of those experiencing it. Data from 43 caregivers raising a child with ASD were analysed using by-person varimax rotation factor analysis. Results Two key viewpoints were identified: 1) Building effective communication through openness, honesty and conflict resolution, and 2) Building a strong partnership by sharing parenting responsibilities. Conclusion Couples should be supported to strengthen communication processes and work in partnership to raise their child with ASD through family-centred interventions aimed at promoting relationship satisfaction.
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| 40. |
- Sim, Angela, et al.
(författare)
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“We are in this together” : Experiences of relationship satisfaction in couples raising a child with autism spectrum disorder
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 58, s. 39-51
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Couple relationships play an integral role in family adjustment when a child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet, it is unclear what factors contribute to the maintenance of relationship satisfaction in these couples.Method: Using phenomenology, data from eleven couple interviews were analysed to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of relationship satisfaction when raising a child with ASD.Results: The overall essence of “We are in this together” reflected the attitude that a strong partnership was beneficial in maintaining relationship satisfaction. This essence was captured in three main themes: 1) Shared beliefs, 2) Teamwork and 3) Shared experiences which closely paralleled the Walsh family resilience framework.Conclusions: Couples can be supported in these key areas to strengthen their relationship to serve as a source of resilience for families with a child with ASD.
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| 41. |
- Sim, Angela, et al.
(författare)
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We are in this together
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 58, s. 39-51
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Couple relationships play an integral role in family adjustment when a child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet, it is unclear what factors contribute to the maintenance of relationship satisfaction in these couples. Method: Using phenomenology, data from eleven couple interviews were analysed to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of relationship satisfaction when raising a child with ASD. Results: The overall essence of "We are in this together" reflected the attitude that a strong partnership was beneficial in maintaining relationship satisfaction. This essence was captured in three main themes: 1) Shared beliefs, 2) Teamwork and 3) Shared experiences which closely paralleled the Walsh family resilience framework. Conclusions: Couples can be supported in these key areas to strengthen their relationship to serve as a source of resilience for families with a child with ASD.
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| 42. |
- Stevanovic, Dejan, et al.
(författare)
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Cross-cultural similarities and differences in reporting autistic symptoms in toddlers: A study synthesizing M-CHAT(-R) data from ten countries
- 2022
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 95
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: This study aimed to evaluate the endorsement rates of M-CHAT(-R) items by parents/ caregivers of toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) synthesizing data from ten countries: Albania, Chile, Georgia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Serbia, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.Method: Data were aggregated for toddlers aged 14-36 months who participated in previous studies or completed clinical screening. An item with < 30% of endorsements was classified as low endorsement, an item falling within the range of 30-60% as moderate endorsement, and an item with > 60% as high endorsement.Results: All items had a low endorsement rate in at least one country and moderate to high in others. Of 20 items, 14 had a moderate to high endorsement rate in seven to nine countries. Of particular relevance are items with moderate to high endorsement rates in all countries excluding Malaysia, such as points to get help, points to show, brings things to show, follows a point, follows your gaze, and understands what is said. On the other hand, makes eye contact, responds to name, hearing concerns, and reciprocal smile were interpreted differently across the countries.Conclusions: This study showed differences in parent/caregiver responding to M-CHAT(-R) items across ten countries, which may indicate cross-country variations in the recognition and evaluation of autistic symptoms in toddlers. Items related to joint attention, social engagement, and language comprehension were reported in a similar manner across countries and could be interpreted as universal autistic symptoms in toddlers.
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| 43. |
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| 44. |
- Tang, Julia S. Y., et al.
(författare)
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A systematic review and meta-analysis of social emotional computer based interventions for autistic individuals using the serious game framework
- 2019
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 66
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and aim: Adopting the elements of the Serious Game framework has been hypothesised as a strategy to promote the efficacy of social emotional computer-based interventions (CBI) for autistic individuals. This systematic review aimed to review the application of Serious Game principles in current social emotional CBI targeting autistic individuals and evaluate the effect of these principles in remediating social emotional outcomes via meta-analysis.Methods: Database searches identified 34 studies evaluating social emotional CBI with 17 controlled efficacy studies included in meta-regressions analyses. Narrative synthesis summarised the attributes of each CBI based on the five Serious Game principles; motivating storyline, goal directed learning, rewards and feedback, increasing levels of difficulty and individualisation.Results: Based on the scores of the Serious Game assessment tool we developed, findings revealed on average a limited (45%) integration of Serious Game design principles in social emotional CBI for autistic individuals. Main findings from the meta-regressions of 17 controlled efficacy studies revealed a moderating effect of Serious Game design principles on the distant generalisation of social emotional skills and transferability of outcomes among autistic individuals. No significant moderating effects of Serious Game was found for close generalisation and maintenance outcomes.Conclusion: Overall, findings suggest that the Serious Game design framework has utility in guiding the development of social emotional CBI which improve the social emotional skills of autistic individuals.
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| 45. |
- Tedroff, K., et al.
(författare)
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What has feet to do with it? Pes planus and medial arch height in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - Oxford, United Kingdom : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 7:1, s. 187-192
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Individuals with autism have higher rates of minor physical anomalies (MPAs) than neurotypical persons. Minor physical anomalies are slight morphological deviations typically harmless and without cosmetic or medical importance to the individual but indicative of an underlying neurodevelopmental disorder. In genetic autism research the utilization of MPAs has been recommended. In the present study the prevalence of pes planus or flatfoot in adults with ASD compared to age and sex matched neurotypical adults was investigated with two different methods. A photograph of the feet was obtained from underneath while the subjects were standing on a glass table. From this imprint calculations were made. In addition the medial longitudinal foot arch was measured with a Verniper caliper. The ultimate purpose of this study was to evaluate if flatfoot deformity could be utilized as an MPA in ASD. In this cohort of nearly one hundred adults no one fulfilled the predefined criteria of a flatfoot diagnosis but a lower foot arch height was shown in individuals with ASD compared to controls, confirming the clinical impression.
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| 46. |
- Thorup, Emilia, et al.
(författare)
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Less frequent face looking in infancy is related to autism likelihood status but not diagnosis : A study of parent-infant interaction
- 2024
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 115
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundPrevious research suggest that autistic children look less at faces than neurotypically developing children, but this finding is based predominantly on screen-based eye tracking studies, with unfamiliar faces used as stimuli. The aim of the current study was to assess 10-month-olds’ gaze to faces in a more naturalistic context - during free play with a parent - in relation to later autism diagnosis.MethodParents were asked to play with their infant ‘as they usually would’ with a set of toys on the floor. During the first 5 min of play, infant gaze to parent’s face was video coded.ResultsInfants at elevated likelihood of autism (N = 18 with later diagnosis; 46 without later diagnosis), regardless of later diagnostic status, produced fewer gaze shifts towards their parents’ faces than infants at low likelihood of autism (N = 18). Infants in all groups spent only ∼3 % of their time looking at parents’ faces, and there was no group difference in terms of the proportion of time spent looking at faces. There was neither a correlation between infant face looking and scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2, nor between infant face looking and autistic traits in the parent.ConclusionsDuring toy play, all infants – irrespective of later diagnosis – spent very little time looking at parents’ faces. Infants at elevated likelihood of autism made fewer gazes to their parents’ faces than neurotypically developing infants, which could potentially affect opportunities for social learning. The effect was not specifically linked to later autism diagnosis.
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| 47. |
- Vaz, Sharmila, et al.
(författare)
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Co-occurring intellectual disability and autism : Associations with stress, coping, time use, and quality of life in caregivers
- 2021
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 84
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Having a child on the autism spectrum (AS) is known to impact caregiver quality of life (QoL), time use, and stress. A co-occurring diagnosis of intellectual disability (ID) is common among children on the autism spectrum, with ID itself impacting caregiver outcomes. Method: This study sought to understand how co-occurring ID in children on the autism spectrum may influence caregiver-related outcomes. Secondary analysis of survey data from caregivers of 278 children on the autism spectrum with (n = 62) and without (n = 216) co-occurring ID was conducted, exploring impacts on caregiver QoL, stress, coping, and time-use. Results: Univariate analysis showed that caregivers of children on the autism spectrum with cooccurring ID reported greater levels of stress due to core symptoms and co-occurring physical conditions, and had different time use patterns then caregivers of children on the autism spectrum without co-occurring ID. Multivariate analysis, however, showed that caregivers of children on the autism spectrum with and without co-occurring ID differed only in the time they spent preparing meals, socialising with friends and accessing in-home respite care. Conclusions: The presence of co-occurring ID in children on the autism spectrum had limited impacts on caregiver-related outcomes. Families of children across the entire AS require adequate supports.
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| 48. |
- von Hofsten, Claes, et al.
(författare)
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How children with autism look at events
- 2009
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 3:2, s. 556-569
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patterns of eye movements were studied in a group of 10 preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and in two reference groups with typically developing (TD) children, 12 3-year-olds and 12 1-year-olds. Three hypotheses were tested regarding the origins of problems experienced by children with ASD in dynamic situations. The first one stated that the children with ASD have deficient motion perception. The second one stated that children with ASD are deficient in predicting events, and the third one that the roots are to be found in deficient social perception. The results show that the children with ASD tracked moving objects with smooth pursuit and predicted the reappearance of temporarily occluded moving object in the same way as the TD children. Their eye movements, however, revealed deficient social perception. They looked at a video-taped conversation much less than the TD children, they did not predict the onset of the next turn in the conversation, and the fixations on the speakers were shorter. These effects did not appear in a control video with objects taking turns and making sounds in a similar alternating way to the two participants in the conversation.
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| 49. |
- von Hofsten, Claes, 1942-, et al.
(författare)
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What eye movements reveal about autism.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - 1750-9467 .- 1878-0237. ; 3, s. 556-569
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 50. |
- Åsberg, Jakob, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Basic reading skills in high-functioning Swedish children with autism spectrum disorders or attention disorder
- 2008
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Ingår i: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-9467. ; 2, s. 95-109
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been reported to have an early success in reading. Children with attention disorders such as DAMP or ADHD, on the other hand, often struggle acquiring reading skills. The primary aim of the study was two-fold: (a) to compare reading performance of children with ASD, DAMP and typical development; (b) to examine whether memory functions and verbal and performance IQ related differently to the reading performance depending on diagnosis. Striking similarities were found between clinical groups on performance level and patterns of reading ability. Decoding and reading comprehension difficulties were common in both clinical groups relative to the comparison group matched for mental age. There was a strong association between word decoding fluency and sentence reading comprehension in the clinical groups even after the effect of age and VIQ was partialled out. Further research on cognition, linguistic abilities and educational milieu is warranted to explore the reasons for the word decoding difficulties.
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