| 1. |
- Achermann, Sheila, et al.
(författare)
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Updating Expectations about Unexpected Object Motion in Infants Later Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer Nature. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 51:11, s. 4186-4198
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In typical development, infants form predictions about future events based on incoming sensory information, which is essential for perception and goal-directed action. It has been suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make predictions differently compared to neurotypical individuals. We investigated how infants who later received an ASD diagnosis and neurotypical infants react to temporarily occluded moving objects that violate initial expectations about object motion. Our results indicate that infants regardless of clinical outcome react similarly to unexpected object motion patterns, both in terms of gaze shift latencies and pupillary responses. These findings indicate that the ability to update representations about such regularities in light of new information may not differ between typically developing infants and those with later ASD.
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| 2. |
- Afsharnejad, Bahareh, et al.
(författare)
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Cross-cultural adaptation to Australia of the KONTAKT© Social Skills Group Training Program for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder : A feasibility study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 50, s. 4297-4316
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated the feasibility and cultural validity of KONTAKT©, a manualised social skills group training, in improving the social functioning of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). KONTAKT© was delivered to 17 adolescents (mage = 14.09, SDage = 1.43; 70% male) with ASD over sixteen 90 min sessions. A pre-test post-test design evaluated changes in personally meaningful social goals, symptom severity, quality of life, interpersonal efficacy, social anxiety, loneliness, and facial emotion recognition at pre, post and 3 months follow-up. Focus groups were conducted post intervention. Findings indicate that KONTAKT© may support Australian adolescents with ASD in achieving their personally meaningful social goals. This study resulted in finalisation of KONTAKT© in preparation for evaluation of its efficacy in a randomised controlled trial (Australian New Zealand Clinical Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12617001117303, ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03294668).
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| 3. |
- Afsharnejad, B., et al.
(författare)
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“I Met Someone Like Me!” : Autistic Adolescents and Their Parents’ Experience of the KONTAKT® Social Skills Group Training
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 52, s. 1458-1477
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study captured the experiences of 35 autistic adolescents and their parents after completing a 16-session variant of social skills group training KONTAKT® (ACTRN12617001117303). Semi-structured interviews explored participants' and relatives' perceptions of KONTAKT® and associated social outcomes. Adolescents were classified as either high (HR, n = 23) or low (LR, n = 12) responders based on the primary outcome effects during the previous trial. Thematic analysis revealed that both HR and LR participants their parents were satisfied with KONTAKT®, noting consistent patterns of improvement in adolescents' social understanding, communication, relationships, and empowerment, although positive reports were more frequent among HR than LR groups. This study enhances the understanding of the impact of SSGT, which is key in improving their content, principles, and administration.
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| 4. |
- Afsharnejad, Bahareh, et al.
(författare)
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The Methodological Quality and Intervention Fidelity of Randomised Controlled Trials Evaluating Social Skills Group Programs in Autistic Adolescents : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 54, s. 1281-1316
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- A systematic review and meta-analysis were utilised to explore the methodological quality, program fidelity, and efficacy of social skills group programs (SSGPs) aiming to support autistic adolescents in navigating their everyday social worlds. The study evaluated the methodological quality and theoretical fidelity of studies, with a random effect meta-analysis conducted to summarise the overall efficacy of SSGP and its effect on social communication and interaction, behavioural/emotional challenges, adaptive functioning, and autism characteristics. Although findings from the 18 identified studies indicated an adjusted medium overall effect with these programs successfully supporting autistic adolescents’ socialisation needs (g = 0. 60, p < 0.001), most studies demonstrated medium to low program fidelity despite their good methodological quality. Given the significant heterogeneity of SSGPs and variations in the design and measurement frameworks of efficacy studies, understanding the generalisability of the findings of this research is unclear.
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| 5. |
- Agebjorn, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Association Between Autism and PTSD Among Adult Psychiatric Outpatients
- 2024
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) occurs in 1-1.5% of the general population and possibly in up to 20% of psychiatric outpatients. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs at some point in life in 4% of the general population and in 14-20% of psychiatric outpatients. Knowledge about how PTSD manifests in people with ASD is important in order for it to be correctly diagnosed and intervened for.MethodsThis study investigated the relationship between PTSD and autism among adult psychiatric outpatients (N = 90) of whom 63 had ASD or subthreshold ASD based on DSM-5 criteria. The study group was subjected to in-depth psychiatric assessments using validated instruments. Diagnosis of PTSD was made based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).ResultsThere was a trend towards PTSD being more common among participants with ASD compared to participants without ASD, although significant differences could not be shown in this small sample. 21% of the ASD group had current PTSD, compared to 4% of the study group without ASD. There were no differences between the groups regarding exposure to trauma. There was a trend towards a relationship between number of autism symptoms and hyperarousal symptoms in PTSD. Conversely, the PTSD symptom of irritability/outbursts of anger, was significantly associated with number of autism symptoms.ConclusionsA subgroup of psychiatric outpatients with ASD also suffer from PTSD. Hyperarousal symptoms are possibly more prevalent in the presentation of PTSD in individuals/patients with ASD compared to those without ASD.
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| 6. |
- Anderson, Lotta
(författare)
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Schooling for Pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder : Parents' Perspectives
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 50, s. 4356-4366
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The current study, based on a survey of 1799 parents, explored parental perspectives of school absence in relation to approved grades, challenges, demands and obstacles in education for children with autism spectrum disorder. The results revealed a relatively high rate of school absenteeism for reasons other than illness. Girls had higher rates of absenteeism than boys for short durations of absence. Absenteeism was primarily caused by a lack of teacher competence regarding autism and inadequate adaptation of teaching. There were no significant differences between genders in approved grades, but the rate of failure to achieve approved grades was approximately 50%. The most common form of educational support was support from special needs teachers and adapted pedagogy.
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| 7. |
- Bang, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Brief Report : The Broad Autism Phenotype in Swedish Parents of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Conditions
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 52:10, s. 4575-4582
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The broad autism phenotype (BAP) is a set of characteristics often observed in typically developing people with a genetic load for autism, such as parents of autistic children. The Broad Autism Phenotypic Questionnaire (BAPQ) is a 36-item questionnaire developed to identify the BAP in first-degree relatives of autistic people. We translated the BAPQ into Swedish and examined its psychometric properties in a Swedish sample consisting of 45 parents of children with ASC and 74 parents of non-autistic children. We found support for the original 3-factor structure (aloof, pragmatic language and rigid), good internal consistency and convergent validity with the Autism Quotient. Thus, the Swedish BAPQ exhibits acceptable psychometric properties and may be useful for assessing the BAP in non-clinical populations.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Bejnö, Hampus, et al.
(författare)
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From Someone Who May Cause Trouble to Someone You Can Play With : Stakeholders' Perspectives on Preschool Program Quality for Autistic Children
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 52:9, s. 3890-3908
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Sweden, young autistic children typically attend community-based preschool programs, which may not be adapted to their needs. In the current study, stakeholders to autistic children receiving Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention were interviewed following a quasi-randomized study (#NCT03634761) aimed at improving the preschool program quality using the Swedish version of the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS). Stakeholders provided their perceptions and experiences concerning key factors for high quality preschool programs as well as well as their experiences of the abovementioned APERS study. Applying thematic analysis, stakeholder groups differed in what they emphasized, but all highlighted staff’s competence, children’s inclusion and participation, collaboration, and the learning environment as key program areas that had been positively influenced by the APERS-based intervention.
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| 10. |
- Bergman, TH, et al.
(författare)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Group Intervention for Parents of Children with Disabilities (Navigator ACT): An Open Feasibility Trial
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-3432 .- 0162-3257. ; 53:5, s. 1834-1849
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities report high levels of distress, but systematically evaluated interventions are few. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a novel, manualized Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group intervention (Navigator ACT) in a sample of 94 parents of children with disabilities. Feasibility was measured by treatment completion, credibility, and satisfaction, and preliminary outcomes by using self-rating scales administered at the baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The results imply the intervention is feasible in the context of Swedish outpatient habilitation services. A preliminary analysis of the outcome measures suggests that parents experienced significant improvements in well-being. The results indicate that the treatment is feasible and should be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.
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