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Autism recent issues  
Autism RSS feed -- recent issues

Editorial - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Parent and child perspectives on the nature of anxiety in children and young people with autism spectrum disorders: a focus group study - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Anxiety disorders are common among children and young people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Despite growing knowledge about the prevalence, phenomenology and treatment of anxiety disorders, relatively little is understood about the nature and impact of anxiety in this group and little is known about autism-specific factors that may have a role in the increased prevalence of anxiety disorders. In this exploratory study, we report on a series of five focus groups with 17 parents of children and adolescents with ASD and anxiety. Across groups, parents gave strikingly similar descriptions of the triggers and behavioural signs associated with anxiety. Another consistent finding was that many parents reported that their children had great difficulty expressing their worries verbally and most showed their anxiety through changes in their behaviour. The impact of anxiety was reported to often be more substantial than the impact of ASD itself. The implications of the focus group findings are discussed in relation to existing literature.

Verbal ability, social stress, and anxiety in children with Autistic Disorder - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

The aims of this study were to evaluate the physiological stress and anxiety responses in children with autism following completion of a standardized, social-evaluative stressor (Trier Social Stress Test-Child version), document the relationship between verbal ability, stress, and anxiety, and determine the association between stress and anxiety in children with autism and typical development. Results demonstrated the Trier Social Stress Test-Child version to be a benign stressor for children with autism. Lower verbal ability in children with autism did not predict salivary cortisol or anxiety responses. There was a lack of association between stress andanxiety for both groups, highlighting the importance of considering these terms as separate constructs. Clinical implications and the limited utility of the Trier Social Stress Test–Child version in evaluating psychosocial stress in autism are discussed.

Sleep problems in children with autism spectrum problems: a longitudinal population-based study - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

This study examined the prevalence and chronicity of sleep problems in children who manifest problems believed to be typical of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Using data from a longitudinal total population study, symptoms of ASD, insomnia and potential explanatory factors were assessed at ages 7–9 and 11–13. Children were included in a group defined as having Autism Spectrum Problems (ASP) if they scored above a strict threshold on the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). Twenty-eight (0.8%) of 3700 children fulfilled the selected criteria for ASP at both waves, and the prevalence of chronic insomnia was more than ten times higher in these children compared to the controls. Children with ASP developed more sleep problems over time, with an incidence rate at wave 2 of 37.5% compared to 8.6% in the controls. The sleep problems were more persistent over time, with a remission rate of 8.3% compared to 52.4% in the controls. ASP was a strong predictor of sleep problems at wave 2 (OR = 12.44), and while emotional and behavioural problems explained a large proportion of this association, the effect of ASP on insomnia remained significant in the fully adjusted model (OR = 3.25). These findings call for increased awareness of sleep problems in children with ASP.

Shall we do this together? Social gaze influences action control in a comparison group, but not in individuals with high-functioning autism - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Perceiving someone else’s gaze shift toward an object can influence how this object will be manipulated by the observer, suggesting a modulatory effect of a gaze-based social context on action control. High-functioning autism (HFA) is characterized by impairments of social interaction, which may be associated with an inability to automatically integrate socially relevant nonverbal cues when generating actions. To explore these hypotheses, we made use of a stimulus-response compatibility paradigm in which a comparison group and patients with HFA were asked to generate spatially congruent or incongruent motor responses to changes in a face, a face-like and an object stimulus. Results demonstrate that while in the comparison group being looked at by a virtual other leads to a reduction of reaction time costs associated with generating a spatially incongruent response, this effect is not present in the HFA group. We suggest that this modulatory effect of social gaze on action control might play an important role in direct social interactions by helping to coordinate one’s actions with those of someone else. Future research should focus on these implicit mechanisms of interpersonal alignment (‘online’ social cognition), which might be at the very heart of the difficulties individuals with autism experience in everyday social encounters.

Early indicators of autism spectrum disorders at 12 and 24 months of age: A prospective, longitudinal comparative study - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Prospective questionnaire data from a longitudinal population sample on children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental delay, specific language impairment, or typical development (TD), were collected at ages eight, 12 and 24 months, via the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scale Developmental Profile (CSBS) – Infant Toddler Checklist, and the Actions and Gesture section of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI):Words and Gestures. The four groups were compared at four years of age to identify whether any early behaviours differentiated the groups. While children with ASD differed from TD children on most social communicative measures by 12 months of age, the only social communication characteristic which could differentiate the children with ASD from the other groups were gesture scores on the CDI at 12 months and the CSBS at 24 months. Significant markers of ASD were identifiable in this community sample at an early age, although discrimination between clinical groups was rarely evident.

Psychometric properties of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) among caregivers of children with autism - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) among caregivers of children with autism. The CGSQ was originally developed to assess burden experienced by parents of children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral disorders. Study data was collected from 304 primary caregivers ofchildren with autism using a cross-sectional survey design. We tested the one-, two-, and three-factor CGSQ model. Though the three-factor CGSQ model fit better than the one- and two-factor model, it was still short of an acceptable fit. Minor modifications were made to the three-factor model by correlating error terms. The modified three-factor CGSQ model with correlated error indicated reasonable fit with the data. The 21-item CGSQ had good convergent validity, as indicated by the correlation of its three subscales with constructs including mental health-related quality of life, maladaptive coping, social support, family functioning, and care recipient level of functional impairment and extent of behavioral problems, respectively. The internal consistency reliability of the instrument was also good, and there were no floor and ceiling effects. The CGSQ was found to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess burden among caregivers of children with autism.

The association of autism diagnosis with socioeconomic status - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Background: In 2007 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a higher prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in New Jersey, one of the wealthiest states in the United States, than in other surveillance regions.

Objective: To examine the association of socioeconomic status (SES) with ASD prevalence.

Methods: Information on eight-year-olds with ASD from four counties was abstracted from school and medical records. US Census 2000 provided population and median household income data.

Results: 586 children with ASD were identified: autism prevalence was 10.2/1000, higher in boys than girls (16 vs. 4/1000); higher in white and Asian non-Hispanics than in black non-Hispanics and Hispanics (12.5, 14.0, 9.0, and 8.5/1000, respectively); and higher (17.2/1000 (95% CI 14.0–21.1)) in tracts with median income >US$90,000 than in tracts with median income ≤US$30,000 (7.1 (95% CI 5.7–8.9)). Number of professional evaluations was higher, and age at diagnosis younger, in higher income tracts (p < .001), but both measures spanned a wide overlapping range in all SES levels. In multivariable models race/ethnicity did not predict ASD, but the prevalence ratio was 2.2 (95% CI 1.5–3.1) when comparing highest with lowest income tracts.

Conclusions: In the US state of New Jersey, ASD prevalence is higher in wealthier census tracts, perhaps due to differential access to pediatric and developmental services.

Lay Abstracts - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Call for Papers - 2012-03-15T07:36:41-07:00

Editorial - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

A national study of the prevalence of autism among five-year-old children in Iran - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

In Iran, more than 1.3 million five-year olds have been screened for autism over three academic years, with the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is used to confirm a diagnosis of typical autism. The resulting prevalence of 6.26 per 10,000 for typical autism is in line with rates for certain countries but is lower than those reported recently for some Western nations. This may be due to the younger age range assessed but the suitability of the tools and aspects of Iranian culture could be other reasons for the lower prevalence. International comparisons of prevalence rates is fraught with difficulties, but it is a valuable endeavour as it can identify issues around cultural and societal perceptions of children’s development.

Buried by autism: older parents' perceptions of autism - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

In this study, we explored older parents’ perceptions of their adult sons and daughters with autism in order to gain insights into how parents’ beliefs about autism may influence their coping. Narrative analysis of in-depth interviews held with 16 parents aged 60 years and older of adults with autism revealed that these parents perceived that their son’s or daughter’s intelligence, sense of humour and social personality are blocked by autism. Adherence to these beliefs appeared to comprise important coping strategies that supported these parents in their caregiving roles by assisting them to maintain positive perceptions of their son or daughter with autism. Yet such beliefs also held costs for the parents, including reinforcing the belief that they need to regulate their own behaviour in order to realize the true son or daughter buried by autism.

The impact of the Advancing Social-communication And Play (ASAP) intervention on preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

This study evaluates an intervention targeting social-communication and play skills (Advancing Social-communication And Play; ASAP) implemented by school staff in a public preschool setting. With increases in enrollment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in school systems, establishing the effectiveness and feasibility of interventions implemented in school settings is important. In clinical settings, interventions targeting social-communication and play behaviors have increased these skills and impacted later language abilities. Results of this single-case design study indicated the ASAP intervention had a positive impact on social-communication and play skills for three preschoolers with ASD. All participants showed either increases in frequency or more stability in targeted behaviors. Social validity results provide additional support for the use of ASAP with preschoolers with ASD.

Creativity in savant artists with autism - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display impairments in creativity, yet savant artists with ASD are reported to produce highly novel and original artistic outputs. To explore this paradox, we assessed nine savant artists with ASD, nine talented art students, nine non-artistically talented individuals with ASD, and nine individuals with mild/moderate learning difficulties (MLD) on tasks in and out of their domain of expertise. This was to ascertain whether the performance of the savant artists was related to their artistic ability, their diagnosis of ASD or their level of intellectual functioning. Results demonstrated that the responses of the art students were more creative (as assessed on measures of fluency, originality, elaboration, and flexibility) than the savant, ASD, and MLD groups on a drawing task. Although the savants did produce more elaborative responses than the ASD and MLD groups, no differences were observed on the other indices of creativity. On a non-drawing task, the savants produced more original outputs than the ASD and MLD groups (scoring similarly to the art students), but group differences were not observed on the other measures.

Attentional status of faces for people with autism spectrum disorder - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the role of attention in the processing of social stimuli in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Research has demonstrated that, for typical adults, faces have a special status in attention and are processed in an automatic and mandatory fashion even when participants attempt to ignore them. Under conditions of high load in a selective attention task, when irrelevant stimuli are usually not processed, typical adults continue to process distractor faces. Although there is evidence of a lack of attentional bias towards faces in ASD, there has been no direct test of whether faces are processed automatically using the distractor-face paradigm.

In the present study 16 typical adults and 16 adults with ASD performed selective attention tasks with face and musical instrument distractors. The results indicated that even when the load of the central task was high, typical adults continued to be distracted by irrelevant face stimuli, whereas individuals with ASD were able to ignore them. In the equivalent non-social task, distractors had no effect at high load for either group. The results suggest that faces are processed in an automatic and mandatory fashion in typical adults but not in adults with ASD.

Hidden communicative competence: Case study evidence using eye-tracking and video analysis - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

A facilitated communication (FC) user with an autism spectrum disorder produced sophisticated texts by pointing, with physical support, to letters on a letterboard while their eyes were tracked and while their pointing movements were video recorded. This FC user has virtually no independent means of expression, and is held to have no literacy skills. The resulting data were subjected to a variety of analyses aimed at describing the relationship between the FC user’s looking and pointing behaviours, in order to make inferences about the complex question of ‘authorship’. The eye-tracking data present a challenge to traditional ‘facilitator influence’ accounts of authorship, and are consistent with the proposition that this FC user does indeed author the sophisticated texts that are attributed to him; he looks for longer at to-be-typed letters before typing them, and looks ahead to subsequent letters of words before the next letter of the word is typed.

Do sheltered workshops enhance employment outcomes for adults with autism spectrum disorder? - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

This study investigated whether sheltered workshops help prepare individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for competitive employment within the community. Two groups of individuals were compared: (a) 215 supported employees who were in sheltered workshops prior to entering supported employment and (b) 215 supported employees who were not in sheltered workshops. Individuals from both groups were matched based on their primary diagnosis, secondary diagnosis (if present), and gender. Results showed that there were no differences in rates of employment between these two groups. However, individuals who participated in sheltered workshops earned significantly less (US$129.36 versus US$191.42 per week), and cost significantly more to serve (US$6,065.08 versus US$2,440.60), than their non-sheltered workshop peers. Results presented here suggest that individuals with ASD achieve better vocational outcomes if they do not participate in sheltered workshops prior to enrolling in supported employment.

Lay Abstracts - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice - 2012-02-21T03:18:34-08:00

Editorial - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

Emotion regulation and internalizing symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

The aim of this study was to examine the unique contribution of two aspects of emotion regulation (awareness and coping) to the development of internalizing problems in 11-year-old high-functioning children with an autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) and a control group, and the moderating effect of group membership on this. The results revealed overlap between the two groups, but also significant differences, suggesting a more fragmented emotion regulation pattern in children with HFASD, especially related to worry and rumination. Moreover, in children with HFASD, symptoms of depression were unrelated to positive mental coping strategies and the conviction that the emotion experience helps in dealing with the problem, suggesting that a positive approach to the problem and its subsequent emotion experience are less effective in the HFASD group.

A comparison of the trait emotional intelligence profiles of individuals with and without Asperger syndrome - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

The extent to which the socioemotional impairments of Asperger syndrome (AS) might be extreme manifestations of individual differences within the general population remains under-explored. We compared the trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) profiles of 30 individuals with AS against the profiles of 43 group-matched controls using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). Participants with AS scored significantly lower than controls on 12 of the 15 TEIQue facets (_p ² = 0.09 to 0.49) as well as on all four factors and the global score of the construct (_p ² = 0.07 to 0.41). There was a significant main effect of gender, with men generally scoring higher than women. Results are discussed from the perspective of trait EI theory, with emphasis on its implications for the socioemotional impairments associated with AS.

College students on the autism spectrum: Prevalence and associated problems - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

As more young people are identified with autism spectrum diagnoses without co-occurring intellectual disability (i.e. high-functioning autism spectrum disorder; HFASD), it is imperative that we begin to study the needs of this population. We sought to gain a preliminary estimate of the scope of the problem and to examine psychiatric risks associated HFASD symptoms in university students. In a large sample (n = 667), we examined prevalence of ASD in students at a single university both diagnostically and dimensionally, and surveyed students on other behavioral and psychiatric problems. Dependent upon the ascertainment method, between .7 per cent and 1.9 per cent of college students could meet criteria for HFASD. Of special interest, none of the students who were found to meet diagnostic criteria (n = 5) formally for HFASD in this study had been previously diagnosed. From a dimensional perspective, those students scoring above the clinical threshold for symptoms of autism (n = 13) self-reported more problems with social anxiety than a matched comparison group of students with lower autism severity scores. In addition, symptoms of HFASD were significantly correlated with symptoms of social anxiety, as well as depression and aggression. Findings demonstrate the importance of screening for autism-related impairment among university students.

Blame and forgiveness judgements among children, adolescents and adults with autism - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

We compared the capacity of children, adolescents and adults with and without autism to use (a) intent and severity of consequences information for attributing blame to an offender, and (b) intent and apologies information for inferring willingness to forgive. Participants were presented with two sets of six scenarios obtained by combination of intent and severity (or apology) information, and instructed to indicate appropriate levels of blame (or willingness to forgive). In the blame condition, persons with autism were able to consistently use intent information but not to the same degree as their comparison counterparts. In the forgiveness condition, intent was not taken into account for judging by persons with autism, irrespective of their age.

Validation of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire, Mandarin Chinese Version (CH-ASSQ) in Beijing, China - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

Background: This study screened children in Beijing, China, in order to establish the validity of a Mandarin Chinese translation of the ASSQ.

Methods: We recruited children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) (DSM-IV diagnoses made independently by two senior psychiatrists) and unaffected children attending a public school in Beijing. Their parents were asked to complete the CH-ASSQ.

Results: Data from the parents of 94 children with ASD (mean age: 81 ± 47 months), 45 with ADHD (106 ± 27 months), 26 with COS (166 ± 36 months), and 120 unaffected control (72 ± 16 months) were collected. The total scores of ASSQ in children with ASD, ADHD, COS, and unaffected controls were 25.3 ± 9.2, 10.4 ± 7.1, 12.2 ± 10.6, and 5.2 ± 6.6 respectively. Total ASSQ scores of children with ASD were significantly higher than in any other group (all p < .0001). ROC analysis of ASD versus unaffected control subjects showed the area under curve was 0.957, with a cutoff of 12 having the maximum sensitivity (0.957) and specificity (0.825).

Conclusions: Our pilot data suggest that CH-ASSQ successfully differentiates clinically diagnosed ASD patients from unaffected controls, as well as from patients with ADHD and COS. The instrument might therefore be useful for screening for ASD in urban Mandarin Chinese-speaking populations.

Cerebellar dysfunction, cognitive flexibility and autistic traits in a non-clinical sample - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

Cerebellar dysfunction and impaired cognitive flexibility are key features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, despite the increasing interest in subclinical autism, no research has yet examined the relationship between these signs and autistic traits in the wider population. This study used the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire to assess autistic traits in university students enrolled in either systems-oriented or humanities degree programmes. Participants also completed a battery of motor tasks designed to assess cerebellar function, and subscales from the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) battery. Students enrolled in systems-oriented degrees had on average higher AQ scores than students enrolled in humanities degrees. The data showed a significant correlation between autistic traits and motor function scores, as well as between autistic traits and verbal set-shifting ability, as assessed on the D-KEFS. These data provide support for the autistic spectrum hypothesis, in indicating that key cognitive, neurological and behavioural features of autism carry over into non-clinical populations.

Minor physical anomalies in children with autism spectrum disorders - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

Objective: There is clinical heterogeneity among the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The presence of dysmorphology (minor physical anomalies; MPAs) is one possible tool for defining a clinically relevant subset in ASD. This study employs an adaptation of Miles and Hillman’s (2000) classifications by using photographs to identify a subgroup with significant dysmorphology among children with ASD, typical development (TYP), and developmental delay (DD). Method: Children with ASD, DD, and TYP between 2 and 5 years old were part of the CHARGE Study. Pediatric specialists blinded to diagnostic group classified photographs based on the number of MPAs present: ‘dysmorphic’ if >3 and ‘nondysmorphic’ if <3 MPAs. Results: Photographs for 324 children were included. Significantly more children with ASD were classified as dysmorphic compared to TYP children (p = .007). In children with ASD, seizures were more prevalent in those rated dysmorphic (p = .005). Frequencies were similar between ASD versus DD (p = .19) after removing those with known syndromes. Conclusion: Photographic assessment can be used to detect generalized dysmorphology in children who are often difficult to examine. This has clinical relevance, as children with multiple MPAs can be identified through the use of photographs and prioritized for investigation of brain abnormalities and underlying genetic disorders.

Lay abstracts - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

Call for Papers - 2012-01-18T02:26:15-08:00

Editorial - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

Validity of DSM-IV syndromes in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

Behavior and emotional problems are often present in very young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) but their nosology has been the object of scant empirical attention. The objective of this study was to assess the construct validity of select Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—defined syndromes (ADHD, ODD, Mood disorder) in preschoolers with ASD (N = 229). Parents and teachers completed the Early Childhood Inventory—4, a behavior rating scale based on the DSM-IV, and ratings were submitted to confirmatory factor analysis. Results generally supported the DSM nosology in this population. There was some evidence that parent ratings were associated with better fit indices (e.g. RSMEA = .062) than teachers (e.g. RMSEA = .083). For both raters, fit indices appeared to improve when the ADHD factor was broken into its constituent parts. However, hyperactivity symptoms accounted for little unique additional variance in the model. Findings lend support to the DSM as a conceptual model for behavioral syndromes in preschoolers with ASDs and also reinforce the importance of source-specificity when considering psychiatric disorders in children with ASDs.

Longitudinal changes in Scores on the Autism Diagnostic Interview--Revised (ADI-R) in pre-school children with autism: Implications for diagnostic classification and symptom stability - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

We prospectively examined mean changes in Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised (ADI-R) Total and Domains scores and stability of the ADI-R diagnostic classification in 28 children with autism initially assessed at age 2—4 years and reassessed 2 years later. Mean Total, Social Interaction, and Communication scores decreased significantly from Time 1 to Time 2 Restricted/repetitive Domain mean scores did not change over time. The ADI-R diagnostic classification was stable in 67% of children using the current published criteria. The stability increased to 78% when a modified criterion was used in the Restricted/repetitive Domain and to 88% when the broader ASD criteria were used. Among pre-schoolers with autism, parent-reported symptoms decreased significantly at two-year follow-up in Social and Communication Domains but not in the Restricted/repetitive Domain. However, ADI-R diagnostic classification remained relatively stable over time. Revising ADI-R diagnostic criteria in the Restricted/repetitive Domain or including the broader ASD criteria may improve its sensitivity and diagnostic stability in younger children.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of DIR/FloortimeTM parent training intervention for pre-school children with autistic spectrum disorders - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

This pilot study was designed to test the efficacy of adding home-based Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR)/Floortime™ intervention to the routine care of preschool children with autistic spectrum disorder. Measures of functional emotional development and symptom severity were taken. It was found that after the parents added home-based DIR/Floortime™ intervention at an average of 15.2 hours/week for three months, the intervention group made significantly greater gains in all three measures employed in the study: Functional Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS) (F = 5.1, p = .031), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (F = 2.1, p = .002), and the Functional Emotional Questionnaires (F = 6.8, p = .006). This study confirms the positive results obtained by a previous DIR pilot study (Solomon et al., 2007).

The daily lives of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder: Discretionary time use and activity partners - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

This study explores the daily lives, particularly discretionary time, of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We describe the activities and activity partners of adolescents, the factors associated with their discretionary time use, and the impact of time use on their autism symptoms. Mothers of 103 adolescents with an ASD completed two 24-hour time diaries to describe their adolescent’s activity participation during the third wave of a longitudinal study. Adolescents with an ASD spent considerable time in discretionary activities, with watching television and using a computer as the most frequent activities. They most frequently spent discretionary time alone or with their mothers. They spent little time engaged in conversations or doing activities with peers. Age, gender, the presence of intellectual disability, severity of autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors, the number of siblings, maternal education, marital status, and family income were associated with adolescent time use. Notably, greater time spent in conversation and reading predicted future decreases in severity of social impairment. The way that adolescents with an ASD spend their free time may have implications for their development and the course of their autism symptoms.

An investigation into social information processing in young people with Asperger syndrome - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

Deficits in social functioning are a core feature of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), being linked to various cognitive and developmental factors, but there has been little attempt to draw on normative models of social cognition to understand social behaviour in ASD. The current study explored the utility of Crick and Dodge’s (1994) information processing model to studying social cognition in ASD, and examined associations between social information processing patterns, theory of mind skills and social functioning. A matched-group design compared young people with Asperger syndrome with typically developing peers, using a social information processing interview previously designed for this purpose. The Asperger syndrome group showed significantly different patterns of information processing at the intent attribution, response generation and response evaluation stages of the information processing model. Theory of mind skills were found to be significantly associated with parental ratings of peer problems in the Asperger syndrome group but not with parental ratings of pro-social behaviour, with only limited evidence of an association between social information processing and measures of theory of mind and social functioning. Overall, the study supports the use of normative social information processing approaches to understanding social functioning in ASD.

Inclusion for toddlers with autism spectrum disorders: The first ten years of a community program - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00

The present quasi-experimental study examines the outcomes for a group of 102 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at age 2 who attended an inclusive toddler program (described by Stahmer and Ingersoll, 2004) until age 3. Outcomes on standardized developmental assessments indicate significant improvement, with large effect sizes, in developmental level, adaptive behavior and communication. Thirty-one of the children (31%) were functioning in the typically developing range when they exited the program at age 3, after an average of 8 months of intervention. Predictors of positive outcomes included length of time in the program, level of words and gestures use at entry and higher externalizing and lower internalizing behavior CBCL scores at entry. Implications for serving toddlers with autism in inclusive settings and suggestions for future research directions are discussed.

Lay abstracts - 2011-10-18T06:39:42-07:00