scholarly journals Stronger Associations Between Sleep and Mental Health in Adults with Autism: A UK Biobank Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Henderson ◽  
M. St Clair ◽  
V. Knowland ◽  
E. van Rijn ◽  
S. Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Sleep Efficiency ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Adults With Asd

AbstractThis study examined sleep and its cognitive and affective correlates in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD), utilizing UK Biobank data. There were no group differences in subjective sleep duration [n = 220 ASD; n = 2200 general population (GP)]. Accelerometer measures of sleep duration or nighttime activity did not differ by group, but sleep efficiency was marginally lower in ASD (n = 83 ASD; n = 824 GP). Sleep efficiency was associated with wellbeing and mental health, and pathways between accelerometer sleep measures and wellbeing and mental health were significantly stronger for adults with ASD (who also reported substantially poorer wellbeing and > 5 × likelihood of experiencing mental distress). These findings highlight the need to monitor sleep to maintain good mental health in adult ASD.

Effects of A Gamified, Behavior Change Techniques-Based Mobile Application on Increasing Physical Activity and Reducing Anxiety in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Preliminary Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daehyoung Lee ◽  
Georgia C Frey ◽  
Donetta J Cothran ◽  
Jaroslaw Harezlak ◽  
Patrick C Shih
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Sedentary Time ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Behavior Change Techniques ◽  
Adults With Asd

BACKGROUND Physical activity (PA) has an impact on physical and mental health in neurotypical populations, and addressing these variables may improve the prevalent burden of anxiety in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Gamified mobile applications using behavior change techniques (BCTs) present a promising way to increase PA and reduce sedentary time, thus reducing anxiety in adults with ASD. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to compare the efficacy of a gamified and BCTs-based mobile application, PuzzleWalk vs. a commercially available application Google Fit (Google LLC, CA) on increasing PA and reducing sedentary time as an adjunct anxiety treatment for this population. METHODS Twenty-four adults with ASD were assigned to either PuzzleWalk or Google Fit group for five weeks, using a covariate adaptive randomization design. Physical activity and anxiety were assessed over 7 days at three different data collection periods (i.e., baseline, intervention start, intervention end) using triaxial accelerometers and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Group differences in outcome variables were assessed by repeated measures ANCOVA adjusting for age, sex, and BMI. RESULTS Findings indicated that PuzzleWalk group spent a significantly larger amount of time for application use compared to Google Fit group (F 2, 38 = 5.07, p = 0.011, partial η2 = 0.21) while anxiety was unfavorably associated with increases in light PA and decreases in sedentary time after intervention (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Additional research is needed to clarify the determinants of physical and mental health as well as their interrelationship in adults with ASD. In addition, more research is needed to identify the factors that facilitate the use and adoption of mobile health technology in these individuals. The small, albeit insignificant, changes in PA and/or anxiety may be of clinical significance to adults with ASD. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

scholarly journals Modified CBT for social anxiety and social functioning in young adults with autism spectrum disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily R. Bemmer ◽  
Kelsie A. Boulton ◽  
Emma E. Thomas ◽  
Ben Larke ◽  
Suncica Lah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Adolescents And Adults ◽  
Adults With Asd ◽  
Young Adults With Asd

Abstract Background There is a strong research imperative to investigate effective treatment options for adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Elevated social anxiety, difficulties with social functioning and poor mental health have all been identified as core treatment targets for this group. While theoretical models posit a strong bidirectionality between social anxiety and ASD social functioning deficits, few interventions have targeted both domains concurrently. Of the two group interventions previously conducted with adolescents and adults with ASD, significant results have only been observed in either social anxiety or social functioning, and have not generalised to changes in overall mood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential benefit, tolerability and acceptability of a group cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) intervention in young adults with ASD. Primary treatment outcomes were social anxiety symptoms and social functioning difficulties; secondary outcomes were self-reported mood and overall distress. Method Ten groups of participants completed an eight-week, modified group CBT intervention targeting both social anxiety and social functioning, that included social skills training, exposure tasks and behavioural experiment components. Seventy-eight adolescents and young adults with ASD, without intellectual impairment, aged between 16 and 38 (M = 22.77; SD = 5.31), were recruited from the community, Headspace centres and the Autism Clinic for Translational Research at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney. Outcomes (social anxiety, social functioning and mood) were measured pre- and post-intervention via self-report questionnaires (administered either online or through the return of hard-copy booklets), and participants were invited to provide anonymous feedback on the intervention (at the mid-point and end of the intervention). Results Participants demonstrated statistically significant improvements on all outcome measures in response to the intervention. Specifically, social anxiety symptoms decreased (p < .001), and specific subdomains of social functioning improved post-intervention, particularly in social motivation (p = .032) and restricted interests and repetitive behaviours (p = .025). Self-reported symptom improvements also generalised to mood (depression, anxiety and stress; p < .05). All improvements demonstrated small effect sizes. Participant feedback was positive and indicated strong satisfaction with the program. Limitations The absence of a control group and follow-up measures, reliance on self-report instruments as outcome measures and the exclusion of those with intellectual disability represent significant limitations to this study. Conclusions These findings indicate that a group CBT intervention appears to be a beneficial intervention for self-reported social anxiety, social functioning and overall mental health in adolescents and young adults with ASD. The stand-alone nature of the intervention combined with positive participant feedback indicates it was well tolerated, has potential clinical utility and warrants further study in a randomised-controlled, follow-up design.

scholarly journals Age at onset of mental disorders worldwide: large-scale meta-analysis of 192 epidemiological studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Solmi ◽  
Joaquim Radua ◽  
Miriam Olivola ◽  
Enrico Croce ◽  
Livia Soardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Significant Difference

AbstractPromotion of good mental health, prevention, and early intervention before/at the onset of mental disorders improve outcomes. However, the range and peak ages at onset for mental disorders are not fully established. To provide robust, global epidemiological estimates of age at onset for mental disorders, we conducted a PRISMA/MOOSE-compliant systematic review with meta-analysis of birth cohort/cross-sectional/cohort studies, representative of the general population, reporting age at onset for any ICD/DSM-mental disorders, identified in PubMed/Web of Science (up to 16/05/2020) (PROSPERO:CRD42019143015). Co-primary outcomes were the proportion of individuals with onset of mental disorders before age 14, 18, 25, and peak age at onset, for any mental disorder and across International Classification of Diseases 11 diagnostic blocks. Median age at onset of specific disorders was additionally investigated. Across 192 studies (n = 708,561) included, the proportion of individuals with onset of any mental disorders before the ages of 14, 18, 25 were 34.6%, 48.4%, 62.5%, and peak age was 14.5 years (k = 14, median = 18, interquartile range (IQR) = 11–34). For diagnostic blocks, the proportion of individuals with onset of disorder before the age of 14, 18, 25 and peak age were as follows: neurodevelopmental disorders: 61.5%, 83.2%, 95.8%, 5.5 years (k = 21, median=12, IQR = 7–16), anxiety/fear-related disorders: 38.1%, 51.8%, 73.3%, 5.5 years (k = 73, median = 17, IQR = 9–25), obsessive-compulsive/related disorders: 24.6%, 45.1%, 64.0%, 14.5 years (k = 20, median = 19, IQR = 14–29), feeding/eating disorders/problems: 15.8%, 48.1%, 82.4%, 15.5 years (k = 11, median = 18, IQR = 15–23), conditions specifically associated with stress disorders: 16.9%, 27.6%, 43.1%, 15.5 years (k = 16, median = 30, IQR = 17–48), substance use disorders/addictive behaviours: 2.9%, 15.2%, 48.8%, 19.5 years (k = 58, median = 25, IQR = 20–41), schizophrenia-spectrum disorders/primary psychotic states: 3%, 12.3%, 47.8%, 20.5 years (k = 36, median = 25, IQR = 20–34), personality disorders/related traits: 1.9%, 9.6%, 47.7%, 20.5 years (k = 6, median = 25, IQR = 20–33), and mood disorders: 2.5%, 11.5%, 34.5%, 20.5 years (k = 79, median = 31, IQR = 21–46). No significant difference emerged by sex, or definition of age of onset. Median age at onset for specific mental disorders mapped on a time continuum, from phobias/separation anxiety/autism spectrum disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/social anxiety (8-13 years) to anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa/obsessive-compulsive/binge eating/cannabis use disorders (17-22 years), followed by schizophrenia, personality, panic and alcohol use disorders (25-27 years), and finally post-traumatic/depressive/generalized anxiety/bipolar/acute and transient psychotic disorders (30-35 years), with overlap among groups and no significant clustering. These results inform the timing of good mental health promotion/preventive/early intervention, updating the current mental health system structured around a child/adult service schism at age 18.

scholarly journals Implicit Semantic Processing of Linguistic and Non-linguistic Stimuli in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emme O’Rourke ◽  
Emily L. Coderre
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Priming Task ◽  
Adults With Asd

AbstractWhile many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience difficulties with language processing, non-linguistic semantic processing may be intact. We examined neural responses to an implicit semantic priming task by comparing N400 responses—an event-related potential related to semantic processing—in response to semantically related or unrelated pairs of words or pictures. Adults with ASD showed larger N400 responses than typically developing adults for pictures, but no group differences occurred for words. However, we also observed complex modulations of N400 amplitude by age and by level of autistic traits. These results offer important implications for how groups are delineated and compared in autism research.

scholarly journals Neuropsychiatric profile and psychotropic medication use in adults with autism spectrum disorder: results from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Adults with Autism

BJPsych Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 461-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael C. Cvejic ◽  
Samuel R. C. Arnold ◽  
Kitty-Rose Foley ◽  
Julian N. Trollor
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Psychotropic Medication ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adults With Asd

BackgroundChildren and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are a highly medicated group. Few studies have examined the neuropsychiatric profile and patterns of psychotropic medication use among adults with ASD.AimsTo describe and compare the neuropsychiatric profile and psychotropic medication use in a cohort of adults with ASD and non-autistic controls.MethodBaseline data from a survey-based, longitudinal study of adults with ASD in Australia. Participants were 188 adults with ASD and 115 controls aged 25–80 years.ResultsASD was associated with increased odds of psychotropic medication use even when controlling for the presence of any neurological or psychiatric disorder. There were no corresponding indications for 14.4% of psychotropic medications prescribed to adults with ASD.ConclusionsThis study found substantial psychotropic prescribing for adults with ASD. Patterns of psychotropic medication use may reflect prescribing for behavioural indications despite limited evidence to support this practice.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Effects of Dog-Assisted Therapy on the Physical Function and Communication Skills of Adults with Autism: A Study Protocol for a Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10650
Author(s):  
Isabel Gómez-Calcerrada ◽  
Ana Myriam Lavín-Pérez ◽  
Santos Villafaina ◽  
Juan Carlos Rueda-Rubio ◽  
Beatriz Rivera-Martín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Adults With Asd ◽  
Gait Posture

Background and Objectives: Despite the scientific evidence of the positive effects of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is not still considered an evidence-based practice for this population. The proposed study will aim to evaluate the effects of a dog-assisted therapy program on gait, posture, and communication skills. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 adults with ASD will participate in this non-randomized controlled trial. The experimental group will involve 12 participants who will receive AAT for 10 weeks, at two sessions per week. The focus of these sessions will be conducting different activities and physical exercises, facilitated by dogs. The control group will receive treatment as usual. The outcome measures will be the ability to walk and climbing stairs, balance, risk of falls and communication skills. Conclusions: The role of dogs as facilitators of the movement may lead to relevant benefits in the gait, posture and communication skills of adults with ASD, improving their ability to perform activities of daily living.

scholarly journals Association of accelerometer-derived sleep measures with lifetime psychiatric diagnoses: A cross-sectional study of 89,205 participants from the UK Biobank

PLoS Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. e1003782
Author(s):  
Michael Wainberg ◽  
Samuel E. Jones ◽  
Lindsay Melhuish Beaupre ◽  
Sean L. Hill ◽  
Daniel Felsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Efficiency ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Polygenic Risk ◽  
The Uk

Background Sleep problems are both symptoms of and modifiable risk factors for many psychiatric disorders. Wrist-worn accelerometers enable objective measurement of sleep at scale. Here, we aimed to examine the association of accelerometer-derived sleep measures with psychiatric diagnoses and polygenic risk scores in a large community-based cohort. Methods and findings In this post hoc cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank cohort, 10 interpretable sleep measures—bedtime, wake-up time, sleep duration, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, duration of longest sleep bout, number of naps, and variability in bedtime and sleep duration—were derived from 7-day accelerometry recordings across 89,205 participants (aged 43 to 79, 56% female, 97% self-reported white) taken between 2013 and 2015. These measures were examined for association with lifetime inpatient diagnoses of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder/mania, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders from any time before the date of accelerometry, as well as polygenic risk scores for major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Covariates consisted of age and season at the time of the accelerometry recording, sex, Townsend deprivation index (an indicator of socioeconomic status), and the top 10 genotype principal components. We found that sleep pattern differences were ubiquitous across diagnoses: each diagnosis was associated with a median of 8.5 of the 10 accelerometer-derived sleep measures, with measures of sleep quality (for instance, sleep efficiency) generally more affected than mere sleep duration. Effect sizes were generally small: for instance, the largest magnitude effect size across the 4 diagnoses was β = −0.11 (95% confidence interval −0.13 to −0.10, p = 3 × 10−56, FDR = 6 × 10−55) for the association between lifetime inpatient major depressive disorder diagnosis and sleep efficiency. Associations largely replicated across ancestries and sexes, and accelerometry-derived measures were concordant with self-reported sleep properties. Limitations include the use of accelerometer-based sleep measurement and the time lag between psychiatric diagnoses and accelerometry. Conclusions In this study, we observed that sleep pattern differences are a transdiagnostic feature of individuals with lifetime mental illness, suggesting that they should be considered regardless of diagnosis. Accelerometry provides a scalable way to objectively measure sleep properties in psychiatric clinical research and practice, even across tens of thousands of individuals.

Employment Training for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
pp. 196-222
Author(s):  
David W. Test ◽  
Debra G. Holzberg ◽  
Kelly Clark ◽  
Misty Terrell ◽  
Dana E. Rusher
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Employment Outcomes ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Young Adults With Autism ◽  
Employment Rates ◽  
Adults With Asd

Despite legislation to improve post-school outcomes for young adults with autism spectrum disorder, they experience poorer employment outcomes than their peers without disabilities. Data indicate persons with ASD experience lower employment rates, earn less money, work fewer hours, are less engaged in their communities, and live independently less frequently than their peers without disabilities. Furthermore, the earnings of individuals with ASD lag behind earnings of their peers both with and without disabilities. In order to help improve employment outcomes for youth with ASD, this chapter describes the characteristics contributing to employment of individuals with ASD, the factors influencing employment of individuals with ASD, and the research related to evidence-based practices for young adults with ASD.

Use of a Videoconferencing Intervention and Systematic Hierarchy to Teach Daily Living Skills to Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
pp. 109830072092121
Author(s):  
Katerina Ford ◽  
Mian Wang ◽  
Lynn Kern Koegel ◽  
Robert L. Koegel ◽  
Andrew Fedders
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
Behavior Outcomes ◽  
Living Skills ◽  
Adults With Asd ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Given the increasing number of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a critical need to develop programs that facilitate positive behavior outcomes during the transition to adulthood. Furthermore, many adults with ASD do not have access to intervention programs due to remote locations, lack of qualified personnel, and/or long waitlists. This study, conducted within the context of a combined multiple baseline and changing criterion design, examined the use of videoconferencing (VC) to provide intervention from a remote location. Results showed that following intervention participants were able to independently perform the targeted skills and all targeted skills maintained during follow-up probes. All participants rated the intervention highly and said that they would recommend the intervention to others. These results are discussed in relation to potential avenues to increase access to services for individuals with ASD, particularly in remote and underserved areas, using VC.

Social Skills Instruction, Online Modules, and Telecoaching to Develop Planning Skills of Young Adults With Autism

2020 ◽  
pp. 016264342092418
Author(s):  
Leslie Ann Bross ◽  
Jonathan M. Huffman ◽  
Emma K. Watson ◽  
Howard P. Wills ◽  
Rose A. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Small Group Instruction ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Group Instruction ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Social Skills Instruction ◽  
Adults With Asd

This study examined the efficacy of an intervention package consisting of small group instruction, online instructional modules, and telecoaching to increase planning skills of eight young adults (ages 17–26) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other related neurological disorders. Telecoaching sessions used existing video conference platforms (e.g., FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom) with young adults as the direct recipients of the coaching. The primary dependent variable was number of planning steps described on fictional vignettes, and a supplementary dependent variable was self-reported participation in weekly social activities. A multiple baseline across participants design with participants assigned to three cohorts was utilized. Results indicated all participants increased knowledge of steps required to plan activities. However, implementation of the planned activities varied with minimal gains demonstrated by five of the eight participants. Implications for practice and research related to technology-based interventions to increase social engagement of young adults with ASD is discussed.

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