scholarly journals Extreme Demand Avoidance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Refinement of a Caregiver-Report Measure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth O’Nions ◽  
Francesca Happé ◽  
Essi Viding ◽  
Ilse Noens
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Extreme Response ◽  
Convergent And Divergent Validity ◽  
Report Data ◽  
Good Internal Consistency ◽  
Caregiver Report ◽  
Test Information Function

Abstract Objectives Extreme/“pathological” demand avoidance (PDA) describes a presentation found in some children on the autism spectrum, characterized by obsessive resistance to everyday demands and requests. Demands often trigger avoidance behavior (e.g., distraction, excuses, withdrawal into role play). Pressure to comply can lead to escalation in emotional reactivity and behavior that challenges. Methods Previously, the Extreme Demand Avoidance Questionnaire (EDA-Q) was developed to quantify resemblance to clinical accounts of PDA from caregiver reports. The aim of this study was to refine the EDA-Q using principal components analysis (PCA) and item response theory (IRT) analysis on parent/caregiver-report data from 334 children with ASD aged 5–17 years. Results PCA and IRT analyses identified eight items that are discriminating indices of EDA traits, and behave similarly with respect to quantifying EDA irrespective of child age, gender, reported academic level, or reported independence in daily living activities. The “EDA-8” showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .90) and convergent and divergent validity with other measures (some of which were only available for a subsample of 233 respondents). EDA-8 scores were not related to parental reports of ASD severity. Conclusions Inspection of the test information function suggests that the EDA-8 may be a useful tool to identify children on the autism spectrum who show an extreme response to demands, as a starting point for more in-depth assessment.

scholarly journals Development and Initial Validation of the Communication About Medication by Providers–Parent Scale (CAMP-P)

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 2333794X1985798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Igler ◽  
Ellen Sejkora ◽  
Rachel Greenley ◽  
Jill Plevinsky ◽  
Lindsey Bugno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medication Adherence ◽  
Parent Perceptions ◽  
Medication Administration ◽  
Provider Communication ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Divergent Validity ◽  
Medical Providers ◽  
Initial Validation ◽  
Convergent And Divergent Validity ◽  
Good Internal Consistency

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Communication about Medication by Providers–Parent Scale (CAMP-P), a 24-item measure of communication relevant to medication adherence between parents and medical providers. Parents of youth (ages 2-7 years) who had received a prescription within the last 12 months completed online surveys regarding demographic and appointment variables, and child’s recent prescription medications, and they completed the newly developed CAMP-P. Exploratory factor analysis of CAMP-P identified 20 items about provider communication corresponding to 3 distinct scales: medication administration strategies, encouraging communication, and addressing barriers to medication taking. Factor scales were related to appointment variables, such as length of time spent discussing medications. The CAMP-P demonstrated good internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity. The CAMP-P is a novel, validated measure of parent perceptions of medication communication and can be utilized to evaluate parent-provider communication on pediatric medication adherence in clinical and research settings.

scholarly journals New and Preliminary Evidence on Altered Oral and Gut Microbiota in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Implications for ASD Diagnosis and Subtyping Based on Microbial Biomarkers

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuejun Kong ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Murat Cetinbas ◽  
Ruslan Sadreyev ◽  
Madelyn Koh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Comorbid Conditions ◽  
Oral Flora ◽  
Microbial Biomarkers ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Matched Design

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological and developmental disorder characterized by behavioral and social impairments as well as multiple co-occurring conditions, such as gastrointestinal abnormalities, dental/periodontal diseases, and allergies. The etiology of ASD likely involves interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Recent studies suggest that oral and gut microbiome play important roles in the pathogenesis of inflammation, immune dysfunction, and disruption of the gut–brain axis, which may contribute to ASD pathophysiology. The majority of previous studies used unrelated neurotypical individuals as controls, and they focused on the gut microbiome, with little attention paid to the oral flora. In this pilot study, we used a first degree-relative matched design combined with high fidelity 16S rRNA (ribosomal RNA) gene amplicon sequencing in order to characterize the oral and gut microbiotas of patients with ASD compared to neurotypical individuals, and explored the utility of microbiome markers for ASD diagnosis and subtyping of clinical comorbid conditions. Additionally, we aimed to develop microbiome biomarkers to monitor responses to a subsequent clinical trial using probiotics supplementation. We identified distinct features of gut and salivary microbiota that differed between ASD patients and neurotypical controls. We next explored the utility of some differentially enriched markers for ASD diagnosis and examined the association between the oral and gut microbiomes using network analysis. Due to the tremendous clinical heterogeneity of the ASD population, we explored the relationship between microbiome and clinical indices as an attempt to extract microbiome signatures assocociated with clinical subtypes, including allergies, abdominal pain, and abnormal dietary habits. The diagnosis of ASD currently relies on psychological testing with potentially high subjectivity. Given the emerging role that the oral and gut microbiome plays in systemic diseases, our study will provide preliminary evidence for developing microbial markers that can be used to diagnose or guide treatment of ASD and comorbid conditions. These preliminary results also serve as a starting point to test whether altering the oral and gut microbiome could improve co-morbid conditions in patients with ASD and further modify the core symptoms of ASD.

Red Dirt Thinking on Power, Pedagogy and Paradigms: Reframing the Dialogue in Remote Education

2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Osborne ◽  
John Guenther
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Strong Sense ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Remote Education ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Indigenous Educators ◽  
Red Dirt

Recent debates in Australia, largely led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island academics over the past 5 or so years, have focused on the need for non-Indigenous educators to understand how their practices not only demonstrate lack of understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, but even deny their presence. This debate has serious implications for the non-Indigenous remote educator who wishes to support remote students to achieve ‘success’ through their education. The debates on the one hand advocate the decolonising of knowledge, pedagogy and research methods in order to promote more just or equal approaches to research and education, while other voices continue to advocate the pursuit of mainstream dominant Western ‘outcomes’ as the preferred goal for Indigenous students across Australia. This dilemma frames the context for this study. The Remote Education Systems Project, in the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, seeks to explore these and other questions as part of the broader research agenda being undertaken. This project is particularly focused on large-scale questions such as: ‘What is a remote education for and what would ‘success’ look like in the remote education context?’ We are approaching these research questions from community standpoints and perspectives as a critical starting point for these types of debates and discussions. In doing so, our findings indicate that remote Aboriginal community members have a strong sense of western education and its power to equip young people with critical skills, knowledge and understandings for the future, but also a strong sense of retaining of their ‘own’ knowledge, skills and understanding. This presents a complex challenge for educators who are new to this knowledge interface. Here, we offer the concept of ‘Red Dirt Thinking’ as a new way to position ourselves and engage in situated dialogue about what remote schooling might be if it took into account power issues around Indigenous knowledges in the current policy context. This article questions whether remote communities, schools and systems have, in fact, taken account of the knowledge/power debates that have taken place at an academic level and considers how remote education might consider the implications of stepping outside the ‘Western–Indigenous binary’. It seeks to propose new paradigms that non-Indigenous educators may need to engage in order to de-limit the repositioning of power-laden knowledge and pedagogies offered in remote classrooms.

scholarly journals Portuguese Version of the Arousal Predisposition Scale: Preliminary Evidence for a Two-Factor Structure in a Nonclinical Sample

2017 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 974-991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Ruivo Marques ◽  
Ana Allen Gomes ◽  
Maria Helena Pinto de Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Portuguese Version ◽  
Valid Instrument ◽  
Good Internal Consistency ◽  
The Individual

It is known that there is significant variability in arousal levels of the individuals. The Arousal Predisposition Scale (APS) is a questionnaire intended to measure individual differences in arousability. In the current work, our aim was to present the initial psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the APS. Three hundred forty-five undergraduate medical students from both genders were enrolled. All participants filled out a set of questionnaires—which contained the APS—at the end of their lectures and out of the evaluation period. The APS showed good internal consistency (α = .85) and discriminated individuals with extreme scores. Further, in general, the scale discriminated as well both genders pertaining to the individual items and total score. In terms of scale structure, two related factors were extracted (F1 = emotional reactivity and F2 = trait anxiety). Significant associations among APS and other sleep and psychological self-report variables were also observed. The APS seems to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess self-reported physiological arousability, at least in a sample of young adults. The two-factor composition will require more studies to be replicated in similar groups and, particularly, in clinical samples.

scholarly journals Autism Rating Scale: A New Tool for Characterizing the Schizophrenia Phenotype

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Palumbo ◽  
Giovanni Stanghellini ◽  
Armida Mucci ◽  
Massimo Ballerini ◽  
Giulia Maria Giordano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Divergent Validity ◽  
Convergent And Divergent Validity ◽  
Psychotic Features

Social dysfunctions (SD) are frequently observed in subjects with schizophrenia. Some of these dysfunctions are also observed in other neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), major depression, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer disease. Recently, a characterization of a specific type of SD in schizophrenia has been proposed, with the concept of dis-sociality, which form the core aspect of “Schizophrenic Autism” (SA). The present study aimed to explore the presence in people with schizophrenia of SA, independent of other autistic traits, which can be often found in schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We used a structured interview—the Autism Rating Scale (ARS), an instrument devised to detect and measure SA. Fifty-one outpatients affected by schizophrenia (26 remitted, SCZ-r) and 28 affected by bipolar disorder type 1, with psychotic features, in the euthymic phase (BD-e) were recruited. Before assessing the specificity for schizophrenia of SA, we tested the internal consistency, the convergent and divergent validity of the ARS in the schizophrenia sample. Specificity was assessed by examining potential differences in ARS scores between SCZ-r and BD-e subjects. ARS showed good internal consistency, as well as convergent and divergent validity. ARS items were more frequently of moderate severity in SCZ-r than in BD-e subjects. This scale can contribute to establish more precise phenomenal boundaries between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and opens up the possibility of identifying a different type of SD in schizophrenia, independent of autistic traits and negative symptoms, which might benefit from different treatments.

scholarly journals The Use of Information Communication Technologies Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Descriptive Qualitative Study

10.2196/12176 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. e12176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theoneste Ntalindwa ◽  
Tanjir Rashid Soron ◽  
Mathias Nduwingoma ◽  
Evariste Karangwa ◽  
Rebecca White
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Patterns Of Use ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Impact

Background The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) appears to be increasing globally due to the complex interaction of multiple biopsychosocial and environmental factors. Mobile phones, tablets, and other electronic gadgets have transformed our means of communication, and have also changed both healthcare and how we learn. These technological enhancements may have a positive impact on the lives of children, but there is currently a global scarcity of information on how information technology influences the education of children with ASD. Objective This study was conducted in Rwandan schools and communities, and aimed to understand the perceptions of students with ASD, their parents, and their teachers, on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the education of those with ASD. Methods This qualitative descriptive study was conducted from December 2017 to July 2018. Researchers conducted four focus group discussions (FGDs) with 54 participants from different backgrounds: teachers, parents, and students with ASD. Each of the FGDs took approximately two and a half hours. A predefined set of open-ended questions were selected to discover people’s perceptions regarding assistive technologies used in ASD, their effectiveness, the scope of using them in their context, and upcoming challenges during implementation. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Results The findings of the study revealed seven key themes: (1) the use of ICT for the education of children with ASD; (2) existing augmentative facilities for learning; (3) current patterns of use of ICT in education; (4) preferred areas of learning for ASD students; (5) integration of ICT into educational programs; (6) areas of interest outside the classroom; and (7) future opportunities and challenges in Rwanda. We found most of the study participants assumed that appropriate technology and related innovations might solve the challenges faced by learners with ASD in classrooms. Moreover, they thought that children with ASD more so enjoyed watching television, playing digital games, and drawing objects using gadgets than interacting with people or playing with other children. Conclusions The use of various low-cost technical devices can aid with teaching and the education of children with autism in Rwanda. However, this area requires further research to discover the impact ICT can have on the education of children with ASD, so this study may become a starting point for further research in the area.

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