Observing Children with Autism in Interaction: Clinical Implications of Sequential KMP Patterns

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Mark Sossin ◽  
Susan Loman
2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
Bridget M. Wright ◽  
Joann P. Benigno ◽  
Jamie B. Boster ◽  
John W. McCarthy ◽  
Bridget K. Coologhan

Thirty-one children with and without autism spectrum disorder were asked to draw the meaning of 10 basic concepts. Following each drawing, children explained their drawing to the experimenter. Transcripts of the drawing task were coded for children’s use of personal pronouns and internal state terms. Children’s use of on- and off-task comments while explaining each drawing was examined. Both groups of children had a longer mean length of utterance when prompted to explain their drawings than while they were drawing. Analyses revealed no significant differences between children with and without autism in their use of internal state terms, pronouns, or their use of on- and off-task language during the drawing task. Clinical implications for the use of drawings as expressive language supports for children with autism are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Di Renzo ◽  
Viviana Guerriero ◽  
Giulio Cesare Zavattini ◽  
Massimiliano Petrillo ◽  
Lidia Racinaro ◽  
...  

Autism ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 996-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma W Viscidi ◽  
Ashley L Johnson ◽  
Sarah J Spence ◽  
Stephen L Buka ◽  
Eric M Morrow ◽  
...  

Epilepsy is common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but little is known about how seizures impact the autism phenotype. The association between epilepsy and autism symptoms and associated maladaptive behaviors was examined in 2,645 children with ASD, of whom 139 had epilepsy, from the Simons Simplex Collection. Children with ASD and epilepsy had significantly more autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors than children without epilepsy. However, after adjusting for IQ, only hyperactivity symptoms remained significantly increased (13% higher) in the epilepsy group. Among children with ASD without co-occurring intellectual disability, children with epilepsy had significantly more irritability (20% higher) and hyperactivity (24% higher) symptoms. This is the largest study to date comparing the autism phenotype in children with ASD with and without epilepsy. Children with ASD and epilepsy showed greater impairment than children without epilepsy, which was mostly explained by the lower IQ of the epilepsy group. These findings have important clinical implications for patients with ASD.


Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110093
Author(s):  
Takahiro Yamane

Assessing parenting stress in parents of children with autism has crucial clinical implications because increased parental stress is associated with psychological disorders and personal distress, which can result in worse child–parent relationships. We examined the psychometric properties of a new index for assessing parenting stressors—the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index and the temporal variability of parenting stressors using longitudinal data of 212 Japanese parents of children with autism aged 2–18 years. The findings indicated that the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index has appropriate cross-validity, structural validity, construct validity, and reliability. Moreover, the psychometric properties and the brevity of the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index increase the clinical utility of the scale. The implications of the findings of this study are discussed. Lay abstract Parents of children with autism experience high rates of parenting stress. Assessing parenting stress in them has crucial clinical implications because increased parental stress is associated with psychological disorders and personal distress, which can result in worse child–parent relationships. Theorists have proposed that a person’s cognitive appraisal determines whether or not a situation or an encounter is personally stressful. However, prior scales merely measure the outcomes of parental stress as a stress response: little the scales were designed to assess events and cognitive appraisal-related parenting stressors of parents of children with autism. We investigated whether a new index for assessing parenting stressors—the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index is a valid measure to assess parenting stressors of parents of children with autism using longitudinal online surveys at three times. Participants were 212 Japanese parents of children with autism aged 2–18 years who completed the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index and measures of autism symptoms and stress response . Overall, the findings indicated that the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index can be reliably used to measure both experiences and cognitive appraisal of parenting stressors among parents of children with autism. Moreover, the Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index has several advantages and is a valuable measurement tool to be able to evaluate parenting stressors in clinical settings; Developmental Disorder Parenting Stressor Index is shorter, easier to complete, and can evaluate both viewpoints of parenting stressors.


Autism ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Smerbeck

Restricted interests are an established diagnostic symptom of autism spectrum disorder. While there is considerable evidence that these interests have maladaptive consequences, they also provide a range of benefits. This article introduces a new instrument, the Survey of Favorite Interests and Activities, and uses it to examine the nature of restricted interests in autism spectrum disorder. Respondents report substantial benefits of restricted interests as well as areas of difficulty. The Survey of Favorite Interests and Activities assesses Social Flexibility, Perseveration, Respondent Discomfort, Adaptive Coping, and Atypicality. All scales have Cronbach’s α > 0.70. Age and socioeconomic status have little effect on Survey of Favorite Interests and Activities scales; nor does gender with the exception of interest Atypicality. The expected pattern of correlations with existing scales was found. Research and clinical implications are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Di Renzo ◽  
Viviana Guerriero ◽  
Giulio Cesare Zavattini ◽  
Massimiliano Petrillo ◽  
Lidia Racinaro ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 656-687
Author(s):  
Laura C. Chezan ◽  
Erik Drasgow ◽  
Gabriela Z. McWhorter ◽  
Kristine I. P. Starkey ◽  
Brooke M. Hurdle

In this study, we extended the literature on the generalization of negatively-reinforced mands in three young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). First, we used example and nonexample stimuli embedded in mand training to teach a new, socially appropriate, negatively-reinforced mand to reject unpreferred food items while continuously assessing mand discrimination. Second, we evaluated the discriminated generalization of the newly acquired mand by using untrained example and nonexample stimuli. Finally, we conducted maintenance probes to examine if the new, discriminated mand occurred over time in the absence of training. Results suggest that our mand training produced acquisition of a discriminated negatively-reinforced mand in all three children. Data indicate that the newly acquired, discriminated mand generalized to untrained food items and was maintained after training was discontinued. We discuss the conceptual significance and clinical implications of using example and nonexample stimuli to produce acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of negatively-reinforced mands in young children with ASD and language delays.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indiana Montaque ◽  
Rudi Dallos ◽  
Becky McKenzie

The research explored the experience and understandings expressed by parents of children with autism concerning ‘meltdowns’, which are commonly described as distressing, escalating episodes of conflicts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six parents of children with a diagnosis of autism regarding their experience of ‘meltdowns’. Parents were asked to track the process of the meltdowns as well as to describe their experiences. Three over-arching themes emerged which encapsulated their experience: Living in Dread: Anxiety and fear of escalating patterns, Attempting to Correct for Negative Childhood Experiences and Condemnation from the Self and Others. The findings suggested that the meltdowns were perceived as having an escalating and predictable process, that parents anticipated meltdowns with anxiety, experienced feelings of helplessness and felt condemned by others. Importantly, it also appeared that parents’ responses were influenced by their own childhood experiences of parenting and that they attempted to ‘correct’ these to be better parents. A model of the meltdowns is suggested along with a discussion of clinical implications for early intervention with families.


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