Circumscribed interests in autism: are there sex differences?

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sallie Wallace Nowell ◽  
Desiree R. Jones ◽  
Clare Harrop
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Diagnostic Assessment ◽  
Functional Impairments ◽  
Circumscribed Interests ◽  
Primary Interest ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biological Sex ◽  
Children With Asd

Purpose Sex differences in circumscribed interests (CI) may delay diagnosis for females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); therefore, it is important to characterize sex differences in CI to determine if differential approaches to diagnostic assessment are warranted for females with ASD. The purpose of this paper is to examine sex differences in parent-reported quantity, content and functional impairment of children’s interests. Design/methodology/approach Parent responses to the Interests Scale were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVAs to determine diagnostic (ASD vs typical development (TD)) and sex differences between four groups of children ages six to ten years: ASD males, ASD females, TD males and TD females. Findings Groups were comparable on the quantity of interests reported on the Interests Scale. Children with ASD demonstrated significantly more nonsocial interests and had greater functional impairment associated with their interests than TD children. A significant diagnosis×sex effect was found for the number of interests in folk psychology. Descriptively, males with ASD were more likely to have a primary interest in the traditionally male category of physics than females with ASD whose primary interest mainly fell into the categories of TV or the more traditionally female category of psychology. Originality/value These findings strengthen the results of Turner-Brown et al. (2011) by replicating their findings that children with ASD have more nonsocial interests and greater functional impairments related to their interests compared to TD children in a sample that is balanced on biological sex. However, there are distinctions between males and females with ASD in their primary interests that have implications for diagnostic assessment.

Assessment and treatment of anxiety in children and adolescents with ASD: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Celal Perihan ◽  
Mack D. Burke ◽  
Lisa Bowman-Perrott ◽  
Joel Bocanegra
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Implementation Fidelity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of current studies that assess and treat anxiety symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More specifically the study aimed to answer the following questions: What are the qualities of the current studies using cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) to treat anxiety symptoms in children with ASD? Did studies make necessary modifications and adaptations to CBTs according to the evidence-based strategies and implement these versions of CBTs with precise fidelity? Were the selected measurements appropriate for assessing the anxiety symptoms in children with ASD? Design/methodology/approach A systematic review protocol was developed from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (Moher et al., 2009). A rubric was adapted based on the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children; Cook, 2014) group comparison studies standards and the Evaluative Method for Determining EBP in Autism (Reichow et al., 2007). The 3-point Likert Scale (Chard et al., 2009) was adapted to score each study based on the rubric. Findings CBT is a first-line treatment with significant mixed results. Current studies use adapted versions of existing CBTs for children with ASD without reporting empirical evidence to these adaptations and changes. Reporting of the implementation fidelity is still an issue in the treatment of anxiety. Anxiety measurements that were designed for typically developing children failure to detect unusual anxiety symptoms in children with ASD. Research limitations/implications The first limitation of this study was including a variety of studies across CBT programs and types of anxiety symptoms. Types of anxiety and CBT treatments may require separate analyses with specific indicators. Due to the limited studies, reviews could not be analyzed across types of CBT programs. The second limitation was the types of studies. Most of the studies were pilot studies. Pilot studies might use various instruments and CBTs components for making selections to produce the best effects and results. The final limitation was the lack of examination of the data analysis process. Originality/value These findings are important because due to the variety of changes or adaptation to CBTs, inappropriate implementations and failure to detect unusual anxiety symptoms of children with ASD may cause significant differences in treatment responses and outcomes. The study demonstrated that the majority of the studies used adapted versions of existing CBTs without reporting empirical evidence for these adaptations and changes. The findings have shown that reporting of the implementation fidelity is still an issue. Moreover, the majority of studies had used anxiety measurements that were designed for typically developing children, not for children with ASD.

Same music, different emotions: assessing emotions and EEG correlates of music perception in children with ASD and typically developing peers

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 85-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galina Portnova ◽  
Alexandra Maslennikova ◽  
Anton Varlamov
Keyword(s):  
Music Perception ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Self Reports

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess emotional response to music and its EEG correlates in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Design/methodology/approach Six musical fragments eliciting emotional states of calmness/serenity, sadness and anxiety/fear were presented to children with ASD (n=21, aged 5–9) and typically developing (TD) peers (n=21), while 19-channel EEG was recorded. Emotion self-reports were assessed using visual analogous scales. Findings Children with ASD assessed most music fragments similarly to their TD peers, with likelihood of EEG oscillatory patterns closely corresponding to emotion self-reports. Somewhat contrary to the expectations, a major difference was observed for one fragment only, which was identified as sad by TD children and adult neurotypical raters, but found “angry and frightening” by children with ASD, with EEG oscillatory response confirming greater cortical activation, particularly for the right hemisphere. Research limitations/implications The data suggest that children with ASD may have emotional reactions to music either similar or highly aberrant compared to TD peers, rather than having general difficulties in assessing emotions. The data should be confirmed by further studies, ideally involving high functioning adult autists. Practical implications The findings may increase the understanding of autists’ difficulties in perceiving prosodic nuances and reading emotional cues. The results can be taken into consideration when developing music-based interventions. Originality/value The findings show that music may be perceived by children with ASD in a unique way, which may be difficult to predict by neurotypical raters.

Awareness and perception of medical genetic services among Malaysian parents of autism spectrum disorders children: the lessons to be learned

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farahnaz Amini ◽  
Kok Wah Yee ◽  
Siew Chin Soh ◽  
Abdulateef Alhadeethi ◽  
Roya Amini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Genetic Services ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Medical Genetic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Medical Genetic Services

Purpose Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders with uncertain etiology. Evidence shows that genetic testing can explain about 20% of cases. This study aims to assess the level of awareness and perception of medical genetic services among Malaysian parents with ASD children. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey using an interviewer-administered questionnaire was done among 111 parents of children with ASD from August 2017 to September 2019 in two clinics in Malaysia. Findings A majority of children with ASD (80.20%) were male and diagnosed at the age of 3–4 years old (47.80%). When the autistic child was born, most mothers and fathers were aged 26–30 (40.50%) and 31–35 years old (42.30%), respectively. Another child with ASD in nuclear and extended families was reported for 11.70% and 13.50%, respectively. Only 24.30% have seen a professional genetic consultant, and 19.8% have done genetic testing for affected children. The mean score of awareness of genetic services for ASD was 2.48 ± 3.30. Having medical insurance and another child with ASD in the nuclear family was significantly associated with a higher level of awareness (p = 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). Most of the participants have a positive perception of these services. Originality/value Regardless of demographic factors, participants have poor awareness of genetic services for ASD, likely because the primary physician did not recommend it upon diagnosis. Increasing health-care providers’ knowledge about the current potential of genetic testing for ASD and educational campaigns for the public are critical components of using available genetic tests to improve ASD management.

scholarly journals Is Motor Impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder Distinct From Developmental Coordination Disorder? A Report From the SPARK Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 633-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anjana Narayan Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Developmental Coordination Disorder ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Functional Impairments ◽  
Large Database ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Coordination Disorder

Abstract Background Motor impairments are pervasive in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, children with ASD rarely receive a dual diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The Simons Foundation SPARK study engaged families affected by ASD through an online study. Objectives The DCD parent questionnaire (DCDQ) was used to assess the prevalence of a risk for motor impairment or DCD in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years of age. Design This study utilizes parent reports from a large database of children with ASD. Methods A total of 16,705 parents of children with ASD completed the DCDQ. We obtained our final SPARK dataset (n = 11,814) after filtering out invalid data, using stronger cut-offs to confirm ASD traits, and excluding children with general neuromotor impairments/intellectual delays. We compared DCDQ total and subscale scores from the SPARK dataset with published norms for each age between 5 and 15 years. Results The proportion of children with ASD at risk for a motor impairment was very high at 86.9%. Children with ASD did not outgrow their motor impairments and continued to present with a risk for DCD even into adolescence. Yet, only 31.6% of children were receiving physical therapy services. Limitations Our analysis of a large database of parent-reported outcomes using the DCDQ did not involve follow-up clinical assessments. Conclusions Using a large sample of children with ASD, this study shows that a risk for motor impairment or DCD was present in most children with ASD and persists into adolescence; however, only a small proportion of children with ASD were receiving physical therapist interventions. A diagnosis of ASD must trigger motor screening, evaluations, and appropriate interventions by physical and occupational therapists to address the functional impairments of children with ASD while also positively impacting their social communication, cognition, and behavior. Using valid motor measures, future research must determine if motor impairment is a fundamental feature of ASD.

The acquisition of the Arabic construct state (CS) constructions by Arabic-speaking children with ASD

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh ◽  
Razan N. Alkhatib
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Head Direction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Arabic Speaking ◽  
Better Than

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether age plays a role in the acquisition of construct state (CS) constructions in Arabic by 14 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It also examined the challenges faced by children with ASD in producing different types of CS constructions. Finally, the study analysed the sources of difficulties children with ASD encounter during the learning process of the CS.Design/methodology/approachFor the purposes of this study, the participants were asked to orally complete short sentences with the help of illustrative pictures.FindingsResults revealed that the age of the 14 children with ASD plays a role in the acquisition of CS constructions. Children of age 12–15 performed better than those of age 8 and 10. Results also showed that children with ASD performed better in producing phrases rather than compounds. Moreover, the participants performed better on endocentric compounds as opposed to exocentric ones. Finally, analysing the errors produced on the text revealed that the acquisition of head direction precedes definiteness.Originality/valueThe topic of the study has not been investigated yet and the study concluded with some important findings concerning teaching Arabic CS to children with ADS.

The development of the Sensory Processing, Aberrant Mealtime Behavior, Motor Inventory for Eating (SAMIE) in children with an ASD

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 268-281
Author(s):  
Nicole Atkins Withrow ◽  
Leticia Alvidrez
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Nutritional Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Mealtime Behavior ◽  
Set Up

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive eating screening inventory named the Sensory Processing, Aberrant Mealtime Behaviors, Motor, Inventory for Eating (SAMIE). The SAMIE will accurately screen nutritional risk by identifying the four primary domains that affect eating in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Design/methodology/approach The development of the questions was executed in three steps. First, a review of the literature was conducted. Second, expert opinion was acquired which was critical in developing the questions. Third, ten think-aloud protocols were set up to simplify the first draft. Prior to the pilot study, four participants were recruited to complete the SAMIE online. Findings A total of 162 participants completed the online demographic questionnaire and the SAMIE. Overall, participants did not differ between groups for demographic characteristics, BMI status and dietary intake. After conducting a series of statistical tests, results illustrated that the SAMIE is a valid measure to screen nutritional risk in children with ASD. Practical implications Due to the complexities of problematic eating behaviors in ASD, there is a need for a comprehensive screening inventory that encompasses the four domains that impact eating in an ASD. These domains have been identified as, namely, aberrant mealtime behavior, eating skills, dietary intake, and sensory processing and have yet to be utilized collectively to screen for nutritional risk in children with ASD. Originality/value The SAMIE is a novel eating screening inventory that will standardize the methodology for screening nutritional risk that can be used in clinical, community and research settings.

The concept of autism spectrum disorder: a study on knowledge sharing protocol among parents with autistic children in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Kissi-Abrokwah ◽  
Kwame Kodua-Ntim
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Philosophical Foundations ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify knowledge sharing practices used among parents with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Design/methodology/approach The study was based on qualitative philosophical foundations, where phenomenological case study design was used to make an in-depth understanding of how parents whose children are diagnosed with ASD shared knowledge among themselves. The population for this research consists of parents whose children have been diagnosed with ASD in Ghana. The study sampled for the study was 12 parents and was selected from 4 autism awareness centres in Ghana to obtain data through the use of focus group discussion and analysed with the aid of thematic analysis. Findings The study showed that the dimensions of knowledge sharing practices used by parents with autistic children were after-action review/lesson learnt, brainstorming, mentoring, coaching system, discussion forum, face-to-face meeting, documentation, peer assistance and storytelling. Finally, the study also revealed that knowledge sharing practices used by parents with autistic children help them in their daily engagement. Social implications An aspect of the training of social workers should focus on how to assist parents, family and neighbours of children with ASD. The government through the needed ministries and agencies should create a social support system to assist parents and families with children with ASD. Counsellors should avail their services to parents with children with ASD as early as possible to avoid or ameliorate some of the emotional and psychological challenges of these parents. Originality/value The paper offers a comprehensive overview on how knowledge sharing transforms the individual to learn and accept autistic condition in Ghana.

The psychometric properties of the Iranian version of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in children with autism spectrum disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeid Bashirian ◽  
Ali Reza Soltanian ◽  
Mahdieh Seyedi ◽  
Salman Khazaei ◽  
Ensiyeh Jenabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Autism Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the validity of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in an Iranian population to determine its efficacy in identifying children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who parents have Persian-speaking parents. Design/methodology/approach A case–control study was performed in March until July 2020 in Hamadan city, Iran. The case group was children were examined by the clinicians used a coding scheme based on the DSM-IV criteria for ASD. The control group was all children in the family, including healthy siblings, were asked to participate in the study. The reliability, content and face validity were performed to assess the psychometric properties of the tool. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate the four-dimensional structure of the tool (Scores A, B, C and D). Statistical analysis was performed using AMOS for SPSS 21, and the statistical significant level was less than 0.05. Findings The quantitative content validity analysis revealed that the mean of content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) for all domains was 0.94 and 0.91, respectively. For CFA, four domains A, B, C and D were used and demonstrated a good fit (CFI = 0.92 and RMSEA = 0.06). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) in domains A, B (verbal), C and D were 100%. For domain B (non-verbal), the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 86.7%, 100%, 100% and 88.2%, respectively. Research limitations/implications This study showed that ADI-R has sufficient ability to discriminate between children with ASD and those with no psychiatric diagnosis, and it is a reliable tool in Iran. The sensitivity and specificity for correctly diagnosing ASD was high, regardless of the age and cognitive level of the examiner. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper on psychometric properties of ADI-R in children with ASD.

Development of a Brief Intervention to Improve Knowledge of Autism and Behavioral Strategies Among Parents in Tanzania

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Johnson Harrison ◽  
Kristin A. Long ◽  
Karim P. Manji ◽  
Karyn K. Blane
Keyword(s):  
Brief Intervention ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Behavioral Strategies ◽  
Functional Impairments ◽  
Clinical Implementation ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Treatment Services ◽  
Empirically Supported ◽  
Children With Asd

Abstract Despite the global presence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a paucity of treatment services exists in Tanzania and other low- and middle-income countries. The effect of delayed or low-quality treatments is enduring and contributes to lifelong variability in ASD-related functional impairments. Service disparities in Tanzania derive in part from a widespread lack of national ASD knowledge. Historically, in Western countries, parents have played a major role in increasing ASD awareness, advancing research, and encouraging empirically supported treatments. In the absence of established treatment services, parents of children with ASD have also learned to implement behavioral interventions to reduce the widening skills gaps. This article describes the development of an intervention designed to inform parents in Tanzania about ASD and empirically supported behavioral strategies. Preliminary data, collected from a clinical implementation with 29 Tanzanian families of children diagnosed with ASD or general developmental delays, support the initial feasibility and acceptability of this intervention. This brief intervention may help to ameliorate treatment disparities due to insufficient regional knowledge, language barriers, or limited service availability and may help improve functional outcomes among Tanzanian children with ASD.

Difficulties in spontaneously performing level 2 perspective-taking skills in children with autism spectrum disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-254
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Asaoka ◽  
Tomoya Takahashi ◽  
Jiafei Chen ◽  
Aya Fujiwara ◽  
Masataka Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Explicit Condition ◽  
Level 2 ◽  
Implicit Condition

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate why children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to respond to tasks from their own perspective. The authors investigated the effects of explicitness of viewpoint on performance of spontaneous level 2 perspective-taking skills in six- to eight-year-old children with ASD. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted visual perspective-taking tasks with explicit and implicit instructions about the viewpoint to be used. Participants operated a toy car on a map while listening to the experimenter’s instructions. In the implicit condition, when the experimenter said “Turn right/left” at each intersection, the participants moved the car accordingly. Subsequently, in the explicit condition, the experimenter said “Look from the driver’s viewpoint and turn right/left” at each intersection. Findings In the implicit condition, the authors did not observe a clear developmental change in performance between six- and eight-year-old children in the ASD group. In contrast, performance in the ASD group improved under the explicit condition relative to that under the implicit condition. Originality/value The results suggest six- to eight-year-old children with ASD tend not to spontaneously use level 2 perspective-taking skills. Therefore, viewpoints should be explicitly instructed to children with ASD. In addition, it is also important to implement training to encourage spontaneous transitions from self-perspective to other-perspective under the implicit condition.

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