scholarly journals Ageing and heterogeneity regarding autism spectrum conditions: a protocol paper of an accelerated longitudinal study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e040943
Author(s):  
Hilde M Geurts ◽  
Joost A Agelink van Rentergem ◽  
Tulsi Radhoe ◽  
Carolien Torenvliet ◽  
Wikke J Van der Putten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Diagnosis ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Autistic Adults

IntroductionAutism spectrum conditions (ASC) develop early in life and are thought to last a lifetime. However, ASC research has two major knowledge gaps that hinder progression in understanding the concept of ASC and in providing proper support for autistic adults: (1) the majority of knowledge about ASC mainly stems from childhood studies so little is known about older autistic adults and (2) while it is broadly recognised that ASC is a heterogeneous condition, we do not yet understand the differences in trajectories leading to their future outcome. We aim to fill both knowledge gaps.Methods and analysisA multistage overlapping cohort design assessing (cognitive) ageing in ASC is designed to obtain an accelerated longitudinal data set. Data, including a multitude of questionnaires, diagnostics and cognitive tests, are collected over four waves within a 10-year time frame. This will provide information regarding actual changes in quality of life, co-occurring health conditions and cognition as well as the possibility to test external validity and temporal stability in newly formed behavioural subtypes. Participants consist of three groups of adults aged 20–90 years: (1) with a clinical diagnosis of ASC, (2) with a clinical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but no ASC, (3) no ASC/ADHD (ie, comparison group). The sample size differs between waves and instruments. Detailed analysis plans will be preregistered in AsPredicted or at the Open Science Framework.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for this study was obtained from the ethical review board of the Department of Psychology of the University of Amsterdam (wave 1 2011-PN-1952 and 2013-PN-2668, wave 2 2015-BC-4270, waves 3 and 4 2018-BC-9285). In line with the funding policies of the grant organisation funding this study, future papers will be published open access.

scholarly journals Protocol paper Aging & Autism Geurts ea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilde Geurts ◽  
Joost Agelink van Rentergem ◽  
Tulsi Radhoe ◽  
Carolien Torenvliet ◽  
Wikke van der Putten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Diagnosis ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
Autistic Adults

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) develop early in life and are thought to last a lifetime. However, ASC research has two major knowledge gaps that hinder progression in understanding the concept of ASC and in providing proper support for autistic adults: 1) the majority of knowledge about ASC mainly stems from childhood studies so little is known about older autistic adults; 2) while it is broadly recognized that ASC is a heterogeneous condition, we do not yet understand the differences in trajectories leading to their future outcome. We aim to fill both knowledge gaps.A multistage overlapping cohorts design assessing (cognitive) aging in ASC, is designed to obtain an accelerated longitudinal dataset. Data, including a multitude of questionnaires, diagnostics, and cognitive tests, are collected over four waves within a 10-year time frame. This will provide information regarding actual changes in quality of life, co-occurring health conditions, and cognition as well as the possibility to test external validity and temporal stability in newly formed behavioral subtypes. Participants consist of three groups of adults aged 20 to 90 years: 1) with a clinical diagnosis of ASC; 2) with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, but no ASC; 3) no ASC/ADHD (i.e., comparison group; COM). The sample size differs between waves and instruments. Detailed analysis plans will be preregistered in AsPredicted or at the Open Science Framework. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the ethical review board of the Department of Psychology of the University of Amsterdam (Wave 1 2011-PN-1952 and 2013-PN-2668, Wave 2 2015-BC-4270, Wave 3 and 4 2018-BC-9285). In line with the funding policies of the grant organization funding this study, future papers will be published open access.

scholarly journals Development and Validation of the Suicide Behaviours Questionnaire – Autism Spectrum Conditions in Autistic, Possibly Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Cassidy ◽  
Louise Bradley ◽  
Heather Cogger-Ward ◽  
Jacqui Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Development And Validation

Abstract Background: Autistic people and those with high autistic traits are at high risk of experiencing suicidality. Yet, there are no suicidality assessment tools developed or validated for these groups.Methods: A widely used and validated suicidality assessment tool developed for the general population (SBQ-R), was adapted using feedback from autistic adults. The adapted tool was refined through 9 interviews, and an online survey with 251 autistic adults, to establish clarity and relevance of the items. Subsequently, 308 autistic, 113 possibly autistic, and 268 non-autistic adults completed the adapted tool online, alongside self-report measures of autistic traits (AQ), camouflaging autistic traits (CAT-Q), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (ASA-A), thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness (INQ-15), lifetime non-suicidal self-injury, and the original version of the suicidality assessment tool (SBQ-R). Analyses explored the appropriateness and measurement properties of the adapted tool between the groups.Results: There was evidence in support of content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, test retest validity, sensitivity and specificity (for distinguishing those with or without lifetime experience of suicide attempt), and hypothesis testing of the adapted tool (SBQ-ASC) in each group. The structure of the SBQ-ASC was equivalent between autistic and possibly autistic adults, regardless of gender, or use of visual aids to help quantify abstract rating scales.Limitations: The samples involved in the development and validation of the adapted tool were largely female, and largely diagnosed as autistic in adulthood, which is not representative of the wider autistic population. The SBQ-ASC has been developed for use in research and is not recommended to assess risk of future suicide attempts and/or self-harm.Conclusions: The SBQ-ASC is a brief self-report suicidality assessment tool, developed and validated with and for autistic adults, without co-occurring intellectual disability. The SBQ-ASC is appropriate for use in research to identify suicidal thoughts and behaviours in autistic and possibly autistic people, and model associations with risk and protective factors.

scholarly journals Menstruation and Menopause in autistic adults: Periods of importance?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabeth Groenman ◽  
Carolien Torenvliet ◽  
Tulsi Radhoe ◽  
Joost Agelink van Rentergem ◽  
Hilde Geurts
Keyword(s):  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Autistic Adults

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) were once seen as a predominantly male. This has caused a paucity of information on common events in the lives of women, such as menstruation and menopause. Some smaller studies indicate that autistic individuals might suffer from increased difficulties surrounding these events. This study aims to investigate, whether autistic individuals experience more frequent premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and increased complaints surrounding menopause. In 70 individuals (ASC n=28, comparisons n= 42) we did not find an increased prevalence of PMDD in autistic individuals (14.3%) compared to non-autistic individuals (9.5%) . Autistic individuals 40 (n=75, ASC n=30, comparisons n= 35) did experience higher levels of menopausal complaints. In autistic individuals, higher menopausal complaints were associated with higher levels of depression and autistic traits. In non-autistic individuals, menopausal complaints were associated with increased inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity (i.e., ADHD traits), and depression. With this work, we show the important role that major reproductive milestones can have in an autistic woman’s life.

scholarly journals Development and validation of the suicidal behaviours questionnaire - autism spectrum conditions in a community sample of autistic, possibly autistic and non-autistic adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Cassidy ◽  
Louise Bradley ◽  
Heather Cogger-Ward ◽  
Jacqui Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Development And Validation

Abstract Background Autistic people and those with high autistic traits are at high risk of experiencing suicidality. Yet, there are no suicidality assessment tools developed or validated for these groups. Methods A widely used and validated suicidality assessment tool developed for the general population (SBQ-R), was adapted using feedback from autistic adults, to create the Suicidal Behaviours Questionnaire—Autism Spectrum Conditions (SBQ-ASC). The adapted tool was refined through nine interviews, and an online survey with 251 autistic adults, to establish clarity and relevance of the items. Subsequently, 308 autistic, 113 possibly autistic, and 268 non-autistic adults completed the adapted tool online, alongside self-report measures of autistic traits (AQ), camouflaging autistic traits (CAT-Q), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (ASA-A), thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness (INQ-15), lifetime non-suicidal self-injury, and the original version of the suicidality assessment tool (SBQ-R). Analyses explored the appropriateness and measurement properties of the adapted tool between the groups. Results There was evidence in support of content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, test–retest validity, sensitivity and specificity (for distinguishing those with or without lifetime experience of suicide attempt), and hypothesis testing of the adapted tool (SBQ-ASC) in each group. The structure of the SBQ-ASC was equivalent between autistic and possibly autistic adults, regardless of gender, or use of visual aids to help quantify abstract rating scales. Limitations The samples involved in the development and validation of the adapted tool were largely female, and largely diagnosed as autistic in adulthood, which limits the generalisability of results to the wider autistic population. The SBQ-ASC has been developed for use in research and is not recommended to assess risk of future suicide attempts and/or self-harm. The SBQ-ASC has been designed with and for autistic and possibly autistic adults, and is not appropriate to compare to non-autistic adults given measurement differences between these groups. Conclusions The SBQ-ASC is a brief self-report suicidality assessment tool, developed and validated with and for autistic adults, without co-occurring intellectual disability. The SBQ-ASC is appropriate for use in research to identify suicidal thoughts and behaviours in autistic and possibly autistic people, and model associations with risk and protective factors.

Age of menarche in females with autism spectrum conditions

2006 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca C Knickmeyer ◽  
Sally Wheelwright ◽  
Rosa Hoekstra ◽  
Simon Baron-Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Females With Autism ◽  
Age Of Menarche

Behavioural and EEG atypicalities during rest, visual perception, and cognitive control in autistic adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandine Lassalle ◽  
Michael X Cohen ◽  
Laura Dekkers ◽  
Elizabeth Milne ◽  
Rasa Gulbinaite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Perception ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Neural Dynamics ◽  
Simple Explanation ◽  
Control Task ◽  
Neural Structure ◽  
Eeg Power ◽  
Autistic Adults

Background: People with an Autism Spectrum Condition diagnosis (ASD) are hypothesized to show atypical neural dynamics, reflecting differences in neural structure and function. However, previous results regarding neural dynamics in autistic individuals have not converged on a single pattern of differences. It is possible that the differences are cognitive-set-specific, and we therefore measured EEG in autistic individuals and matched controls during three different cognitive states: resting, visual perception, and cognitive control.Methods: Young adults with and without an ASD (N=17 in each group) matched on age (range 20 to 30 years), sex, and estimated Intelligence Quotient (IQ) were recruited. We measured their behavior and their EEG during rest, a task requiring low-level visual perception of gratings of varying spatial frequency, and the “Simon task” to elicit activity in the executive control network. We computed EEG power and Inter-Site Phase Clustering (ISPC; a measure of connectivity) in various frequency bands.Results: During rest, there were no ASD vs. controls differences in EEG power, suggesting typical oscillation power at baseline. During visual processing, without pre-baseline normalization, we found decreased broadband EEG power in ASD vs. controls, but this was not the case during the cognitive control task. Furthermore, the behavioral results of the cognitive control task suggest that autistic adults were better able to ignore irrelevant stimuli.Conclusions: Together, our results defy a simple explanation of overall differences between ASD and controls, and instead suggest a more nuanced pattern of altered neural dynamics that depend on which neural networks are engaged.

Initial Evidence for Increased Weather Salience in Autism Spectrum Conditions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Bolton ◽  
William G. Blumberg ◽  
Lara K. Ault ◽  
H. Michael Mogil ◽  
Stacie H. Hanes
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Physical Disability ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Weather Information ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Neurological Functioning ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Logical Rules ◽  
Attention To Detail

Weather is important to all people, including vulnerable populations (those whose circumstances include cognitive processing, hearing, or vision differences, physical disability, homelessness, and other scenarios and factors). Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) affect information-processing and areas of neurological functioning that potentially inhibit the reception of hazardous weather information, and is of particular concern for weather messengers. People on the autism spectrum tend to score highly in tests of systemizing, a psychological process that heavily entails attention to detail and revolves around the creation of logical rules to explain things that occur in the world. This article reports the results of three preliminary studies examining weather salience–psychological attention to weather–and its potential relationships with systemizing in autistic people. Initial findings suggest that enhanced weather salience exists among autistic individuals compared to those without the condition, and that this may be related to systemizing. These findings reveal some possible strategies for communicating weather to autistic populations and motivate future work on a conceptual model that blends systemizing and chaos theory to better understand weather salience.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document