Executive Function, Social Emotional Learning, and Social Competence in School-Aged Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 265-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Berard ◽  
Lynn Loutzenhiser ◽  
Phillip R. Sevigny ◽  
Dennis P. Alfano
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Social Competence ◽  
Social Emotional Learning ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Emotional Learning ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Child Social Competence ◽  
Children With Asd

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an aetiologically complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social functioning. Children with ASD display a wide range of social competence and more variability in social domains as compared with either communication or repetitive behaviour domains. There is limited understanding of factors that contribute to the heterogeneity of social abilities in ASD. A modified version of McKown and colleagues’ social competence model was used to examine social competence in 49 8- to 13-year-old boys with ASD without cognitive disability. The relations between executive function (EF), social emotional learning (SEL), and parent reports of child social competence were examined. Results showed that EF but not SEL predicted parent-reported child social competence. Although many interventions target SEL skills, these findings support specifically targeting EF in both assessment and interventions of school-aged children with ASD.

Improving Socialization and Emotion Recognition for Children with Autism Using a Smartphone App

2014 ◽  
pp. 125-142
Author(s):  
Cassidy Lamm ◽  
Lauren Lambert ◽  
Joshua Wolfe ◽  
Jeff Gray ◽  
Angela Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Facial Cues ◽  
Emotional Cues ◽  
Children With Asd

Smartphone apps are used with increased frequency to teach children a variety of skills and to supplement more traditional forms of instruction. In particular, children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) could benefit from applications suited to help them build social emotional skills that could contribute to more successful social interactions. In the study, the authors first investigated and compiled a list of existing apps to see where gaps exist in topic coverage. From this survey of existing smartphone apps for children with ASD, they developed a new app called LEA (Learning Emotions with Autism) that challenges children to interact in a social setting by responding to emotional cues, and having other children determine the emotion that is expressed. This app provides a new context to help children focus their attention on facial cues in order to recognize and interpret emotions through supported peer interaction. In this chapter, the authors discuss how this app was designed and implemented. They also provide a tutorial on how to develop smartphone apps that can be used for ASD research.

A qualitative study on the social-emotional benefits of Drumtastic Ability Beats® for children with autism spectrum disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-47
Author(s):  
Lyn G. Litchke, PhD ◽  
Mary Margaret Bracken, MSRLS-TR
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Creative Self

This qualitative collective case study explored the social-emotional benefits of Drumtastic Ability Beats® in a dyadic partnership between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a college graduate student (GS). Fourteen male campers, ages 5-14, engaged in eight, 1-hour Drumtastic Ability Beats® sessions, twice a week, at a 4-week camp for children with ASD. Data collection focused on observational narrative field notes completed by the campers’ GS partner after each session. Thematic analysis revealed three primary themes: (1) familiarization through synchronization, (2) creative self-expression, and (3) self-regulation of emotions. These findings underscore the potential value of group drumming as a means to promote opportunities to enhance social-emotional regulation through facilitating relationships for children with ASD.

scholarly journals Cognitive Underpinnings of Symbolic Pretend Play and Impossible Entity Drawings:  Imaginative Ability in Typical Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Steven Den-Kaat
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Pretend Play ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
False Belief ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Belief Theory

<p>The individual differences in imagination ability in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were tested in a sample of 14 children with ASD and 14 matched typically developing (TD) children. Analysis was conducted on the extent of imagination in symbolic pretend play and impossible entity drawings. Aside from difficulties with imagination, children with ASD showed significant group deficits in executive function (generativity, visuospatial planning and cognitive flexibility) and false belief theory of mind understanding. Amongst children with ASD, executive function abilities (generativity and visuospatial planning) related to imaginative play and drawings. In contrast, amongst participants in the TD group, a mixture of both executive function (cognitive flexibility) and false belief theory of mind understanding predicted imaginative ability. These results are discussed in terms of how executive control plays a broad and important role in imaginative ability across groups, but the contributions appear to be expressed and routed differently in ASD. The discussion also highlights the theoretical implications of not having theory of mind that underpin imagination in ASD.</p>

Improving Socialization and Emotion Recognition for Children with Autism Using a Smartphone App

2016 ◽  
pp. 2010-2027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassidy Lamm ◽  
Lauren Lambert ◽  
Joshua Wolfe ◽  
Jeff Gray ◽  
Angela Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Facial Cues ◽  
Emotional Cues ◽  
Children With Asd

Smartphone apps are used with increased frequency to teach children a variety of skills and to supplement more traditional forms of instruction. In particular, children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) could benefit from applications suited to help them build social emotional skills that could contribute to more successful social interactions. In the study, the authors first investigated and compiled a list of existing apps to see where gaps exist in topic coverage. From this survey of existing smartphone apps for children with ASD, they developed a new app called LEA (Learning Emotions with Autism) that challenges children to interact in a social setting by responding to emotional cues, and having other children determine the emotion that is expressed. This app provides a new context to help children focus their attention on facial cues in order to recognize and interpret emotions through supported peer interaction. In this chapter, the authors discuss how this app was designed and implemented. They also provide a tutorial on how to develop smartphone apps that can be used for ASD research.

scholarly journals Developmental trends of hot and cool executive function in school-aged children with and without autism spectrum disorder: Links with theory of mind

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (02) ◽  
pp. 541-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelia-Chrysanthi Kouklari ◽  
Stella Tsermentseli ◽  
Claire P. Monks
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe development of executive function (EF) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been investigated using only “cool”-cognitive EF tasks while there is limited knowledge regarding the development of “hot”-affective EF. Although cool EF development and its links to theory of mind (ToM) have been widely examined, understanding of the influence of hot EF to ToM mechanisms is minimal. The present study introduced a longitudinal design to examine the developmental changes in cool and hot EF of children with ASD (n = 45) and matched (to age and IQ) controls (n = 37) as well as the impact of EF on ToM development over a school year. For children with ASD, although selective cool (working memory and inhibition) and hot (affective decision making) EF domains presented age-related improvements, they never reached the performance level of the control group. Early cool working memory predicted later ToM in both groups but early hot delay discounting predicted later ToM only in the ASD group. No evidence was found for the reverse pattern (early ToM predicting later EF). These findings suggest that improvements in some EF aspects are evident in school age in ASD and highlight the crucial role that both cool and hot EF play in ToM development.

Improving Socialization and Emotion Recognition for Children with Autism Using a Smartphone App

2016 ◽  
pp. 596-612
Author(s):  
Cassidy Lamm ◽  
Lauren Lambert ◽  
Joshua Wolfe ◽  
Jeff Gray ◽  
Angela Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Facial Cues ◽  
Emotional Cues ◽  
Children With Asd

Smartphone apps are used with increased frequency to teach children a variety of skills and to supplement more traditional forms of instruction. In particular, children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) could benefit from applications suited to help them build social emotional skills that could contribute to more successful social interactions. In the study, the authors first investigated and compiled a list of existing apps to see where gaps exist in topic coverage. From this survey of existing smartphone apps for children with ASD, they developed a new app called LEA (Learning Emotions with Autism) that challenges children to interact in a social setting by responding to emotional cues, and having other children determine the emotion that is expressed. This app provides a new context to help children focus their attention on facial cues in order to recognize and interpret emotions through supported peer interaction. In this chapter, the authors discuss how this app was designed and implemented. They also provide a tutorial on how to develop smartphone apps that can be used for ASD research.

scholarly journals A Review of Language, Executive Function, and Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (04) ◽  
pp. 291-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Friedman ◽  
Audra Sterling
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd

AbstractDifficulties with both executive functions and language skills are common but variable in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Executive functions and language skills are related to one another, such that vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatics are related to domains of working memory, shifting, and inhibition in ASD, although the directionality of these relationships remains unclear. Moreover, interventions that target pragmatic ability have been found to improve executive function skills, and conversely, executive function interventions are linked with improvements in social skills in children with ASD. We review the literature on executive functions, language skills, and their relationship in ASD; discuss factors that may be driving inconsistent findings; and explore clinical applications from the research thus far.

Parents’ Perceptions on Social Skills Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Preliminary Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-37
Author(s):  
Joanna Hie Ping Ting ◽  
Kee Jiar Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Social Reciprocity ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Social Skills Deficits

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social communication, social interaction and sensory sensitivities. Social skills are one of the common deficits displayed by children with ASD. However, the level of impairment exerted by children with ASD relies on the disorder severity. Social skills are critical to successful social-emotional, communication and cognitive development. Specific social skills deficits include difficulties in initiating interactions, maintaining social reciprocity, sharing attention, taking another person’s perspective, and inferring the interests of others. In this study, social skills consist of social awareness, social cognition, social communication, social motivation and autism mannerism. This study aimed to uncover the conceptualization of social skills from the parents’ perspective, thus providing an indication of education on the topic of ASD.

scholarly journals Cognitive Underpinnings of Symbolic Pretend Play and Impossible Entity Drawings:  Imaginative Ability in Typical Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Steven Den-Kaat
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Pretend Play ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
False Belief ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Belief Theory

<p>The individual differences in imagination ability in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were tested in a sample of 14 children with ASD and 14 matched typically developing (TD) children. Analysis was conducted on the extent of imagination in symbolic pretend play and impossible entity drawings. Aside from difficulties with imagination, children with ASD showed significant group deficits in executive function (generativity, visuospatial planning and cognitive flexibility) and false belief theory of mind understanding. Amongst children with ASD, executive function abilities (generativity and visuospatial planning) related to imaginative play and drawings. In contrast, amongst participants in the TD group, a mixture of both executive function (cognitive flexibility) and false belief theory of mind understanding predicted imaginative ability. These results are discussed in terms of how executive control plays a broad and important role in imaginative ability across groups, but the contributions appear to be expressed and routed differently in ASD. The discussion also highlights the theoretical implications of not having theory of mind that underpin imagination in ASD.</p>

The Influence of Language Context on Repetitive Speech Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Gladfelter ◽  
Cassidy VanZuiden
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Language Context

Purpose Although repetitive speech is a hallmark characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the contributing factors that influence repetitive speech use remain unknown. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if the language context impacts the amount and type of repetitive speech produced by children with ASD. Method As part of a broader word-learning study, 11 school-age children with ASD participated in two different language contexts: storytelling and play. Previously collected language samples were transcribed and coded for four types of repetitive speech: immediate echolalia, delayed echolalia, verbal stereotypy, and vocal stereotypy. The rates and proportions of repetitive speech were compared across the two language contexts using Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests. Individual characteristics were further explored using Spearman correlations. Results The children produced lower rates of repetitive speech during the storytelling context than the play-based context. Only immediate echolalia differed between the two contexts based on rate and approached significance based on proportion, with more immediate echolalia produced in the play-based context than in the storytelling context. There were no significant correlations between repetitive speech and measures of social responsiveness, expressive or receptive vocabulary, or nonverbal intelligence. Conclusions The children with ASD produced less immediate echolalia in the storytelling context than in the play-based context. Immediate echolalia use was not related to social skills, vocabulary, or nonverbal IQ scores. These findings offer valuable insights into better understanding repetitive speech use in children with ASD.

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