Observed emotional reactivity in response to frustration tasks in psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder

Emotional reactivity (e.g. explosive outbursts, tantrums) is a common but understudied challenge for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Prior research has relied primarily on questionnaire data or observations of very young children. The current study coded emotional reactivity and recovery during a series of standardized frustration tasks in a sample of psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder ( N = 150; mean age: 12.76) inclusive of the full spectrum of intellectual and functional abilities and explored relationships between emotional reactivity and participant characteristics. The amount, intensity, and duration of negative affect and total range of affect significantly increased from a baseline period to frustration tasks and significantly decreased during recovery. Younger children displayed more negative affect overall; however, age did not moderate change in affect from baseline to frustration tasks or recovery. Adaptive functioning and verbal ability both moderated change in affect, with individuals with lower adaptive functioning and minimally verbal individuals displaying greater reactivity and less recovery. Reactivity was unrelated to non-verbal IQ, overall autism symptom severity, and parent-reported psychiatric/behavioral problems. The results highlight the feasibility and importance of examining emotional reactivity in more severely affected individuals and suggest the need to develop more targeted interventions for emotional reactivity in this group. Lay Abstract Large emotional reactions (e.g. outbursts, tantrums) can be common and distressing in the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Most previous research that has examined these types of emotional responses have used questionnaire data or focused only on young children. In addition, very little research has included individuals across a large range of intellectual and functional abilities or individuals with more severe emotional and/or behavioral difficulties. This study examined emotional reactions to frustrating tasks in 6–21-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder who were psychiatrically hospitalized due to emotional and/or behavioral difficulties. We describe change in the amount, intensity, duration, and range of emotional reactions that the participants displayed from a neutral activity to the frustrating tasks and then to a neutral recovery period. We also examined associations between characteristics of the participants and these emotional reactions. We found that younger children displayed more negative emotions across the neutral and frustrating tasks; however, age did not relate to how big their reactions to frustration were. Furthermore, we found that individuals with fewer adaptive skills (i.e. age-appropriate life skills) and minimally verbal individuals had bigger reactions and recovered less following the frustration tasks. The results highlight the importance of examining emotional reactions in individuals with lower verbal and adaptive abilities and for interventions to consider the connection between verbal and adaptive skills and emotional reactions.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Adaptive Functioning, Behavioral Problems, and Repetitive Behaviors of Italian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Study

Children ◽

10.3390/children8020096 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 96

Author(s):

Martina Siracusano ◽

Eugenia Segatori ◽

Assia Riccioni ◽

Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti ◽

Paolo Curatolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Behavioral Problems ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Repetitive Behaviors ◽

Assessment System ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Skills ◽

The Impact

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families have represented a fragile population on which the extreme circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak may have doubly impaired. Interruption of therapeutical interventions delivered in-person and routine disruption constituted some of the main challenges they had to face. This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on adaptive functioning, behavioral problems, and repetitive behaviors of children with ASD. In a sample of 85 Italian ASD children (mean age 7 years old; 68 males, 17 females), through a comparison with a baseline evaluation performed during the months preceding COVID-19, we evaluated whether after the compulsory home confinement any improvement or worsening was reported by parents of ASD individuals using standardized instruments (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (Second Edition), Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised). No significant worsening in the adaptive functioning, problematic, and repetitive behaviors emerged after the compulsory home confinement. Within the schooler children, clinical stability was found in reference to both adaptive skills and behavioral aspects, whereas within preschoolers, a significant improvement in adaptive skills emerged and was related to the subsistence of web-delivered intervention, parental work continuance, and online support during the lockdown.

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The impact of COVID-19 on the adaptive functioning of Italian children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: role of the online intervention.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-99013/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Siracusano Martina ◽

Segatori Eugenia ◽

Riccioni Assia ◽

Gialloreti Emberti Leonardo ◽

Curatolo Paolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Repetitive Behaviors ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Skills ◽

Baseline Evaluation ◽

Parental Work ◽

Italian Children ◽

The Impact

Abstract This study investigated the impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic on the adaptive functioning, problematic and repetitive behaviors of an Italian sample of preschoolers and schoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. We evaluated whether after the compulsory home confinement, in comparison to a baseline evaluation performed during the months preceding COVID-19, any improvement or worsening was reported by parents of ASD individuals using standardized instruments.No significant worsening in the areas explored emerged after the lockdown. Within the older participants, a clinical stability was found concerning both adaptive skills and behavioral aspects. Whereas, within preschoolers a significant improvement in adaptive skills emerged and was related to the subsistence of web delivered intervention, parental work persistency and online support during lockdown.

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The impact of atypical sensory processing on adaptive functioning within and beyond autism: The role of familial factors

Autism ◽

10.1177/13623613211019852 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 136236132110198

Author(s):

Janina Neufeld ◽

Lisa Hederos Eriksson ◽

Richard Hammarsten ◽

Karl Lundin Remnélius ◽

Julian Tillmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Sensation Seeking ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Skills ◽

Sensory Sensitivity ◽

Familial Factors ◽

Increased Sensitivity

Atypical sensory processing is prevalent across neurodevelopmental conditions and a key diagnostic criterion of autism spectrum disorder. It may have cascading effects on the development of adaptive functions. However, its unique contribution to adaptive functioning and the genetic/environmental influences on this link are unclear. In a clinically enriched twin sample ( n = 289, 60 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder), we investigated the associations between the quadrants of the Adult/Adolescent Sensory Profile (low registration, sensory sensitivity, sensation seeking, and sensation avoiding) and adaptive functioning. Associations were modeled across the cohort accounting for the effects of clinical diagnosis, IQ, sex and age, and within-twin pairs, additionally implicitly adjusting for familial factors. Furthermore, we explored interaction effects between atypical sensory processing and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Sensory sensitivity and sensation avoiding were associated with reduced adaptive functioning across individuals, but not within-twin pairs. An interaction effect was found between sensation seeking and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, showing a negative association between sensation seeking and adaptive functioning only in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The results suggest that atypical sensory processing is associated with reduced adaptive functioning and that familial factors influence this link. In addition, sensation seeking behaviors might interfere with adaptive functioning specifically in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Lay abstract Individuals diagnosed with autism tend to process sensory information differently than individuals without autism, resulting for instance in increased sensitivity to sounds or smells. This leads to challenges in everyday life and may restrict the individual’s daily functioning. How direct this link is, however, is currently unclear. We investigated this question in 289 twins of whom 60 were diagnosed with autism and further 61 were diagnosed with other neurodevelopmental disorders. We looked at the association between unusual sensory processing and adaptive skills, both across individuals and within-twin pairs, testing whether individuals with higher levels of atypical sensory processing showed reduced adaptive skills compared to their twins. Since twins share 50%–100% of their genes and part of their environment (e.g. family background), associations within-twin pairs are free from effects of these familial factors. We found that an increased sensitivity to, as well as the avoiding of, sensory input (hyper-responsiveness) was linked to reduced adaptive skills across individuals—but not within-twin pairs. We also found an association between the degree to which individuals seek for sensory input (sensation seeking) and reduced adaptive skills, but only in individuals diagnosed with autism. The results suggest that sensory hyper-responsiveness has negative effects on individuals’ general ability to function, but that this link is influenced by familial factors and hence not direct. In addition, sensation seeking behaviors might have a negative impact on adaptive skills specifically in autistic individuals.

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Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Repetitive Behaviors and Adaptive Functioning

Children ◽

10.3390/children8050325 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 325

Author(s):

Martina Siracusano ◽

Valentina Postorino ◽

Assia Riccioni ◽

Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti ◽

Monica Terribili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Repetitive Behaviors ◽

Preschool Age ◽

Assessment System ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Skills

Sex differences in restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been explored with mixed findings. We aimed to investigate sex differences in RRBs through a specific measure—i.e., the Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised (RBS-R)—in a sample of preschool-age and school-age children with ASD. Additionally, we evaluated if RRBs were differently related to adaptive functioning within the male and the female age groups. A sample of 210 ASD individuals (3–18 years; 145 males, 65 females) underwent an in-depth assessment including a cognitive, adaptive functioning evaluation (i.e., the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Second Edition (ABAS-II)) and RRBs assessment (i.e., RBS-R). No significant sex differences on the RBS-R total score or any RBS-R subscale emerged. Within the group of older participants, RRBs were negatively associated with all adaptive skill domains independently from sex and age. Our results suggest a lack of sex differences in RRBs in our sample. Additionally, our findings highlight the possible negative impact of RRBs on adaptive skills in older individuals with autism, emphasizing the need for autistic individuals of both sexes to undergo an early intervention targeting RRBs, in order to improve their adaptive skills.

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Correlates of Adaptive Functioning in Minimally Verbal Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1944-7558-122.1.1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 122 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kyle M. Frost ◽

Natalie Hong ◽

Catherine Lord

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Repetitive Behavior ◽

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Skills ◽

Minimally Verbal ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Social Affect

Abstract Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to have significant delays in adaptive functioning. In this study, the relationship between adaptive behavior and ASD symptomatology was investigated in minimally verbal, school-aged children with ASD (n = 333). Both the social affect (SA) and restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) domains from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were analyzed in relation to adaptive skills. ADOS SA scores contributed unique variance to scores in each Vineland domain, though cognitive ability and age accounted for considerably more variance across domains. Results indicate that there is a significant, but small, association between social affect deficits and adaptive skills, challenging clinicians, educators, and caregivers to target adaptive skills in addition to more specific features of ASD.

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Comparison of Adaptive Functioning Measures in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Without Intellectual Disability

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-021-05013-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Leanne Tamm ◽

Haley A. Day ◽

Amie Duncan

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Intellectual Disability ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adolescents With Autism

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Predictors of adaptive functioning in preschool aged children with autism spectrum disorder

Autism Research ◽

10.1002/aur.2501 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marie Antoinette Hodge ◽

Kelsie A. Boulton ◽

Rebecca Sutherland ◽

Diana Barnett ◽

Beverley Bennett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Preschool Aged Children

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Sibling Relationships, Personality Traits, Emotional, and Behavioral Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Child Development Research ◽

10.1155/2019/9576484 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

C. Longobardi ◽

L. E. Prino ◽

F. G. M. Gastaldi ◽

T. Jungert

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sibling Relationships ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Sibling Relationship ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Behavioral Difficulties ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Emotional Symptoms ◽

The Impact

This study focused on parents’ perceptions of the quality of sibling relationship and its association with some behavioral and emotional characteristics of the typically developing sibling. The participants were parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing siblings. The sample size was 43. The group comprised 14 fathers (32.6%) and 29 mothers (67.4%) aged 33–53 years (M=43.56; SD = 5.23). The parents completed measures of siblings’ emotional and behavioral difficulties, siblings’ personality, and sibling relationships and their impact on families and siblings. The results showed that behavioral difficulties such as emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and peer relationship problems were significantly associated with negative sibling relationships—characterized by rivalry, aggression, avoidance, and teaching behavior toward the brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder. The implications are that sibling-focused interventions should focus on improving negative sibling relationships to reduce the impact on the difficulties of the typical development of the sibling of both genders and shape the content and delivery framework accordingly. This can be done by providing skills and approaches for enhancing sibling relationships so both parties benefit.

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Neurobehavioral phenotype of autism spectrum disorder associated with germline heterozygous mutations in PTEN

Translational Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41398-019-0588-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Robyn M. Busch ◽

◽

Siddharth Srivastava ◽

Olivia Hogue ◽

Thomas W. Frazier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Motor Coordination ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Group Performance ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Tensin Homolog ◽

Neuropsychological Profile ◽

Neurobehavioral Function

Abstract Germline mutations in PTEN, the gene that encodes phosphatase and tensin homolog, have been identified in up to 20% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and macrocephaly and are associated with marked abnormalities in the white matter of the brain. This study sought to characterize the neurobehavioral phenotype of PTEN-ASD. Comprehensive neurobehavioral evaluations were conducted in 36 participants (ages 3–21 years) with PTEN-ASD and compared to two groups of controls: non-syndromic ASD with macrocephaly (Macro-ASD, n = 25) and those with PTEN mutations without ASD (PTEN-no ASD, n = 23). Linear regression analysis or Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to examine group differences on neurobehavioral measures (cognitive, behavioral, sensory, and adaptive functioning) and, for select measures, one-sample t-tests were used to compare group performance to healthy control norms. These analyses revealed a distinct neuropsychological profile associated with mutations in PTEN suggesting primary disruption of frontal lobe systems (i.e., attention, impulsivity, reaction time, processing speed, and motor coordination). Cognitive deficits in PTEN-ASD are more severe than those in PTEN-no ASD and extend to other areas of neurobehavioral function, specifically, adaptive behavior and sensory deficits. While core ASD symptoms are similar in PTEN-ASD and Macro-ASD, PTEN-ASD had lower clinical ratings of autism severity and showed more sensory abnormalities suggestive of less sensory responsiveness. Together, these results suggest that PTEN-ASD has a distinct neurobehavioral phenotype compared to idiopathic ASD that is likely to warrant special consideration for overall assessment and treatment.

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