Developmental milestones as early warning indicators of twice-exceptionality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon C LeBeau ◽  
Katherine Schabilion ◽  
Susan G Assouline ◽  
Megan Foley-Nicpon ◽  
Alissa F Doobay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Developmental Milestones ◽  
Twice Exceptional ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Specific Learning Disorder ◽  
Study Results ◽  
High Cognitive Ability

<p>Twice-exceptional individuals are those that have high cognitive ability in one or more areas, but also have a diagnosed disability. The needs of these individuals likely differ from those with high cognitive ability without a disability and those who solely have a disability. Intervening early can offer exceptional benefits for twice-exceptional individuals, but this has proved challenging due to the high cognitive abilities masking disabilities. This study explores if parent-reported developmental milestones can predict the number of disabilities diagnosed for an individual, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD). Using a clinical sample of about 1,300 individuals, we used a Bayesian cumulative logistic model to explore if developmental milestones are able to predict the number of diagnoses after controlling for IQ and age. Study results show that when an individual began to count and read informed predictions for the number of future diagnoses in the clinical sample. Implications for future study and practitioners are discussed in further detail.</p>

Disorders of Development

2014 ◽  
pp. 557-581
Author(s):  
V. Mark Durand
Keyword(s):  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Conduct Disorders ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Specific Learning Disorder ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Clinically Significant

Disorders of development include a range of disorders first evidenced in childhood. Although most disorders have their origins in childhood, a few fully express themselves before early adulthood. This chapter describes the nature, assessment, and treatment of the more common disorders that are revealed in a clinically significant way during a child’s developing years. The disorders of development affect a range of functioning from single skills deficits to more pervasive problems that negatively impact a child’s ability to function. Included is coverage of several disorders usually diagnosed first in infancy, childhood, or adolescence, including the neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, communication disorders, intellectual disability, and specific learning disorder) and the disruptive, impulse control, and conduct disorders (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder). Recommendations for future research on the potential for advancing knowledge regarding spectrums within some of these disorders as well as recommendations for treatment are outlined.

scholarly journals The Neurobiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder As It Relates to Twice Exceptionality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Sharkey ◽  
Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Inflection Point ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Specific Interest ◽  
Twice Exceptional ◽  
Multiple Conditions

There is a long-standing association between exceptional cognitive abilities, of various sorts, and neuropsychiatric illness, but it has historically largely been investigated in an exploratory and non-systematic way. One group in which this association has been investigated with more rigor is in subjects who have been identified as twice exceptional; an educational term describing subjects who are both gifted and diagnosed with a neuropsychiatric disability. This term covers multiple conditions, but is of specific interest in particular in the study of autism spectrum disorder. Recent findings have led to the development of a hypothesis that a certain degree of the neurobiology associated with autism might even be advantageous for individuals and could lead to high giftedness, while becoming disadvantageous, once a certain threshold is surpassed. In this model, the same neurobiological mechanisms confer an increasing advantage up to a certain threshold, but become pathological past that point. Twice-exceptional individuals would be exactly at the inflection point, being highly gifted, but also symptomatic at the same time. Here, we review how existing neuroimaging literature on autism spectrum disorder can inform research on twice exceptionality specifically. We propose to study key neural networks with a robust implication in ASD to identify the neurobiology underlying twice-exceptionality. A better understanding of the neural mechanisms of twice exceptionality should help to better understand resilience and vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders and tofurther support affected individuals.

scholarly journals Exploring sensory phenotypes in autism spectrum disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nichole E. Scheerer ◽  
Kristina Curcin ◽  
Bobby Stojanoski ◽  
Evdokia Anagnostou ◽  
Rob Nicolson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Large Degree ◽  
Parent Report ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Sensory Profile ◽  
Adaptive Behaviour ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract Background Atypical reactions to the sensory environment are often reported in autistic individuals, with a high degree of variability across the sensory modalities. These sensory differences have been shown to promote challenging behaviours and distress in autistic individuals and are predictive of other functions including motor, social, and cognitive abilities. Preliminary research suggests that specific sensory differences may cluster together within individuals creating discrete sensory phenotypes. However, the manner in which these sensory differences cluster, and whether the resulting phenotypes are associated with specific cognitive and social challenges is unclear. Methods Short sensory profile data from 599 autistic children and adults between the ages of 1 and 21 years were subjected to a K-means cluster analysis. Analysis of variances compared age, adaptive behaviour, and traits associated with autism, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive and compulsive disorder across the resultant clusters. Results A five-cluster model was found to minimize error variance and produce five sensory phenotypes: (1) sensory adaptive, (2) generalized sensory differences, (3) taste and smell sensitivity, (4) under-responsive and sensation seeking, and (5) movement difficulties with low energy. Age, adaptive behaviour, and traits associated with autism, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive and compulsive disorder were found to differ significantly across the five phenotypes. Limitations The results were based on parent-report measures of sensory processing, adaptive behaviour, traits associated with autism, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive and compulsive disorder, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Further, not all measures are standardized, or psychometrically validated with an autism population. Autistic individuals with an intellectual disability were underrepresented in this sample. Further, as these data were obtained from established records from a large provincial database, not all measures were completed for all individuals. Conclusions These findings suggest that sensory difficulties in autistic individuals can be clustered into sensory phenotypes, and that these phenotypes are associated with behavioural differences. Given the large degree of heterogeneity in sensory difficulties seen in the autistic population, these sensory phenotypes represent an effective way to parse that heterogeneity and create phenotypes that may aid in the development of effective treatments and interventions for sensory difficulties.

scholarly journals Relationship between Motor Coordination, Cognitive Abilities, and Academic Achievement in Japanese Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Higashionna ◽  
Ryoichiro Iwanaga ◽  
Akiko Tokunaga ◽  
Akio Nakai ◽  
Koji Tanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Japanese Children ◽  
Assessment Battery ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Movement Assessment

Background/Objective Motor coordination impairment is common in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor coordination, cognitive ability, and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods Thirty-four school-age (6–12 years old) children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 34 age-matched typically developing (TD) children were recruited in this study. Correlations between the scores of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (M-ABC2) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children — Second Edition (K-ABCII) that assesses cognitive abilities, and academic achievement were analyzed. Results The children with neurodevelopmental disorders obtained a lower total score and all component scores on M-ABC2 compared to the TD children. In children with neurodevelopmental disorders, M-ABC2 Manual Dexterity score was significantly correlated with K-ABCII Simultaneous Processing (r = .345, p = .046), Knowledge (r = .422, p = .013), Reading (r = .342, p = .048), Writing (r = .414, p = .017), and Arithmetic (r = .443, p = .009) scores. In addition, M-ABC2 Balance score was significantly correlated with K-ABCII Learning (r = .341, p = .048), Writing (r = .493, p = .004), and Arithmetic (r = .386, p = .024) scores. Conclusion These findings stress that it is essential to accurately identify motor coordination impairments and the interventions that would consider motor coordination problems related to cognitive abilities and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

scholarly journals The Other Side of the Coin: Perceptions of Twice-Exceptional Students by Their Close Friends

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110222
Author(s):  
María Leonor Conejeros-Solar ◽  
María Paz Gómez-Arizaga ◽  
Robin M. Schader ◽  
Susan M. Baum ◽  
Katia Sandoval-Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
The Other ◽  
Exceptional Students ◽  
Twice Exceptional ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Common Interests ◽  
Deep Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews

Friendship can be critical at any age but considering the gifts and challenges of twice-exceptional students, friends can be an essential element in navigating school years. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions that close friends of twice-exceptional students have about their friendship, characteristics, and how they relate to classmates and teachers. The sample was comprised of 17 students. Under a qualitative design, in-depth interviews were conducted with friends of students who were gifted with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or with autism spectrum disorder. Results showed a deep relationship, in which friends of twice-exceptional students were able to make a realistic depiction of them, which was based on empathy, common interests, and a connection that stems from facing adversity. The results are not only a contribution to current research but also take a positive and strengths-based angle not always found in the literature. Implications for practice and research were discussed.

scholarly journals Inattention and hyperactive/impulsive component scores do not differentiate between autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a clinical sample

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta D. Krakowski ◽  
Katherine Tombeau Cost ◽  
Evdokia Anagnostou ◽  
Meng-Chuan Lai ◽  
Jennifer Crosbie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Component Scores

scholarly journals A discrepancy between processing speed and verbal ability in gifted youth is genetically and diagnostically associated with autism

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jake J Michaelson ◽  
Alissa F Doobay ◽  
Lucas Casten ◽  
Megan Foley-Nicpon ◽  
Thomas Nickl-Jockschat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
Verbal Ability ◽  
Prognostic Indicator ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Twice Exceptional ◽  
High Cognitive Ability ◽  
Clinical Records

Background: High cognitive ability is an almost universally positive prognostic indicator in the context of neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative conditions. However, "twice-exceptional" individuals, those who demonstrate high cognitive ability (gifted) and also exhibit profound cognitive, behavioral, and mental health challenges, are a striking exception to this rule. Methods: We digitized the clinical records of N=1,074 clients from a US-based specialty clinic serving gifted students. This included a broad array of diagnostic, cognitive, achievement, and behavioral data, including self, teacher, and parent reported items. We conducted both hypothesis-driven and unsupervised learning analyses to 1) identify characteristics whose association with full-scale IQ (FSIQ) was dependent on autism diagnosis and 2) identify cognitive archetypes associated with autism diagnosis and related behaviors. We tested the generalization of our findings using data from the ABCD study (N=10,602). Results: Self-reported sense of inadequacy was most strongly associated with increasing FSIQ specifically among autistic clients (beta=0.3, 95% CI:[0.15,0.45], p=7.1x10 -5 ). Similarly, self, parent, and teacher reports of anxiety increased with FSIQ (all p<0.05) in autistic individuals, in striking opposition to the ameliorating effect of FSIQ seen in non-autistic individuals. We uncovered a pattern of decreased processing speed (PS) coupled with very high verbal comprehension (VC), a PS/VC discrepancy, that was associated with autism, attention, and internalizing problems. These cognitive- behavioral links were also observed in the ABCD study. Finally, we found a significant association between the PS/VC discrepancy and polygenic risk for autism in the ABCD sample (t=2.9, p=0.004). Conclusions: Our results suggest that highly elevated IQ with a significant PS/VC discrepancy is a clinically and genetically meaningful biotype linked to autism.

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