Developing a Capacity for Communication in Preschoolers with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in a Face-to-Face Group Communicative Play

The article represents research findings covering the opportunities in communication ability development in preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) provided through the “face-to-face” group communicative play original methodology. The article presents a system, stages, and outcomes of play sessions and its theory based on necessity to compensate early stages of communication ontogenesis that autistic children have not acquired in full. Data obtained in two groups — experimental (preschoolers with ASD, participating in communicative play program) and control (preschoolers with ASD that did not participate in the program), in the course of one academic year is compared. Total number of experimental groups participants was 60 children with ASD, aged 4–6. It's been detected that children in the experimental group showed significant reduction of communication disorders, when compared to children in the control group (assessment was based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: children and youth version, Activity and Participation chapter domains), as well as significant reduction of autistic manifestations in general (based on the results of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale). The noted correlation between decreased communication problems and reduction of general autistic disorder manifestations provides us with the grounds to claim a priority role of special “face-to-face” play sessions for communication abilities development in preschoolers with ASD.

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Non-expert ratings of infant and parent emotion: Concordance with expert coding and relevance to early autism risk

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/0165025409350365 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 88-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jason K. Baker ◽

John D. Haltigan ◽

Ryan Brewster ◽

James Jaccard ◽

Daniel Messinger

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum ◽

Parent Ratings ◽

Face To Face ◽

Coding Systems ◽

Behavioral Coding ◽

Novel Approach ◽

The Face ◽

High Concordance ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Expert Ratings

This study investigated a novel approach to obtaining data on parent and infant emotion during the Face-to-Face/Still-Face paradigm, and examined these data in light of previous findings regarding early autism risk. One-hundred and eighty eight non-expert students rated 38 parents and infant siblings of children who did (20) or did not (18) have autism spectrum disorders. Ratings averaged across 10 non-experts exhibited high concordance with expert facial-action codes for infant emotion, and 20 non-experts were required for reliable parent ratings. Findings replicated the well-established still-face effect and identified subtle risk associations consonant with results from previous investigations. The unique information offered by intuitive non-expert ratings is discussed as an alternative to complex and costly behavioral coding systems.

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The association of auditory integration training in children with autism spectrum disorders among Chinese: a meta-analysis

Bioscience Reports ◽

10.1042/bsr20181412 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 38 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Ning Li ◽

Ling Li ◽

Guimei Li ◽

Zhongtao Gai

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Control Group ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Auditory Integration Training ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Auditory Integration

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported an inconsistent relationship about the auditory integration training (AIT) in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) among Chinese. The current study was to investigate the efficacy of AIT for children with ASD compared with those in control group by using meta-analysis. Relevant trials published were identified by an electronic search of PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE, WanFang, CNKI, and SinoMed databases up to December 31, 2017. Outcome of interest included childhood autism rating scale (CARS), autism behavior checklist (ABC), intelligence quotient (IQ), and autism treatment evaluation checklist (ATEC). Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated using a random-effect model. Thirteen RCTs with 976 children with ASD were included for analysis. The pooled SMD showed that children with ASD had significantly lower ABC scores [summary SMD = −0.58, 95%CI = −0.79 to −0.38] and ATEC scores [summary SMD = −0.75, 95%CI = −1.05 to −0.45] in AIT group compared with that in control group. The analysis of pooled statistics put forward AIT could increase the IQ score when compared with that in control group [summary SMD = 0.59, 95%CI = 0.41–0.77]. A negative association was found about CARS scores between AIT group and control group. No publication bias was found and no single study had essential effect on the pooled results. In conclusions, AIT can reduce the score of ABC and ATEC and can increase the IQ score among children with ASD in Chinese. Therefore, it is recommended for Chinese children with ASD to receive AIT.

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Saccadic movements using eye-tracking technology in individuals with autism spectrum disorders: pilot study

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/s0004-282x2006000400003 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 64 (3a) ◽

pp. 559-562 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Marcos T. Mercadante ◽

Elizeu C. Macedo ◽

Patrícia M. Baptista ◽

Cristiane S. Paula ◽

José S. Schwartzman

Keyword(s):

Pervasive Developmental Disorders ◽

Developmental Disorders ◽

Matched Control ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Control Group ◽

Human Beings ◽

The Face ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Scanning Strategies ◽

Tracking Technology

OBJECTIVE: To verify differences in the visual scanning strategies between pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) and controls when they are observing social and non-social pictures. METHOD: PDD group (PDDG) comprised by 10 non-retarded subjects (age from 4 to 41) and age-matched control group (CG). Nine social pictures with human beings (including two pictures of cat mask), and 3 nonsocial pictures of objects were presented for 5 seconds. Saccadic movements and fixation were recorded with equipment EyeGaze® (LC Technologies Inc.). RESULTS: PDDG (mean=292.73, SE=67.62) presented longer duration of saccadic movements for social pictures compared to CG (mean=136.06, SE=14.01) (p=0.04). The CG showed a higher number of fixations in the picture 7 (a women using a cat mask, with the eyes erased) (CG: mean=3.40; PDDG: mean=1.80; p=0.007). CONCLUSION: The results suggest differences in strategies that PDD explore human picture. Moreover, these strategies seem not to be affected by the lack of expected part of the face (the eyes).

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Feeding Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Journal of Family Medicine ◽

10.14302/issn.2640-690x.jfm-18-2252 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 30-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Leila Cherif ◽

Jaweher Boudabous ◽

Khaoula Khemekhem ◽

Salma Mkawer ◽

Héla Ayadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Nutritional Deficiencies ◽

Control Group ◽

Feeding Problems ◽

Eating Behavior Inventory ◽

Assessment And Treatment ◽

Spectrum Disorders

Background: Feeding problems are common in autism. Parents are frequently worried about the health status of their children, which may be threatened by some consequent nutritional deficiencies. Despite this, feeding behaviours remain little explored by clinicians working with children with autism spectrum disorders and researches are lacking especially in Tunisia. Aims: To evaluate the frequency and the types of feeding problems in children with autism spectrum disorders. Settings and Design: A comparison was made between 57 children with autism spectrum disorders and 57 control groups regarding the feeding problems. Parents completed the children’s eating behavior inventory (CEBI). Autism severity is evaluated using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. The SPSS statistical package, version 20.0 was used. Results: According to the CEBI, children with autism spectrum disorders showed more feeding problems than the control group (82.4% versus 56.1%, p=0.002). In fact, the parents of these children observed more pica habits on their children compared to the control group (p=0.000). They also observed more selectivity for starchy foods compared to the control group (p=0.000). The more the autistic symptoms were severe, the more children exhibited feeding problems (p=0.02). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that feeding problems are more common in children with autism. Clinical implications trigger the need for clinicians to provide the necessary assessment and treatment.

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Aging and Autism

Perspectives on Gerontology ◽

10.1044/gero17.2.69 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 69-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pamela A. Smith

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Patient Group ◽

Older Patients ◽

Geriatric Patients ◽

Recent Literature ◽

Communication Disorders ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Need For Support ◽

Spectrum Disorders

In this article, I will review the available recent literature about the aging population with autism, a patient group that researchers know little about and a group that is experiencing a growing need for support from communication disorders professionals. Speech-language pathologists working with geriatric patients should become familiar with this issue, as the numbers of older patients with autism spectrum disorders is likely to increase. Our profession and our health care system must prepare to meet the challenge these patients and residents will present as they age.

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Evaluating the alliance in videolink teletherapy

Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare ◽

10.1258/1357633971930283 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 3 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 33-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

G J Ghosh ◽

P M Mclaren ◽

J P Watson

Keyword(s):

Working Alliance ◽

Psychological Treatment ◽

Single Case ◽

Personality Factors ◽

Control Group ◽

Face To Face ◽

Working Alliance Inventory ◽

The Face

The use of videoconferencing in psychotherapy remains largely unexplored. Videoconferencing compromises the range and quality of interactional information and thus might be expected to affect the working alliance (WA) between client and therapist, and consequently the process and outcome of therapy. A single case study exploring the effect of videoconferencing on the development of the WA in the psychological treatment of a female–male transsexual is described. The self-rated Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) was used to measure client and therapist perceptions of the WA after each session over 10 sessions of eclectic therapy conducted over a videolink. The serial WAI measurements charting the development of the WA in 4 cases of 10-session, face-to-face therapy by Horvath and Marx1 were used as a quasi-control. Therapist and client impressions of teletherapy are described. WAI scores were essentially similar to the face-to-face control group except for lower client-rated bond subscale scores. It is suggested that client personality factors accounted for this difference and that videoconferencing did not impair the development of an adequate working alliance or successful therapeutic outcome.

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Paternal and maternal age at pregnancy and autism spectrum disorders in offspring

Paediatrica Indonesiana ◽

10.14238/pi55.6.2015.345-51 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 55 (6) ◽

pp. 345 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luh Putu Rihayani Budi ◽

Mei Neni Sitaresmi ◽

I Gusti Ayu Trisna Windiani

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Maternal Age ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Paternal Age ◽

Control Group ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Past Half Century ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Paternal Smoking

Background The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders(ASDs) has increased 10 times over the past half century,while paternal and maternal age at pregnancy has alsoincreased. Studies looking for an association between paternalor maternal age at pregnancy and ASDs in offspring have notbeen conclusive.Objective To assess for possible associations between paternaland maternal age at pregnancy and ASDs in offspring.Methods This case-control study had 50 case and 100control subjects, each case was matched for age and genderto two controls. Case subjects were obtained by consecutivesampling of patients aged 18 months to 7 years who visited theDevelopmental Behavioral & Community Pediatrics OutpatientClinic and private growth and development centers from Januaryto April 2013, while control group were children of the sameage range and same gender who visited pediatric outpatientclinic at Sanglah Hospital mostly due to acute respiratory tractinfection, without ASDs as assessed by the DSM-IV-TR criteria.We interviewed parents to collect the following data: maternaland paternal age at pregnancy, child’s birth weight, historyof asphyxia, hospital admission during the neonatal period,pathological labor, maternal smoking during pregnancy, paternalsmoking, and gestational age. Data analysis was performed withChi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.Results Multivariable analysis showed that higher paternal ageat pregnancy was associated with ASDs in offspring (OR 6.3;95%CI 2.0 to 19.3; P 0.001). However, there was no significantassociation between maternal age during pregnancy and theincidence of ASDs. Asphyxia and paternal smoking were alsoassociated with higher incidence of ASDs in the offspring (OR10.3; 95%CI 1.9 to 56.5; P 0.007 and OR 3.2; 95%CI 1.5 to 6.9;P 0.003, respectively).Conclusion􀀃􀀳􀁄􀁗􀁈􀁕􀁑􀁄􀁏􀀃􀁄􀁊􀁈􀀃􀂕􀀗􀀓􀀃􀁜􀁈􀁄􀁕􀁖􀀃􀁌􀁑􀁆􀁕􀁈􀁄􀁖􀁈􀁇􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀁕􀁌􀁖􀁎􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀀤􀀶'􀁖􀀃in offspring by 6.3 times. In addition, paternal smoking increased the risk of ASDs in offspring by 3.2 times and asphyxia increasedthe risk of ASDs in offspring by 10.3 times.

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Improvement of sleep patterns and serum melatonin levels in children with autism spectrum disorders after consumption of beta-1,3/1,6-glucan in a pilot clinical study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-701988/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kadalraja Raghavan ◽

Vidyasagar Devaprasad Dedeepiya ◽

Ramesh Shankar Kandaswamy ◽

Mangaleswaran Balamurugan ◽

Nobunao Ikewaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Conventional Therapy ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Sleep Pattern ◽

Control Group ◽

Melatonin Level ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Sleep Patterns ◽

Spectrum Disorders

Abstract Study objectives: Poor sleep quality is a major problem that patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face, which is attributed to their low melatonin levels. Melatonin supplementation is recommended, but its effectiveness is varied. Beta-glucans have previously been reported to improve melatonin levels in animal studies. Therefore, we examined the effectiveness of Aureobasidium pullulans (Nichi Glucan), a species of black yeast that contains beta-1,3/1,6-glucan, in a pilot study of children with ASD. Methods Thirteen children (age = 2.5 to 13 years) with ASD were recruited into the study. The control group consisted of four patients (Gr. 1), while nine patients were in the treatment group (Gr. 2). Gr. 2 received 1 g of Nichi Glucan along with conventional therapy, whereas Gr. 1 underwent conventional therapy alone for 90 days. The serum melatonin levels and sleep patterns, assessed using a subjective questionnaire, were evaluated before and after treatment. Results In Gr. 2, the average serum melatonin level increased from 238.85 ng/dl pre-intervention to 394.72 ng/dl post-intervention. Eight out of nine subjects (88%) in Gr. 2 group showed and improvement in their sleep pattern and quality, while this improvement was not observed in the control group. Conclusions Our study is the first in the literature to report that consumption of Nichi Glucan for 90 days showed visible improvement in sleep quality, sleep pattern, and serum melatonin levels. A larger multicentre study is warranted to validate our findings.

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Dissociation of early and late face-related processes in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams syndrome

10.21203/rs.3.rs-480389/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alice Gomez ◽

Guillaume Lio ◽

Manuela Costa ◽

Angela Sirigu ◽

Caroline Demily

Keyword(s):

Williams Syndrome ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Neural Signals ◽

Face To Face ◽

Face Features ◽

Early Signal ◽

Reverse Pattern ◽

The Face ◽

Evoked Activity ◽

Multivariate Pattern

Abstract Williams syndrome (WS) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are psychiatric conditions associated with atypical but opposite face-to-face interactions patterns: WS patients overly stare at others, ASD individuals escape eye contact. Whether these behaviors result from dissociable visual processes within the occipito-temporal pathways is unknown. Using high-density electroencephalography, multivariate pattern classification and group blind source separation, we searched for face-related neural signals that could best discriminate WS (N = 14), ASD (N = 14) and neurotypical populations (N = 14). We found two peaks in neurotypical participants: the first at 170ms, an early signal known to be implicated in low-level face features, the second at 260ms, a late component implicated in decoding salient face social cues. The late 260ms signal varied as a function of the distance of the eyes in the face stimulus with respect to the viewers’ fovea, meaning that it was strongest when the eyes were projected on the fovea and weakest when projected in the retinal periphery. Remarkably, both components were found distinctly impaired and preserved in WS and ASD. In WS, we could weakly decode the 170ms signal probably due to their relatively poor ability to process faces’ morphology while the late 260ms component shown to be eye sensitive was highly significant. The reverse pattern was observed in ASD participants who showed neurotypical like early 170ms evoked activity but impaired late evoked 260ms signal. Our study reveals a dissociation between WS and ASD patients and point at different neural origins for their social impairments.

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The Use of Wiki in Teaching Programming

International Journal of Distance Education Technologies ◽

10.4018/ijdet.2018070102 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 18-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yu-Tzu Lin ◽

Cheng-Chih Wu ◽

Chiung-Fang Chiu

Keyword(s):

Program Implementation ◽

Procedural Knowledge ◽

Control Group ◽

Face To Face ◽

Cooperative Program ◽

Programming Students ◽

Collaborative Programming ◽

The Face ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Experimental Group

This article explores the feasibility of employing cooperative program editing tools in teaching programming. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, in which the experimental group co-edited the programs with peers using the wiki. The control group co-edited the programs with peers using only the face-to-face approach. The findings show that the co-editing platform was effective in assisting collaborative learning of programming, especially for program implementation. By observing editing histories, students could compare programs and then reflect more deeply about programming. The use of the wiki history tool also helped to illuminate nonlinear and dynamic procedures utilized in programming. Students who engaged more in the collaborative programming or interacted more with partners on the wiki showed greater program implementation achievements. The major benefit of using the wiki was the enhanced ability to observe the dynamic programming procedure and to encounter programming conflicts, which contributed to the process of procedural knowledge acquisition and elaboration.

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