scholarly journals From Close Connections to Feeling Misunderstood: How Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Perceive Support from Family Members and Friends

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Geneviève LaRoche ◽  
Catherine Des Rivières-Pigeon
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Support Relationships

This qualitative study examines the social support of parents of children with ASD living in Québec, Canada. Eighteen parents described their social support experiences before and after their child’s first signs of ASD. The results of this study indicate that parents recall many unhelpful support experiences after their child’s first signs of ASD. The results also suggest that the parents’ support needs greatly outweigh the support they perceive from family and friends. To our knowledge, this study is the first to recognise that receiving adequate social support requires significant involvement from parents who find themselves having to compensate for the lack of knowledge about autism in the general population. The results of this study put forth the active role that parents play in the reshaping of their support relationships and highlight the changes that occur in these relationships over time. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Validation of Wearable Sensor Technology to Measure Social Proximity of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2021 ◽  
pp. 108835762110282
Author(s):  
Sarah N. Douglas ◽  
Yan Shi ◽  
Saptarshi Das ◽  
Subir Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Sensor System ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Proximity ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle to develop appropriate social skills, which can lead to later social rejection, isolation, and mental health concerns. Educators play an important role in supporting and monitoring social skill development for children with ASD, but the tools used by educators are often tedious, lack suitable sensitivity, provide limited information to plan interventions, and are time-consuming. Therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate the use of a sensor system to measure social proximity between three children with ASD and their peers in an inclusive preschool setting. We compared video-coded data with sensor data using point-by-point agreement to measure the accuracy of the sensor system. Results suggest that the sensor system can adequately measure social proximity between children with ASD and their peers. The next steps for sensor system validation are discussed along with clinical and educational implications, limitations, and future research directions.

scholarly journals Investigating SOcial Competence and Isolation in children with Autism taking part in LEGO-based therapy clubs In School Environments (I-SOCIALISE): study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e030471
Author(s):  
Danielle Varley ◽  
Barry Wright ◽  
Cindy Cooper ◽  
David Marshall ◽  
Katie Biggs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
School Level ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social

IntroductionSocial skills training interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically focus on a skills deficit model rather than building on existing skills or encouraging the child to seek their own solutions. LEGO-based therapy is a child-oriented intervention to help improve social interactional skills and reduce isolation. The therapy is designed for school-age children with ASD and uses group-based play in a school setting to encourage peer relationships and social learning. Despite the reported potential benefits of LEGO-based therapy in a prior randomised controlled trial (RCT) and its adoption by many schools, the evidence to support its effectiveness on the social and emotional well-being of children with ASD is limited and includes no assessment of cost-effectiveness.Methods and analysisThis multicentre, pragmatic, cluster RCT will randomise 240 participants (aged 7–15 years) with a clinical diagnosis of ASD to receive usual care or LEGO-based therapy with usual care. Cluster randomisation will be conducted on a school level, randomising each school as opposed to each individual child within a school. All prospective participants will be screened for eligibility before assenting to the study (with parents giving informed consent on behalf of their child). All participants will be followed up at 20 and 52 weeks after randomisation to assess for social, emotional and behavioural changes. The primary outcome measure is the social skills subscale of the Social Skills Improvement System completed by a teacher or teaching assistant associated with participating children at the 20-week follow-up time point.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been obtained via the University of York Research Ethics Committee. The results of the trial will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and will be disseminated to participating families, education practitioners and the third sector including voluntary and community organisations.Trial registration numberISRCTN64852382; Pre-results.

scholarly journals Computer- and Robot-Assisted Therapies to Aid Social and Intellectual Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan DiPietro ◽  
Arpad Kelemen ◽  
Yulan Liang ◽  
Cecilia Sik-Lanyi
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Robot Assisted ◽  
The Past ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social

Background and objectives: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience challenges with social interactions, a core feature of the disorder. Social skills therapy has been shown to be helpful. Over the past several years, computer-assisted and robot-assisted therapies have been infiltrating the social skills teaching environment. Rapid progress in the field of technology, especially in the robotics area, offers tremendous possibilities for innovation and treatment or even education for individuals with ASD. This paper’s purpose is to drive awareness of these innovative interventions in order to support the social lives of children with ASD. The aims of the paper are identifying (1) the types of Information Technology platforms that are being evaluated in computer and robot-assisted therapies for children with ASD; (2) the various disciplines or professions studying and utilizing these computer and robot-assisted social skill therapies; (3) the outcomes being evaluated in each trial; and (4) if results demonstrate benefits to children with autism. Materials and Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were searched for clinical trials published over the past five years. Search terms incorporated the subject intersection of autism, and computer or robot-assisted therapy. Results were mined for pediatric populations only and study designs establishing controlled comparisons. Results: Eighteen unique international studies were identified that utilize robot interventions (11 studies) and serious computer game interventions (seven studies). Most demonstrated promising results in improving outcomes for children with ASD. Study implications reveal a rapidly evolving assistive technology for ASD social skills therapy. Conclusions: These interventions show considerable promise, but more effectiveness and cost effectiveness research of high quality should be carried out with larger numbers of children. Also, further studies are necessary to evaluate these technologies’ effectiveness amongst adults with ASD and within unique subsets of the higher functioning autism population.

scholarly journals Impaired voice processing in reward and salience circuits predicts social communication in children with autism

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Arthur Abrams ◽  
Aarthi Padmanabhan ◽  
Tianwen Chen ◽  
Paola Odriozola ◽  
Amanda E Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Communication ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Editorial Note ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mother’S Voice ◽  
Voice Processing

Engaging with vocal sounds is critical for children’s social-emotional learning, and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often ‘tune out’ voices in their environment. Little is known regarding the neurobiological basis of voice processing and its link to social impairments in ASD. Here, we perform the first comprehensive brain network analysis of voice processing in children with ASD. We examined neural responses elicited by unfamiliar voices and mother’s voice, a biologically salient voice for social learning, and identified a striking relationship between social communication abilities in children with ASD and activation in key structures of reward and salience processing regions. Functional connectivity between voice-selective and reward regions during voice processing predicted social communication in children with ASD and distinguished them from typically developing children. Results support the Social Motivation Theory of ASD by showing reward system deficits associated with the processing of a critical social stimulus, mother’s voice, in children with ASD.Editorial note: This article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that minor issues remain unresolved (<xref ref-type="decision-letter" rid="SA1">see decision letter</xref>).

Stability of Variables Derived From Measures of Multisensory Function in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kacie Dunham ◽  
Jacob I. Feldman ◽  
Yupeng Liu ◽  
Margaret Cassidy ◽  
Julie G. Conrad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Multisensory Processing ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Mcgurk Effect ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Listening In Noise ◽  
The Stability

Abstract Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display differences in multisensory function as quantified by several different measures. This study estimated the stability of variables derived from commonly used measures of multisensory function in school-aged children with ASD. Participants completed: a simultaneity judgment task for audiovisual speech, tasks designed to elicit the McGurk effect, listening-in-noise tasks, electroencephalographic recordings, and eye-tracking tasks. Results indicate the stability of indices derived from tasks tapping multisensory processing is variable. These findings have important implications for measurement in future research. Averaging scores across repeated observations will often be required to obtain acceptably stable estimates and, thus, to increase the likelihood of detecting effects of interest, as it relates to multisensory processing in children with ASD.

scholarly journals Technology-Assisted Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder using Augmented Reality

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 2156-2162
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Behavior Skills ◽  
And Behavior

Technology-assisted intervention has potentials in improving the social, communication and behavior impairments in of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Augmented reality (AR) offers multitude of possibilities and opportunities for the intervention of children with ASD. Therefore, this study identifies 13 researches from 2012 to 2018 that documented the efficacy of augmented reality applications in supporting the intervention of children with ASD. This study reviews the applications of augmented reality that nhanced the intervention for children with autism in (i) social skills, (ii) communication skills, and (iii) behavior skills. The conclusion reports the significant roles of augmented reality as technology-assisted intervention for children with ASD.

scholarly journals Does Online Counseling Reduce Anxiety in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (G) ◽  
pp. 66-70
Author(s):  
Nur Eni Lestari ◽  
Isti Anindya
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Homogeneity Test ◽  
Online Counseling ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorders

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made governments in a number of countries to issue and implement a regulation of social and physical restriction. It leaves a serious impact, one of which is anxiety experienced by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as the only access to therapy and education for their children has to be done online. AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimization of online counseling on the anxiety in parents of children with ASD during COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design of this study used pre-test-post-test design without control. The sampling technique used purposive sampling with 46 respondents. The instrument used online counseling design and Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 which has been tested for validity and reliability. This study used marginal homogeneity test. RESULTS: The result showed that the majority of respondents’ anxiety before and after online counseling had severe and minimal anxiety (16 respondents, 34.8% and 15 respondents, 32.6%, respectively) with p = 0.012. CONCLUSIONS: There was an effect of online counseling on anxiety in parents of children with ASD during COVID-19 pandemic. This can serve as a recommendation in providing online counseling to reduce anxiety in parents of children with ASD during COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

Providing Interventions for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip S. Strain ◽  
Ilene S. Schwartz ◽  
Erin E. Barton
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Comprehensive Service ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
The One

Over the past 25 years, we have learned a great deal about the diagnosis, treatment, and impact of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on young children and their families. The authors describe several overarching themes that have emerged in the educational research on young children with ASD. The focus of their article is on education-based research because public education remains the one comprehensive service to which all children with ASD are entitled to free of charge. Four themes (i.e., inclusion, systematic and effective instruction, intensity, and social context) are described in terms of the major findings and impact on policy and practices. The authors conclude with a summary of implications for future research for the next 25 years.

Peer-Mediated Joint Attention Intervention in the Preschool Classroom

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah G. Hansen ◽  
Tracy J. Raulston ◽  
Wendy Machalicek ◽  
Rebecca Frantz ◽  
Christine Drew ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Joint Attention ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Inclusive Settings ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The Impact

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities are at risk of isolation from same-aged peers. Furthermore, research indicates that even in inclusive settings, children with ASD benefit from targeted interventions and support. Among the social communication skills that are frequently absent in children with ASD is joint attention. Joint attention can be defined as shared engagement between two individuals on a third object or event and has been identified as potential pivotal skill for later development of age-appropriate social skills and communication. A growing body of literature documents effective intervention on joint attention skill for young children with ASD; however, few studies document the effects of an intervention mediated by a natural change agent. In the present study, independent concurrent multiple-baseline designs were used to evaluate the impact of a joint attention intervention combined with peer training on the response to joint attention (RJA) behaviors exhibited by seven preschoolers with ASD. Results indicated that RJA behaviors increased overall, the seven peers were able to carry out a simple intervention with fidelity, and that both bids from peers and responses to those bids increased following intervention. Limitations and opportunities for future research are discussed.

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