Building Bridges: On Effective Weather Communication to, and with, Vulnerable Populations

Weather renders all people vulnerable, but due to various factors some are more naturally vulnerable than others. What of those vulnerable populations and individuals who cannot take, or are limited in taking, protective actions? This paper contributes to the mission of the Weather Ready Nation initiative (WRN), established by the U.S. National Weather Service, by shining light on weather communication considerations for those on the autism spectrum and those with color vision differences. It also discusses ongoing efforts centered around the Deaf and hard-of-hearing and those who are blind or who have limited vision, and discusses problems existing in weather communication for vulnerable populations at-large. The first section defines vulnerability and clarifies associated concepts while the second section, on ways to improve weather communication practices for autistic people and those who are blind, vision-limited, Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and those with color vision-processing differences, focuses on the importance of recognizing lived, vulnerable population experience in weather messaging efforts and the use of language in communicating with the aforementioned populations.

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Public knowledge and stigma of autism spectrum disorder: Comparing China with the United States

Autism ◽

10.1177/1362361319900839 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 1531-1545 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luodi Yu ◽

Sheri Stronach ◽

Ashley J Harrison

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Public Awareness ◽

The United States ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autistic People ◽

Key Factor ◽

Public Views ◽

The U.S

Autism spectrum disorder in China differs considerably from autism spectrum disorder in the West in terms of prevalence estimates, education opportunities, and life outcomes of autistic people. The lack of autism spectrum disorder awareness could be a key factor underlying the disparities. To date, there has been no evaluation of autism spectrum disorder knowledge among the general public of China. Using the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire developed for use in diverse cultural contexts, this study uncovered profoundly different public views about autism spectrum disorder in China compared with the United States. Determined by cognitive diagnosis modeling, 86%–91% of the surveyed U.S. citizens ( N = 1127) achieved adequate autism spectrum disorder knowledge in diagnosis/symptoms, etiology, and treatment, whereas for the Chinese citizens ( N = 1254) the percentages were only 57%–65%. Moreover, 14% of the participants from the United States were classified to endorse autism spectrum disorder stigma; in comparison, 38% of the Chinese participants endorsed autism spectrum disorder stigma. The Chinese citizens displayed knowledge deficits primarily in the areas of autism spectrum disorder core symptoms, comorbid intellectual impairment, and prognosis. Sociodemographic factors associated with the Chinese citizen’s misconceptions included gender, ethnicity, social economic factors, among others. These results have important implications for increasing public awareness and promoting community participation for autistic individuals in China. Lay abstract ASD in China differs considerably from ASD in the West in terms of prevalence estimates, education opportunities and life outcomes of autistic people. The lack of ASD awareness could be a key factor underlying these disparities. We asked 1127 U.S. citizens and 1254 Chinese citizens about their autism knowledge using the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire (ASK-Q).The results indicated profoundly different public views about ASD in China compared to the U.S. Specifically, only 57%-65% of the Chinese citizens demonstrated adequate ASD knowledge compared to 86%-91% in the U.S. citizens. Fourteen percent of the U.S. citizens were shown to hold stigma beliefs towards ASD; in comparison, 38% of the Chinese citizens indicated ASD stigma. The Chinese citizens displayed misconceptions about ASD related to symptoms, causes, and possible long-term outcomes. In China but not in the U.S., male citizens and citizens with lower social economic status were more likely to have misconceptions about ASD than others were. The findings of this research can help increase public awareness about ASD and create a more inclusive environment for autistic people in China.

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Instruction Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Supports: Description of Current Practices by Speech-Language Pathologists Who Work With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2019_ajslp-19-00045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 586-596 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kaitlyn A. Clarke ◽

Diane L. Williams

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Communication Systems ◽

Diagnostic Category ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Processing Differences

Purpose The aim of this research study was to examine common practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with respect to whether or not SLPs consider processing differences in ASD or the effects of input during their instruction. Method Following a qualitative research method, how SLPs instruct and present augmentative and alternative communication systems to individuals with ASD, their rationale for method selection, and their perception of the efficacy of selected interventions were probed. Semistructured interviews were conducted as part of an in-depth case report with content analysis. Results Based on completed interviews, 4 primary themes were identified: (a) instructional method , (b) input provided , (c) decision-making process , and (d) perceived efficacy of treatment . Additionally, one secondary theme, training and education received , was identified . Conclusions Clinicians reported making decisions based on the needs of the child; however, they also reported making decisions based on the diagnostic category that characterized the child (i.e., ASD). The use of modeling when teaching augmentative and alternative communication to individuals with ASD emerged as a theme, but variations in the method of modeling were noted. SLPs did not report regularly considering processing differences in ASD, nor did they consider the effects of input during instruction.

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Initial Evidence for Increased Weather Salience in Autism Spectrum Conditions

10.31234/osf.io/pbh4v ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Matthew J. Bolton ◽

William G. Blumberg ◽

Lara K. Ault ◽

H. Michael Mogil ◽

Stacie H. Hanes

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Processing ◽

Physical Disability ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽

Weather Information ◽

Autistic People ◽

Neurological Functioning ◽

Future Work ◽

Logical Rules ◽

Attention To Detail

Weather is important to all people, including vulnerable populations (those whose circumstances include cognitive processing, hearing, or vision differences, physical disability, homelessness, and other scenarios and factors). Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) affect information-processing and areas of neurological functioning that potentially inhibit the reception of hazardous weather information, and is of particular concern for weather messengers. People on the autism spectrum tend to score highly in tests of systemizing, a psychological process that heavily entails attention to detail and revolves around the creation of logical rules to explain things that occur in the world. This article reports the results of three preliminary studies examining weather salience–psychological attention to weather–and its potential relationships with systemizing in autistic people. Initial findings suggest that enhanced weather salience exists among autistic individuals compared to those without the condition, and that this may be related to systemizing. These findings reveal some possible strategies for communicating weather to autistic populations and motivate future work on a conceptual model that blends systemizing and chaos theory to better understand weather salience.

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Developmental trajectories of autistic social traits in the general population

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721002166 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Richard Pender ◽

Pasco Fearon ◽

Beate St Pourcain ◽

Jon Heron ◽

Will Mandy

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Full Range ◽

Population Sample ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Communication Disorders ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Growth Mixture Modelling ◽

Autistic People ◽

Social Difficulties ◽

Autism Trait

Abstract Background Autistic people show diverse trajectories of autistic traits over time, a phenomenon labelled ‘chronogeneity’. For example, some show a decrease in symptoms, whilst others experience an intensification of difficulties. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a dimensional condition, representing one end of a trait continuum that extends throughout the population. To date, no studies have investigated chronogeneity across the full range of autistic traits. We investigated the nature and clinical significance of autism trait chronogeneity in a large, general population sample. Methods Autistic social/communication traits (ASTs) were measured in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children using the Social and Communication Disorders Checklist (SCDC) at ages 7, 10, 13 and 16 (N = 9744). We used Growth Mixture Modelling (GMM) to identify groups defined by their AST trajectories. Measures of ASD diagnosis, sex, IQ and mental health (internalising and externalising) were used to investigate external validity of the derived trajectory groups. Results The selected GMM model identified four AST trajectory groups: (i) Persistent High (2.3% of sample), (ii) Persistent Low (83.5%), (iii) Increasing (7.3%) and (iv) Decreasing (6.9%) trajectories. The Increasing group, in which females were a slight majority (53.2%), showed dramatic increases in SCDC scores during adolescence, accompanied by escalating internalising and externalising difficulties. Two-thirds (63.6%) of the Decreasing group were male. Conclusions Clinicians should note that for some young people autism-trait-like social difficulties first emerge during adolescence accompanied by problems with mood, anxiety, conduct and attention. A converse, majority-male group shows decreasing social difficulties during adolescence.

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Psychometric validation and refinement of the Interoception Sensory Questionnaire (ISQ) in adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum

Molecular Autism ◽

10.1186/s13229-021-00440-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Evan Suzman ◽

Zachary J. Williams ◽

Jacob I. Feldman ◽

Michelle Failla ◽

Carissa J. Cascio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum ◽

The Body ◽

Self Report ◽

Psychometric Validation ◽

Response Scale ◽

Response Options ◽

Response Choice ◽

Autistic People ◽

Adolescents And Adults ◽

Sensory Questionnaire

Abstract Background Individuals on the autism spectrum are reported to display alterations in interoception, the sense of the internal state of the body. The Interoception Sensory Questionnaire (ISQ) is a 20-item self-report measure of interoception specifically intended to measure this construct in autistic people. The psychometrics of the ISQ, however, have not previously been evaluated in a large sample of autistic individuals. Methods Using confirmatory factor analysis, we evaluated the latent structure of the ISQ in a large online sample of adults on the autism spectrum and found that the unidimensional model fit the data poorly. Using misspecification analysis to identify areas of local misfit and item response theory to investigate the appropriateness of the seven-point response scale, we removed redundant items and collapsed the response options to put forth a novel eight-item, five-response choice ISQ. Results The revised, five-response choice ISQ (ISQ-8) showed much improved fit while maintaining high internal reliability. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses indicated that the items of the ISQ-8 were answered in comparable ways by autistic adolescents and adults and across multiple other sociodemographic groups. Limitations Our results were limited by the fact that we did not collect data for typically developing controls, preventing the analysis of DIF by diagnostic status. Additionally, while this study proposes a new 5-response scale for the ISQ-8, our data were not collected using this method; thus, the psychometric properties for the revised version of this instrument require further investigation. Conclusion The ISQ-8 shows promise as a reliable and valid measure of interoception in adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum, but additional work is needed to examine its psychometrics in this population. A free online score calculator has been created to facilitate the use of ISQ-8 latent trait scores for further studies of autistic adolescents and adults (available at https://asdmeasures.shinyapps.io/ISQ_score/).

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Exploring the functions of music in the lives of young people on the autism spectrum

Psychology of Music ◽

10.1177/03057356211008968 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 030573562110089

Author(s):

Melissa L Kirby ◽

Karen Burland

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Everyday Life ◽

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Multiple Methods ◽

Social Functions ◽

Interview Technique ◽

Autistic People ◽

Insight Into

Current research investigating the functions of music in everyday life has identified cognitive, emotional, and social functions of music. However, previous research focuses almost exclusively on neurotypical people and rarely considers the musical experiences of autistic people. In addition, there is limited research which focuses explicitly on the musical experiences of young people on the autism spectrum. Current research exploring the functions of music may therefore not accurately represent the experiences of the autistic community. This article aims to explore the function of music in the lives of young people on the autism spectrum through a series of interviews. Eleven young people on the autism spectrum age 12 to 25 ( M = 19.4) were interviewed about the function of music in their lives. An adaptive interview technique, utilizing multiple methods of communication, was employed to account for the participants’ broad communicative and personal needs. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed four key functions of music in the participants’ lives: Cognitive, Emotional, Social, and Identity. Collectively, these results provide a unique insight into the musical experiences of young people on the autism spectrum.

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Recent Technologies to Improving Social and Communication Skills in Children with ASD: Systematization of Approaches and Methods

Modern Applied Science ◽

10.5539/mas.v9n11p38 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Albina Nesterova ◽

Rimma Aysina ◽

Tatjana Suslova

Keyword(s):

Social Skills ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Skills Training ◽

Practical Experience ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Autistic People ◽

Analytical Work ◽

Spectrum Disorders

<p>In the article recent technologies of formation and development of social and communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorders are analyzed. A systematic review summarizes the most effective and verified interventions of support to socialization of children with ASD: applied behavior analysis (ABA); cognitive-behavioral training (CBT); social stories method; social skills training (SST). We pay special attention to virtual technologies and video simulations so these methods allow to form social skills in children with ASD more efficiently and psychologically safe. Problems and prospects of using virtual technologies for children with ASD needs are discussed.<strong> </strong>The specificity of Russian practical experience and researches in development of heuristic technologies of development of social communication of persons with ASD is described: animal-assisted therapy, somatosensory correction, author art therapy and folk forms of intervention. On the basis of analytical work it is concluded that the gap between theory and practice needs to be neutralized, when scientifically unfounded practical developments are introduced in helping autistic people and researches of scientists are not always verified in an empirical manner.</p>

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Investigating alexithymia in autism: A systematic review and meta-analysis

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.09.004 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 ◽

pp. 80-89 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Emma Kinnaird ◽

Catherine Stewart ◽

Kate Tchanturia

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Emotional Processing ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Autistic People ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Popu Lations ◽

Specific Subgroup ◽

New Research ◽

Meta Analyses

AbstractBackground:New research suggests that, rather than representing a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), emotional processing difficulties reflect co-occurring alexithymia. Autistic individuals with alexithymia could therefore represent a specific subgroup of autism who may benefit from tailored interventions. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to explore the nature and prevalence of alexithymia in autism using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS).Methods:Online scientific databases were searched systematically for studies on ASD popu lations using the TAS. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate differences in scores between the ASD and neurotypical groups, and to determine the prevalence of alexithymia in these populations.Results:15 articles comparing autistic and neurotypical (NT) groups were identified. Autistic people scored significantly higher on all scores compared to the NT group. There was also a higher prevalence of alexithymia in the ASD group (49.93% compared to 4.89%), with a significantly increased risk of alexithymia in autistic participants.Conclusions:This review highlights that alexithymia is common, rather than universal, in ASD, supporting a growing body of evidence that co-occurring autism and alexithymia represents a specific subgroup in the ASD population that may have specific clinical needs. More research is needed to understand the nature and implications of co-occurring ASD and alexithymia.

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Means of psychomotor and cognitive recovery for children with autism spectrum disorder

Global Journal of Psychology Research New Trends and Issues ◽

10.18844/gjpr.v5i2.142 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 49-54

Author(s):

Paul Ichim ◽

Iuliana Barna ◽

Mircea Dragu

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Social Integration ◽

Deviant Behavior ◽

Alternative Therapy ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Multisystemic Therapy ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

International Assessments ◽

Autistic People

According to some international assessments, the rate of autism spectrum disorder cases is 1 to 68 children. There are approximately 67 million autistic people in the worlds, and 4 out of 5 children are boys.The alarmingly increasing rate, as well as the impossibility to prevent this disorder, as its causes are not completely clear, the diversity of its symptoms, the precarious social integration and the big number of ineffectual therapies are the key elements that have determined us to pursue this research. The aim of this study is that of demonstrating that the multisystemic therapy (MST) in water and the cognitive therapy play an important role in the multidisciplinary process of recovering and integrating the autistic children in society. Keywords: autism, deviant behavior, alternative therapy, psychomotor education.

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Requirements for the teacher-therapist of persons with autism spectrum disorder – challenges for the new specialisation

Interdyscyplinarne Konteksty Pedagogiki Specjalnej ◽

10.14746/ikps.2019.27.15 ◽

1970 ◽

Author(s):

Joanna Buława-Halasz

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autistic People ◽

Adam Mickiewicz

Joanna Buława-Halasz, Requirements for the teacher-therapist of persons with autism spectrum disorder – challenges for the new specialisation. Interdisciplinary Contexts of Special Pedagogy, no. 27, Poznań 2019. Pp. 335–349. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISSN 2300-391X. e-ISSN 2658-283X. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.14746/ikps.2019.27.15 The text concerns the introduced standards for educating teachers-therapists of persons with autism spectrum disorder. This new specialisation in special pedagogy is meant to respond to the needs of autistic people, but its form is not fully responsive to real needs in this area.

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