scholarly journals Sensory Processing in ASD and ADHD: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn Mary Ann Parks ◽  
Samantha Schulz ◽  
Christina G McDonnell ◽  
Evdokia Anagnostou ◽  
Robert Nicolson ◽  
...  

Difficulties related to sensory processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and attention/deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can manifest within multiple modalities and impact daily functioning. We examined the factor structure of the Short Sensory Profile in ASD and ADHD (N=517). A seven-factor structure held for ASD and ADHD however, differences were found in responses to the sensory measure. At the subscale level, a two-factor structure emerged in ASD, while a single-factor solution emerged in ADHD. Although there are differences in the way those with ASD and ADHD process sensory information, a single inventory can be used to describe processing patterns in both groups. Establishing the shared and non-shared features of sensory processing may have the potential to inform more targeted clinical approaches.

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-201
Author(s):  
Ana Roknić ◽  
Sanja Vuković

Introduction. Sensory processing is a neurobiological process in which a person uses their senses, sends information to an appropriate reception and processing center, and responds to environmental stimulations. Previous research has shown that sensory processing difficulties are more common among people with autism spectrum disorder than among people of the typical population. Objectives. The aim of this paper was to determine the patterns of sensory processing in subjects of the typical population and subjects with autism spectrum disorder, as well as gender and age differences in sensory profiles in these groups of subjects. Methods. Using The Child Sensory Profile 2 as the measuring instrument, the characteristics of sensory processing were examined in 120 subjects of both genders, 60 subjects with autism spectrum disorder and 60 subjects of typical development, ages three to 13 years and 11 months. Results. The obtained results show that there are differences between the two groups of respondents and that these differences occur in all nine subscales of the instrument. It was found that subjects with autismspectrumdisorder hadmore difficulty in processing sensory information compared to subjects of the typical population, especially in the domain of tactile perception. The results also show that the quality of sensory information processing in both groups of respondents improved with age. In relation to the respondents' gender, the obtained differences were significant in the domain of the total score of the instrument, in favor of the boys, but this was not observed in the measurements on all subscales. Conclusion. In accordance with the above findings, when creating an individual educational plan, it is necessary to take into account all the specifics of sensory processing of children with autism spectrum disorder.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah J. Brierley ◽  
Christina G McDonnell ◽  
Kaitlyn Mary Ann Parks ◽  
Samantha Schulz ◽  
Tyler C. Dalal ◽  
...  

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show high rates of comorbidity. Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core symptom of ASD and commonly occur in ADHD. However, little is known about how RRBs manifest in ADHD, nor how they relate to cognitive abilities and sex across these disorders. Methods: This study investigated the joint factor structure of RRBs in a large sample of children with ASD and ADHD using (1) exploratory factor analysis, and (2) analysis of factorial invariance across diagnostic status (ASD versus ADHD). Subsequently, relations for these factors with sex and IQ were evaluated. Children (N=1,082; 78% male) were identified with primary diagnoses of ASD (n=634) or ADHD (n=448). RRBs were measured using the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R). Results: A 4-factor solution provided the best fit to the data and yielded four psychologically meaningful factors, including (1) Stereotypy, (2) Self-Injury, (3) Compulsions, and (4) Ritualistic/Sameness. The four-factor solution was equivalent across diagnostic status, as imposition of weak (△RMSEA=.001) and strong (△RMSEA=.003) invariance did not significantly diminish model fit. IQ was negatively associated with Stereotypy, Self-Injury and Compulsions in ASD, and negatively associated with Compulsions and Ritualistic/Sameness behaviors in ADHD. A main effect of sex on Self-Injury was observed, whereby females displayed higher levels of Self-Injury in ASD but not ADHD. Conclusions: Our results underscore a common 4-factor structure across ASD and ADHD, which simplifies prior models of the RBS-R and indicates a similar pattern of occurrence of RRBs across these disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Frank van den Boogert ◽  
Bram Sizoo ◽  
Pascalle Spaan ◽  
Sharon Tolstra ◽  
Yvonne H. A. Bouman ◽  
...  

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be accompanied by aggressive behavior and is associated with sensory processing difficulties. The present study aims to investigate the direct association between sensory processing and aggressive behavior in adults with ASD. A total of 101 Dutch adult participants with ASD, treated in outpatient or inpatient facilities, completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), and the Aggression Questionnaire—Short Form (AQ-SF). Results revealed that sensory processing difficulties are associated with more aggressive behavior (f2=0.25), more proactive (f2=0.19) and reactive aggression (f2=0.27), more physical (f2=0.08) and verbal aggression (f2=0.13), and more anger (f2=0.20) and hostility (f2=0.12). Evidence was found for an interaction of the neurological threshold and behavioral response on total aggression and hostility. Participants with higher scores in comparison to the norm group in sensory sensitivity had the highest risk of aggressive behavior. In conclusion, clinical practice may benefit from applying detailed diagnostics on sensory processing difficulties when treating aggressive behavior in adults with ASD.


Author(s):  
Ana Gentil-Gutiérrez ◽  
José Luis Cuesta-Gómez ◽  
Paula Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
Jerónimo Javier González-Bernal

(1) Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently have difficulties in processing sensory information, which is a limitation when participating in different contexts, such as school. The objective of the present study was to compare the sensory processing characteristics of children with ASD in the natural context of school through the perception of professionals in the field of education, in comparison with neurodevelopmental children (2) Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study as conducted with study population consisting of children between three and ten years old, 36 of whom were diagnosed with ASD and attended the Autismo Burgos association; the remaining 24 had neurotypical development. The degree of response of the children to sensory stimuli at school was evaluated using the Sensory Profile-2 (SP-2) questionnaire in its school version, answered by the teachers. (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were found in sensory processing patterns (p = 0.001), in sensory systems (p = 0.001) and in school factors (p = 0.001). Children with ASD who obtained worse results. (4) Conclusions: Children with ASD are prone to present sensory alterations in different contexts, giving nonadapted behavioral and learning responses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Pavithra R Iyer ◽  
Shashidhar Rao Chavan ◽  
Sumita Rege

Background/Aims Sensory processing has been theorised to contribute to object and temporal organisation. Sensory processing and organisational abilities in children with inattention-hyperactivity was assessed, and investigated if there was a relationship between the two. Methods A community sample of children aged 9–12 years was categorised into inattentive-hyperactive (n=20) and non-inattentive-hyperactive groups (n=56) using the Vanderbilt Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Parent and Teacher Rating Scales. The Sensory Profile, Child Organisation Scale and Child Organisation Parent Perception Scale were used to collect additional data. Results Sensory processing and organisational abilities differed significantly between the groups. Object organisation correlated significantly with multisensory processing; temporal organisation failed to correlate with sensory processing. Conclusions Results suggest there is a need to screen children with informant-reported inattention-hyperactivity for sensory processing differences and organisational deficits. Sensory processing and object organisation may be associated; further research on potential factors underlying this association is needed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel M Lyons-Warren ◽  
Maria C McCormack ◽  
J. Lloyd Holder

AbstractSensory processing differences are an established feature of both syndromic and non-syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Significant work has been done to characterize and classify specific sensory profiles in non-syndromic Autism. However, it is not known if syndromic Autism disorders such as Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMD) or SYNGAP1-related Intellectual Disability (SYNGAP1-ID) have unique sensory phenotypes. Understanding the sensory features of these disorders is important for providing appropriate care and for understanding the underlying mechanisms of the disorders. In this manuscript we use the Short Sensory Profile-2 to characterize sensory features in 41 patients with PMD and 24 patients with SYNGAP1-ID and compare their responses to both expected results for typically developing children and published sensory profiles for non-syndromic ASD.


2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Estaki ◽  
Ameneh Dehghan ◽  
Ebrahim Mahmoudi ◽  
Navid Mirzakhany

Background: Sensory integration is a necessary skill for acquiring reading skills because it strongly depends on the rapid and strong relation between written and verbal symbols. There is no standardized test for Iranian children with dyslexia to investigate their sensory processing problems. Therefore, understanding the validity and reliability of the child sensory profile 2 (CSP2) would be essential for a detailed assessment of sensory impairments in dyslexic children. Objectives: The current research aimed to establish the internal consistency, factor analysis, and convergent validity of the Persian version of CSP2 in children with dyslexia. Methods: The sample of this study included 200 dyslexic children aged 6 to 12 years who were referred to learning disabilities centers in Qom from September 2019 to February 2020 by using the multistage sampling method. To collect data, the CSP2 questionnaire and the dyslexia test (NEMA) were used. The factor structure was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency of the CSP2 was examined by using Cronbach’s alpha. Convergent validity was assessed by examining the relationship between CSP2 and NEMA. Results: Internal consistency was obtained as 0.89, 0.92, 0.77, and 0.94 for the four subscales of sensory processing, namely registration, seeking, sensitivity, and avoiding, respectively. The result of confirmatory factor analysis gained support for Dunn's four-factor model. Total scores of NEMA were correlated with the scores of CSP2 subscales (seeking, avoiding, sensitivity, and registration). Conclusions: The Persian version of the Child Sensory Profile 2 is a valid (via confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity) and reliable (via internal consistency) tool for assessing sensory processing in children with dyslexia.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Lefebvre ◽  
Julian Tillmann ◽  
Freddy Cliquet ◽  
Frederique Amsellem ◽  
Anna Maruani ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. Sensory processing atypicalities are part of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and could result from an excitation/inhibition imbalance. Yet, the convergence level of phenotypic sensory processing atypicalities with genetic alterations in GABA-ergic and glutamatergic pathways remains poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the distribution of hypo/hyper-sensory profile among individuals with ASD and investigate the role of deleterious mutations in GABAergic and glutamatergic pathways related genes in sensory processing atypicalities. Method. From the Short Sensory Profile (SSP) questionnaire, we defined and explored a score – the differential Short Sensory Profile (dSSP) - as a normalized and centralized hypo/hypersensitivity ratio for 1136 participants (533 with ASD, 210 first-degree relatives, and 267 controls) from two independent study samples (PARIS and LEAP). We also performed an unsupervised item-based clustering analysis on SSP items scores to validate this new categorization in terms of hypo and hyper sensitivity. We then explored the link between the dSSP score and the burden of deleterious mutations in a subset of individuals for which whole-genome sequencing data were available. Results. We observed a mean dSSP score difference between ASD and controls, driven mostly by a high dSSP score variability among groups (PARIS: p<0.0001, η2 = 0.0001, LEAP: p<0.0001, Cohen’s d=3.67). First-degree relatives were with an intermediate distribution variability profile (p<0.0001). We also reported a positive developmental trajectory of the dSSP score (PARIS: p=0.0006, η2 = 0.02; LEAP: p=0.01, η2 = 0.01). Clusters were similarly characterized by hypo- and hyper-sensitivity items in both study samples (Cramer's V from 0.64 to 0.69, p<0.05). Our genetic analysis showed a trend only for an association with mutations of the GABAergic pathway.Limitations. The major limitation was the dSSP score difficulty to discriminate subjects with a similar quantum of hypo- and hyper- sensory symptoms to those with no such symptoms, resulting both in a similar ratio score of 0.Conclusion. The dSSP score could be a relevant clinical score of the hypo/hyper-sensory individual profile in subjects with ASD. Combined with additional sensory domain characteristics, genetics and endophenotypic substrates, the dSSP score will offer new avenues to explore the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of sensory processing atypicalities in ASD.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn S. Huffman ◽  
Kristen Swanson ◽  
Mary R. Lynn

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine a factor structure for the Impact of Miscarriage Scale (IMS). The 24 items comprising the IMS were originally derived from a phenomenological study of miscarriage in women. Initial psychometric properties were established based on a sample of 188 women (Swanson, 1999a). Method: Data from 341 couples were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Results: CFA did not confirm the original structure. EFA explained 57% of the variance through an 18-item, 4-factor structure: isolation and guilt, loss of baby, devastating event, and adjustment. Except for the Adjustment subscale, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were ≥.78. Conclusion: Although a 3-factor solution is most defensible, with further refinement and additional items, the 4th factor (adjustment) may warrant retention.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Lewis ◽  
Jane Ireland ◽  
Carol Ireland ◽  
Gail Derefaka ◽  
Kimberley McNeill ◽  
...  

Purpose This paper aims to assess whether the factor structure of the Psychopathic Processing and Personality Assessment (PAPA) could be confirmed in a large community sample (n = 1,850), comprising three subsamples of adult men (n = 189, 248 and 198) and women (n = 499, 469 and 247). It was predicted that the four-factor solution originally proposed in earlier studies (i.e. dissocial tendencies, emotional detachment, disregard for others, lack of sensitivity to emotion) would be replicated and produce a multi-dimensional structure consistent across sex. Design/methodology/approach This study explored the structure of the newly developed PAPA among a non-forensic sample. Findings Although exploratory analysis indicated a four-factor solution, the structure was different with “lack of sensitivity to emotion” being replaced by “responsiveness to perceived aggression.” Confirmatory analyses supported this structure among women, yet a three-factor structure was preferred for men that excluded emotional detachment. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the importance of attending to sex differences when assessing for psychopathy. Originality/value This is the first confirmatory factor analysis completed on the PAPA, with the findings conveying its value when assessing for psychopathic traits among a community sample.


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