Family and Developmental History of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Importance of the Clinical Diagnostic Interview for Diagnosis in Adolescents. An Explorative Study

Background: Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be made early in childhood, but also later in adolescence or adulthood. In the latter cases, concerns about an individual's behavior typically lead to consultation of a mental health professional (MHP). As part of the initial clinical examination by the MHP, a clinical diagnostic interview is performed, in order to obtain the patient's history, and may lead to the hypothesis of ASD. We were here interested to study family and developmental history as key parts of the patient's history. The aim of the study was to investigate empirical differences between adolescents with ASD and adolescent control persons in family and developmental history.Method: Clinical diagnostic interview items addressing family and developmental history were adopted from their regular use at several university hospitals and in leading textbooks. Parents of male adolescents with normal intelligence and an ASD diagnosis (n = 67) and parents of male adolescents without psychiatric diagnosis (n = 51) between the age of 12 and 17 years were investigated. Data were operationalized into three categories: 0 = normal behavior, 1 = minor pathological behavior, and 2 = major pathological behavior. Differences were analyzed by multiple t-test of two-way ANOVA.Results: Adolescents with ASD expressed a profile of items significantly differing from control persons. Comparison of significant items with the empirical ASD literature indicated robust accordance.Conclusions: Our findings support the importance and feasibility of the clinical diagnostic interview of family and developmental history for initiation of the diagnostic process of ASD in adolescents.

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Family and Developmental History of Female Versus Male Adolescents With ADHD: Disorder-specific Overlap but Few Gender Differences

10.21203/rs.3.rs-882600/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Johanna Waltereit ◽

Jonas Zimmer ◽

Veit Roessner ◽

Robert Waltereit

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Developmental History ◽

Male Adolescents ◽

Interview Technique ◽

Clinical Diagnostic ◽

Icd 10 ◽

Gender Specific Differences ◽

Pathological Behavior ◽

Gender Specific

Abstract Background: Gender differences in the development of children and adolescents are well known in the psychiatric examination including the clinical diagnostic interview technique. Some gender-specific differences in behaviors of patients as assessed in the clinical examination are related to typical development and some are related to disorders. Family and developmental history is an important part of the clinical diagnostic interview. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with disorder-specific markers in family and development history. However, it is unclear to what extent ADHD-specific signs and narratives differ between female and male adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess and to compare the family and developmental history profiles of female versus male adolescents with ADHD.Methods: Data were collected using the clinical diagnostic interview technique from parents of female and male patients diagnosed with ADHD (ICD-10 F90.0, F90.1 and F98.8) between the ages of 12 and 17 years (n = 92). The two groups were matched in pairs for gender, IQ and ICD-10 diagnosis (F90.0, F90.1 and F98.8). The majority of interview data were non-metric and operationalized in three categories: 0 - normal behavior, 1 - minor pathological behavior, 2 - major pathological behavior. The two groups were compared with two-way ANOVA. Results: Female in comparison to male adolescents were reported by the parents with very few differences in items that are typical for ADHD. However, there were a few differences in items in which gender-specific differences are known regardless of ADHD. Conclusions: Our study suggests that ADHD-related items in family and developmental history, as obtained with the clinical diagnostic interview technique, appear in female compared to male adolescents more similar than different.

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Co-occurring trajectories of anxiety and insistence on sameness behaviour in autism spectrum disorder

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.2020.127 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 218 (1) ◽

pp. 20-27

Author(s):

Danielle A. Baribeau ◽

Simone Vigod ◽

Eleanor Pullenayegum ◽

Connor M. Kerns ◽

Pat Mirenda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Middle Childhood ◽

Child Behavior Checklist ◽

Childhood Anxiety ◽

Parent Report ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Insistence On Sameness

BackgroundChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have increased susceptibility to anxiety disorders. Variation in a common ASD symptom, insistence on sameness behaviour, may predict future anxiety symptoms.AimsTo describe the joint heterogeneous longitudinal trajectories of insistence on sameness and anxiety in children with ASD and to characterise subgroups at higher risk for anxiety.MethodIn a longitudinal ASD cohort (n = 421), insistence on sameness behaviour was measured using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised at approximately ages 3, 6 and 11 years. Anxiety was quantified at 8 time points between ages 3 and 11 years using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (parent report). Clusters of participants following similar trajectories were identified using group-based and joint trajectory modelling.ResultsThree insistence on sameness trajectories were identified: (a) ‘low-stable’ (41.7% of participants), (b) ‘moderate-increasing’ (52.0%) and (c) ‘high-peaking’ (i.e. increasing then stabilising/decreasing behaviour) (6.3%). Four anxiety trajectories were identified: (a) ‘low-increasing’ (51.0%), (b) ‘moderate-decreasing’ (16.2%), (c) ‘moderate-increasing’ (19.6%) and (d) ‘high-stable’ (13.1%). Of those assigned to the ‘high-peaking’ insistence on sameness trajectory, 95% jointly followed an anxiety trajectory that surpassed the threshold for clinical concern (T-score >65) by middle childhood (anxiety trajectories 3 or 4). Insistence on sameness and anxiety trajectories were similar in severity and direction for 64% of the sample; for 36%, incongruous patterns were seen (e.g. decreasing anxiety and increasing insistence on sameness).ConclusionsThe concurrent assessment of insistence on sameness behaviour and anxiety in ASD may help in understanding current symptom profiles and anticipating future trajectories. High preschool insistence on sameness in particular may be associated with elevated current or future anxiety symptoms.

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The frequency, variation, and semantic integration of co-speech gesture production in verbal adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

10.31234/osf.io/qdxje ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Renáta Longauerová

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Verbal Working Memory ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Semantic Integration ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Frequency Variation ◽

Animated Cartoon ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Gesture Production ◽

Adolescents With Asd

Gestures play an important role in communication, but for populations with atypical language development, gestures are often an area of significant difficulty, especially for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Research on younger children with ASD show a significant delay in gesture production, as well as a complete absence of certain types of gestures. However, previous work leaves open the question of whether the frequency and variation of gesture production is impaired also in adolescents with ASD. Moreover, very little is known about the semantic integration of speech and gesture in this population. In the present study, 5 adolescents with ASD and 5 typically-developing adolescents completed a narrative task, in which they were asked to retell a story of 4 animated cartoon clips. The results show that while there is no significant difference between the two groups in the frequency of gesture production and the types of gestures they produce, the frequency of gesture production in the individuals with ASD significantly depends on their verbal working memory skills. Moreover, it seems that many impairments that were confirmed by earlier studies for ASD children in early and late childhood seem to be mere delays that get resolved over time, such as the usage of supplementary gestures.

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Caregiver-mediated approaches to managing challenging behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder

Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience ◽

10.31887/dcns.2013.15.2/lklinger ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 225-233

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Behavioral Interventions ◽

Challenging Behaviors ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Adolescents With Asd

A significant proportion of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are referred to mental health centers due to the presence of challenging behaviors. Because challenging behaviors in children and adolescents with ASD often result from underlying social and communication difficulties and comorbid anxiety, traditional caregiver-mediated behavior intervention techniques developed for children with disruptive behavior disorders may need to be adapted for this population. Behavioral interventions that target communication skills, social skills, anxiety, and sensory responsiveness in children with ASD may be needed. Notably, while best practice necessitates the involvement of caregivers in treating children and adolescents with ASD, few randomized control studies have examined the effectiveness of caregiver-implemented interventions in reducing challenging behaviors. This review summarizes the current literature with regard to caregiver-mediated behavioral interventions for children with ASD, and suggests areas for intervention development and research.

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Brief Report: Do You See What I See? The Perception of Bullying in Male Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-018-3739-y ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 50 (5) ◽

pp. 1822-1826 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Zoe Hodgins ◽

Elizabeth Kelley ◽

Patricia Kloosterman ◽

Layla Hall ◽

Chloe C. Hudson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Male Adolescents ◽

Adolescents With Autism

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Needs for a Healthy Eating Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa043_015 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 164-164

Author(s):

Acadia Buro ◽

Heewon Gray

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Nutrition Intervention ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

Adolescents With Autism ◽

Adolescents With Asd

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to better understand perceptions of healthy eating and a prospective nutrition intervention in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and parents of adolescents with ASD. Methods Four focus groups (n = 11) were conducted with adolescents with ASD aged 10–17, and nine interviews were conducted with parents of adolescents with ASD aged 10–17. Questions were semi-structured. Thematic and comparative analyses were conducted with ATLAS.ti 8 software. Results Several themes emerged. Adolescents and parents expressed a need for “nutrition guidelines and education” and discussed the importance of having “social engagement,” “visual components,” and “teen-led initiatives” in a nutrition intervention. When defining a healthy diet, both parents and adolescents mentioned the concept of a “balanced diet,” while parents also mentioned “clean foods.” Conclusions Adolescents with ASD represent an appropriate target audience for a healthy eating intervention, and an intervention should include visual and social components and teen-led initiatives. Funding Sources There was no funding source.

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Disorder-specific grey matter deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder relative to autism spectrum disorder

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291714001974 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 965-976 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

L. Lim ◽

K. Chantiluke ◽

A. I. Cubillo ◽

A. B. Smith ◽

A. Simmons ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Childhood Disorders ◽

Male Adolescents ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder

Background.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two common childhood disorders that exhibit genetic and behavioural overlap and have abnormalities in similar brain systems, in particular in frontal and cerebellar regions. This study compared the two neurodevelopmental disorders to investigate shared and disorder-specific structural brain abnormalities.Method.Forty-four predominantly medication-naïve male adolescents with ADHD, 19 medication-naïve male adolescents with ASD and 33 age-matched healthy male controls were scanned using high-resolution T1-weighted volumetric imaging in a 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to test for group-level differences in structural grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes.Results.There was a significant group difference in the GM of the right posterior cerebellum and left middle/superior temporal gyrus (MTG/STG). Post-hoc analyses revealed that this was due to ADHD boys having a significantly smaller right posterior cerebellar GM volume compared to healthy controls and ASD boys, who did not differ from each other. ASD boys had a larger left MTG/STG GM volume relative to healthy controls and at a more lenient threshold relative to ADHD boys.Conclusions.The study shows for the first time that the GM reduction in the cerebellum in ADHD is disorder specific relative to ASD whereas GM enlargement in the MTG/STG in ASD may be disorder specific relative to ADHD. This study is a first step towards elucidating disorder-specific structural biomarkers for these two related childhood disorders.

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Depression in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children ◽

10.3390/children5090112 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (9) ◽

pp. 112 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Melissa DeFilippis

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

High Rate ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Comorbid Depression ◽

Adolescents With Asd ◽

Higher Functioning

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a high rate of psychiatric comorbidity. The prevalence of comorbid depression seems to correlate with higher functioning forms of ASD and increasing age. Adolescence is a time when youth struggle with identity and interpersonal relationships, and a diagnosis of ASD further complicates this process. Adolescents with ASD may be more aware of the social communication deficits that come with the diagnosis than children with ASD, and it is theorized that higher functioning adolescents may experience this more acutely. While this may be true, the lack of reliable rating and diagnostic scales for depression in individuals with ASD makes it difficult to accurately measure rates of depression among individuals with more severe verbal deficits. While some research has focused on the prevalence of comorbid depression in children and adolescents with ASD and on the associated risk factors, there is very little evidence guiding treatment, including no empirical studies on psychopharmacology for depression in this population. Available evidence exists only in psychosocial approaches to treatment at this time and is mostly limited to adult studies. Current evidence will be presented in this review, including prevalence rates of depression in youth with ASD, various risk and protective factors, the use of diagnostic rating scales, and treatment studies. The lack of evidence supporting various treatment approaches will be highlighted, including challenges specific to the treatment of depression in ASD, which are not addressed in the current treatment studies in typically developing youth with depression.

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An ontology for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to infer ASD phenotypes from Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised data

Journal of Biomedical Informatics ◽

10.1016/j.jbi.2015.06.026 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 56 ◽

pp. 333-347 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Omri Mugzach ◽

Mor Peleg ◽

Steven C. Bagley ◽

Stephen J. Guter ◽

Edwin H. Cook ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autism Diagnostic Interview

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Callous–unemotional traits in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.114.159863 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 207 (5) ◽

pp. 392-399 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Virginia Carter Leno ◽

Tony Charman ◽

Andrew Pickles ◽

Catherine R. G. Jones ◽

Gillian Baird ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Conduct Problems ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Callous Unemotional ◽

Callous Unemotional Traits ◽

Unemotional Traits ◽

Adolescents With Asd

BackgroundPeople with callous–unemotional traits and also those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display sociocognitive difficulties. However, the frequency and neurocognitive correlates of callous–unemotional traits within individuals with ASD are unknown.AimsTo determine the prevalence of callous–unemotional traits in individuals with ASD and test their association with behavioural and cognitive measures.MethodParents of 92 adolescents with ASD completed the Antisocial Processes Screening Device (APSD) for callous–unemotional traits. Adolescents participated in tasks of emotion recognition, theory of mind and cognitive flexibility.ResultsIn total 51% (n = 47) scored above a cut-off expected to identify the top 6% on the APSD. Of these 17% (n = 8) had concurrent conduct problems. Regression analyses found callous–unemotional traits were associated with specific impairment in fear recognition but not with theory of mind or cognitive flexibility.ConclusionsAdolescents with ASD show high rates of callous–unemotional traits but, unlike in the general population, these are not strongly associated with conduct problems. The relationship of callous–unemotional traits to impairments in fear recognition suggests similar affective difficulties as in individuals with callous–unemotional traits without ASD.

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