scholarly journals An Investigation of Behavioural and Self-Reported Cognitive Empathy Deficits in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Adolescents With Behavioural Difficulties

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara P. Vilas ◽  
Renate L. E. P. Reniers ◽  
Amanda K. Ludlow
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Antisocial Behaviour ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Empathic Accuracy ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Behavioural Difficulties ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Report Measure ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Deficits in empathy have been considered hallmarks in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) but are also considered to underlie antisocial behaviour associated with individuals with callous unemotional traits (CU). Research has suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorders show more difficulties with cognitive empathy, and that individuals diagnosed with behaviours difficulties, characterised by CU traits and antisocial behaviour, demonstrate low affective empathy. In the current manuscript we present findings of two studies. The first study describes the validation of a new stimulus set developed for the empathic accuracy task, focused on its cognitive component. The second study compares the performance of 27 adolescents with ASD, 27 age matched typically developing adolescents and 17 adolescents with behavioural difficulties on the empathic accuracy task and a self-report measure of empathy. While, no differences were observed between the three groups across the empathy accuracy task, the adolescents with ASD and CD showed deficits in their cognitive empathy across the self-report measure. Adolescents with ASD showed lower scores in particularly their perspective taking abilities, whereas the adolescences with behavioural difficulties showed more difficulties with their online simulation. No differences in self-reported affective empathy across the three groups were observed. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

Categorical Perception of Pitch Contours and Voice Onset Time in Mandarin-Speaking Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Fei Chen ◽  
Gang Peng
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Categorical Perception ◽  
Voice Onset Time ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Onset Time ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Language Ability ◽  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Purpose Previous studies have shown enhanced pitch and impaired time perception in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, it remains unclear whether such deviated patterns of auditory processing depending on acoustic dimensions would transfer to the higher level linguistic pitch and time processing. In this study, we compared the categorical perception (CP) of lexical tones and voice onset time (VOT) in Mandarin Chinese, which utilize pitch and time changes, respectively, to convey phonemic contrasts. Method The data were collected from 22 Mandarin-speaking adolescents with ASD and 20 age-matched neurotypical controls. In addition to the identification and discrimination tasks to test CP performance, all the participants were evaluated with their language ability and phonological working memory. Linear mixed-effects models were constructed to evaluate the identification and discrimination scores across different groups and conditions. Results The basic CP pattern of cross-boundary benefit when perceiving both native lexical tones and VOT was largely preserved in high-functioning adolescents with ASD. The degree of CP of lexical tones in ASD was similar to that in typical controls, whereas the degree of CP of VOT in ASD was greatly reduced. Furthermore, the degree of CP of lexical tones correlated with language ability and digit span in ASD participants. Conclusions These findings suggest that the unbalanced acoustic processing capacities for pitch and time can be generalized to the higher level linguistic processing in ASD. Furthermore, the higher degree of CP of lexical tones correlated with better language ability in Mandarin-speaking individuals with ASD.

scholarly journals Predictive validity of self-report questionnaires in the assessment of autism spectrum disorders in adults

Autism ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 842-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bram B Sizoo ◽  
EH Horwitz ◽  
JP Teunisse ◽  
CC Kan ◽  
CTWM Vissers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Predictive Validity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

scholarly journals Seven decades after Hans Asperger's observations: A comprehensive study of humor in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Samson ◽  
Oswald Huber ◽  
Willibald Ruch
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Humor Styles ◽  
Processing Style ◽  
Humor Style ◽  
Humor Appreciation ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Comprehensive Study

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to better understand humor in individuals with Asperger's syndrome. Therefore, various humor and laughter related phenomena were investigated by means of various standardized humor instruments. Forty individuals with AS and 113 controls filled out several self-report questionnaires and tests. The results revealed that individuals with AS scored significantly lower on trait cheerfulness and higher on trait seriousness (both describing the susceptibility to humor). Furthermore, they scored low on scales related to social communication (affiliative humor, humor entertainment) and portrayed a more socially cold humor style. In addition, individuals with AS scored low on mean-spirited humor, and used less adaptive (self-enhancing) and more maladaptive humor styles (self-defeating humor). Finally, they preferred incongruity-resolution humor, representing a more reality-oriented processing style. These findings add to previous studies on humor and expand the knowledge of components associated with successful humor appreciation.

Impaired Response Inhibition in Autism Spectrum Disorders, a Marker of Vulnerability to Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders?

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 646-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra S. Barneveld ◽  
Leo de Sonneville ◽  
Sophie van Rijn ◽  
Herman van Engeland ◽  
Hanna Swaab
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Interference Control ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Control Response ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

AbstractIn this study, we addressed the relation between specific deficits in cognitive control and schizotypal symptomatology in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) diagnosed in childhood. We aimed to identify cognitive control deficits as markers of vulnerability to the development of schizophrenia spectrum pathology in ASD. Symptoms of autism and the risk for schizotypal symptomatology were assessed in 29 high-functioning adolescents with ASD, and compared with 40 typically developing adolescents. Cognitive control (response inhibition, mental flexibility, visuo-motor control, interference control, and perseveration) was evaluated for specific association with schizotypal symptomatology. Impaired response inhibition appeared to be strongly and specifically associated with schizotypal symptomatology in adolescents with ASD, especially those with positive and disorganized symptoms. Response inhibition problems could indicate vulnerability to the development of schizotypal symptomatology in ASD. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–10)

scholarly journals Predictive Impact of Resilience on Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Charity N. Onyishi ◽  
Maximus M. Sefotho
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
High Functioning Autism ◽  
Correlation Study ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
High Functioning ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Adolescents with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are highly vulnerable to depressive symptoms (DS) and a range of mental health problems compared to their typically developing peers. It is not known whether resilience can influence DS in adolescents with high functioning ASD. This study sought to find out the link between resilience and DS in a sample of adolescents with high functioning ASD in Nigeria. The study is a quantitative correlation study of in-school adolescents with high functioning ASD. 68 adolescents with high functioning ASD from 20 inclusive education schools participated in the study. Data were collected using self report versions of Child and Youth resilience Measure (CYRM-SR) and Children’s Depression Inventory second edition (CDI-2: SR). Findings showed that total resilience score is a strong negative predictor of DS in adolescents with high functioning ASD (B=-.93; β=-.77; t=-4.20; p=.000). Specifically, individual capacities subscale (B=-2.20; β=-.77;t=-8.39;p=.000), Primary caregivers resources subscale (B=-1.98; β=-.69; t=-7.49; p=.000); and Contextual factors subscale (B=-2.02; β=-.62; t=-8.38; p=.000) predicted overall depressive symptoms (Total DS score) negatively and significantly. It was concluded that DS among adolescents with high functioning ASD can be reduced through developing resilience skills among them. Parents, special Educators and all stakeholders should intensify efforts in building resilience in adolescents with high functioning ASD.

scholarly journals Parental Quality of Life and Involvement in Intervention for Children or Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 894
Author(s):  
Alessandro Musetti ◽  
Tommaso Manari ◽  
Barbara Dioni ◽  
Cinzia Raffin ◽  
Giulia Bravo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Parental Involvement ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Parental Quality ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Previous research has examined several parental, child-related, and contextual factors associated with parental quality of life (QoL) among parents with a child or an adolescent with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, no systematic review has examined the relationship between parental QoL and parental involvement in intervention. To fill this gap, a systematic review was conducted using four electronic databases and checked reference lists of retrieved studies. Records were included in the systematic review if they presented original data, assessed parental QoL, and involvement in intervention for children or adolescents with ASD, were published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2020, and were written in English. Among the 96 screened full-texts, 17 articles met the eligibility criteria. The selected studies included over 2000 parents of children or adolescents with ASD. Three categories of parental involvement (i.e., none, indirect, direct) were identified, which varied across studies, although most had direct parental involvement. The results from this review show that increased parental involvement in the intervention for children or adolescents with ASD may be one way to promote their QoL. However, further research specifically focused on parental involvement during the intervention for children and adolescents with ASD is warranted.

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