scholarly journals Evaluating the efficacy of psychodynamic treatment on a single case of autism. A qualitative research

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Vecchiato ◽  
Chiara Sacchi ◽  
Alessandra Simonelli ◽  
Nicola Purgato
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Behavioral Patterns ◽  
Rehabilitation Centre ◽  
Psychodynamic Treatment

Autism spectrum disorder refers to a group of diseases determined by multiple conditions and primarily defined on the basis of behavioral patterns. The literature and guidelines provide indications regarding adequate treatments, underlying how psychologically and behaviorally structured interventions, should be considered the best programs. Anyway, there is still a scarcity of studies evidencing the effectiveness of therapeutic and developmental approaches situated in a psychodynamic framework and researches aimed to evaluate the quality of psychodynamic interventions on autism are rare. The present study illustrate a qualitative research on the single-case intervention with an autistic adolescent, admitted to the Educational - Rehabilitation Centre Antenna 112. The Centre bases its intervention on a specific psychodynamic approach, Lacanian Psychoanalysis, named Pratique à Plusieurs. The efficacy of the psychodynamic intervention is evaluated by monitoring the therapeutic process with the adolescent from his admission. The evaluation took place in three different stages of the intervention: at the beginning of the treatment, after 6 months and after 12 months. In particular, the level of adaptive behaviors (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale), Social Communication (Social Communication Questionnaire), and the seriousness of behavioral patterns, specific for the autism disorders (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) have been assessed. Results highlight that the psychodynamic setting of the Centre and the therapeutic intervention, which takes place in it, foster an improvement of adaptive behavior, such as life skills and socialization. Limitations of the present study and clinical implications regarding residential psychodynamic treatments in cases of autism disorders are discussed.

Social Communication and Structural Language of Girls With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1139-1155
Author(s):  
Jenny M. Burton ◽  
Nancy A. Creaghead ◽  
Noah Silbert ◽  
Allison Breit-Smith ◽  
Amie W. Duncan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
High Functioning Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales ◽  
High Functioning ◽  
Expressive Communication ◽  
Vineland Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Structural Language

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize social communication and structural language of school-age girls with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) compared to a matched group of girls who are typically developing (TD). Method Participants were 37 girls between 7;5 and 15;2 (years;months)—18 HF-ASD and 19 TD. Children completed the Test of Pragmatic Language–Second Edition (TOPL-2) and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fifth Edition. Parents completed the Children's Communication Checklist–2 United States Edition (CCC-2) and Receptive and Expressive Communication subdomains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition. Results In the area of social communication, girls with HF-ASD earned significantly lower scores and were more often classified as having an impairment on the TOPL-2 and the CCC-2. However, 28% and 33% earned average scores on the TOPL-2 and the CCC-2, respectively. In the area of structural language, no significant differences were found between groups on Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fifth Edition indexes. In contrast, girls with HF-ASD earned significantly lower scores and were more often classified as having an impairment on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition. Sixty-one percent and 83% scored below average on the Receptive and Expressive Communication subdomains, respectively. Conclusions It has been argued that girls with HF-ASD, when compared to boys with HF-ASD, may have advantages for social communication and structural language that mask their impairments. However, when compared to girls who are TD, girls with HF-ASD demonstrated impaired social communication and structural language. Clinicians should include and carefully examine multiple sources of information when assessing girls with HF-ASD.

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Promote Varied Social-Communication Behavior in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 790-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Wolfe ◽  
Sara Pound ◽  
Meka N. McCammon ◽  
Laura C. Chezan ◽  
Erik Drasgow
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Design Standards ◽  
Communication Behaviors

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may engage in repetitive social-communication behaviors that can limit their skill acquisition, access to reinforcement, and access to less restrictive settings. Basic and applied research indicates that variability, or the extent to which responses are topographically different from one another, is influenced by antecedent and consequence interventions. Our purpose in this study is to systematically review the literature on interventions to increase variable social-communication behaviors in individuals with ASD. We identified 32 studies through a database search and screened them using the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Single-Case Design Standards. Eighteen studies containing 55 cases met WWC Design Standards. We coded the descriptive characteristics and strength of evidence based on visual analysis from each of these 18 studies and calculated effect sizes using Tau-U. Our results indicate that most cases (65%) provide strong evidence of a functional relation between the interventions and varied social-communication behaviors, and the median Tau-U was .82. We discuss the implications of our results for practice and for future research on interventions designed to increase variability with this population.

Autism: a missing protein in brain?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Hemaila Shanzeh Tariq ◽  
Muhammad Yusuf Hafiz
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Verbal Interaction ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Patterns ◽  
Social Emotional

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a set of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication (social-emotional reciprocity, non verbal interaction and developing and maintaining relationships) and restricted and repetitive behavioral patterns or interests.1 Autism is a multi-factorial, rather than single, disorder of complex etiology. Continuous....

Ketamine and the core symptoms of autism

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore Kastner ◽  
Kevin Walsh ◽  
Lisa Shulman ◽  
Farah Alam ◽  
Samuel Flood
Keyword(s):  
Social Communication ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Behavioral Syndrome ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
The Core ◽  
Severe Intellectual Disability ◽  
Patterns Of Behavior ◽  
Core Symptoms

AbstractAutism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a behavioral syndrome characterized by (a) persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts and (b) restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. However, the etiology of autism in most cases remains unknown. Ketamine, an N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) blocker, has been purported by some as a possible treatment for autism. This conclusion is premature. Here, we present a single case study in which a patient with a severe intellectual disability was said to have demonstrated a dramatic, albeit short-lived, remission of the core symptoms of autism following adventitious treatment with ketamine. Although this anecdote is encouraging, we argue that further analysis of ketamine as a treatment for autism is needed.

An Empirical Review of Peer-Mediated Interventions: Implications for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 131-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison L. Zagona ◽  
Ann M. Mastergeorge
Keyword(s):  
Social Communication ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Communication Needs

Peer-mediated instruction and intervention (PMII) is a systematic, evidence-based method for addressing the social-communication needs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite existing research on this practice, gaps remain in the implementation of PMII. The purpose of this empirical review was to examine recent applications of this evidence-based practice and systematically assess the quality of the analytic approaches implemented. Recent studies selected for this review included participants with ASD and targeted social-communication skills. The Scientific Merit Rating Scale (SMRS) was used to review the quality of the research studies, and the results suggest that PMII continues to be an effective practice. These results indicate that future research should focus on larger study Ns, particularly for those who are preschool-age, and include measures of generalization and maintenance as well as treatment integrity measures of peers’ actions. The effectiveness of PMII relative to positive developmental outcomes is discussed.

scholarly journals Psychometrics of the Pragmatic Rating Scale for School-Age Children With a Range of Linguistic and Social Communication Skills

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Emily Dillon ◽  
Calliope Holingue ◽  
Dana Herman ◽  
Rebecca J. Landa
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Peer Acceptance ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
School Age ◽  
Communication Impairment ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Pragmatic Communication

Purpose Social communication or pragmatic skills are continuously distributed in the general population. Impairment in these skills is associated with two clinical disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and social (pragmatic) communication disorder. Such impairment can impact a child's peer acceptance, school performance, and current and later mental health. Valid, reliable, examiner-rated observational measures of social communication from a semistructured language sample are needed to detect social communication impairment. We evaluated the psychometrics of an examiner-rated measure of social (pragmatic) communication, the Pragmatic Rating Scale–School Age (PRS-SA). Method The analytic sample consisted of 130 children, ages 7–12 years, from five mutually exclusive groups: ASD ( n = 25), language concern (LC; n = 5), ASD + LC ( n = 10), social communication impairment only ( n = 22), and typically developing (TD; n = 68). All children received language and autism assessments. The PRS-SA was rated separately using video-recorded communication samples from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Assessment data were employed to evaluate the psychometrics of the PRS-SA. Analysis of covariance models were used to assess whether the PRS-SA would detect differences in social communication functioning across the five groups. Results The PRS-SA demonstrated strong internal reliability, concurrent validity, and interrater reliability. PRS-SA scores were significantly higher in all groups compared to the TD group and differed significantly in most pairwise comparisons; the ASD + LC group had the highest (more atypical) scores. Conclusions The PRS-SA shows promise as a measure of social communication skills in school-age verbally fluent children with a range of social and language abilities. More research is needed with a larger sample, including a wider age range and geographical diversity, to replicate findings. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15138240

A Systematic Review of Single-Case Research Studies on Using Video Modeling Interventions to Improve Social Communication Skills for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 249-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Huaqing Qi ◽  
Erin E. Barton ◽  
Margo Collier ◽  
Yi-Ling Lin
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Video Modeling ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Case Research ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Single Case Research

Video modeling (VM) interventions have increasingly been examined as a means of teaching social communication skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the research, which primarily used single-case research designs (SCRDs), pointed to inconsistent results across participants within studies and across studies. The purpose of this review was to synthesize 24 research studies using SCRD to examine the effects of VM for individuals with ASD on social communication skills. We applied the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) SCRD design standards, conducted our own independent visual analysis, and calculated four nonoverlap indices to synthesize this research. Findings from the synthesis of the 24 SCRD studies concluded that VM intervention is an evidence-based practice according to the WWC standards for increasing social communication skills of individuals with ASD. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Patterns of adaptive performance by individuals with autism spectrum disorders on the Behavior Assessment System for Children II (BASC-2)

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey DeVries ◽  
Myra Beth Bundy ◽  
Jonathan S. Gore
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Autistic Disorder ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Behavioral Assessment ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Parent Rating ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Behavior Scale

AbstractAlthough there are several assessments that directly measure adaptive behavior, other comprehensive measures include adaptive behavior scales, including the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-Second Edition Parent Rating Scale (BASC-2-PRS).BASC-2-PRS data from 19 individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders were analyzed to determine score discrepancies between diagnoses [autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome (AS), and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)] on the adaptive behavior profiles on this measure. Differences were hypothesized to correlate with diagnostic intensity (autistic disorder, including the most intense characteristics, followed by AS, and then PDD-NOS). Communication sub-scores of the adaptive behavior scale were expected to be significantly lower for the group with autism than the two other groups.Results indicated significant differences between diagnoses on the adaptability subscale. Differences in cluster score patterns in relation to diagnosis were also observed in the areas of Social Skills and Communication. Interestingly, ratings of the ability to engage in activities of daily living were more often the highest subscale for those with autistic disorder than those with AS or PDD-NOS.The utility of the BASC-2 adaptive behavior scale is discussed in this context.

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