Aging and autism: Do measures of autism symptoms, co-occurring mental health conditions, or quality of life differ between younger and older autistic adults? / Esra ZÄ+vralÄ+ YARAR in Autism Research, 15-8 (August 2022)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 15-8 (August 2022) . - p.1482-1494 Titre : Aging and autism: Do measures of autism symptoms, co-occurring mental health conditions, or quality of life differ between younger and older autistic adults? Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Esra ZÄ+vralÄ+ YARAR, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Debbie SPAIN, Auteur ; Patricia HOWLIN, Auteur ; Dermot BOWLER, Auteur ; Rebecca CHARLTON, Auteur ; Francesca HAPPE, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1482-1494 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Adult  Aging  Autism Spectrum Disorder/complications/epidemiology/psychology  Autistic Disorder/complications/epidemiology/psychology  Cross-Sectional Studies  Humans  Mental Health  Quality of Life/psychology  adults  autism spectrum disorder  quality of life Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Previous research has indicated that autistic adults experience higher rates of co-occurring mental health difficulties and poorer quality of life (QoL) than their non-autistic peers. Little is known, however, about these aspects in older age or whether younger and older autistic adults experience similar patterns This cross-sectional study investigated potential age-related effects on autism symptoms, self-reported mental health, and QoL in younger and older autistic adults (n = 79, aged 19-71years) compared to a non-autistic control group (n = 57) matched for gender, age and IQ. Results showed that autistic adults had higher levels of self-reported autism symptoms and poorer QoL than controls. There were no significant age effects on autism symptoms or on most self-rated mental health symptoms. However, significantly more autistic adults in the younger versus older group scored above the clinical threshold for anxiety, somatoform disorders and eating disorders. Older autistic adults rated social QoL as significantly better than younger autistic adults; there was no significant age difference in the control group. Self-reported QoL was best predicted by self-ratings of severity of depressive symptoms in both groups. Further research is needed to track autism and co-occurring mental health symptomatology across the lifespan, so that service provision can be tailored accordingly. LAY SUMMARY: Young autistic adults have reported more psychological difficulties and poorer quality of life (QoL) than the general population. We investigated whether these difficulties continue into older age. Autism symptoms and mental health problems were common in autistic adults, with no difference between age groups, except for anxiety, physical and eating problems. Although QoL was poorer in both younger and older autistic compared to non-autistic adults, older autistic adults reported better social QoL than those who were younger. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.2780 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=483 [article] Aging and autism: Do measures of autism symptoms, co-occurring mental health conditions, or quality of life differ between younger and older autistic adults? [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Esra ZÄ+vralÄ+ YARAR, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Debbie SPAIN, Auteur ; Patricia HOWLIN, Auteur ; Dermot BOWLER, Auteur ; Rebecca CHARLTON, Auteur ; Francesca HAPPE, Auteur . - p.1482-1494. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 15-8 (August 2022) . - p.1482-1494 Mots-clés : Adult  Aging  Autism Spectrum Disorder/complications/epidemiology/psychology  Autistic Disorder/complications/epidemiology/psychology  Cross-Sectional Studies  Humans  Mental Health  Quality of Life/psychology  adults  autism spectrum disorder  quality of life Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Previous research has indicated that autistic adults experience higher rates of co-occurring mental health difficulties and poorer quality of life (QoL) than their non-autistic peers. Little is known, however, about these aspects in older age or whether younger and older autistic adults experience similar patterns This cross-sectional study investigated potential age-related effects on autism symptoms, self-reported mental health, and QoL in younger and older autistic adults (n = 79, aged 19-71years) compared to a non-autistic control group (n = 57) matched for gender, age and IQ. Results showed that autistic adults had higher levels of self-reported autism symptoms and poorer QoL than controls. There were no significant age effects on autism symptoms or on most self-rated mental health symptoms. However, significantly more autistic adults in the younger versus older group scored above the clinical threshold for anxiety, somatoform disorders and eating disorders. Older autistic adults rated social QoL as significantly better than younger autistic adults; there was no significant age difference in the control group. Self-reported QoL was best predicted by self-ratings of severity of depressive symptoms in both groups. Further research is needed to track autism and co-occurring mental health symptomatology across the lifespan, so that service provision can be tailored accordingly. LAY SUMMARY: Young autistic adults have reported more psychological difficulties and poorer quality of life (QoL) than the general population. We investigated whether these difficulties continue into older age. Autism symptoms and mental health problems were common in autistic adults, with no difference between age groups, except for anxiety, physical and eating problems. Although QoL was poorer in both younger and older autistic compared to non-autistic adults, older autistic adults reported better social QoL than those who were younger. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.2780 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=483

Eye-Tracking Reveals Absent Repetition Learning Across the Autism Spectrum: Evidence From a Passive Viewing Task / Sebastian B GAIGG in Autism Research, 13-11 (November 2020)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 13-11 (November 2020) . - p.1929-1946 Titre : Eye-Tracking Reveals Absent Repetition Learning Across the Autism Spectrum: Evidence From a Passive Viewing Task Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Sebastian B GAIGG, Auteur ; Marie K. KRUG, Auteur ; Marjorie SOLOMON, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Claire DERWENT, Auteur ; Sophie ANNS, Auteur ; Dermot M. BOWLER, Auteur ; Susan RIVERA, Auteur ; Christine W. NORDAHL, Auteur ; Emily J. H. JONES, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1929-1946 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : eye movement  language impairment  learning  learning disabilities  memory Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : In the domain of memory, autism is characterized by difficulties in explicitly remembering the specific order of stimuli, whereas implicit serial order memory appears to be preserved. This pattern is of considerable interest because serial order memory is known to play a critical role in children's language development. Currently, however, few paradigms exist that can effectively probe serial order memory across heterogeneous groups of children, including those who are minimally verbal. We present two experiments, involving 39 adults (20 ASD; 19 TD) and 130 children (86 ASD; 44 TD), that address this issue using an eye-tracking paradigm, which simply required participants to "watch out for a bunny" that appeared in repeating sequences of screen locations. The adults in Experiment 1 all had normative IQs, whereas Experiment 2 included children with and without substantial language and intellectual difficulties. In both experiments gaze latencies and anticipatory fixations to the bunny indicated reliable repetition learning effects in the TD but not the ASD groups. Importantly, we were able to acquire reliable data from around half of the children with significant language impairments in Experiment 2, indicating that the paradigm can shed light on important learning processes in this underrepresented group. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of memory in ASD as well as for the utility of eye-tracking technology to probe repetition learning effects in autism. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1929-1946. © 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC. LAY SUMMARY: Remembering the specific order of stimuli plays an important role in language development and is thought to be a source of difficulty for autistic individuals. Research in this area, however, rarely includes autistic participants who are minimally verbal. Here we develop an eye-tracking paradigm that demonstrates serial order learning difficulties across the autism spectrum. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of the role of memory difficulties in the varied language profiles across the autism spectrum. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.2368 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=433 [article] Eye-Tracking Reveals Absent Repetition Learning Across the Autism Spectrum: Evidence From a Passive Viewing Task [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Sebastian B GAIGG, Auteur ; Marie K. KRUG, Auteur ; Marjorie SOLOMON, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Claire DERWENT, Auteur ; Sophie ANNS, Auteur ; Dermot M. BOWLER, Auteur ; Susan RIVERA, Auteur ; Christine W. NORDAHL, Auteur ; Emily J. H. JONES, Auteur . - p.1929-1946. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 13-11 (November 2020) . - p.1929-1946 Mots-clés : eye movement  language impairment  learning  learning disabilities  memory Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : In the domain of memory, autism is characterized by difficulties in explicitly remembering the specific order of stimuli, whereas implicit serial order memory appears to be preserved. This pattern is of considerable interest because serial order memory is known to play a critical role in children's language development. Currently, however, few paradigms exist that can effectively probe serial order memory across heterogeneous groups of children, including those who are minimally verbal. We present two experiments, involving 39 adults (20 ASD; 19 TD) and 130 children (86 ASD; 44 TD), that address this issue using an eye-tracking paradigm, which simply required participants to "watch out for a bunny" that appeared in repeating sequences of screen locations. The adults in Experiment 1 all had normative IQs, whereas Experiment 2 included children with and without substantial language and intellectual difficulties. In both experiments gaze latencies and anticipatory fixations to the bunny indicated reliable repetition learning effects in the TD but not the ASD groups. Importantly, we were able to acquire reliable data from around half of the children with significant language impairments in Experiment 2, indicating that the paradigm can shed light on important learning processes in this underrepresented group. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of memory in ASD as well as for the utility of eye-tracking technology to probe repetition learning effects in autism. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1929-1946. © 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC. LAY SUMMARY: Remembering the specific order of stimuli plays an important role in language development and is thought to be a source of difficulty for autistic individuals. Research in this area, however, rarely includes autistic participants who are minimally verbal. Here we develop an eye-tracking paradigm that demonstrates serial order learning difficulties across the autism spectrum. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of the role of memory difficulties in the varied language profiles across the autism spectrum. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.2368 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=433

Positive psychology in neurodiversity: An investigation of character strengths in autistic adults in the United Kingdom in a community setting / Alicja Sabina NOCON in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 99 (November)  

Public ISBD [article]  inResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 99 (November) . - 102071 Titre : Positive psychology in neurodiversity: An investigation of character strengths in autistic adults in the United Kingdom in a community setting Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Alicja Sabina NOCON, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Luz Maria Gutiérrez MENÃNDEZ, Auteur Article en page(s) : 102071 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Autistic adults  Autism spectrum  Character strengths  Positive Psychology  Strengths-based Interventions  Satisfaction with Life Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background The positive psychology and neurodiversity movements both aim to promote and improve wellbeing through strengths-based approaches. However, little is known about how positive psychology can support the wellbeing of autistic people. The present study investigated character strengths profiles as a potential tool to identify strengths-based interventions that could enhance wellbeing outcomes for autistic adults. To our knowledge, this is first study to use this method as a possible way of improving the wellbeing of autistic adults in the community in the UK. Method Forty-seven self-reported formally diagnosed (83%) and self-identifying (17%) autistic adults completed online self-rated standardised questionnaires about their character strengths and life satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and correlational analyses were used to evaluate the profile of character strengths and their relationship to overall life satisfaction. Results Character strengths most frequently reported by autistic adults were Honesty, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Love of Learning, Fairness, and Kindness. Higher levels of life satisfaction were associated with character strengths of Gratitude, Hope, and Honesty. Conclusions The most frequent character strengths were consistent with autistic traits reported in the wider body of autism literature, such as intense interests and strong attention to detail. The present study provides preliminary findings and recommendations for potential future strengths-based interventions that could enhance life satisfaction of autistic adults in a community setting. Further investigation with larger samples is needed to replicate the emerging findings on this topic. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2022.102071 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=491 [article] Positive psychology in neurodiversity: An investigation of character strengths in autistic adults in the United Kingdom in a community setting [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Alicja Sabina NOCON, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Luz Maria Gutiérrez MENÃNDEZ, Auteur . - 102071. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 99 (November) . - 102071 Mots-clés : Autistic adults  Autism spectrum  Character strengths  Positive Psychology  Strengths-based Interventions  Satisfaction with Life Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background The positive psychology and neurodiversity movements both aim to promote and improve wellbeing through strengths-based approaches. However, little is known about how positive psychology can support the wellbeing of autistic people. The present study investigated character strengths profiles as a potential tool to identify strengths-based interventions that could enhance wellbeing outcomes for autistic adults. To our knowledge, this is first study to use this method as a possible way of improving the wellbeing of autistic adults in the community in the UK. Method Forty-seven self-reported formally diagnosed (83%) and self-identifying (17%) autistic adults completed online self-rated standardised questionnaires about their character strengths and life satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and correlational analyses were used to evaluate the profile of character strengths and their relationship to overall life satisfaction. Results Character strengths most frequently reported by autistic adults were Honesty, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Love of Learning, Fairness, and Kindness. Higher levels of life satisfaction were associated with character strengths of Gratitude, Hope, and Honesty. Conclusions The most frequent character strengths were consistent with autistic traits reported in the wider body of autism literature, such as intense interests and strong attention to detail. The present study provides preliminary findings and recommendations for potential future strengths-based interventions that could enhance life satisfaction of autistic adults in a community setting. Further investigation with larger samples is needed to replicate the emerging findings on this topic. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2022.102071 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=491

Self-guided mindfulness and cognitive behavioural practices reduce anxiety in autistic adults: A pilot 8-month waitlist-controlled trial of widely available online tools / Sebastian B GAIGG in Autism, 24-4 (May 2020)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 24-4 (May 2020) . - p.867-883 Titre : Self-guided mindfulness and cognitive behavioural practices reduce anxiety in autistic adults: A pilot 8-month waitlist-controlled trial of widely available online tools Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Sebastian B GAIGG, Auteur ; Paul E. FLAXMAN, Auteur ; Gracie MCLAVEN, Auteur ; Ritika SHAH, Auteur ; Dermot M. BOWLER, Auteur ; Brenda MEYER, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Corinna HAENSCHEL, Auteur ; Jacqui RODGERS, Auteur ; Mikle SOUTH, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.867-883 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : anxiety  autism  cognitive-behavioural therapy  mindfulness  online Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Anxiety in autism is an important target for psychological therapies because it is very common and because it significantly impacts upon quality of life and well-being. Growing evidence suggests that cognitive behaviour therapies and mindfulness-based therapies can help autistic individuals learn to manage feelings of anxiety but access to such therapies remains problematic. In the current pilot study, we examined whether existing online cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness-based therapy self-help tools can help reduce anxiety in autistic adults. Specifically, 35 autistic adults were asked to try either an existing online cognitive behaviour therapy (n = 16) or mindfulness-based therapy (n = 19) programme while a further 19 autistic adults served as a waitlist comparison group. A first important finding was that 23 of the 35 (66%) participants who tried the online tools completed them, suggesting that such tools are, in principle, acceptable to many autistic adults. In addition, adults in the cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness-based therapy conditions reported significant decreases in anxiety over 3 and to some extent also 6?months that were less apparent in the waitlist group of participants. On broader measures of mental health and well-being, the benefits of the online tools were less apparent. Overall, the results suggest that online self-help cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness-based therapy tools should be explored further as a means of providing cost-effective mental health support to at least those autistic individuals who can engage effectively with such online tools. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362361320909184 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=425 [article] Self-guided mindfulness and cognitive behavioural practices reduce anxiety in autistic adults: A pilot 8-month waitlist-controlled trial of widely available online tools [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Sebastian B GAIGG, Auteur ; Paul E. FLAXMAN, Auteur ; Gracie MCLAVEN, Auteur ; Ritika SHAH, Auteur ; Dermot M. BOWLER, Auteur ; Brenda MEYER, Auteur ; Amanda ROESTORF, Auteur ; Corinna HAENSCHEL, Auteur ; Jacqui RODGERS, Auteur ; Mikle SOUTH, Auteur . - p.867-883. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 24-4 (May 2020) . - p.867-883 Mots-clés : anxiety  autism  cognitive-behavioural therapy  mindfulness  online Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Anxiety in autism is an important target for psychological therapies because it is very common and because it significantly impacts upon quality of life and well-being. Growing evidence suggests that cognitive behaviour therapies and mindfulness-based therapies can help autistic individuals learn to manage feelings of anxiety but access to such therapies remains problematic. In the current pilot study, we examined whether existing online cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness-based therapy self-help tools can help reduce anxiety in autistic adults. Specifically, 35 autistic adults were asked to try either an existing online cognitive behaviour therapy (n = 16) or mindfulness-based therapy (n = 19) programme while a further 19 autistic adults served as a waitlist comparison group. A first important finding was that 23 of the 35 (66%) participants who tried the online tools completed them, suggesting that such tools are, in principle, acceptable to many autistic adults. In addition, adults in the cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness-based therapy conditions reported significant decreases in anxiety over 3 and to some extent also 6?months that were less apparent in the waitlist group of participants. On broader measures of mental health and well-being, the benefits of the online tools were less apparent. Overall, the results suggest that online self-help cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness-based therapy tools should be explored further as a means of providing cost-effective mental health support to at least those autistic individuals who can engage effectively with such online tools. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362361320909184 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=425

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