Pubmed du 06/01/22
1. Brookman-Frazee L, Chlebowski C, Villodas M, Garland A, McPherson J, Koenig Y, Roesch S. The effectiveness of training community mental health therapists in an evidence-based intervention for ASD: Findings from a hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial in outpatient and school-based mental health services. Autism : the international journal of research and practice. 2022; 26(3): 678-89.
Publicly funded mental health services play an important role in caring for school-age children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, therapists report a lack of specialized ASD training, which families identity as a barrier in obtaining mental health services for their children. An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD (AIM HI) was developed in collaboration with community stakeholders to respond to identified needs of children and community therapists. The current study examined the effects of therapist training in AIM HI on the changes in therapist practice, including therapists’ use of evidence-based intervention strategies in session. Data were collected from a study conducted in community outpatient and school based mental health programs randomly assigned to receive AIM HI therapist training or observation of routine care. Therapist and child clients were enrolled from participating programs. Therapists in AIM HI training received training and consultation for 6 months while delivering the AIM HI intervention to a participating client; therapists in usual care delivered routine care. Both groups of therapists video recorded psychotherapy sessions which were scored by trained raters. Differences between training groups were examined using multilevel modeling. Therapists trained in AIM HI were observed to use more extensive active teaching strategies with caregivers, engagement strategies with children, strategies promoting continuity of care, and had more structured sessions with more effective pursuit of caregiver and children skill teaching. Therapist licensure moderated some training outcomes.
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2. Chisholm AK, Haebich KM, Pride NA, Walsh KS, Lami F, Ure A, Maloof T, Brignell A, Rouel M, Granader Y, Maier A, Barton B, Darke H, Dabscheck G, Anderson VA, Williams K, North KN, Payne JM. Delineating the autistic phenotype in children with neurofibromatosis type 1. Molecular autism. 2022; 13(1): 3.
BACKGROUND: Existing research has demonstrated elevated autistic behaviours in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), but the autistic phenotype and its relationship to other neurodevelopmental manifestations of NF1 remains unclear. To address this gap, we performed detailed characterisation of autistic behaviours in children with NF1 and investigated their association with other common NF1 child characteristics. METHODS: Participants were drawn from a larger cross-sectional study examining autism in children with NF1. The population analysed in this study scored above threshold on the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (T-score ≥ 60; 51% larger cohort) and completed the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and/or the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2). All participants underwent evaluation of their intellectual function, and behavioural data were collected via parent questionnaires. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 68 children (3-15 years). Sixty-three per cent met the ADOS-2 ‘autism spectrum’ cut-off, and 34% exceeded the more stringent threshold for ‘autistic disorder’ on the ADI-R. Social communication symptoms were common and wide-ranging, while restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) were most commonly characterised by ‘insistence on sameness’ (IS) behaviours such as circumscribed interests and difficulties with minor changes. Autistic behaviours were weakly correlated with hyperactive/impulsive attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms but not with inattentive ADHD or other behavioural characteristics. Language and verbal IQ were weakly related to social communication behaviours but not to RRBs. LIMITATIONS: Lack of genetic validation of NF1, no clinical diagnosis of autism, and a retrospective assessment of autistic behaviours in early childhood. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide strong support for elevated autistic behaviours in children with NF1. While these behaviours were relatively independent of other NF1 comorbidities, the importance of taking broader child characteristics into consideration when interpreting data from autism-specific measures in this population is highlighted. Social communication deficits appear similar to those observed in idiopathic autism and are coupled with a unique RRB profile comprising prominent IS behaviours. This autistic phenotype and its relationship to common NF1 comorbidities such as anxiety and executive dysfunction will be important to examine in future research. Current findings have important implications for the early identification of autism in NF1 and clinical management.
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3. Cummings K, Watkins A, Jones C, Dias R, Welham A. Behavioural and psychological features of PTEN mutations: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder characteristics. Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders. 2022; 14(1): 1.
BACKGROUND: Phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) is a cancer suppressor gene. Constitutional mutations affecting this gene are associated with several conditions, collectively termed PTEN hamartoma tumour syndromes (PHTS). In addition to hamartomas, PTEN aberrations have been associated with a range of non-tumoural phenotypes such as macrocephaly, and research indicates possibly increased rates of developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for people with germline mutations affecting PTEN. METHOD: A systematic review of literature reporting behavioural and psychological variables for people with constitutional PTEN mutations/PHTS was conducted using four databases. Following in-depth screening, 25 articles met the inclusion criteria and were used in the review. Fourteen papers reported the proportion of people with PTEN mutations/PTHS meeting criteria for or having characteristics of ASD and were thus used in a pooled prevalence meta-analysis. RESULTS: Meta-analysis using a random effects model estimated pooled prevalence of ASD characteristics at 25% (95% CI 16-33%), although this should be interpreted cautiously due to possible biases in existing literature. Intellectual disability and developmental delay (global, motor and speech and language) were also reported frequently. Emotional difficulties and impaired cognitive functioning in specific domains were noted but assessed/reported less frequently. Methods of assessment of psychological/behavioural factors varied widely (with retrospective examination of medical records common). CONCLUSIONS: Existing research suggests approximately 25% of people with constitutional PTEN mutations may meet criteria for or have characteristics of ASD. Studies have also begun to establish a range of possible cognitive impairments in affected individuals, especially when ASD is also reported. However, further large-scale studies are needed to elucidate psychological/behavioural corollaries of this mutation, and how they may relate to physiological/physical characteristics.
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4. Doherty M, Haydon C, Davidson IA. Recognising autism in healthcare. British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005). 2021; 82(12): 1-7.
Recognition of autism and the associated co-occurring physical and mental health issues has increased over recent years. However, undergraduate and postgraduate curricula take time to adapt and to impact on what is delivered in training so healthcare professionals, including doctors, report little training on these topics. Doctors need to know when someone might be autistic in order to respond to them appropriately. This article sets out the reasons why recognition of autism is important and the positive impacts of recognising and understanding autism on health outcomes, service delivery and patient experience. The negative consequences of not recognising autism or understanding the impact of autistic traits on the person are also explored. A companion article then covers how practice can be made more appropriate for autistic people to improve outcomes.
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5. Dwyer P. Stigma, Incommensurability, or Both? Pathology-First, Person-First, and Identity-First Language and the Challenges of Discourse in Divided Autism Communities. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP. 2022; 43(2): 111-3.
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6. Fidler DJ, Prince MA, Van Deusen K, Esbensen AJ, Thurman AJ, Abbeduto L, Patel L, Mervis C, Schworer EK, Lee NR, Edgin JO, Hepburn S, Davis S, Daunhauer LA. Latent profiles of autism symptoms in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR. 2022; 66(3): 265-81.
BACKGROUND: Down syndrome (DS) is associated with elevated rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism symptomatology. To better characterise heterogeneity in ASD symptomatology in DS, profiles of caregiver-reported ASD symptoms were modelled for children and adolescents with DS. METHODS: Participants (n = 125) were recruited through several multi-site research studies on cognition and language in DS. Using the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2; Constantino and Gruber 2012), two latent profile analyses (LPA) were performed, one on the broad composite scores of social communication and interaction and restricted interests and repetitive behaviour, and a second on the four social dimensions of social communication, social motivation, social awareness, and social cognition. RESULTS: A three-profile model was the best fit for both analyses, with each analysis yielding a low ASD symptom profile, an elevated or mixed ASD symptom profile and a high ASD symptom profile. Associations were observed between profile probability scores and IQ, the number of co-occurring biomedical conditions reported, sex, and SRS-2 form. CONCLUSIONS: Characterising heterogeneity in ASD symptom profiles can inform more personalised supports in this population, and implications for potential therapeutic approaches for individuals with DS are discussed.
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7. Haydon C, Doherty M, Davidson IA. Autism: making reasonable adjustments in healthcare. British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005). 2021; 82(12): 1-11.
The accompanying article set out why it is important to identify autistic people and the negative consequences of not recognising or understanding autism, including more severe illness and premature death. This article sets out what clinicians can do to help reduce those negative consequences by making ‘reasonable adjustments’ in any healthcare service in which they work.
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8. Hernandez-Ruiz E, Qi R, Welsh E, Wampler M, Bradshaw L. Psychological and Neural Differences of Music Processing in Autistic Individuals: A Scoping Review. Journal of music therapy. 2022; 59(1): 87-124.
Despite abundant research and clinical evidence of the effectiveness of music interventions for people in the autism spectrum, understanding of music processing in this community is limited. We explored whether research evidence of differences in music processing within the autistic community is available. We developed a scoping review to search for literature with the terms « music », « processing, » and « autism » (and variants). We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Academic Search Complete, ERIC, and Music Index databases for a total of 10,857 articles, with 5,236 duplicates. The remaining 5,621 titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility by a team of four undergraduate and graduate students and the PI. Seventy-five studies were included for data extraction. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics regarding author, study, stimulus, and participant information, and a thematic analysis of outcome and findings. Our findings are preliminary given the emerging nature of the literature, the use of mostly non-musical auditory stimuli, passive listening experiences, and underreported demographics. However, the literature shows some evidence of differences in music processing for autistic individuals, including reduced habituation to non-musical and musical stimuli; truncated, delayed, or divergent developmental trajectories; and possible compensatory higher-order mechanisms that yield similar behavioral responses even in the presence of divergent neural correlates. Music therapists are encouraged to adopt a developmental perspective, not only of general skills, but specifically of music skill development in this community, and to extrapolate these findings with caution, given the current limitations in the evidence.
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9. Huang Q, Pereira AC, Velthuis H, Wong NML, Ellis CL, Ponteduro FM, Dimitrov M, Kowalewski L, Lythgoe DJ, Rotaru D, Edden RAE, Leonard A, Ivin G, Ahmad J, Pretzsch CM, Daly E, Murphy DGM, McAlonan GM. GABA(B) receptor modulation of visual sensory processing in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder. Science translational medicine. 2022; 14(626): eabg7859.
Sensory atypicalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are thought to arise at least partly from differences in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor function. However, the evidence to date has been indirect, arising from correlational studies in patients and preclinical models. Here, we evaluated the role of GABA receptor directly, in 44 adults (n = 19 ASD). Baseline concentration of occipital lobe GABA+ (GABA plus coedited macromolecules) was measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). Steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) elicited by a passive visual surround suppression paradigm was compared after double-blind randomized oral administration of placebo or 15 to 30 mg of arbaclofen (STX209), a GABA type B (GABA(B)) receptor agonist. In the placebo condition, the neurotypical SSVEP response was affected by both the foreground stimuli contrast and background interference (suppression). In ASD, however, all stimuli conditions had equal salience and background suppression of the foreground response was weaker. In the placebo condition, although there was no difference in GABA+ between groups, GABA+ concentration positively correlated with response to maximum foreground contrast during maximum background interference in neurotypicals, but not ASD. In neurotypicals, sensitivity to visual stimuli was disrupted by 30 mg of arbaclofen, whereas in ASD, it was made more “typical” and visual processing differences were abolished. Hence, differences in GABAergic function are fundamental to autistic (visual) sensory neurobiology and are modulated by GABA(B) activity.
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10. Kim JI, Bang S, Yang JJ, Kwon H, Jang S, Roh S, Kim SH, Kim MJ, Lee HJ, Lee JM, Kim BN. Classification of Preschoolers with Low-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Multimodal MRI Data. Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 2022.
Multimodal imaging studies targeting preschoolers and low-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients are scarce. We applied machine learning classifiers to parameters from T1-weighted MRI and DTI data of 58 children with ASD (age 3-6 years) and 48 typically developing controls (TDC). Classification performance reached an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 88.8%, 93.0%, and 83.8%, respectively. The most prominent features were the cortical thickness of the right inferior occipital gyrus, mean diffusivity of the middle cerebellar peduncle, and nodal efficiency of the left posterior cingulate gyrus. Machine learning-based analysis of MRI data was useful in distinguishing low-functioning ASD preschoolers from TDCs. Combination of T1 and DTI improved classification accuracy about 10%, and large-scale multi-modal MRI studies are warranted for external validation.
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11. Qian L, Shao H, Fang H, Xiao T, Ding N, Sun B, Gao H, Tang M, Ye M, Ke X, O’Neill DK. Reliability, validity and developmental sensitivity of the Language Use Inventory (LUI) in the Chinese context. International journal of language & communication disorders. 2022; 57(3): 497-511.
BACKGROUND: Pragmatics has generally been defined as the ability to use language in social situations, it is commonly regarded as the third major component of language ability. To date, there is no tool for assessing early pragmatic development of Chinese-speaking children. AIMS: To describe the translation of the Language Use Inventory (LUI) from English to Mandarin Chinese and to report findings on the Chinese version’s reliability, validity and developmental sensitivity. METHODS & PROCEDURES: The original English version of the LUI was translated into Mandarin Chinese. Parents of 177 typically developing (TD) toddlers and preschool children completed the inventory to examine its internal reliability and construct validity and how scores differed across ages and sexes. A total of 31 parents out of the 177 completed the LUI-Mandarin, again within 4 weeks, to assess test-retest reliability. To examine discriminative validity, 43 parents of age- and sex-matched TD children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) recruited from Nanjing Brain Hospital affiliated with Nanjing Medical University completed the LUI-Mandarin. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Cronbach’s alpha values for the LUI-Mandarin’s three parts and for 11 of 12 LUI-Mandarin subscales were 0.707-0.992, with most values in the 0.825-0.992 range. Test-retest reliability ranged from 0.66 to 0.95, indicating good to excellent reliability. Factor analysis of the LUI-Mandarin revealed two different factors, and the total variance explained was 74.38%. The LUI-Mandarin total scores and subscale scores increased with age for both boys and girls, providing evidence of the inventory’s developmental sensitivity. Girls, however, had higher total scores than boys at earlier ages (18-23 months). The results of the discriminant validity study revealed that performance was significantly lower in the ASD group than in the TD group with respect to LUI total scores and subscale scores (except for subscale A). CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: The LUI-Mandarin is the first and only questionnaire available in China that evaluates the pragmatic language skills of children aged between 18 and 47 months. The results of the study show that the LUI-Mandarin is a valid and reliable tool for Chinese toddlers and preschool children. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject The LUI is a parent-report questionnaire that can provide comprehensive information about very young children’s communicative competence. It is widely used both for assessment and to guide intervention. Additionally, it has been translated into French, Italian, Polish, Arabic, Portuguese and Norwegian and it shows good reliability and validity. What this paper adds to existing knowledge In the present study we describe the translation of the LUI from English to Mandarin Chinese and report findings on the Chinese version’s reliability, validity and developmental sensitivity. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The LUI-Mandarin is the first and only questionnaire available in China that can evaluate pragmatic language skills of children aged between 18 and 47 months. The results show that the LUI-Mandarin is a valid and reliable tool for use with Chinese toddlers and preschool children.
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12. Straub L, Bateman BT, Hernandez-Diaz S, York C, Lester B, Wisner KL, McDougle CJ, Pennell PB, Gray KJ, Zhu Y, Suarez EA, Mogun H, Huybrechts KF. Neurodevelopmental Disorders Among Publicly or Privately Insured Children in the United States. JAMA psychiatry. 2022; 79(3): 232-42.
IMPORTANCE: Neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with poor health and social outcomes. Population-based data on incidence, age at diagnosis, and demographic variations are essential to identify modifiable risk factors and inform the planning of services and interventions. OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence and timing of diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders during childhood in the US and to evaluate differences by population characteristics. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cohort study used nationwide data on birth cohorts nested in the 2000-2014 Medicaid Analytic eXtract and the 2003-2015 IBM MarketScan Research Database on 2 070 541 publicly and 1 309 900 privately insured children enrolled at birth. Data were analyzed between May 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Neurodevelopmental disorders, autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, speech or language disorders, developmental coordination disorders, intellectual disabilities, and behavioral disorders were identified based on validated algorithms. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to estimate the incidence and timing of diagnosis, stratified by child’s sex, birth year, maternal age at delivery, and race and ethnicity. RESULTS: The cohorts comprised 2 070 541 publicly insured children (1 045 426 boys [50.5%]) and 1 309 900 privately insured children (667 607 boys [51.0%]) enrolled at birth. By 8 years of age, 23.9% of publicly insured children and 11.0% of privately insured children received a diagnosis of 1 or more neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorder, 1.6% and 1.3%; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 14.5% and 5.8%; learning disability, 1.2% and 0.6%; speech or language disorder, 8.4% and 4.5%; developmental coordination disorder, 0.9% and 0.7%; intellectual disability, 0.7% and 0.1%; and behavioral disorder, 8.4% and 1.5%). Risks were substantially higher among boys (incidence of ≥1 neurodevelopmental disorder by age 8 years for boys vs girls: 30.7% vs 16.7% among publicly insured children and 15.0% vs 6.7% among privately insured children) and White children (30.2% vs 9.1% among Asian children, 23.0% among Black children, 15.4% among Hispanic children, and 22.7% among children of unknown race or ethnicity; information on race and ethnicity was available only for publicly insured children). The association of maternal age and birth year with incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders varied by outcome. Except for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the diagnosis tended to be established somewhat earlier for privately insured children. The association of race and ethnicity with age at diagnosis varied by outcome. Co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders were common, especially among children with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability (>70% had ≥1 other disorder). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this population-based cohort study, a relatively high incidence of and co-occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders as well as the disparity in incidence and timing of diagnosis by insurance type and race and ethnicity were found. These findings represent important public health concerns and underscore the need for timely and accessible developmental assessments and educational services to help reduce the burden of these disorders.
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13. Sung YS, Loh SC, Lin LY. Physical Activity and Motor Performance: A Comparison Between Young Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment. 2021; 17: 3743-51.
PURPOSE: This study aims to examine the differences in physical activity and motor performance between young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with typical development (TD) and to investigate the relationships between the levels of physical activity and motor performance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five children with ASD (mean age = 59.3 ± 8.1 months) and 28 children with TD (mean age = 63.1 ± 8.6 months) were recruited. The Actigraph accelerometer, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition, and Assessment of Preschool Children’s Participation were used. RESULTS: Young children with ASD spent significantly less time in moderate and light physical activity and exhibited more sedentary behavior than did children with TD. Those children with ASD also had greater motor difficulties and engaged less frequently in physical recreation activities compared to their TD peers. Motor performance was significantly correlated with physical activity in all children. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the specificity of the levels of physical activity, motor difficulties, and participation diversity in children with ASD comparing performances on children with TD. Additional research is needed to provide valuable information for early interventions.
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14. Teodoro T, Salgado J. Raising Awareness about Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder. Acta medica portuguesa. 2021; 34(11): 802-3.
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15. Tseng A. Brief Report: Above and Beyond Safety: Psychosocial and Biobehavioral Impact of Autism-Assistance Dogs on Autistic Children and their Families. Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 2022: 1-16.
Autism-Assistance Dogs (AADs) are highly-skilled service animals trained primarily to ensure the safety of an autistic child by preventing elopement and mitigating ‘meltdowns’. Although anecdotal accounts and case-studies have indicated that AADs confer benefits above and beyond safety, empirical support anchored in validated clinical, behavioral, and physiological measures is lacking. To address this gap, we studied children and their families before and after receiving a well-trained AAD using a within-subject, repeated-measures design. Notably, this study is the first to assess change in a biomarker for chronic stress in both autistic children and their parents. Final analyses included pre-/post-AAD data from 11 triads (parent/handler-dog-child) demonstrating significantly positive psychosocial and biobehavioral effects of AADs.
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16. Wilke M, Oliveira BM, Pereira A, Doriqui MJR, Kok F, Souza CFM. Two different presentations of de novo variants of CSNK2B: two case reports. Journal of medical case reports. 2022; 16(1): 4.
BACKGROUND: Poirier-Bienvenu neurodevelopmental syndrome is a neurologic disorder caused by mutations in the CSNK2B gene. It is mostly characterized by early-onset seizures, hypotonia, and mild dysmorphic features. Craniodigital syndrome is a recently described disorder also related to CSNK2B, with a single report in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To report two unrelated cases of children harboring CSNK2B variants (NM_001320.6) who presented with distinct diseases. CASE REPORT: Case 1 is a 7-month-old, Caucasian, female patient with chief complaints of severe hypotonia and drug-refractory myoclonic epilepsy, with a likely pathogenic de novo variant c.494A>G (p.His165Arg). Case 2 is a 5-year-old male, Latino patient with craniodigital intellectual disability syndrome subjacent to a de novo, likely pathogenic variant c.94G>T (p.Asp32Tyr). His dysmorphic features included facial dysmorphisms, supernumerary nipples, and left-hand postaxial polydactyly. CONCLUSION: This report suggest that the CSNK2B gene may be involved in the physiopathology of neurodevelopmental disorders and variable dysmorphic features.
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17. Yingling ME, Ruther MH, Dubuque EM. Trends in Geographic Access to Board Certified Behavior Analysts Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2018-2021. Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 2022: 1-8.
Research has documented inequities in geographic access to Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, research on their accessibility is outdated. Between July 1, 2018 and July 1, 2021 the number of BCBAs in the U.S. increased by 65%, from 27,320 to 45,103. In this study we examined trends in geographic access to BCBAs among children with ASD between 2018 and 2021. The sample included all U.S. counties in 50 states and D.C. (N = 3138). Using GIS software we examined change in county-level access to BCBAs between 2018 and 2021 and mapped ASD/BCBA ratios across all counties in both years. Study results indicate that despite modest improvements (e.g., 266 counties added BCBAs), inequitable access persists.
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18. Zappullo I, Senese VP, Milo R, Positano M, Cecere R, Raimo G, Conson M. Specific Global-Local Visual Processing Abilities Mediate the Influence of Non-social Autistic-like Traits on Mental Rotation. Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 2022.
Inconsistent data are available on mental rotation performance in neurotypicals with high autistic-like traits. Here, we tested whether global-local visual processing abilities mediate the influence of specific autistic-like trait domains (social skill, attention switching, attention-to-detail, communication, and imagination) on mental rotation. Neurotypical participants (N = 128) underwent an assessment of autistic-like traits, a flanker task with hierarchical stimuli, and a mental rotation task. Path analysis showed that Reaction Times on the incongruent/local condition of the flanker task mediated the relationship between attention-to-detail and mental rotation accuracy. These findings indicate that a better capacity of ignoring incongruent global information to identify local information (reduced global interference) in persons with high non-social autistic-like traits, as attention-to-detail, facilitates mental rotation performance.