1. Ryan S. {{‘Meltdowns’, surveillance and managing emotions; going out with children with autism}}. {Health Place} (Apr 24)
The qualitative study from which the data reported here are taken, explored the experiences, support and information needs of parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. 46 parents were interviewed either individually or in couples. Thematic analysis of the data revealed the complexity involved for the parents in taking their children out in public places. The emotion work parents conduct in public places both to make their children more acceptable within the space and to reduce the discomfort that others experience, helps to preserve the orderliness of public places. However, the special competence that parents developed over time also masks their turbulent feelings in public encounters.
2. Solomon M, Buaminger N, Rogers SJ. {{Abstract Reasoning and Friendship in High Functioning Preadolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {J Autism Dev Disord} (May 14)
To investigate the relationship between cognitive and social functioning, 20 Israeli individuals with HFASD aged 8-12 and 22 age, maternal education, and receptive vocabulary-matched preadolescents with typical development (TYP) came to the lab with a close friend. Measures of abstract reasoning, friendship quality, and dyadic interaction during a play session were obtained. As hypothesized, individuals with HFASD were significantly impaired in abstract reasoning, and there were significant group differences in friend and observer reports of friendship quality. There also was consistency in reports between friends. Two factors-« relationship appearance » and « relationship quality » described positive aspects of the relationships. Disability status and age related to relationship appearance. Proband abstract reasoning was related to relationship quality.
3. Tracy JL, Robins RW, Schriber RA, Solomon M. {{Is Emotion Recognition Impaired in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders?}}. {J Autism Dev Disord} (May 13)
Researchers have argued that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) use an effortful « systematizing » process to recognize emotion expressions, whereas typically developing (TD) individuals use a more holistic process. If this is the case, individuals with ASDs should show slower and less efficient emotion recognition, particularly for socially complex emotions. We tested this account by assessing the speed and accuracy of emotion recognition while limiting exposure time and response window. Children and adolescents with ASDs showed quick and accurate recognition for most emotions, including pride, a socially complex emotion, and no differences emerged between ASD and TD groups. Furthermore, both groups trended toward higher accuracy when responding quickly, even though systematizing should promote a speed-accuracy trade-off for individuals with ASDs.
