1. An J, DuBose KD, Decker JT, Hatala LE. {{A school-based mentoring program developing healthy behaviors of adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A pilot feasibility study}}. {Disability and health journal}. 2019.
BACKGROUND: Studies have reported that adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a higher prevalence of obesity due to medication intake, poor diet, and physical inactivity. More importantly, they lack awareness and comprehension to prevent weight problems. Thereby, health-promoting practices should be offered in schools for adolescents with IDD. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: This pilot study examined the feasibility of a school-based intervention using the I Can Do It! (ICDI) national health promotion model to promote healthy behaviors of adolescents with IDD. METHODS: A pretest-posttest design was employed. Fourteen adolescents (9 males, 5 females) aged 12-15 years (mean=13.4, SD=0.9) from self-contained classrooms completed a 14-week intervention (60-70min/session) over 4-month period. Healthy behaviors were evaluated by body composition (waist circumference and BMI z-score), physical activity level and nutrition behaviors. RESULTS: Body composition did not change as a result of the intervention. The intervention increased the amount of time spent in physical activity, but not the frequency. In contrast, the children’s water consumption did significantly increase after the intervention (d=3.39). The amount of fruit and vegetables also significantly increased after the intervention, where only 7% reported eating these daily before the intervention and afterwards 86% reported eating fruits and vegetables daily (p<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that it is feasible to conduct a goal-driven, mentor-based intervention in school for adolescents with IDD. While preliminary effectiveness results are promising, future research should focus on rigorously testing the effectiveness of the ICDI model and examining the programs long-term sustainability. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Angulo-Jimenez H, DeThorne L. {{Narratives About Autism: An Analysis of YouTube Videos by Individuals Who Self-Identify as Autistic}}. {American journal of speech-language pathology}. 2019: 1-22.
Purpose The goal of this study was to expand the field’s understanding of autism through the analysis of 1st-person perspectives from autistic video webloggers (vloggers). Method This study analyzed the representation of autism in 39 YouTube videos authored by self-identified autistic individuals and published between 2007 and 2015. Consistent with the cross-disciplinary tradition of narrative inquiry, thematic analyses of the video transcripts were conducted. Findings Vloggers were predominantly, but not exclusively, White male adults who spoke mainstream American English and self-identified as experiencing Asperger’s syndrome. Key findings included (a) the predominance of a narrative about autism that incorporated features of both the medical model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm to varying degrees, (b) a trend toward more medical model features across most content areas, and (c) a relatively high prevalence of neurodiversity paradigm features related specifically to language use and the description of autistic traits. Conclusions Implications include the need for clinicians to (a) familiarize themselves with the varying views of autism held within the autistic community, (b) reflect on the language used to talk about autism and listen to how clients and/or their caregivers talk about it, and (c) consider the exploration of potential positive dimensions of autistic traits.
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3. Bangert KJ, Halverson DM, Finestack LH. {{Evaluation of an Explicit Instructional Approach to Teach Grammatical Forms to Children With Low-Symptom Severity Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {American journal of speech-language pathology}. 2019: 1-14.
Purpose Weaknesses in the use of grammatical forms may reduce the functional use of language for verbally expressive children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and exacerbate difficulties with academic and social skill development. This early efficacy study evaluated a combined explicit-implicit instructional approach to teach novel grammatical forms to children with ASD. Method Seventeen children with ASD between the ages of 4 and 10 years who demonstrated weaknesses in expressive grammatical language completed 2 tasks, each targeting a different novel grammatical form. One form was a gender marking, which required the child to modify the verb if the sentence subject was a boy. The other form was a person marking, which required the child to modify the verb if the sentence subject was the 1st person, « I. » Each form was targeted using implicit-only instruction or combined explicit-implicit instruction. With implicit-only instruction, the examiner presented models and recasts of the targeted form. With explicit-implicit instruction, the examiner presented the rule guiding the form as well as models and recasts. Learning was assessed during each of 4 treatment sessions and after a 1-week delay in 2 contexts. Results For the gender target form, significantly more children reliably produced the target form with explicit-implicit instruction (chi(2) = 4.10, p = .04). For the person target form, the difference in instruction was not statistically significant. Task performance revealed a positive association with receptive language skills, but not age, nonverbal intelligence, or severity of autism-related behaviors for the person form. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence that expressively verbal children with low-symptom severity ASD can successfully learn novel grammatical forms with intervention that comprises both explicit and implicit instruction.
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4. Bitsika V, Sharpley CF. {{The effects of ‘preferedness of task’ on stress, emotion, and behaviour responses to forced activity transitions in boys with ASD}}. {Int J Dev Neurosci}. 2019.
BACKGROUND: Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit distress when asked to transition from one task to another. This study aimed to determine if physiological stress during transition was due to ASD-related rigidity or to their preference for some tasks over others. METHOD: The effects of change of task alone versus a change in task ‘preferedness’ when undergoing forced activity transition were investigated in 29 boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder. RESULTS: Total sample data indicated a significant increase in heart rate (HR) during transition from a preferred to a non-preferred task, but not during transition from one preferred task to another preferred task, or from a non-preferred task to a preferred task. These data are suggestive of an effect due to the ‘preferedness’ of the task rather than just the change in task alone. Two subgroups of participants emerged, one which followed the ‘expected’ HR responsivity model to stress, and one which failed to follow that model. CONCLUSION: Transition-related distress may be confounded by preferredness of task when understanding transition stress in boys with ASD.
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5. Brady AM, Burke MM, Landon T, Oertle K. {{Siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Their knowledge and perspectives on guardianship and its alternatives}}. {J Appl Res Intellect Disabil}. 2019.
BACKGROUND: Siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often support their brothers and sisters through caregiving and guardianship. METHODS: In this qualitative study, the knowledge and views of 10 adult siblings were explored. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: The tripartite impact of limited knowledge of guardianship and alternatives, the viewpoint of full guardianship as necessary and the desired/anticipated roles of siblings combined to create the Sibling Reciprocal Effect (SRE). The present authors define SRE as the phenomenon of siblings to recognize the applicability of complementary forms of guardianship for other adults with IDD, but fail to see the advantage of available decision-making alternatives with their own brothers/sisters. Instead, siblings defer to full guardianship as the preferred mechanism for decision making. Implications for practitioners include informing families of the full range of options for supporting persons with IDD in decision making. Future research suggestions include examining the elements of the SRE and siblings’ knowledge regarding guardianship and the alternatives.
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6. Cocca S, Viviano M, Loglisci M, Parrini S, Monciatti G, Paganelli, II, Livi W, Mezzedimi C. {{Correlation Between Dysphagia and Malocclusion in Rett Syndrome: A preliminary study}}. {Sultan Qaboos University medical journal}. 2018; 18(4): e489-e93.
Objectives: Rett syndrome (RS) is a severe neurological developmental disorder characterised by stereotypical hand movements, epileptic seizures, craniofacial dysmorphism and digestive dysfunction. This study aimed to examine the correlation between the severity of malocclusion and dysphagia in patients with RS. Methods: This preliminary study was conducted at the Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic of the University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy, from January 2014 to December 2017. A total of 56 patients with RS were examined and grouped according to the severity of dysphagia (absent, mild, moderate or severe) and malocclusion (<2 mm, 2-3 mm, 3-4 mm or >4 mm). Results: All of the patients were female and the mean age was 11.3 years. Eight (14.3%) patients had mild, 18 (32.1%) had moderate and 30 (53.6%) had severe dysphagia. Four (7.1%) patients had <2 mm occlusion, 10 (17.9%) had 2-3 mm occlusion, 26 (46.4%) had 3-4 mm occlusion and 16 (28.6%) had >4 mm occlusion. Mild dysphagia was observed in 100% and 40% of patients with <2 and 2-3 mm malocclusion, respectively, while moderate dysphagia was present in 60% and 38.5% of patients with 2-3 and 3-4 mm malocclusion, respectively. Severe dysphagia was observed in 28.6% and 87.5% of patients with 3-4 and >4 mm malocclusion, respectively. There was a significant correlation between dysphagia and malocclusion severity (P <0.001). Conclusion: A higher degree of malocclusion was associated with more severe dysphagia among a cohort of patients with RS. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
7. Fong KNK, Ma WY, Pang HK, Tang PPK, Law LLF. {{Immediate effects of coloured overlays on the reading performance of preschool children with an autism spectrum disorder using eye tracking}}. {Res Dev Disabil}. 2019; 89: 141-8.
BACKGROUND: Coloured overlays have often been used to improve reading performance in preschool children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however, previous evidence shows conflicts in its application. AIMS: To investigate the immediate effects of coloured overlays on reading performance using eye tracking in preschool children with ASD and their typical development (TD) counterparts closely matched by chronological age. METHODS: Forty participants with ASD (n=20) or TD (n=20) were recruited by convenience sampling and asked to read aloud numbers randomly arranged on paper. Participants’ ocular performance (fixation duration, fixation count, total visit duration), reading speed and number of errors were recorded by eye tracker and digital stopwatch respectively throughout testing with and without coloured overlays. RESULTS: The findings show that coloured overlays had no significant immediate effect in improving ocular performance and reading speed of children with ASD or TD, although individual improvements were identified in some children with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Use of coloured overlays may not be useful to improve reading and ocular performance in children with ASD in one single occasion. The potential effect on reading ability of using coloured overlays repetitively for a longer period needs further investigation.
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8. Hartley SL, Hickey EJ, DaWalt L, Rodriguez G. {{Broader autism phenotype and couple interactions in parents of children with autism}}. {Autism}. 2019: 1362361319841312.
The broader autism phenotype refers to sub-clinical autism spectrum disorder characteristics involving socially and emotionally aloof and rigid personality traits and social communication difficulties. Relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, including parents, evidence an increased rate of broader autism phenotype. The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between actor (one’s own) and partner (their partner’s) broader autism phenotype and the self-reported, observed, and physiological (i.e. electrodermal reactivity) markers of the quality of videotaped couple problem-solving interactions in 158 couples, who had a child with autism spectrum disorder (aged 5-12 years). The mean age of mothers was 39.79 (standard deviation = 5.06) years and the mean age of fathers was 41.77 (standard deviation = 6.02) years for fathers, and 36.6% of parents did not have a college degree. Actor-partner interdependence models, using structural equation modeling in analysis of moment structures, were conducted. Results indicated that parent broader autism phenotype was positively related to adverse couple problem-solving interactions across all measurement methods (observed codes, self-reported affect, and electrodermal reactivity). These effects were independent of child-related challenges. The effect of parent broader autism phenotype occurred through both actor and partner pathways and was strongest for father broader autism phenotype.
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9. Hornack SE, Nadler EP, Wang J, Hansen A, Mackey ER. {{Sleeve Gastrectomy for Youth With Cognitive Impairment or Developmental Disability}}. {Pediatrics}. 2019.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Youth with cognitive impairment or developmental disability (CI/DD) face higher rates of obesity and secondary medical issues. Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for health improvement because it has been shown efficacious for adolescents. We aim to contribute to literature regarding bariatric surgery for adolescents with CI/DD and explore the association between cognitive functioning and weight loss outcomes. METHODS: Adolescents (N = 64) received a preoperative psychological evaluation, including cognitive assessment, and bariatric surgery at 1 weight loss program between 2010 and 2017. For these adolescents with measured cognitive performance, CI/DD was defined by an IQ <80 or previous diagnosis. In analyses, we compared adolescents with and without CI/DD. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the impact of cognitive functioning on weight loss 3 to 24 months postsurgery. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between adolescents with or without CI/DD in terms of preoperative BMI, age, and sex. Having CI/DD did not significantly impact weight loss or weight loss trajectory in the 2 years after surgery, although modeling revealed a trend toward individuals with CI/DD losing more weight over time. Similarly, intelligence scores did not predict weight loss after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for adolescents with severe obesity and CI/DD. They could benefit from the surgery as much as those with typical development, and having CI/DD should not be used as a criterion to deny surgery. Continuing research with this population can be used to determine long-term outcomes in addition to defining best practices. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
10. Irwanto, Kahfi M, Febriyana N, Hartini S, Takada S. {{Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Pre-school Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder Assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist 1(1/2)-5}}. {The Kobe journal of medical sciences}. 2019; 64(5): E170-e3.
BACKGROUND: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience a significant disruption in the ability to communicate and interact socially. Early detection is important; the earlier the child is identified with ASD, the faster the intervention can begin. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is a screening tool capable of identifying various emotional and behavioral disorders. Research data on the use of the CBCL as a screening tool for ASD are still limited in Indonesia. The present study aimed to evaluate the CBCL’s ability to detect emotional and behavioral problems in pre-school children with ASD. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in Surabaya, Indonesia. Children aged 1(1/2)-5 years old diagnosed with ASD, and typically developing (TD) children were enrolled using total sampling. The CBCL/1(1/2)-5 questionnaire for parents, consisting of 99 items, was used in this research to evaluate emotional and behavioral problems. Data were analyzed with the Independent-Sample T-test to compare the CBCL/1(1/2)-5 scale between ASD and TD children, while the proportion of gender was evaluated by a chi-square test with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Fifty children were included in this research, 25 with ASD and 25 TD. Seventy six percent (38) were male and 24% (12) were female. Six of the seven scales were significantly higher in ASD children than TD in the CBCL/1(1/2)-5. Children with ASD had higher internalization (p < 0.0001), externalization (p = 0.001), and total problem scores (p < 0.0001) when compared to TD children. CONCLUSION: The CBCL/1(1/2)-5 can significantly detect the emotional and behavioral problems in pre-school children with ASD. Lien vers Pubmed
11. Legg H, Tickle A. {{UK parents’ experiences of their child receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the qualitative evidence}}. {Autism}. 2019: 1362361319841488.
The purpose of this article is to systematically identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative research concerning UK parents’ experiences of their child receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In total, 11 articles were located through a systematic search of five databases, reference lists, citations and grey literature. These were critically appraised and their results synthesised using meta-ethnography. The quality scores given to included studies were variable, so suggestions are made to improve reporting of future research. Three third-order constructs were developed: (1) emotional needs, (2) informational needs and (3) relational needs. Each relates to parents’ needs as they navigate the process of making sense of their child by seeking and adjusting to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Parents’ experiences of assessment and diagnosis of their children varied, but these needs were evident across the course of the process. Fathers seemed to find it more difficult than mothers to reconcile having a child with autism spectrum disorder, which may have been grounded in a sense of exclusion from the assessment process. The findings should be considered by professionals working with children, particularly those directly involved in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder. Clinical implications emphasise the need for consideration of parents’ emotional needs, provision of information to aid understanding, and strong relationships with professionals. Future clinical research, which should be informed by quality standards, might develop and evaluate standards of assessment and diagnosis, including post-diagnostic support.
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12. Lin AY, Henry S, Reissner C, Neupert C, Kenny C, Missler M, Beffert U, Ho A. {{A rare autism-associated MINT2/APBA2 mutation disrupts neurexin trafficking and synaptic function}}. {Sci Rep}. 2019; 9(1): 6024.
MINT2/APBA2 is a synaptic adaptor protein involved in excitatory synaptic transmission. Several nonsynonymous coding variants in MINT2 have been identified in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs); however, these rare variants have not been examined functionally and the pathogenic mechanisms are unknown. Here, we examined the synaptic effects of rat Mint2 N723S mutation (equivalent to autism-linked human MINT2 N722S mutation) which targets a conserved asparagine residue in the second PDZ domain of Mint2 that binds to neurexin-1alpha (Nrxn1alpha), a presynaptic cell-adhesion protein implicated in ASDs. We show the N723S mutation impairs Nrxn1alpha stabilization and trafficking to the membrane while binding to Nrxn1alpha remains unaffected. Using time-lapse imaging in primary mouse neurons, we found that the N723S mutant had more immobile puncta at neuronal processes compared to Mint2 wild type. We therefore, reasoned that the N723S mutant may alter the co-transport of Nrxn1alpha at axonal processes to presynaptic terminals. Indeed, we found the N723S mutation affected Nrxn1alpha localization at presynaptic terminals which correlated with a decrease in Nrxn-mediated synaptogenesis and miniature event frequency in excitatory synapses. Together, our data reveal Mint2 N723S leads to neuronal dysfunction, in part due to alterations in Nrxn1alpha surface trafficking and synaptic function of Mint2.
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13. Matsuzaki J, Ku M, Berman JI, Blaskey L, Bloy L, Chen YH, Dell J, Edgar JC, Kuschner ES, Liu S, Saby J, Brodkin ES, Roberts TPL. {{Abnormal auditory mismatch fields in adults with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Neurosci Lett}. 2019; 698: 140-5.
The auditory mismatch field (MMF) is a pre-attentive processing component, reflecting neural discrimination and inhibitory processing. Abnormal MMFs have been reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) along with an association with abnormal language comprehension; however, relatively little is known about MMF abnormalities to contrasting vowel stimuli in adults with ASD. To better understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying auditory language discrimination of vowel stimuli in individuals with ASD, magnetoencephalography was used to measure MMFs during an auditory oddball paradigm with vowel stimuli (/a/ and /u/) in adults with ASD. MMFs arising from left and right superior temporal gyrus are reported from nine high-functioning right handed males with ASD (22.22 +/- 5.74yrs) and sixteen typically developing (TD) right handed males (27.25 +/- 6.63yrs). The MMF was delayed in adults with ASD (188.90 +/- 5.8 ms) as compared to the TD participants (173.08 +/- 4.31ms, p < 0.05). Replicating previous findings in children, the earlier M100 component to single stimulus tokens was also delayed in adults with ASD (108.59 +/- 4.1 ms) compared to the TD participants (94.60 +/- 3.0ms, p < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between delayed M100 latency and MMF latency. Furthermore, whereas TD participants showed a leftward lateralization of MMF amplitude, participants with ASD showed an opposite (rightward) lateralization. Findings suggest that adults with ASD have hemispherically- and temporally- abnormal auditory discrimination processing in addition to and distinct from abnormal neurophysiological mechanisms in earlier cortical responses. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
14. Mire SS, McQuillin S, Racine M, Goin-Kochel RP. {{Using latent class analysis to identify treatment-use subgroups among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Autism Res}. 2019.
Among parents of 2,582 children (ages 4-17 years old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we used latent class analysis to identify subgroups and profiles of treatment users and included annual household income in the specification of the models, then described characteristics of each subgroup. Based on three indicators of fit (Akaike’s Information Criterion, Bayesian Information Criterion, and Lo-Mendell-Rubin), six latent classes of treatment users emerged. Subgroups included users of: (a) mostly private and school speech and occupational therapies; (b) nearly all treatment types; (c) mostly speech and occupational therapies, plus intensive behavioral and « other » treatments, but little medication use; (d) private therapies almost exclusively; (e) primarily psychotropic medications; and (f) mostly school-based therapies. Income significantly predicted class differences for all but one latent class. Probabilities of families’ lifetime use of nine treatment types varied depending on latent classification. Proportions of families reporting having observed children’s developmental regression were largest in those with the highest overall treatment use, and these children also had the lowest cognitive and adaptive-functioning scores and the highest ASD symptom scores. Understanding patterns of treatment use among families of children with ASD is an important first step in enhancing treatment-related selection and implementation. Autism Res 2019. (c) 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: We identified six different groups of treatment users to help explain patterns in treatment implementation among parents of children and adolescents with autism. These included families who used: (a) mostly used private and school speech and occupational therapies; (b) nearly all treatment types (private and school therapies, intensive behavioral, biomedical, psychotropic medications, and other treatments); (c) mostly speech and occupational therapies, plus intensive behavioral and « other » treatments, but little medication use; (d) private therapies almost exclusively; (e) primarily psychotropic medications; and (f) mostly school-based therapies.
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15. Rescorla LA, Given C, Glynn S, Ivanova MY, Achenbach TM. {{International comparisons of autism spectrum disorder behaviors in preschoolers rated by parents and caregivers/teachers}}. {Autism}. 2019: 1362361319839151.
This study tested international similarities and differences in scores on a scale comprising 12 items identified by international mental health experts as being very consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) category of autism spectrum disorder. Participants were 19,850 preschoolers in 24 societies rated by parents on the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1(1/2)-5; 10,521 preschoolers from 15 societies rated by caregivers/teachers on the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form, and 7380 children from 13 societies rated by both types of informant. Rank ordering of the items with respect to base rates and mean ratings was more similar across societies for parent ratings than caregiver/teacher ratings, especially with respect to the items tapping restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Items 80. Strange behavior; 63. Repeatedly rocks head or body; 67. Seems unresponsive to affection; and 98. Withdrawn, doesn’t get involved with others had low base rates in these population samples across societies and types of informants, suggesting that they may be particularly discriminating for identifying autism spectrum disorder in young children. Cross-informant agreement was stronger for the items tapping social communication and interaction problems than restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. The findings support the feasibility of international use of the scale for autism spectrum disorder screening in population samples.
