1. INSAR’s Strategic Planning Meeting, 2021 Dues, Board Nominations, Autistic Researchers Committee, Memorials, INSAR 2021 Hybrid 20th Anniversary Annual Meeting. Autism Res ;2020 (Nov) ;13(11):2030-2031.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Arciuli J, Bailey B. The Promise of Comprehensive Early Reading Instruction for Children With Autism and Recommendations for Future Directions. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):225-238.

Purpose Children with autism have an increased likelihood of reading difficulties. The reasons for this are numerous and varied, but many children with autism can learn to read when they are provided with evidence-based early reading instruction. Method Here, we provide an overview of some of the factors that impact early reading development for children with autism and a rationale for the provision of comprehensive early reading instruction consistent with the recommendations of the National Reading Panel (NRP). We discuss research on NRP instruction for children with autism, including some of our own empirical studies. We also discuss some areas of research that were not emphasized by the NRP but that we view as important. We offer recommendations that extend beyond NRP guidelines in order to advance knowledge and improve practice. Conclusions Comprehensive early reading instruction holds great promise for children with autism, but there are gaps in our understanding that need to be addressed. These include the most effective method(s) for tailoring reading instruction to the needs of the individual while optimizing delivery to small groups of children, supporting skills and making other accommodations not outlined by the NRP, and consideration of bilingualism and of reading instruction in languages other than English, among other issues. While our focus in this review article is early reading instruction for children with autism who use oral language, we acknowledge that there is a major gap in the literature concerning reading instruction for those who do not use oral language. We hope that this review article will be helpful to clinicians, educators, and researchers alike, as well as children with autism and their families, friends, and support networks.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Balian A, Cirio S, Salerno C, Wolf TG, Campus G, Cagetti MG. Is Visual Pedagogy Effective in Improving Cooperation Towards Oral Hygiene and Dental Care in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health ;2021 (Jan 18) ;18(2)

Visual pedagogy has emerged as a new approach in improving dental care in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This paper aimed to evaluate and assess the scientific evidence on the use of visual pedagogy in improving oral hygiene skills and cooperation during dental care in children with ASDs. The review protocol was registered on the PROSPERO Register (CRD42020183030). Prospective clinical studies, randomized trials, interruptive case series, before and after comparison studies, and cross-sectional studies following the PRISMA guideline were searched in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar using ad hoc prepared search strings. The search identified 379 papers, of which 342 were excluded after title and abstract evaluation, and 37 full-text papers were analyzed. An additional four papers were added after consulting reference lists. Eighteen papers were disregarded ; 23 were finally included, and their potential bias was assessed using ROB-2 and ROBINS-I tools. The wide heterogenicity of the studies included does not allow for conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of visual pedagogy in oral hygiene skills and dental care. Nevertheless, a significant and unilateral tendency of the overall outcomes was found, suggesting that visual pedagogy supports ASD children in improving both oral hygiene skills and cooperation during dental care.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Bolis D, Lahnakoski JM, Seidel D, Tamm J, Schilbach L. Interpersonal similarity of autistic traits predicts friendship quality. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci ;2021 (Jan 18) ;16(1-2):222-231.

Autistic traits are known to be associated with social interaction difficulties. Yet, somewhat paradoxically, relevant research has been typically restricted to studying individuals. In line with the ‘dialectical misattunement hypothesis’ and clinical insights of intact social interactions among autistic individuals, we hypothesized that friendship quality varies as a function of interpersonal similarity and more concretely the difference value of autistic traits in a dyad, above and beyond autistic traits per se. Therefore, in this study, we used self-report questionnaires to investigate these measures in a sample of 67 neurotypical dyads across a broad range of autistic traits. Our results demonstrate that the more similar two persons are in autistic traits, the higher is the perceived quality of their friendship, irrespective of friendship duration, age, sex and, importantly, the (average of) autistic traits in a given dyad. More specifically, higher interpersonal similarity of autistic traits was associated with higher measures of closeness, acceptance and help. These results, therefore, lend support to the idea of an interactive turn in the study of social abilities across the autism spectrum and pave the way for future studies on the multiscale dynamics of social interactions.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Brosnan M, Gavin J. The Impact of Stigma, Autism Label and Wording on the Perceived Desirability of the Online Dating Profiles of Men on the Autism Spectrum. J Autism Dev Disord ;2021 (Jan 18)

Those seeking romantic relations are increasingly using online dating sites, including young men on the autism spectrum. This study presented dating profiles with and without an explicit label of autism and positive or negative wording to 306 ‘females seeking a male partner’. Participants assessed the men’s dating profiles in terms of perceived attractiveness, trustworthiness and desire-to-date. They also completed a questionnaire on their level of stigmatisation of, and familiarity with, autism. An explicit autism label and positive wording positively impacted perceived attractiveness. With positively worded profiles, those with highly stigmatising views reported decreased desire-to-date when an explicit label of autism was present ; those with low levels of stigmatising reported increased desire-to-date when an explicit autism label was present.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Cao W, Zhu H, Li Y, Wang Y, Bai W, Lao U, Zhang Y, Ji Y, He S, Zou X. The Development of Brain Network in Males with Autism Spectrum Disorders from Childhood to Adolescence : Evidence from fNIRS Study. Brain Sci ;2021 (Jan 18) ;11(1)

In the current study, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to collect resting-state signals from 77 males with autism spectrum disorders (ASD, age : 6 16.25) and 40 typically developing (TD) males (age : 6 16.58) in the theory-of-mind (ToM) network. The graph theory analysis was used to obtain the brain network properties in ToM network, and the multiple regression analysis demonstrated that males with ASD showed a comparable global network topology, and a similar age-related decrease in the medial prefrontal cortex area (mPFC) compared to TD individuals. Nevertheless, participants with ASD showed U-shaped trajectories of nodal metrics of right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and an age-related decrease in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), while trajectories of TD participants were opposite. The nodal metrics of the right TPJ was negatively associated with the social deficits of ASD, while the nodal metrics of the left MFG was negatively associated with the communication deficits of ASD. Current findings suggested a distinct developmental trajectory of the ToM network in males with ASD from childhood to adolescence.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Clendon S, Paynter J, Walker S, Bowen R, Westerveld MF. Emergent Literacy Assessment in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Who Have Limited Verbal Communication Skills : A Tutorial. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):165-180.

Purpose Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk of experiencing difficulties with the development of literacy, including the emergent literacy skills recognized to underpin conventional literacy success. Comprehensive assessment is essential. Characteristics of ASD can make assessment challenging, and this can be compounded when children are unable to demonstrate their skills using spoken language. The purpose of this clinical tutorial is to outline the process of emergent literacy assessment for children with ASD who have limited verbal communication skills. A case example of a 5-year-old boy is presented. Method Pertinent literature is reviewed around the literacy profiles of children with ASD, the subgroup of children with ASD who have limited verbal communication skills, key components of emergent literacy, and previous research examining the emergent literacy abilities of children with ASD. The case report is described in depth and emphasizes the key factors to consider when designing an assessment battery and protocol. Results The case example information is interpreted, and its application is discussed. Key outcomes are highlighted including a greater understanding of the child’s literacy strengths and needs and the implications for individualized instruction. Conclusion The clinical tutorial highlights the need for a comprehensive, well-planned assessment approach that involves all members of the educational team, and that is considerate to the needs of the individual child and responsive to their communication needs.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Davidson MM. Reading Comprehension in School-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder : Examining the Many Components That May Contribute. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):181-196.

Purpose Reading comprehension is consistently poor in many school-age children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this tutorial is to provide an overview from a multicomponent view on the many predictors that may contribute to reading comprehension difficulties in ASD. Method This tutorial reviews current literature on profiles and predictors of reading comprehension in ASD. The review is situated from a multicomponent theoretical view based on the « direct and indirect effects of reading » model that builds on the familiar « simple view of reading. » Each component, including word reading, listening comprehension, morphosyntax, vocabulary, working memory, comprehension monitoring, inferencing, and theory of mind, is separately reviewed, with consideration of the current evidence for their contribution to reading comprehension in ASD. At the end of each section, key takeaways are provided. To conclude, a summary with general clinical implications, case examples, and recommendations for future research across all components is offered. Conclusions Reading comprehension in ASD may be affected by any one or several components in any given individual. Speech-language pathologists have expertise and play a critical role in assessing and intervening on these components. The age and language status (language impaired or not) of a child are emerging as important factors for what to assess and consider for intervention. However, more research is needed that intentionally examines language status, evaluates reading comprehension at targeted ages or narrower age ranges, and/or examines language and reading development longitudinally.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Du H, Wang YW, Li TT. [A systematic review of association between fine particle exposure and children’s behavior]. Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi ;2021 (Jan 6) ;55(1):96-103.

Objective : To systematically analyze the impact of PM(2.5) exposure on children’s behavior. Methods : Use air pollution, fine particulate matter, children, students, child behavior, neurobehavior, attention, autism, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hyperactivity, and bad behavior as Chinese keywords. Use air pollution, fine particulate matter, particulate matter, PM(2.5), children, student, behavior, autism, attention, intention, neurobehavior, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, ASD as English keywords. Journal papers and grey literature were searched from CNKI, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, PubMed and Web of Science database from their inception to Nov 2019, which are related to PM(2.5) and children behavior problems. The search period is as of November 2019, and the languages are limited to Chinese and English. The inclusion criteria included the exposure factor of the study as PM(2.5) ; the results of the study included behavioral disorders and related diseases ; the languages of the included literature were Chinese and English ; original research papers ; case-control, cohort or cross-sectional studies. Exclusion criteria include animal experiments ; repeated reports ; review articles ; research exposure factors do not include PM(2.5) ; children self-harm and illegal behaviors. Finally, 25 articles were included. Results : Among the 25 included articles, 12 studies discussed the relationship between PM(2.5) exposure and childhood behavioral disorders, 13 discussed the relationship between PM(2.5) exposure and abnormal behaviors in children, and 5 studies based on the Chinese population. According to the research design, it is divided into birth cohort studies (15), cross-sectional studies (5), and case-control studies (5). China mainly uses cross-sectional studies and case-control studies. The results of the study suggest that PM(2.5) exposure will increase the risk of children’s behavioral problems, with both short-term and long-term effects. Short-term exposure to PM(2.5) can easily cause mild abnormal behaviors in children, and long-term exposure may increase the risk of children’s behavioral disorders. The fetal period and the infant period may be the key exposure window for the occurrence of children’s behavior problems. Conclusion : There may be a certain correlation between PM(2.5) exposure and children’s behavioral problems. In future studies, longitudinal cohort studies should be carried out to enhance the causal relationship between fine particulate matter pollution and children’s behavioral problems.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Dynia JM, Solari EJ. Print Knowledge in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder : Do Child and Family Variables Play a Role ?. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):197-208.

Purpose This study aimed to examine the print knowledge of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to children who have developmental language disorder (DLD) and typically developing (TD) children as well as examine the child and family predictors of print knowledge. Method A total of 629 preschool children, including 33 children with ASD, 93 children with DLD, and 503 TD children, were the focus of the current study. Teachers completed direct assessments with the children in the fall and spring of the academic year on print knowledge using the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screener. Results Analyses of covariance were used to compare the print knowledge skills (uppercase and lowercase letter identification, print and word awareness, name writing) in the fall and spring for each of the three groups. The groups were significantly different for the Print and Word Awareness and Name Writing subtests in both the fall and spring. A Tukey’s honestly significant difference further indicated that, for these subtests, the children with ASD had significantly lower scores than both the children with DLD and TD children. When examining the child and family predictors of residualized gain in print knowledge for the children with ASD, the only significant predictor for any outcome was fall scores. When examining the predictors for the full sample, fall scores, age, ASD status, and mothers’ education level were significant predictors of print and word awareness and name writing scores. Conclusions None of the child and family characteristics seemed to be related to residualized gain in print knowledge for children with ASD. However, when examining predictors of residualized gain in print knowledge for the full sample, ASD status was related to lower scores for both print and word awareness and name writing.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Fleury VP, Whalon K, Gilmore C, Wang X, Marks R. Building Comprehension Skills of Young Children With Autism One Storybook at a Time. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):153-164.

Purpose Reading involves the ability to decode and draw meaning from printed text. Reading skill profiles vary widely among learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One fairly common pattern is relative strength in decoding combined with weak comprehension skills-indicators of this profile emerge as early as the preschool years. In order for children with ASD to develop a facility with language that prepares them for reading success, practitioners must intentionally create and provide appropriate instruction practices. Method In this tutorial, we describe ways in which practitioners can support language development and comprehension skills for children with ASD within the context of shared reading activities. We begin by providing known information about the reading performance of children with ASD using the Simple View of Reading as our guiding conceptual framework. Next, we present a number of practical, evidence-based strategies that educators can implement within the context of shared book reading activities. Case studies are embedded throughout the tutorial to demonstrate how practitioners may apply these strategies in their instructional settings. Conclusions Shared book reading interventions are a well-studied, developmentally appropriate approach for bringing about change in language and literacy in early childhood. The success of shared reading depends upon rich communication and interaction between the adult reader and the child. Many children with ASD will require strategies to support social communication and emergent literacy skill development (e.g., vocabulary knowledge, language comprehension) that are specifically linked to future reading comprehension.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Fong VC, Iarocci G. The Role of Executive Functioning in Predicting Social Competence in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res ;2020 (Nov) ;13(11):1856-1866.

All children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience social difficulties but they differ with regard to the type and severity of their challenges. Potentially powerful interventions targeting social skills in children with ASD may have limited effectiveness if they are not tailored to the child’s specific needs. One factor that may influence social competence is executive functioning (EF). EF may impact social competence by facilitating higher-order strategies such as emotional and cognitive regulation which are necessary for social interactions. Participants included 132 children and adolescents, aged 7-13, including 77 with ASD (M = 10.11, SD = 1.94), and 55 without ASD (M = 9.54, SD = 1.67). Caregivers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning, Version 2 (BRIEF-2) Parent Form, assessing everyday EF skills, and the Multidimensional Social Competence Scale (MSCS). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for the group without ASD and the group with ASD, with MSCS entered as the dependent variables and EF indices and scales of the BRIEF-2 as the main predictor variables. EF deficits in emotional control predicted poor emotion regulation for both children with and without ASD. For the group without ASD, better emotional control and initiation skills predicted empathic concern and social knowledge, respectively. Challenges in self-monitoring significantly predicted difficulties with social inferencing and social knowledge for children with ASD. The findings highlight the importance of targeting specific EF skills that contribute to various aspects of social competence to increase the effectiveness of interventions for children with ASD. Autism Res 2020, 13 : 1856-1866. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC LAY SUMMARY : We examined whether parents’ ratings of their children’s higher-order thinking skills (e.g., paying attention, organizing and planning, initiating tasks, regulating emotions, self-monitoring) predicted social competence among children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For children without ASD, emotional control and initiation skills were strongly linked to their displays of empathy and social knowledge, respectively. For children with ASD, their abilities to be aware of their own behaviors and its impact on others were strongly related to their ability to interpret social cues and their social knowledge. For both groups, the ability to regulate their emotions were important predictors of their ability to modulate their emotions in social contexts.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Gómez LE, Schalock RL, Verdugo MA. A New Paradigm in the Field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities : Characteristics and Evaluation. Psicothema ;2021 (Feb) ;33(1):28-35.

BACKGROUND : A new paradigm, which we refer to as The Quality of Life Supports Paradigm, is emerging internationally in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. The new paradigm integrates the key concepts of « quality of life » and « supports ». This article addresses the question of how one evaluates a new paradigm. METHOD : This is a conceptual work that describes five characteristics of a paradigm. The characteristics are based on the groundbreaking work of relevant authors in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities, quality of life, supports, and evaluation. RESULTS : The five characteristics are that a paradigm is theory driven, ethical, flexible, adaptable, and measurable. The article especially delves into the fifth characteristic and provides specific examples of how to evaluate the new paradigm. CONCLUSIONS : The new paradigm encompasses core values, accommodates contextual factors, and can be used for multiple purposes to positively impact the development and implementation of value-based policies and practices that enhance the quality of life and personal well-being of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. Ishizaki Y, Higuchi T, Yanagimoto Y, Kobayashi H, Noritake A, Nakamura K, Kaneko K. Eye gaze differences in school scenes between preschool children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and those with typical development. Biopsychosoc Med ;2021 (Jan 18) ;15(1):2.

BACKGROUND : Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may experience difficulty adapting to daily life in a preschool or school settings and are likely to develop psychosomatic symptoms. For a better understanding of the difficulties experienced daily by preschool children and adolescents with ASD, this study investigated differences in eye gaze behavior in the classroom environment between children with ASD and those with typical development (TD). METHODS : The study evaluated 30 children with ASD and 49 children with TD. Participants were presented with images of a human face and a classroom scene. While they gazed at specific regions of visual stimuli, eye tracking with an iView X system was used to evaluate and compare the duration of gaze time between the two groups. RESULTS : Compared with preschool children with TD, preschool children with ASD spent less time gazing at the eyes of the human face and the object at which the teacher pointed in the classroom image. Preschool children with TD who had no classroom experience tended to look at the object the teacher pointed at in the classroom image. CONCLUSION : Children with ASD did not look at the human eyes in the facial image or the object pointed at in the classroom image, which may indicate their inability to analyze situations, understand instruction in a classroom, or act appropriately in a group. This suggests that this gaze behavior of children with ASD causes social maladaptation and psychosomatic symptoms. A therapeutic approach that focuses on joint attention is desirable for improving the ability of children with ASD to adapt to their social environment.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. Ketcheson L, Staples K, Pitchford EA, Loetzner F. Promoting Positive Health Outcomes in an Urban Community-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Preschool Aged Children on the Autism Spectrum. J Autism Dev Disord ;2021 (Jan 18):1-15.

While there is wide consensus regarding the importance of early intervention, health is rarely considered within priorities. Twenty-five children on the autism spectrum (M(age) = 4.67, SD = 0.82) participated in a 12-week physical activity intervention. Primary objective was to examine impact of a physical activity intervention on physical activity, fitness and motor competence. Secondary objective was to examine associations between motor behavior and ASD symptoms. Ball skills (p < .001) and isometric push-up performance (p = .02) improved. Autism symptoms were associated with motor skills (r > – .49, p < .05). Study outcomes provide new knowledge regarding design, delivery, and measures for early interventions targeting health disparities in young children on the autism spectrum.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

16. Kharrat N, Abdelhedi R, Gtif I, Ayadi I, Rizzo R, Bortolotti D, Abdelmoula NB, Ghribi F, Rebai A, Zidi I. Non-classical human leukocyte antigen class I in Tunisian children with autism. Cent Eur J Immunol ;2020 ;45(2):176-183.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are one of the most common childhood morbidities characterized by deficits in communication and social skills. Increasing evidence has suggested associations between immune genes located in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex and etiology of autism. In this study, we investigated whether the non-classical class I HLA-G, -E, and -F polymorphisms are associated with genetic predisposition to autism in Tunisia. We aimed to find a correlation between HLA-G genotypes and soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) levels. We have analyzed the HLA-G, -E, and -F genotypes of 15 autistic children and their parents. DNA typing of HLA class I genes was performed using PCR-SSP and PCR-RFLP methods. Also, we evaluated the serum levels of HLA-G (1 and 5) by a validated ELISA technique in autistic probands and their parents. No association was found between any polymorphism and autism in the study subjects. Additionally, we found no correlation between sHLA-G1 and sHLA-G5 and autism. Also, no significant difference in sHLA-G testing in parents and offspring was found. However, parents carrying [GG] genotype presented a higher sHLA-G levels than those carrying ([CC]+[GC]) genotypes (p = 0.037). From this preliminary study, we conclude that the investigated polymorphisms of HLA-G, -E, and -F genes did not lead to autism susceptibility in Tunisian children. However, the CGTIGA haplotype was found to be associated with the disease.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

17. Kruppa JA, Reindl V, Gerloff C, Oberwelland Weiss E, Prinz J, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Konrad K, Schulte-Rüther M. Brain and motor synchrony in children and adolescents with ASD-a fNIRS hyperscanning study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci ;2021 (Jan 18) ;16(1-2):103-116.

Brain-to-brain synchrony has been proposed as an important mechanism underlying social interaction. While first findings indicate that it may be modulated in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no study to date has investigated the influence of different interaction partners and task characteristics. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning, we assessed brain-to-brain synchrony in 41 male typically developing (TD) children (8-18 years ; control sample), as well as 18 children with ASD and age-matched TD children (matched sample), while performing cooperative and competitive tasks with their parents and an adult stranger. Dyads were instructed either to respond jointly in response to a target (cooperation) or to respond faster than the other player (competition). Wavelet coherence was calculated for oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin brain signals. In the control sample, a widespread enhanced coherence was observed for parent-child competition, and a more localized coherence for parent-child cooperation in the frontopolar cortex. While behaviorally, children with ASD showed a lower motor synchrony than children in the TD group, no significant group differences were observed on the neural level. In order to identify biomarkers for typical and atypical social interactions in the long run, more research is needed to investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of reduced synchrony in ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

18. Kütük M, Tufan AE, Kılıçaslan F, Güler G, Çelik F, Altıntaş E, Gökçen C, Karadağ M, Yektaş Ç, Mutluer T, Kandemir H, Büber A, Topal Z, Acikbas U, Giray A, Kütük Ö. High Depression Symptoms and Burnout Levels Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Multi-Center, Cross-Sectional, Case-Control Study. J Autism Dev Disord ;2021 (Jan 18)

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a child affects family processes, increases parenting stress and marital conflicts, and may lead to parental psychopathology. It may also affect the prognosis for their children. The aim of this study is to determine depression and burnout levels as well as their predictors among parents of children with ASD compared with those of healthy children. We also sought to evaluate rate of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions among parents and explore the associations of this phenomenon in an exploratory fashion. 145 children with ASD and 127 control children were enrolled along with their mothers and fathers. Beck Depression Inventory and Maslach Burnout Inventory were used to evaluate parents’ depression symptoms and burnout levels. Symptoms of children with ASDs were evaluated according to the Childhood Autism Rating Scale by the clinicians. Family, child and CAM variables were screened by means of a sociodemographic data form. Descriptive, bivariate and correlation analyses were used in statistical evaluations. Predictors of burnout were evaluated with multiple regression analysis. Burnout and depression levels among parents of children with ASD were significantly elevated compared to controls. Burnout levels of mothers were significantly elevated compared to fathers while depression scores of fathers were significantly elevated compared to mothers. Maternal burnout was significantly predicted by presence of functional speech in child while paternal burnout was significantly predicted by paternal vocation. Maternal depression was associated with paternal depression, lack of speech in child and attendance of child to special education services. Paternal depression was associated with autistic symptom severity and maternal depression. More than half the parents sought CAM interventions. Education level did not affect search for CAM interventions while both maternal and paternal psychopathology and presence of epilepsy among children increased use of CAM methods. Psychological support should be provided to both mothers and fathers of a child receiving a diagnosis of ASD. Addressing parents’ burnout and stress levels and facilitating their negotiation of knowledge on etiology and treatments for ASD may be beneficial for the family unit as a whole.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

19. La Buissonnière Ariza V, Schneider SC, Cepeda SL, Wood JJ, Kendall PC, Small BJ, Wood KS, Kerns C, Saxena K, Storch EA. Predictors of Suicidal Thoughts in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder : The Unique Contribution of Externalizing Behaviors. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev ;2021 (Jan 18)

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at elevated risk of suicidal ideation, particularly those with comorbid anxiety disorders and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We investigated the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation in 166 children with ASD and comorbid anxiety disorders/OCD, and the unique contribution of externalizing behaviors. Suicidal ideation was reported in the child sample by 13% of parents. Controlling for child age, sex, and IQ, perceived loneliness positively predicted the likelihood of suicidal ideation. In addition, externalizing behaviors positively predicted suicidal ideation, controlling for all other factors. Reliance on parental report to detect suicidal ideation in youth with ASD is a limitation of this study. Nonetheless, these findings highlight the importance of assessing and addressing suicidal ideation in children with ASD and comorbid anxiety disorders/OCD, and more importantly in those with elevated externalizing behaviors and perceptions of loneliness.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

20. Long J, Lu F, Guo X, Pang Y, Yang S, Chen H, He B. Parcellation of the thalamus by using a dual-segment method based on resting-state functional connectivity : An application on autism spectrum disorder. Neurosci Lett ;2021 (Jan 18) ;742:135518.

BACKGROUND : Evidence suggests thalamus is a key « information relay » center and all cortical areas receive inputs from the thalamus and each of the main nuclei of thalamus connects a single one or a few cortical areas. The traditional « winner-takes-all » thalamus parcellation method was then proposed based on this assumption. However, this method is based on the structural segments of the cortex which is not suitable for the functional parcellation of the thalamus. METHOD : Here we proposed a dual-segment method for thalamus functional parcellation based on the resting-state fMRI data. The traditional « winner-takes-all » and the proposed dual-segment methods were both applied to the dataset of 76 healthy controls (HCs) and 34 subjects with autism spectrum disorder. RESULTS : The results showed that the thalamus was subdivided into two sub-regions by using the dual-segment method : one is located in the dorsomedial part of thalamus which connects the high-level cognitive cortical regions ; the other is located in the ventrolateral part of thalamus which connects the low-level sensory cortical areas. The functional connectivity strength between thalamus sub-regions and the corresponding cortical regions based on the dual-segment method was higher than that of results from the traditional « winner-takes-all » method. The thalamo-cortical functional connectivity based on our proposed method also showed higher classification ability to distinguish subjects with autism spectrum disorder from HCs. CONCLUSION : Our study will provide a new method for functional thalamus parcellation which might help understand the sub-regions functions of thalamus in neuroscience studies.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

21. Ma X, Wang XH, Li L. Identifying individuals with autism spectrum disorder based on the principal components of whole-brain phase synchrony. Neurosci Lett ;2021 (Jan 18) ;742:135519.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a brain disorder that develops during an early stage of childhood. Previous neuroimaging-based diagnostic models for ASD were based on static functional connectivity (FC). The nonlinear complexity of brain connectivity remains unexplored for ASD diagnosis. This study aimed to build intelligent discriminative models for ASD based on phase synchrony (PS). To this end, data from 49 patients with ASD and 41 healthy controls were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) project. PS between brain regions was determined using Hilbert transform. Principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machines (SVMs) were used to build the discriminative models. PS-based models (AUC = 0.81) outperformed static FC-based models (AUC = 0.71). Furthermore, embedded functional biomarkers were discovered. Moreover, significant correlations were found between PCA-PS and the clinical severity of ASD. Together, intelligent discriminative models based on PS were established for ASD identification. The performance of the diagnostic models suggested the potential benefits of PS for clinical applications. The discriminative patterns indicated that PCA-PS features could be additional biomarkers for ASD research. Furthermore, the significant relationships between the PCA-PS features and clinical scores implied their potential use for personalized medication strategies.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

22. McIntyre NS, Tomaszewski B, Hume KA, Odom SL. Stability of Literacy Profiles of Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Associations With Stakeholder Perceptions of Appropriate High School Support Needs. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):209-224.

Purpose For many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), postsecondary outcomes are poor. This may be due to insufficient academic supports, particularly with regard to literacy skills, during high school. More information is needed about skill profiles so that we can better differentiate support for students with varying social, communication, cognitive, and academic proficiency levels. This study was designed to (a) identify unique literacy profiles of high school students with ASD, (b) assess profile stability over time, (c) identify predictors of profile membership, and (d) analyze stakeholder reports of required school support intensity. Method Participants were a diverse sample of high school students with ASD, 14-21 years old (N = 544), their parents, and their teachers who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a comprehensive treatment model for high school students with ASD. Standardized measures were administered to assess nonverbal IQ, autism symptomatology, language/adaptive communication, reading comprehension, academic knowledge, and parent/teacher report of school support needs intensity. Latent transition analysis was conducted to examine sample heterogeneity and to explore the stability of the profiles. Associations between profiles and reports of support intensity were examined. Results Four literacy profiles were identified that were stable over 2 years : Emergent Literacy/Comprehensive Support, Low Literacy/Intensive Support, Average Literacy/Moderate Support, and Average Literacy/Limited Support. Parent and teacher reports of school support intensity generally aligned with the profiles. Conclusions These analyses provide insight into the diverse literacy and support needs in ASD. Implications for practice and the role of speech-language pathologists in assessment and intervention are discussed. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13495119.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

23. Moffitt JM, Baker JK, Fenning RM, Erath SA, Messinger DS, Zeedyk SM, Paez SA, Seel S. Parental Socialization of Emotion and Psychophysiological Arousal Patterns in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol ;2021 (Jan 18)

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at considerable risk for difficulties with emotion regulation and related functioning. Although it is commonly accepted that parents contribute to adaptive child regulation, as indexed by observable child behavior, theory and recent evidence suggest that parenting may also influence relevant underlying child physiological tendencies. The current study examined concurrent associations between two elements of parental socialization of emotion and measures of both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity in 61 children with ASD aged 6 to 10 years. To index parental socialization, parents reported on their reactions to their children’s negative emotions, and parental scaffolding was coded from a dyadic problem-solving task. Children’s baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), electrodermal reactivity (EDA-R), and RSA reactivity in response to challenge were obtained as measures of the children’s physiological activity. Regression analyses indicated that supportive parent reactions were related to higher child baseline RSA, a biomarker of regulatory capacity. Fewer unsupportive parent reactions and higher quality scaffolding were associated with higher EDA-R, a physiological index of inhibition. The identification of these concurrent associations represents a first step in understanding the complex and likely bidirectional interplay between parent socialization and child physiological reactivity and regulation in this high-risk population.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

24. Rumball F, Brook L, Happé F, Karl A. Heightened risk of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults with autism spectrum disorder : The role of cumulative trauma and memory deficits. Res Dev Disabil ;2021 (Jan 15) ;110:103848.

BACKGROUND : Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are known to be at increased risk of exposure to traumas such as maltreatment and abuse, however less is known about possible susceptibility towards the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and associated risk factors. AIMS : This study investigated the rates of trauma exposure and PTSD, and the role of cumulative trauma exposure and memory as risk factors for PTSD in adults who self-reported having received an ASD diagnosis, compared to a typically developing (TD) comparison group. METHODS : Questionnaires assessing self-reported frequency of trauma exposure (LEC), PTSD symptomology (PCL-S) and memory (EMQ- R and BRIEF-A) were completed online by 38 ASD adults and 44 TD adults. RESULTS : Rates of trauma exposure and PTSD symptomatology were significantly higher in the ASD group, compared to the TD group, with deficits in working memory and everyday memory mediating this association. Interestingly, a cumulative effect of trauma exposure on PTSD symptom severity was only found in the ASD group. CONCLUSIONS : High rates of trauma and probable PTSD in ASD adults highlight the importance of routine screening. Cumulative trauma exposure and memory deficits may act to increase risk of PTSD in ASD ; longitudinal research is called for.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

25. Scott AJW, Wang Y, Abdel-Jaber H, Thabtah F, Ray S. Improving screening systems of autism by machine learning with data sampling. Technol Health Care ;2021 (Jan 8)

OBJECTIVES : Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex range of neurodegenerative conditions that impact individuals’ social behaviour and communication skills. However, ASD data often contains far more controls than cases. This poses a serious challenge when creating classification models due to deriving models that favour controls during the classification of individuals. This problem is known as class imbalance, and it may reduce the performance in classification models derived by machine learning (ML) techniques due to individuals may remain undetected. METHODS : ML appears to help in the distressing disorder by improving outcome quality besides speeding up the access to early diagnosis and consequential treatment. A screening dataset that consists of over 1100 instances was used to perform extensive quantitative analysis using different data resampling techniques and according to specific evaluation metrics. We measure the effect of class imbalance on autism screening performance using different data resampling techniques with a ML classifier and with respect to sensitivity, specificity, and F1-measure. We would like to know which resampling methods work well in balancing autism screening data. RESULTS : The results reveal that data resampling, and especially oversampling, improve results derived by the considered ML classifier. More importantly, there was superiority in terms of sensitivity and specificity for models derived by Naive Bayes classifier when oversampling methods have been used for data pre-processing on the autism data considered. CONCLUSION : The results reported encourages further improvement of the design and implementation of ASD screening systems using intelligent technology.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

26. Selander H, Strand N, Almberg M, Lidestam B. Ready for a Learner’s Permit ? Clinical Neuropsychological Off-road Tests and Driving Behaviors in a Simulator among Adolescents with ADHD and ASD. Dev Neurorehabil ;2021 (Jan 18):1-10.

A simulator driving test (SDT) and two neuropsychological tests, the Useful Field of View (UFOV) test and the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) were evaluated with regard to validity for fitness to drive on 51 young clients diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 33 of whom also had autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and 38 adolescents without a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. The results show generally much greater variability and significantly poorer performance in the SDT and the TOVA for clients with ADHD/ASD compared with the control group. The SDT results were strongly intratest correlated, but had no interest correlation with either the UFOV test or the TOVA. The greater variability among clients with ADHD/ASD suggests greater effort and susceptibility to motivational issues and decline in sustained attention over several tests. In conclusion, the SDT is sensitive and has good face validity, and the TOVA is sensitive to neuropsychological aspects of safe driving. The SDT and the TOVA thus complement each other, and discrepancy between test scores calls for special consideration.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

27. Stephenson KG, Norris M, Butter EM. Sex-Based Differences in Autism Symptoms in a Large, Clinically-Referred Sample of Preschool-Aged Children with ASD. J Autism Dev Disord ;2021 (Jan 18)

Previous research has identified possible sex-based differences in restricted and repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, this finding is mixed, particularly among preschool-aged children. We investigated the presence of sex-based differences in parent-rated ASD symptomatology, using the Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS). Participants consisted of a large (n = 481,100 female), clinically-referred sample of preschoolers (ages 2-5) diagnosed with ASD (NVIQ : M = 67.11, SD = 21.79). Females had less severe symptoms on the Total, Unusual Behaviors, DSM-5, and Stereotypy scales on the ASRS. The effects were small-to-medium, but statistically significant. There was evidence of differential relationships between nonverbal IQ and ASRS scores among males and females. This study provides additional evidence of sex-based differences in ASD symptoms present from an early age.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

28. Wang X, Ding R, Song Y, Wang J, Zhang C, Han S, Han J, Zhang R. Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation in Early Life Changes Synaptic Plasticity and Improves Symptoms in a Valproic Acid-Induced Rat Model of Autism. Neural Plast ;2020 ;2020:8832694.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by social behavior deficit in childhood without satisfactory medical intervention. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is a noninvasive technique derived from acupuncture and has been shown to have similar therapeutic effects in many diseases. Valproic acid- (VPA-) induced ASD is a known model of ASD in rats. The therapeutic efficacy of TEAS was evaluated in the VPA model of ASD in the present study. The offspring of a VPA-treated rat received TEAS in the early life stage followed by a series of examinations conducted in their adolescence. The results show that following TEAS treatment in early life, the social and cognitive ability in adolescence of the offspring of a VPA rat were significantly improved. In addition, the abnormal pain threshold was significantly corrected. Additional studies demonstrated that the dendritic spine density of the primary sensory cortex was decreased with Golgi staining. Results of the transcriptomic study showed that expression of some transcription factors such as the neurotrophic factor were downregulated in the hypothalamus of the VPA model of ASD. The reduced gene expression was reversed following TEAS. These results suggest that TEAS in the early life stage may mitigate disorders of social and recognition ability and normalize the pain threshold of the ASD rat model. The mechanism involved may be related to improvement of synaptic plasticity.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

29. Westerveld MF, Paynter J. Introduction to the Forum : Literacy in Autism-Across the Spectrum. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch ;2021 (Jan 19) ;52(1):149-152.

Purpose The purpose of this article is to introduce the LSHSS Forum : Literacy in Autism-Across the Spectrum. The articles in this forum provide an overview of the current evidence related to literacy in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from preschool to adolescence and highlight the high literacy needs of this population. Method This introduction provides an overview of some of the reasons why children with ASD are at risk of persistent literacy difficulties and a summary of the six articles included in this forum. Conclusion More research is clearly needed to better understand which factors contribute to the high literacy needs in this population. For now, based on the best available evidence, the authors in this forum provide clear clinical implications that should be highly useful for speech-language pathologists and other professionals involved in literacy assessment and intervention for children and adolescents on the autism spectrum.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

30. Wright B, Konstantopoulou K, Sohal K, Kelly B, Morgan G, Hulin C, Mansoor S, Mon-Williams M. Systematic approach to school-based assessments for autism spectrum disorders to reduce inequalities : a feasibility study in 10 primary schools. BMJ Open ;2021 (Jan 17) ;11(1):e041960.

OBJECTIVES : This was a pilot study to explore whether the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) carried out by UK teachers within the ‘reception’ year, combined with the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), can lead to early identification of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and early access to intervention and can reduce inequity in access to assessment and intervention. DESIGN : Pragmatic prospective cohort. SETTING : Ten primary schools from the SHINE project in Bradford. PARTICIPANTS : 587 pupils from 10 schools who transitioned from reception to year 1 in July 2017 and had the EYFSP completed were included in the final study. INTERVENTIONS : The assessment involved a multidisciplinary team of three staff who completed Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Version 2, classroom observations with an ASD checklist, a teacher-based ASD questionnaire and a final consensus meeting. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE : National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline-compliant clinical diagnosis of ASD. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES : Age of diagnosis, demographic data and feasibility parameters. RESULTS : Children with low scores on the EYFSP were more likely to score above the SCQ threshold of 12, indicating potential autism (50% compared with 19% of children with high scores on the EYFSP (p<0.001)). All children scoring above the SCQ threshold received a full autism assessment ; children who scored low on the EYFSP were more likely to be diagnosed with autism (and other developmental issues) compared with those who did not. CONCLUSIONS : We identified nine new children with a diagnosis of ASD, all from ethnic minorities, suggesting that this process may be addressing the inequalities in early diagnosis found in previous studies. All children who scored above the SCQ threshold required support (ie, had a neurodevelopmental disorder), indicating the EYFSP questionnaire captured 'at-risk' children.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

31. Wu HR, Li L, Ma YN, Liu CL, Pei P, Zheng XF, Wang ST, Xiao Y, Bu DF, Xu YF, Pan H, Qi Y. [The diagnostic value of chromosome microarray analysis technique in the genetic causes of children with intellectual disability or global developmental delay]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi ;2021 (Jan 19) ;101(3):224-228.

Objective : To study the value of chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) application in children with developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and multiple congenital anomalies (MCA). Methods : Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) analysis and single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-array) were performed in 1 320 children with DD/ID, ASD, with or without epilepsy and MCA who were admitted to Peking University First Hospital from 2014 to 2019. The results of genetic etiology test of CMA in children with mental retardation or global DD was summarized. Results : Of 1 320 samples, there were 10 cases of aneuploid abnormality, 6 cases of uniparental disomy and one case of mosaicism, respectively. Pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) were found in 320 cases and pathogenic CNVs were detected in 23 cases, with a combined detection rate of 26% (343/1 320). CNVs of uncertain clinical significance occurred in 107 cases, accounting for 8.1% (107/1 320). There were 25 cases of possible benign CNVs, accounting for 2% (25/1 320), while benign CNVs were reported in 20 cases, accounting for 1.5% (20/1 320). The detection rate of MCA with DD/ID was 39.8% (130/327). Conclusions : CMA has the advantages of high resolution and covering the whole genome. It can detect the chromosomal abnormalities, microdeletions and duplications seen under the microscope, thus the genetic etiology of children with mental retardation or global DD can be diagnosed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)