1. Correction to electrophysical signatures of visual statistical learning in 3-month-old infants at familial and low risk for autism spectrum disorder. Dev Psychobiol;2023 (Nov);65(7):e22436.

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2. Duncan A, Meinzen-Derr J, Ruble L, Fassler C, Stark LJ. A Randomized Clinical Trial Targeting Daily Living Skills in Autistic Adolescents Without an Intellectual Disability Before the Transition to Adulthood. J Dev Behav Pediatr;2023 (Oct 19)

OBJECTIVES: In the United States, more than 75,000 autistic adolescents graduate from high school each year, and many lack the skills to successfully transition to college, work, and independent living. Daily living skills (DLS) in autistic adolescents without an intellectual disability (ID) fall 6 to 8 years behind peers. Better DLS are linked to more positive adult outcomes for autistic individuals. Surviving and Thriving in the Real World (STRW) is the only known evidence-based intervention that targets age-appropriate DLS in autistic adolescents without ID. The study objective was to evaluate STRW’s efficacy compared with an active comparator (Program for the Evaluation and Enrichment of Relational Skills [PEERS]). METHOD: Autistic adolescents in their last 2 years of high school were randomized to STRW or PEERS. Outcome measures were the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (VABS-3), DLS domain and subdomains (Personal, Domestic, Community), and DLS Goal Attainment Scaling (DLS-GAS) areas (Morning Routine, Cooking, Laundry, Money). RESULTS: Adolescents were randomly assigned to STRW (n = 34) or PEERS (n = 30). Owing to COVID-19, 28.1% received in-person intervention and 71.9% received telehealth intervention. STRW youth made significant gains on the VABS-3 DLS domain (p = 0.01) and Domestic subdomain (p = 0.005) and DLS-GAS Total, Laundry, and Money areas (all p’s < 0.05) compared with PEERS. CONCLUSION: STRW shows promise for acquiring age-appropriate DLS compared with PEERS. Adolescents in STRW progressed toward achieving DLS in the average range and closing the gap between chronological age and DLS. By improving DLS, STRW may facilitate more successful adult outcomes.

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3. Feng Y, Li Y, Zhou X, Qin X, Deng T, Liu S, Zhang L. Predictors of posttraumatic growth in 475 Chinese parents of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. J Pediatr Nurs;2023 (Oct 20)

PURPOSE: To examine the predictive effects of children’s symptom severity, rumination, parental self-efficacy, and social support on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in parents of autistic children. DESIGN AND METHODS: Parents (n = 475) completed the demographic questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Autism Behavior Checklist, Event Related Rumination Inventory, Parenting Sense of Competence, and Social Support Rating Scale in a cross-sectional survey conducted in a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China, between September 2019 and January 2021. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. RESULTS: The PTG score was positively associated with rumination (r = 0.325, P < 0.05), parental self-efficacy (r = 0.219, P < 0.05), and social support (r = 0.374, P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that household income (β = 0.095, P < 0.05), intrusive rumination (β = -0.100, P < 0.05), deliberate rumination (β = 0.391, P < 0.001), subjective support (β = 0.239, P < 0.001), and children's daily living skills deficiencies as perceived by parents (β = 0.107, P < 0.05) significantly predicted PTG, accounting for 33.3% of the variance [F(P) = 13.444, P < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial factors (rumination and subjective support) are essential to facilitate PTG in parents whose children are newly diagnosed with autism. PRACTICE AND IMPLICATIONS: With the consideration of different sociodemographic features, clinicians and researchers are encouraged to explore cognitive-based psychosocial interventions targeting parents' psychological growth and parenting training programs targeting autistic children's self-care ability.

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4. Friedman C. Assistive technology for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States in Home- and Community-Based Services. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol;2023 (Oct 20):1-8.

PURPOSE: Unmet needs for assistive technology (AT) contribute to health and quality of life disparities among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) [1-4]. The biggest barrier people with IDD face accessing technology is affordability and a lack of funding [1,3-6]. The purpose of this study was to examine how AT were provided to people with IDD in Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) in the United States, the largest funding source for Long-Term Services and Supports for people with IDD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed Medicaid HCBS 1915(c) waivers for people with IDD from across the USA in fiscal year (FY) 2021 using content analysis and descriptive statistics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In FY2021, 31 states and the District of Columbia provided AT (stand-alone and combined services) through 68 waivers for people with IDD to improve functioning, communication, independence, and community integration. In total, $63.3 million was projected for the AT services for 23,753 people with IDD. Average spending per person on AT services was $2,663. We found significant variability in terms of how states allocated AT to people with IDD in their HCBS programs. Not only were less than 3% of people with IDD with HCBS projected to receive assistive technology services, there was also large variance across services and states. Assistive technology promotes the health, safety, quality of life, independence, and community integration of people with IDD – they align with the very aims of HCBS, and thus, should be expanded. Only a small proportion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were projected to receive assistive technology (AT) in Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS), which may result in unmet needs among people with IDD.Wide variability in how states allocate AT in their HCBS waiver programs can lead to discrepancies and disparities. eng

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5. Gray L, Hill V, Pellicano E. « He’s shouting so loud but nobody’s hearing him »: A multi-informant study of autistic pupils’ experiences of school non-attendance and exclusion. Autism Dev Lang Impair;2023 (Jan-Dec);8:23969415231207816.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Children and young people on the autism spectrum frequently report a range of negative educational experiences and face disproportionally high rates of school non-attendance, including school avoidance and permanent exclusion, which can have a significant impact on their well-being as well as educational and broader life outcomes. To date, few studies have examined the full range of proximal (child, parent/family, school levels) and distal (community and society levels) barriers to ensuring the school attendance and the inclusion of autistic pupils. The current study sought to do just that by examining autistic young peoples’ school non-attendance and exclusion experiences from the perspectives of multiple informants. METHODS: We recruited 12 autistic pupils, who had previously experienced school avoidance and/or exclusion, from one local authority in England, United Kingdom. We conducted semi-structured interviews with the young people themselves, ten of their parents, eight of their current teachers and nine local authority professionals, including six educational psychologists and three specialist autism teachers. We analyzed interviewees’ responses using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Interviewees gave overwhelmingly negative accounts of autistic pupils’ school non-attendance and exclusion experiences. Our analysis identified a range of school-related factors they felt led to, or exacerbated, negative experiences in their former mainstream schools, and which ultimately led to their or their children’s school non-attendance. It also went further to identify distal factors, including fragmented educational experiences, parents « fighting » against a complex bureaucratic system to secure appropriate education for their children, and limited professional involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasize the importance of examining the broader context in which autistic pupils are embedded and demonstrate that such pupils are able to successfully attend-and even enjoy-school when they receive the appropriate care and support. IMPLICATIONS: Schools and local authority professionals should seek to work in partnership with parents and autistic pupils to secure the necessary support for their inclusion in mainstream education. Government policy should support the provision of sufficient local authority professionals to adopt a more proactive approach to mitigate autistic pupils’ avoidance of and exclusion from school.

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6. Harvey-Lloyd JM, Clements A, Sims N, Harvey-Lloyd AE. Exploring the experiences of parents of Autistic children when attending the diagnostic imaging department for an X-ray examination. Radiography (Lond);2023 (Oct 20);30(1):28-36.

INTRODUCTION: Autism is a neuro-developmental condition which affects the social-emotional skills, behaviour, language, communication skills and flexibility of thoughts of an individual and their sensory processing. This can result in Autistic service users finding it difficult to navigate current healthcare provision and cope with the unpredictable environment. This paper explores the experiences of parents of Autistic children when attending the diagnostic imaging department for an X-ray examination. METHODS: A cross sectional, mixed methods approach was adopted and the initial phase consisting of an online survey for parents to complete is the subject of this paper. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and cross comparison between questions was also completed. Thematic analysis was taken to analyse the data from the two open questions at the end of the survey. RESULTS: The online survey results are presented in this paper under four key themes; waiting times and environment, forms of communication, lack of understanding of staff regarding Autism and preparation for the X-ray examination. CONCLUSION: The overall rating of the parents’ experience whilst in the X-ray/diagnostic imaging department was positive, however there are several areas which received low scores which need further attention. These were waiting areas, waiting times, staff development and patient preparation. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The development of more inclusive waiting areas is needed, more effective lines of communication between staff to expedite the patient journey where possible, staff development of both radiographers and also support staff and the review of design of more accessible and inclusive patient information.

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7. Healthcare Engineering JO. Retracted: Rehabilitation Educational Design for Children with Autism Based on the Radial Basis Function Neural Network. J Healthc Eng;2023;2023:9765878.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2021/2961546.].

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8. Hotez E, Rava J, Russ S, Ware A, Halfon N. Using a life course health development framework to combat stigma-related health disparities for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD). Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care;2023 (Oct 20):101433.

In the U.S., 1 in 6 children has an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD). This population experiences a multitude of negative health outcomes across the life course, relative to the general population. Stigma-the social devaluation of individuals with certain characteristics, identities, or statuses within interpersonal, educational, healthcare, and policy contexts-is a potentially preventable contributor to health disparities. To date, existing approaches for addressing and preventing stigma are limited to discrete and siloed interventions that often fail to address the lifelong, cumulative impacts of the specific types of stigma experienced by the I/DD population. In the current paper, we describe three elements of Life Course Health Development (LCHD)-a novel translational framework that draws on evidence from biology, sociology, epidemiology, and psychology-that healthcare providers can use to prevent stigma-related health disparities and improve outcomes for individuals with I//DDs. We discuss the utility of targeting prevention to sensitive periods; prioritizing interventions for the most damaging types of stigmas; and leveraging supports from multiple service systems and sectors. By incorporating evidence from life course science into efforts to address stigma-related health disparities, providers can more effectively and strategically prevent and combat stigma-related health disparities for the I/DD population in childhood and across the life course.

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9. Houben F, Heijer CDD, Dukers-Muijrers NH, Smeets-Peels C, Hoebe CJ. Psychosocial determinants associated with healthcare workers’ self-reported compliance with infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Dutch residential care facilities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. BMC Public Health;2023 (Oct 19);23(1):2052.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers’ (HCWs) compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial to reduce the infection transmission risk. However, HCWs’ compliance with IPC in residential care facilities (RCFs) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) is known to be suboptimal. Therefore, this study examined sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants associated with IPC non-compliance in this setting, to inform IPC policy and promotion programmes for adequate IPC behaviour. METHODS: An online questionnaire was administered to 285 HCWs from 16 RCFs between March 2021 and March 2022. Determinants associated with IPC non-compliance were assessed using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Being a woman (OR: 3.57; 1.73-7.37), and being a non-medical professional were associated with increased odds of non-compliance (social workers, OR: 2.83; 1.65-4.85; behavioural specialists, OR: 6.09; 1.98-18.72). Perceived inadequate education/training (aOR: 1.62; 1.15-2.27) and perceived time constraints/competing priorities (aOR: 1.43; 1.03-1.98) were also associated with increased odds of non-compliance, independent of sociodemographic variables. In contrast, the belief that the supervisor complies with IPC (descriptive norm supervisor) was associated with decreased odds of non-compliance (aOR: 0.60; 0.41-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: To improve IPC in disability care settings, the implementation of tailored and structural IPC education and training programmes (e.g., on-the-job training) is recommended to increase HCWs’ capabilities and bridge the IPC compliance gap between medical and non-medical professionals. In addition, role models, particularly supervisors, are crucial for promoting IPC behaviour. Facilities should create a culture of IPC compliance by norm setting, acting on, and modelling IPC behaviours at all levels of the organisation (management, medical, and non-medical staff).

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10. James TG, Argenyi MS, Gravino A, Benevides TW. Human immunodeficiency virus diagnosis and care among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are publicly insured. J Intellect Disabil Res;2023 (Oct 19)

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, HIV diagnosis and receipt of HIV care among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) who are publicly insured in the USA. DESIGN: This study is a cross-sectional analysis of Medicare-Medicaid linked data of adults with IDD who were publicly insured in 2012 (n = 878 186). METHODS: We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios of HIV testing, diagnosis and receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We also identified the relationship between predisposing (age, gender, race and ethnicity), enabling (Medicare, Medicaid or both; rural status; geographical location; and county income) and need-related characteristics (IDD diagnosis and other co-occurring conditions) associated with these outcomes. RESULTS: Only 0.12% of adults with IDD who had no known HIV diagnosis had received an HIV test in the past year. The prevalence of HIV diagnosis among adults with IDD was 0.38%, although differences by type of IDD diagnosis were observed. Prevalence of HIV diagnosis differed by type of IDD. Among adults with IDD who were living with HIV, approximately 71% had received ART during 2012. The adjusted analyses indicate significant racial disparities, with Black adults with IDD making up the majority (59.11%) of the HIV-positive IDD adult population. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with IDD are a unique priority population at risk for HIV-related disparities, and the level of risk is differential among subtypes of IDD. People with IDD, like other people with disabilities, should be considered in prevention programming and treatment guidelines to address disparities across the HIV care continuum.

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11. Karadogan ZN, Tanir Y, Karayagmurlu A, Kucukgergin C, Coskun M. Higher Levels of Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 in Young Subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Unaffected Siblings and Healthy Controls. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci;2023 (Nov 30);21(4):749-757.

OBJECTIVE: : Despite being highly genetic, the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has not yet been clarified. Recent research has focused on the role of neuroinflammation and immune system dysfunction in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD. Galectin-1 and galactin-3 are considered among the biomarkers of neuroinflammation and there has been recent reports on the potential role of galectins in the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, there has been no study examining the relationship between ASD and galectin levels. METHODS: : Current study aimed to investigate galectin-1 and galectin-3 serum levels in young subjects with ASD comparing with their unaffected siblings and healthy controls. RESULTS: : We found significantly higher levels of galectin-1 in case group compared to both unaffected siblings and healthy controls, and higher levels of galectin-3 in case group compared to healthy controls. However, there was no significant association between galectin-1 and galectin-3 levels with the severity of ASD. CONCLUSION: : Findings of our study may support neuroinflammation hypothesis in the etiology of ASD and the potential role of galectin-1 and galectin-3 as biomarkers.

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12. Khan MMM, Waqar U, Munir MM, Woldesenbet S, Mavani P, Endo Y, Katayama E, Rawicz-Pruszyński K, Agnese DM, Obeng-Gyasi S, Pawlik TM. Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening Rates Among Adults With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Ann Surg Oncol;2023 (Oct 19)

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities may face barriers in accessing healthcare, including cancer screening and detection services. We sought to assess the association of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with breast cancer screening rates. METHODS: Data from 2018 to 2020 was used to identify screening-eligible individuals from Medicare Standard Analytic Files. Adults aged 65-79 years who did not have a previous diagnosis of breast cancer were included. Multivariable regression was used to analyze the differences in breast cancer screening rates among individuals with and without IDD. RESULTS: Among 9,383,349 Medicare beneficiaries, 11,265 (0.1%) individuals met the criteria for IDD. Of note, individuals with IDD were more likely to be non-Hispanic White (90.5% vs. 87.3%), have a Charlson Comorbidity Index score ≤ 2 (66.2% vs. 85.5%), and reside in a low social vulnerability index neighborhood (35.7% vs. 34.4%). IDD was associated with reduced odds of undergoing breast cancer screening (odds ratio (OR) 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74-0.80; p < 0.001). Breast cancer screening rates in individuals with IDD were further influenced by social vulnerability and belonging to a racial/ethnic minority. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with IDD may face additional barriers to breast cancer screening. The combination of IDD and social vulnerability placed patients at particularly high risk of not being screened for breast cancer.

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13. Lai MC. Mental health challenges faced by autistic people. Nat Hum Behav;2023 (Oct 20)

Mental health challenges impede the well-being of autistic people. This Review outlines contributing neurodevelopmental and physical health conditions, rates and developmental trajectories of mental health challenges experienced by autistic people, as well as unique clinical presentations. A framework is proposed to consider four contributing themes to aid personalized formulation: social-contextual determinants, adverse life experiences, autistic cognitive features, and shared genetic and early environmental predispositions. Current evidence-based and clinical-knowledge-informed intervention guidance and ongoing development of support are highlighted for specific mental health areas. Tailored mental health support for autistic people should be neurodivergence-informed, which is fundamentally humanistic and compatible with the prevailing bio-psycho-social frameworks. The personalized formulation should be holistic, considering physical health and transdiagnostic neurodevelopmental factors, intellectual and communication abilities, and contextual-experiential determinants and their interplay with autistic cognition and biology, alongside resilience. Supporting family well-being is integral. Mutual empathic understanding is fundamental to creating societies in which people across neurotypes are all empowered to thrive.

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14. Liu Y, Liu Z, Diao T, Song P, Hu Q, Jiang N. Exploring the Relationship Between Auditory Brainstem Response Testing and Disease Progression in Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder. Altern Ther Health Med;2023 (Oct 20)

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine auditory brainstem response (ABR) test results in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to provide valuable insights for the future diagnosis and treatment of ASD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis involving 26 children diagnosed with ASD admitted to our hospital between April 2021 and December 2022 (the observation group) and 38 children who underwent health checkups during the same period (the control group). ABR testing was administered to both groups at our hospital. We assessed differences in ABR test results between the observation and control groups and analyzed the correlation between ABR test results and the outcomes of the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) surveys. Additionally, we examined variations in ABR test results among ASD children across different age groups. RESULTS: In the observation group, we observed higher right ear latencies of waves I and III, as well as differences in left and right ear interpeak latencies (IPLs) of waves I-V compared to the control group (P < .05). However, the left and right ear IPLs of waves III-V were lower in the observation group (P < .05). There were no significant differences in ABR test results among ASD children of different ages (P > .05). Furthermore, we identified positive correlations between the right ear wave III latency, left ear wave I-III IPL, and right ear wave I-III IPL with ABC and CARS scores (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with ASD display abnormal ABR characteristics, indicating the potential of ABR as a valuable tool for evaluating ASD progression in the future.

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15. Metwally AM, Abdallah AM, El-Din EMS, Zeid DA, Khadr Z, Elshaarawy GA, Elkhatib AA, Elsaied A, Ashaat EA, Elghareeb NA, Abdou MH, Fathy AM, Eldeeb SE, AbdAllah M, Soliman MA, El Banna RAS, Hassanein AK, Rabah TM, Abdelrahman M, Sallam SF. Screening and determinant of suspected developmental delays among Egyptian preschool-aged children: a cross-sectional national community-based study. BMC Pediatr;2023 (Oct 19);23(1):521.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood life is critical for optimal development and is the foundation of future well-being. Genetic, sociocultural, and environmental factors are important determinants of child development. AIM: The objectives were to screen for suspected developmental delays (DDs) among Egyptian preschool children, and to explore the determinants of these delays based on sociodemographic, epidemiological, maternal, and child perinatal risk factors. METHODS: A national Egyptian cross-sectional developmental screening of a representative sample of preschool children (21,316 children) aged 12 to 71 months. The Revised Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (R-PDQ) followed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test, 2(nd) edition (DDST) was used. RESULTS: Each screened child manifested at least one of six developmental categories. Either typical development, gross motor delay (GM), fine motor adaptive delay (FMA), Language delay (L), Personal-social delay (PS), or multiple DDs. The prevalence of preschool children with at least one DD was 6.4%, while 4.5% had multiple DDs. Developmental language delay was the most prevalent, affecting 4.2% of children. The least affected domain was GM (1.9% of children). Boys were more likely to have DD than girls. Children in urban communities were more likely to have at least one DD than those in rural areas (OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.14-1.42), and children of middle social class than of low or high social class (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.30-1.70 & OR = 1.40, 95%CI: 1.23-1.59 respectively). The strong perinatal predictors for at least one DD were children with a history of postnatal convulsions (OR = 2.68, 95%CI: 1.97-3.64), low birth weight (OR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.69-2.52), or history of postnatal cyanosis (OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.26-2.49) and mothers had any health problem during pregnancy (OR = 1.73, 95%CI: 1.44-2.07). Higher paternal and maternal education decreased the odds of having any DD by 43% (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.47-0.68) and 31% (OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.58-0.82) respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a considerable attempt to assess the types and the prevalence of DD among preschool children in Egypt. Perinatal factors are among the most common determinants of DD in preschool children and the majority could be preventable risk factors.

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16. Nejati V, Khankeshlooyee N, Pourshahriar H. Remediation of theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorders: Effectiveness and transferability of training effects to behavioral symptoms. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry;2023 (Oct 19):13591045231208580.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle with impaired theory of mind. We aimed to evaluate the effect of remediation of theory of mind on theory of mind, face perception, and behavioral symptoms in children with ASD. METHODS: Thirty children with ASD were randomly assigned to two equal groups of theory of mind training and active control group. Attentive remediation of theory of mind (ARTOM) and story-telling sessions were used for intervention in the groups. Theory of mind and facial emotion recognition tests as well as Gilliam autism rating scale (GARS) were used for assessment in three baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up sessions. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used for analysis. RESULTS: The results showed improvement in facial emotion recognition and theory of mind in intervention group. The behavioral symptoms, measured by GARS, were ameliorated in the intervention group. The training effects lasted until follow-up session. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest remediation of basic components of theory of mind, without direct intervention on theory of mind, improves theory of mind skill. The results also suggest that the remediation of basic components of theory of mind improves social and communicational performance and ameliorates stereotypes symptoms in children with ASD.

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17. Orm S, Wood J, Corbett B, Fjermestad K. Suicidal Risk Behaviors in Adolescents With Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorders: The Role of Sex, Autistic Traits, and Mental Health Difficulties. J Pediatr Psychol;2023 (Oct 20);48(10):852-860.

OBJECTIVE: Autistic traits are associated with mental health difficulties and risk of suicidal risk behaviors among adolescents. Little is known about how autistic traits affect the mental health of adolescents with rare neurodevelopmental disorders (RNDs). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between autistic traits, mental health difficulties, and suicidal risk behaviors in adolescents with RNDs. METHODS: Parents (N = 93) completed the Child Behavior Checklist, Social Communication Questionnaire, and Social Responsiveness Scale about their adolescent (Mage = 13.1, SD = 2.3, 62.4% females) with an RND (e.g., sex chromosome aneuploidies, Fragile X syndrome, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome). The data were analyzed with hierarchical logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of suicidal risk behaviors (16.1%) was similar to that reported among autistic youth and was higher among boys than girls. More autistic traits were associated with suicidal risk behaviors in bivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, more anxiety/depressive symptoms were associated with more suicidal risk behaviors and externalizing problems associated with suicidal risk behaviors beyond autistic traits and anxiety/depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Adolescents with RNDs are at risk of suicidal risk behaviors, especially those with higher levels of autistic traits, anxiety/depressive symptoms, and externalizing problems. Assessment of autistic traits, mental health difficulties, and suicide risk may be indicated for adolescents with RNDs to determine if corresponding intervention is needed.

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18. Rea HM, Clawson A, Hudac CM, Santhosh M, Bernier RA, Earl RK, Pelphrey KA, Webb SJ, Neuhaus E. Pubertal maturation and timing effects on resting state electroencephalography in autistic and comparison youth. Dev Psychobiol;2023 (Nov);65(7):e22415.

Autistic and comparison individuals differ in resting-state electroencephalography (EEG), such that sex and age explain variability within and between groups. Pubertal maturation and timing may further explain variation, as previous work has suggested alterations in pubertal timing in autistic youth. In a sample from two studies of 181 autistic and 94 comparison youth (8 years to 17 years and 11 months), mixed-effects linear regressions were conducted to assess differences in EEG (midline power for theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands). Alpha power was analyzed as a mediator in the relation between pubertal maturation and timing with autistic traits in the autistic groups to understand the role of puberty in brain-based changes that contribute to functional outcomes. Individuals advanced in puberty exhibited decreased power in all bands. Those who experienced puberty relatively early showed decreased power in theta and beta bands, controlling for age, sex, and diagnosis. Autistic individuals further along in pubertal development exhibited lower social skills. Alpha mediated the relation between puberty and repetitive behaviors. Pubertal maturation and timing appear to play unique roles in the development of cognitive processes for autistic and comparison youth and should be considered in research on developmental variation in resting-state EEG.

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19. Reynolds K, Chimoriya R, Chandio N, Tracey D, Pradhan A, Fahey P, Stormon N, Arora A. Effectiveness of sensory adaptive dental environments to reduce psychophysiology responses of dental anxiety and support positive behaviours in children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analyses. BMC Oral Health;2023 (Oct 19);23(1):769.

BACKGROUND: People with Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) experience oral health inequality due to myriad of risk factors and complex needs. Sensory processing difficulties, maladaptive behaviours and dental anxiety contribute to difficulties in receiving preventive and routine dental treatments. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness of sensory adaptive dental environments (SADE) for children and young adults (up to the ages 24 years) with IDD to address cooperation and dental anxiety. METHODS: This review was reported according to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE (Ovid), The Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science and OT Seeker were searched using appropriate terms to identify Randomised Control Trails (RCTs) that matched inclusion criteria. Screening was conducted by two reviewers after de-duplication based on titles and abstracts followed by full text retrieval. Quality of the included studies was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB)-2 for crossover trials and data extracted by two reviewers. The details of the interventions and effectiveness were compared and discussed narratively, and comparable outcomes were included to meta-analyses using R software. RESULTS: A total of 622 articles were identified and five articles met eligibility for inclusion. Three studies used multi-sensory adaptations and one used single sensory adaptation of music. Narrative synthesis showed some evidence of SADE reducing magnitude and duration, although, questionable for reducing the number of maladaptive behaviours. Two studies demonstrated conflicting evidence of the effect of SADE on cooperation. Three studies demonstrated significant positive impact of SADE on psychophysiological outcomes. Despite an overall tendency to favour SADE, no statistically significant difference of maladaptive behaviours was found between SADE and regular dental environment (RDE) (Standardised mean change (SMC) = 0.51; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) -0.20 to 1.22; p = 0.161). SADE was superior to RDE (SMC -0.66; 95% CI -1.01 to -0.30; p =  < 0.001) in reducing psychophysiological responses of dental anxiety. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that adapting visual, tactile, and auditory aspects of the dental environment in a single or multi-sensory approach demonstrates small positive effects on psychophysiological responses and maladaptive behaviours of dental anxiety for people with IDD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The title of this review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022322083).

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20. Siegel J, McGrath K, Muniz E, Siasoco V, Chandan P, Noonan E, Bonuck K. Infusing intellectual and Developmental disability training into Medical School curriculum: a Pilot intervention. Med Educ Online;2023 (Dec);28(1):2271224.

PURPOSE: Despite the rising prevalence of developmental disabilities (DD) in the US, there remains insufficient training for healthcare professionals to care for this medically underserved population – particularly adults. The National Inclusive Curriculum for Health Education (NICHE) aims to improve attitudes and knowledge towards people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDD); herein we describe one such intervention. METHOD: The intervention integrated didactic, panel presentation and clinical skills components into a 2(nd) year medical school curriculum. The didactic session, covering health and assessment of PWIDDs, history of IDD, stigma, etc., was co-taught by a developmental pediatrician, family medicine physician and social worker. A panel of 3 adult self-advocates (SAs) with DD and a parent of a child with DD spoke about their lived experiences. One week later, students practiced taking clinical histories of SAs within small group settings with adult PWIDDs, facilitated by medical school faculty. Students completed the NICHE Knowledge(49 items) and Attitudes (60 items) surveys. The evaluation analyzed pre/post intervention differences in a) knowledge and attitude scores overall and b) by student age, gender, intended medical specialty, and prior experiences with PWIDDs. Open-ended comments were analyzed with content analysis. RESULTS: Overall Knowledge scores increased from pre-to posttest (n = 85; 65[19] vs. 73[17], p = 0.00), while Attitudes score improved (i.e., decreased) (n = 88; 0.55 [.06] vs. 0.53 [0.06]); p = 0.00). Higher pretest knowledge was found among female identified students (vs. others; p = 0.01) and those knowing > = 5 PWIDD (vs < 5; p = 0.02). Students characterize their IDD training and experience prior to intervention as 'lacking' and described the sessions as effective. CONCLUSIONS: A brief (4 hours total) intervention was associated with modest but significant improved knowledge and attitudes towards PWIDDs. Replication and sustainability of this and other NICHE interventions are needed to fill gaps in PWIDDs' health care.

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21. Talesh Jafadideh A, Mohammadzadeh Asl B. Topological analysis of brain dynamics in autism based on graph and persistent homology. Comput Biol Med;2022 (Nov);150:106202.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous disorder with a rapidly growing prevalence. In recent years, the dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) technique has been used to reveal the transient connectivity behavior of ASDs’ brains by clustering connectivity matrices in different states. However, the states of DFC have not been yet studied from a topological point of view. In this paper, this study was performed using global metrics of the graph and persistent homology (PH) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The PH has been recently developed in topological data analysis and deals with persistent structures of data. The structural connectivity (SC) and static FC (SFC) were also studied to know which one of the SC, SFC, and DFC could provide more discriminative topological features when comparing ASDs with typical controls (TCs). Significant discriminative features were only found in states of DFC. Moreover, the best classification performance was offered by persistent homology-based metrics and in two out of four states. In these two states, some networks of ASDs compared to TCs were more segregated and isolated (showing the disruption of network integration in ASDs). The results of this study demonstrated that topological analysis of DFC states could offer discriminative features which were not discriminative in SFC and SC. Also, PH metrics can provide a promising perspective for studying ASD and finding candidate biomarkers.

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22. Varela RE, Beaton EA, Kamps J. IQ, parent- and self-reports of child anxiety and salivary cortisol in a sample of children with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil;2023 (Oct 17);142:104604.

This study examined the relation between IQ, parent-reported child anxiety, and salivary cortisol levels in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with a wide range of intellectual abilities using a prospective design. Results showed that IQ at time 1 (T1) positively predicted parent-reports of child anxiety at time 2 (T2); however, IQ at T1 negatively predicted cortisol levels from saliva samples taken at a research laboratory at T2. Parent reports of child anxiety at T1 and T2 were not associated with cortisol levels at T2. Implications for the assessment of anxiety in youth with ASD are discussed.

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23. Zhao S, Zhong Y, Shen F, Cheng X, Qing X, Liu J. Comprehensive exosomal microRNA profile and construction of competing endogenous RNA network in autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study. Biomol Biomed;2023 (Oct 20)

Exosomes have been demonstrated to exert momentous roles in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few studies have reported a correlation between exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) and ASD. To date, our understanding of crucial competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks in ASD remains limited. Herein, the exosomal miRNA profile in the peripheral blood of children with ASD and healthy controls was investigated and the level of immune cell infiltration in ASD was evaluated to determine the distribution of immune cell subtypes. Exosomes were isolated from the peripheral blood of 10 children with ASD and 10 healthy controls, and further identified using transmission electron microscopy and western blot analysis. RNA sequencing was conducted to investigate exosomal miRNA profiles in patients with ASD. The mRNA and circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) were identified and ceRNA regulatory networks were constructed. Furthermore, the immune cell infiltration levels in patients with ASD were evaluated. Exosomes were spherical, approximately 100 nm in size, and were confirmed via western blot analysis using exosome-associated markers CD9, CD63, and CD81. Thirty-five DEmRNAs, 63 DEmiRNAs, and 494 DEcircRNAs were identified in patients with ASD. CeRNA regulatory networks, including 6 DEmRNAs, 14 DEmiRNAs, and 86 DEcircRNAs, were established. Correlation analysis indicated that leucine-rich glioma inactivated protein 1 (LGI1) expression was significantly positively correlated with the content of CD8+ T cells. Our findings may be conducive to offering novel insights into this disease and providing further evidence of transcriptomic abnormalities in ASD.

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