1. Brosnan M, Johnson H, Grawemeyer B, Chapman E, Antoniadou K, Hollinworth M. {{Deficits in metacognitive monitoring in mathematics assessments in learners with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Autism};2015 (Jun 22)
Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder have been found to have deficits in metacognition that could impact upon their learning. This study explored metacognitive monitoring in 28 (23 males and 5 females) participants with autism spectrum disorder and 56 (16 males and 40 females) typically developing controls who were being educated at the same level. Participants were asked a series of mathematics questions. Based upon previous research, after each question they were asked two metacognitive questions: (1) whether they thought they had got the answer correct or not (or ‘don’t know’) and (2) whether they meant to get the answer correct or not (or ‘don’t know’). Participants with autism spectrum disorder were significantly more likely than the typically developing group to erroneously think that they had got an incorrect answer correct. Having made an error, those with autism spectrum disorder were also significantly more likely to report that they had meant to make the error. Different patterns in the types of errors made were also identified between the two groups. Deficits in metacognition were identified for the autism spectrum disorder group in the learning of mathematics. This is consistent with metacognitive research from different contexts and the implications for supporting learning in autism spectrum disorder are discussed.
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2. Campbell SB, Leezenbaum NB, Schmidt EN, Day TN, Brownell CA. {{Concern for Another’s Distress in Toddlers at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Jun 21)
We examined concern for others in 22-month-old toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk typically-developing toddlers with older siblings. Responses to a crying infant and an adult social partner who pretended to hurt her finger were coded. Children with a later diagnosis of ASD showed limited empathic concern in either context compared to low risk toddlers. High risk toddlers without a later diagnosis fell between the ASD and low risk groups. During the crying baby probe the low risk and high risk toddlers without a diagnosis engaged their parent more often than the toddlers with ASD. Low levels of empathic concern and engagement with parents may signal emerging ASD in toddlerhood.
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3. Kramer JM, Liljenquist K, Coster WJ. {{Validity, reliability, and usability of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test for autism spectrum disorders}}. {Dev Med Child Neurol};2015 (Jun 22)
AIM: This study aimed to explore the test-retest reliability of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test for autism spectrum disorders (PEDI-CAT [ASD]), the concurrent validity of this test with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS-II), and parents’ perceptions of usability. METHOD: A convenience sample of participants (n=39) was recruited nationally through disability organizations. Parents of young people aged 10 to 18 years (mean age 14y 10mo, SD 2y 8mo; 34 males, five females) who reported a diagnosis of autism were eligible to participate. Parents completed the VABS-II questionnaire once and the PEDI-CAT (ASD) twice (n=29) no more than 3 weeks apart (mean 12d) using computer-simulated administration. Parents also answered questions about the usability of these instruments. We examined score reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and we explored the relationship between instruments using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. Parent responses were grouped by common content; content categories were triangulated by an additional reviewer. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficients indicate excellent reliability for all PEDI-CAT (ASD) domain scores (ICC>/=0.86). PEDI-CAT (ASD) and VABS-II domain scores correlated as expected or stronger than expected (0.57-0.81). Parents reported that the computer-based PEDI-CAT (ASD) was easy to use and included fewer irrelevant questions than the VABS-II instrument. INTERPRETATION: These findings suggest that the PEDI-CAT (ASD) is a reliable assessment that parents can easily use. The PEDI-CAT (ASD) operationalizes the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health for Children and Youth constructs of ‘activity’ and ‘participation’, and this preliminary research suggests that the instrument’s constructs are related to those of VABS-II.
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4. McKenna PE, Glass A, Rajendran G, Corley M. {{Strange Words: Autistic Traits and the Processing of Non-Literal Language}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Jun 21)
Previous investigations into metonymy comprehension in ASD have confounded metonymy with anaphora, and outcome with process. Here we show how these confounds may be avoided, using data from non-diagnosed participants classified using Autism Quotient. Participants read sentences containing target words with novel or established metonymic senses (e.g., Finland, Vietnam) in literal- or figurative-supporting contexts. Participants took longer to read target words in figurative contexts, especially where the metonymic sense was novel. Importantly, participants with higher AQs took longer still to read novel metonyms. This suggests a focus for further exploration, in terms of potential differences between individuals diagnosed with ASD and their neurotypical counterparts, and more generally in terms of the processes by which comprehension is achieved.
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5. Wise A, Tenezaca L, Fernandez RW, Schatoff E, Flores J, Ueda A, Zhong X, Wu CF, Simon AF, Venkatesh T. {{Drosophila mutants of the autism candidate gene neurobeachin (rugose) exhibit neuro-developmental disorders, aberrant synaptic properties, altered locomotion, impaired adult social behavior and activity patterns}}. {J Neurogenet};2015 (Jun 22):1-34.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in humans characterized by complex behavioral deficits, including intellectual disability, impaired social interactions and hyperactivity. ASD exhibits a strong genetic component with underlying multi-gene interactions. Candidate gene studies have shown that the neurobeachin gene is disrupted in human patients with idiopathic autism (Castermans et al., 2003). The gene for neurobeachin (NBEA) spans the common fragile site FRA 13A and encodes a signal scaffold protein (Savelyeva et al., 2006). In mice, NBEA has been shown to be involved in the trafficking and function of a specific subset of synaptic vesicles. (Medrihan et al., 2009; Savelyeva, Sagulenko, Schmitt, & Schwab, 2006). rugose (rg) is the Drosophila homologue of the mammalian and human neurobeachin. Our previous genetic and molecular analyses have shown that rg encodes an A kinase anchor protein (DAKAP 550), which interacts with components of the EGFR and Notch mediated signaling pathways, facilitating cross-talk between these and other pathways (Shamloula et al., 2002). We now present functional data from studies on the larval neuromuscular junction that reveal abnormal synaptic architecture and physiology. In addition, adult rg loss-of-function mutants exhibit defective social interactions, impaired habituation, aberrant locomotion and hyperactivity. These results demonstrate that Drosophila neurobeachin (rugose) mutants exhibit phenotypic characteristics reminiscent of human ASD and thus could serve as a genetic model for studying autism spectrum disorders.
