1. Barker ET, Hartley SL, Seltzer MM, Floyd FJ, Greenberg JS, Orsmond GI. {{Trajectories of emotional well-being in mothers of adolescents and adults with autism}}. {Dev Psychol}. 2010 Dec 20.
Raising an adolescent or adult child with a developmental disability confers exceptional caregiving challenges on parents. We examined trajectories of 2 indicators of emotional well-being (depressive symptoms and anxiety) in a sample of primarily Caucasian mothers (N = 379; Mage = 51.22 years at Time 1) of adolescent and adult children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Mage = 21.91 years at Time 1, 73.2% male). We also investigated within-person associations of child context time-varying covariates (autism symptoms, behavior problems, residential status) and maternal context time-varying covariates (social support network size and stressful family events) with the trajectories of emotional well-being. Data were collected on 5 occasions across a 10-year period. Average patterns of stable (depressive symptoms) and improved (anxiety) emotional well-being were evident, and well-being trajectories were sensitive to fluctuations in both child and maternal context variables. On occasions when behavior problems were higher, depressive symptoms and anxiety were higher. On occasions after which the grown child moved out of the family home, anxiety was lower. Anxiety was higher on occasions when social support networks were smaller and when more stressful life events were experienced. These results have implications for midlife and aging families of children with an ASD and those who provide services to these families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).
2. Bernardi S, Anagnostou E, Shen J, Kolevzon A, Buxbaum JD, Hollander E, et al. {{In vivo (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of the attentional networks in autism}}. {Brain Res}. 2010 Dec 22.
Attentional dysfunction is one of the most consistent findings in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the significance of such findings for the pathophysiology of autism is unclear. In this study, we investigated cellular neurochemistry with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging ((1)H-MRS) in brain regions associated with networks subserving alerting, orienting, and executive control of attention in patients with ASD. Concentrations of cerebral N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatinine+phosphocreatinine, choline-containing compounds, myo-inositol (Ins) and glutamate+glutamine (Glx) were determined by 3T (1)H-MRS examinations in 14 high-functioning medication-free adults with a diagnosis of ASD and 14 age- and IQ-matched healthy controls (HC) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), thalamus, temporoparietal junction (TPJ), and areas near or along the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Compared to HC group, the ASD group showed significantly lower Glx concentrations in right ACC and reduced Ins in left TPJ. This study provides evidence of abnormalities in neurotransmission related to networks subserving executive control and alerting of attention, functions which have been previously implicated in ASD pathogenesis.
3. Gale CM, Eikeseth S, Rudrud E. {{Functional Assessment and Behavioural Intervention for Eating Difficulties in Children with Autism: A study Conducted in the Natural Environment Using Parents and ABA Tutors as Therapists}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2010 Dec 22.
Two functional assessments (interview and direct observation) were used with three children with autism to identify the functions maintaining mealtime behaviour including acceptance, mouth clean, refusal, and other disruptive behaviours such as crying and pushing the spoon. Based on results of the functional assessments it was hypothesized that appropriate and disruptive mealtime behaviour was maintained by different contingencies. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was utilized to validate the effectiveness of the intervention. Intervention for all participants included presentation of food on a spoon for 30 s unless acceptance occurred. Acceptance resulted in putative reinforcement. The meal ended after 20 presentations. For all participants, acceptance and mouth cleans increased while disruptive behaviour decreased, and effects were maintained at follow-up.
4. Ou WX, Cha CH, Wang LH. {{[Mental health state of parents of children with autism.]}}. {Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi}. 2010 Dec;12(12):947-9.
OBJECTIVE: To study the mental health state of parents of children with autism. METHODS: The mental health state was evaluated by conducting the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) on parents of 34 children with autism and of 35 healthy children. RESULTS: The SCL-90 total scores in the fathers (162.5+/-34.0) and mothers of autistic children (175.1+/-51.0) were significantly higher than those in healthy children’s parents (142.4+/-42.8 and 152.3+/-40.6, respectively) (P<0.05). The SCL-90 scores of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, anxiety and paranoia in the fathers of autistic children were significantly higher than those in the fathers of healthy children (P<0.05). The SCL-90 scores of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoia, psychotic symptoms, hostility and sleep/diet were significantly higher in the mothers of autistic children than those in the mothers of healthy children (P<0.05). The mothers of autistic children presented higher SCL-90 factor scores in interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety and psychotic symptoms than the fathers (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We should pay more attention to the mental health of parents of autistic children.
5. Pellicano E, Smith AD, Cristino F, Hood BM, Briscoe J, Gilchrist ID. {{Children with autism are neither systematic nor optimal foragers}}. {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A}. 2010 Dec 20.
It is well established that children with autism often show outstanding visual search skills. To date, however, no study has tested whether these skills, usually assessed on a table-top or computer, translate to more true-to-life settings. One prominent account of autism, Baron-Cohen’s « systemizing » theory, gives us good reason to suspect that they should. In this study, we tested whether autistic children’s exceptional skills at small-scale search extend to a large-scale environment and, in so doing, tested key claims of the systemizing account. Twenty school-age children with autism and 20 age- and ability-matched typical children took part in a large-scale search task in the « foraging room »: a purpose-built laboratory, with numerous possible search locations embedded into the floor. Children were instructed to search an array of 16 (green) locations to find the hidden (red) target as quickly as possible. The distribution of target locations was manipulated so that they appeared on one side of the midline for 80% of trials. Contrary to predictions of the systemizing account, autistic children’s search behavior was much less efficient than that of typical children: they showed reduced sensitivity to the statistical properties of the search array, and furthermore, their search patterns were strikingly less optimal and less systematic. The nature of large-scale search behavior in autism cannot therefore be explained by a facility for systemizing. Rather, children with autism showed difficulties exploring and exploiting the large-scale space, which might instead be attributed to constraints (rather than benefits) in their cognitive repertoire.
6. Quintin EM, Bhatara A, Poissant H, Fombonne E, Levitin DJ. {{Emotion Perception in Music in High-Functioning Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2010 Dec 22.
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) succeed at a range of musical tasks. The ability to recognize musical emotion as belonging to one of four categories (happy, sad, scared or peaceful) was assessed in high-functioning adolescents with ASD (N = 26) and adolescents with typical development (TD, N = 26) with comparable performance IQ, auditory working memory, and musical training and experience. When verbal IQ was controlled for, there was no significant effect of diagnostic group. Adolescents with ASD rated the intensity of the emotions similarly to adolescents with TD and reported greater confidence in their responses when they had correctly (vs. incorrectly) recognized the emotions. These findings are reviewed within the context of the amygdala theory of autism.
7. Self TL, Coufal K, Parham DF. {{Allied healthcare providers’ role in screening for autism spectrum disorders}}. {J Allied Health}. 2010 Fall;39(3 Pt 1):165-74.
There is evidence documenting that children are not being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) early enough. This study surveyed allied healthcare providers to determine whether these professionals had received training on the characteristics of ASD and ASD-specific screening strategies through their pre-professional education or continuing education (CE). Additionally, participants were asked about their responsibility for screening children for ASD in their workplace and what would help them be better prepared to perform this type of screening. As a group, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and occupational therapists (OTs) reported receiving more training on the characteristics of ASD and screening for ASD in both their pre-professional education and CE workshops than reported by the physical therapists (PTs) and physicians assistants (PAs). Overall, the SLPS, OTs, and PTs had attended more CE trainings to gain information on ASD than had PAs. All groups expressed an interest in receiving more information on ASD via on- or off-site trainings. These results provide initial support for allied healthcare providers to become more active in screening and referring children who present with symptoms of ASD. The study also highlights the need for educational institutions to provide future healthcare professionals with the skills to provide appropriate early identification services for children and families.
