1. Denmark T, Atkinson J, Campbell R, Swettenham J. {{Signing with the Face: Emotional Expression in Narrative Production in Deaf Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Journal of autism and developmental disorders}. 2018.
This study examined facial expressions produced during a British Sign Language (BSL) narrative task (Herman et al., International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 49(3):343-353, 2014) by typically developing deaf children and deaf children with autism spectrum disorder. The children produced BSL versions of a video story in which two children are seen to enact a language-free scenario where one tricks the other. This task encourages elicitation of facial acts signalling intention and emotion, since the protagonists showed a range of such expressions during the events portrayed. Results showed that typically developing deaf children produced facial expressions which closely aligned with native adult signers’ BSL narrative versions of the task. Children with ASD produced fewer targeted expressions and showed qualitative differences in the facial actions that they produced.
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2. Hillman JL, Anderson CM. {{It’s a Battle and a Blessing: The Experience and Needs of Custodial Grandparents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Journal of autism and developmental disorders}. 2018.
We know little about custodial grandparents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who offer a vital social safety net. 117 custodial grandparents of children with ASD from 37 states completed an online survey with open-ended questions about their « greatest challenges and joys » as grandparent. Grounded theory analysis revealed four categories of experience (Issues with Adult Children, Caregiving Burden, Coping, & Wisdom) explained by 15 themes. Grandparents’ stressors encompassed custody issues, ASD problem behaviors like tantrums and eloping, insufficient ASD services, financial burden, 24/7 caregiving demands, social isolation, and fears for the future. Grandparents’ coping included celebrations of progress, unconditional love, faith, and a positive focus. Grandparents’ wisdom included patience and insight. Recommendations to support these caregivers are provided.
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3. Maier S, Tebartz van Elst L, Perlov E, Duppers AL, Nickel K, Fangmeier T, Endres D, Riedel A. {{Cortical properties of adults with autism spectrum disorder and an IQ>100}}. {Psychiatry research Neuroimaging}. 2018; 279: 8-13.
Previous studies on cortical volume and thickness measures in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show inconsistent results. We acquired structural magnetic resonance images of 30 individuals with ASD and individually matched controls and extracted surface-based and deformation-based morphometry measures. All participants had an IQ>100. Neither surface-based cortical thickness nor deformation based gyrification measures differed significantly across groups. Significant decreases but no increases of the gyrification index and sulcus depth could only be observed in the ASD group before correcting for multiple comparisons. This finding suggests that possible cortical anomalies in ASD are either weak or, given the heterogeneity of findings in earlier studies, might only apply to small ASD-subgroups.
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4. Septier M, Peyre H, Amsellem F, Beggiato A, Maruani A, Poumeyreau M, Amestoy A, Scheid I, Gaman A, Bolognani F, Honey G, Bouquet C, Ly-Le Moal M, Bouvard M, Leboyer M, Bourgeron T, Delorme R. {{Increased risk of ADHD in families with ASD}}. {European child & adolescent psychiatry}. 2018.
Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are frequent comorbid neurodevelopmental conditions and the overlap between both disorders remains to be delineated. A more complete understanding of the shared genetic and environmental factors is needed. Using a family-based method, we evaluated the risk of ADHD in a group of relatives with an ASD proband (ASD-) and a group of relatives with an ASD and ADHD proband (ASD+). We enrolled 1245 individuals in the study: 499 probands, their 746 first-degree relatives and 140 controls. We used a multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) model, in which the dependent variable was the ADHD diagnosis in the relatives and the independent variable the ASD+ or ASD- in probands. We adjusted for sociodemographic factors (age, sex, IQ) and for the nature of the familial relationship with the affected proband (parent or sibling). Among the probands, there were 287 ASD- and 212 ASD+ individuals. ADHD was more frequent in relatives (19%) than in the control group (7%) (p = 0.001). The risk of ADHD was higher in the ASD+ relatives group than in the ASD- relatives group (GEE model OR 1.58 [95% CI 1.04-2.38], p = 0.032). This result was found in parents (OR 1.96 [95% CI 1.14-3.36], but not in siblings (OR 1.28 [95% CI 0.84-1.94], p = 0.434). Our study provides a representative estimate of the family distribution of ADHD in relatives of ASD probands but supports the modest effect of shared genetic and environmental factors between both disorders.
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5. Tsilimingras D, Gibson Scipio W, Clancy K, Hudson L, Liu X, Mendez J, Benkert R. {{Interprofessional education during an autism session}}. {Journal of communication disorders}. 2018; 76: 71-8.
Interprofessional education (IPE) gained a strong foothold in the beginning of the twenty-first century as an effort to improve care to patients through enhanced teamwork. The aim of this study was to compare attitudes and experiences of the learners, which included graduate students, physicians in training, and practicing healthcare professionals, before and after an interprofessional clinical practice (IPCP) six-h autism didactic and experiential training session. The training session consisted of a 1-h lecture on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a 2-h behavior review meeting consisting of four different case study discussions among the learners, a 1-h lunch, a 1-h therapy session with children diagnosed with ASD, and a 1-h discussion among the learners. The IPCP learners (n = 63) completed a pre- and post-learning questionnaire of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and 12 Statements instruments and both showed an overall significant improvement in the learners interprofessional education after completing the training session. This study was able to show that students, professional trainees, and practicing professionals from different backgrounds led by an expert in the field can exchange ideas and role perceptions in an interprofessional didactic and experiential session, and develop improved attitudes toward IPCP. Moving forward, interprofessional education research needs to focus more on professional trainees and practicing professionals working together in combined didactic and experiential environments for children diagnosed with ASD.
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6. Watkins L, O’Reilly M, Kuhn M, Ledbetter-Cho K. {{An interest-based intervention package to increase peer social interaction in young children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Journal of applied behavior analysis}. 2018.
The literature suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) educated in inclusive settings generally do not interact with typically developing classmates during social activities. This study assessed whether an intervention package consisting of interest-based structured play activities involving adult instruction, modeling, and response to child questions would result in an increase in social interaction with typically developing peers. A multiple baseline design across four participants with an embedded reversal was used to demonstrate the effects of the intervention on social interaction during structured play sessions. Initiations, responses, and interactive play increased for all participants. Generalization to novel peers was observed, and treatment gains were maintained during 6-week follow-up sessions. Recommendations for practitioners working with children with ASD in inclusive settings and potential areas of future research are discussed.
