Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders – 2-2 – Juin 2015
1. Chen JL, Leader G, Sung C, Leahy M. Trends in Employment for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder : a Review of the Research Literature. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 115-27.
Employment is fundamental to the well-being of individuals including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purposes of this review are to provide an overview of employment-related research in individuals with ASD and increase our understanding of the factors that affect the employment situation of this population. Topics explored are employment outcomes revealed from adult outcome studies and national datasets as well as internal and external challenges that people with ASD may face in finding and maintaining employment. Social difficulties, comorbidity, education level, family support, employers’ attitudes, access to services, and disability incentives have been implicated as factors that play an important role in predicting employment. Existing research evidence for specific employment training programs and strategies to successful employment are also introduced in regards to supported employment, transition services, assistive technology, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Finally, implications from both clinical practice and research perspective are provided.
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2. Sansosti FJ, Doolan ML, Remaklus B, Krupko A, Sansosti JM. Computer-Assisted Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders within School-Based Contexts : A Quantitative Meta-Analysis of Single-Subject Research. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 128-40.
Ameta-analysis of single-subject research was conducted examining the effectiveness of computer-assisted interventions (CAI) for teaching a wide range of skills to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) within the school-based context. Intervention effects were measured by computing improvement rate difference (IRD), which is a simple approach to visual analysis that correlates well with both parametric and non-parametric effect size measures. Overall, results suggest that CAI may be a promising approach for teaching skills to students with ASD. However, several concerns make this conclusion tenuous. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
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3. Lydon S, Healy O, O’Callaghan O, Mulhern T, Holloway J. A Systematic Review of the Treatment of Fears and Phobias Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 141-54.
Research indicates that fears and phobias are significantly more prevalent and emerge in response to a greater variety of stimuli, among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than among their developmentally disabled or typically developing peers. Such findings are problematic given the difficulty of assessing and identifying fears or phobias among the ASD population and the challenge of identifying effective treatments for those with core diagnostic deficits in comprehension, communication, and attentional skills. The current review aimed to evaluate the literature describing interventions to treat fears, specific phobia, or social phobia among children with ASD and to identify evidence-based practice in this area. The review indicated that a variety of interventions, described as both traditional and novel, were successful in treating fearful or phobic behavioral responses to stimuli. The findings also suggest that behavioral intervention, including reinforcement, modeling, and exposure, may be considered evidence-based practice in the treatment of fears and phobias among children with ASD. However, the current research base is limited by the predominant focus on the behavioral element of the fear response, and the lack of research examining the cognitive or physiological responses during assessment or treatment.
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4. Heath AK, Ganz JB, Parker R, Burke M, Ninci J. A Meta-analytic Review of Functional Communication Training Across Mode of Communication, Age, and Disability. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 155-66.
Deficits in communication in people with disabilities are a major cause of challenging behaviors. Functional communication training (FCT) is one treatment developed to address both challenging behavior and instruction in replacement communicative behaviors by determining the function, or reason, the behavior occurs and developing a communication intervention to address that function. This meta-analysis included 36 single-case studies that evaluated the impact of functional communication training on challenging behaviors in people with disabilities. Effects were measured using the Robust IRD effect size. Findings indicate that functional communication training has strong effects overall. Regarding communication mode, results were greater for speech (verbal) than aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and greater for aided AAC than unaided AAC. Further, primary-aged participants had stronger effects than elementary-aged children and elementary had better effects than adults. Secondary students also had better effects than adults, though effects for secondary-aged participants were not significantly different than those for primary or elementary ages. Finally, FCT was more effective with participants with autism than intellectual disabilities.
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5. Keenan M, Dillenburger K, Rottgers HR, Dounavi K, Jonsdottir SL, Moderato P, Schenk J, Virues-Ortega J, Roll-Pettersson L, Martin N. Autism and ABA : The Gulf Between North America and Europe. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 167-83.
Prevalence estimations for Autism Spectrum Disorder have been increasing over the past few years with rates now reported to be at 1 : 68. Interventions that are based on Applied Behaviour Analysis are significantly related to best outcomes and are widely considered `treatment as usual’ in North America. In Europe, this is not the case, instead a rather ill-defined `eclectic’ approach is widely promoted and in this paper we discuss some of the roots of this gulf between Europe and North America and correct some of the misconceptions that prevail about Applied Behaviour Analysis in Europe.
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6. Ninci J, Neely LC, Hong ER, Boles MB, Gilliland WD, Ganz JB, Davis JL, Vannest KJ. Meta-analysis of Single-Case Research on Teaching Functional Living Skills to Individuals with ASD. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 184-98.
A meta-analysis of 52 studies teaching functional living skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder was conducted. Using the Tau effect size with the Dunn and the KruskalWallis post-hoc analyses, the following categories were analyzed : age, diagnosis, intervention type, dependent variable, setting, and implementer. Analyses for age yielded statistically significant findings supporting greatest outcomes for elementaryaged individuals compared to secondary-aged individuals as well as adolescents and adults in comparison with preschool-and secondary-aged individuals. Moderate to strong effect sizes were noted across categories for diagnosis, intervention, and dependent variable. Outcomes indicated strong effects across categories for setting and implementer. Convergent validity of Tau effect sizes with visually analyzed ratings of evidence was evaluated, which largely resulted in correspondence.
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7. Glod M, Riby DM, Honey E, Rodgers J. Psychological Correlates of Sensory Processing Patterns in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder : A Systematic Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 199-221.
Existing evidence suggests that there is a relationship between sensory processing difficulties and the clinical and non-clinical features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current review aimed to evaluate evidence of the psychological correlates of sensory processing patterns in individuals with ASD. Primary studies investigating sensory processing patterns in children and adolescents with ASD were identified through systematic searches of electronic databases and evaluated for methodological rigor and reporting quality. In 21 studies, associations between sensory processing patterns and psychological correlates were found. Sensory hyporesponsiveness was correlated with core features of ASD. Social awareness difficulties and affective disorders were associated with hyperresponsiveness. Mixed results were found for repetitive behaviours. Further research is needed to confirm, clarify and extend these findings.
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8. Sivaratnam CS, Newman LK, Tonge BJ, Rinehart NJ. Attachment and Emotion Processing in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders : Neurobiological, Neuroendocrine, and Neurocognitive Considerations. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(2) : 222-42.
The understanding, expression, and regulation of emotion have been identified as core to everyday communication and psychosocial adjustment in children. The aim of this paper is to review and to compare current clinical and empirical knowledge on emotion recognition, reciprocity, and expression deficits in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The paper reviews current neurobiological, neuroendocrine, and neurocognitive explanations for the emotion-processing deficits seen in ASD, while considering the potential influence of attachment on the presentation of emotion-processing deficits seen in this disorder, which is characterised by organic emotion-processing deficits. This review adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, proposing that in order to further compound the established organic explanations for emotion-processing deficits in ASD, more investigations are warranted to delineate the specific impact that attachment orientations have on the inability to appropriately recognise and regulate emotion in this disorder. Further research is required to improve our understanding of the neural processes which underlie emotion-processing abilities in the context of parent-child developmental factors.
