1. Chown N. Do Researchers Evaluate Psychosocial Interventions for Autism from the Perspective of the Three Dominant Cognitive Autism Theories ?. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 243-61.

Despite the increasing sophistication of research in autism, some authors refer to a research-to-practice gap in this field. There are large bodies of theoretical work in autism and of work on psychosocial interventions for autism. In this article, we investigate the extent to which researchers evaluate psychosocial interventions for autism from the perspective of the three dominant cognitive autism theories : theory of mind, executive (dys) functioning and central coherence. We believe that we have identified a theory-to-research-topractice gap, and propose consideration of theory as a standard part of research practice in connection with autism interventions to bridge this gap and enhance the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Townley-Cochran D, Leaf JB, Taubman M, Leaf R, McEachin J, Autism Partnership F. Observational Learning for Students Diagnosed with Autism : A Review Paper. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 262-72.

This review evaluated a total of 22 research papers on observational learning as it applies to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. The researchers divided the papers into three domains. The first domain was comparing the observational learning behavior of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders to typically developing and non-typically developing individuals. The second domain was how observational learning was taught to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. The third domain was the reported levels of observational learning as an ancillary measure. The results of this review have both implications for clinicians as well as future areas of research which should be investigated.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Elias R, Sullivan JB, Lee YW, White SW. Exploring the Potential Role of Inflammation as an Etiological Process in ASD. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 273-86.

The heterogeneity in the behavioral presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be surpassed only by the level of heterogeneity in its etiology. There are diverse pathways to the singular diagnostic outcome of ASD, and several etiological risk factors have been proposed in recent years. This review paper examines the role of inflammation as one possible etiologic factor in ASD, juxtaposed in the context of research on the role of inflammation in other psychiatric disorders. Human, animal, and postmortem studies of inflammation in ASD were surveyed, and their direct and indirect contributions to developing potential inflammation-based treatments, as well as potential preventative considerations, in ASD were reviewed. Although the mechanisms that link inflammation and ASD remain unknown, there exists a sizable multidisciplinary literature suggesting inflammation as a trans-etiological process.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Hoover DW. The Effects of Psychological Trauma on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders : a Research Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 287-99.

Traumatic events such as abuse, bullying, and exposure to violence are commonplace among typically developing children and occur at least as often among those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with ASD are vulnerable to traumatization due to their deficits in social communication and emotion regulation. Research on posttraumatic symptoms among children with ASD is reviewed. Bullying has received much attention while there is a paucity of research on other types of trauma. Anxiety, social isolation, and developmental regression are associated with trauma. Further research is needed to clarify the symptom presentation and frequency of PTSD. Sensitive self-report measures are needed as well as validation of existing measures for assessing trauma in this population.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Nowell KP, Brewton CM, Allain E, Mire SS. The Influence of Demographic Factors on the Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder : A Review and Call for Research. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 300-9.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses are made based on a pattern of behavioral symptoms, yet a growing body of research indicates that when, and indeed whether, an individual receives a diagnosis of ASD is influenced by myriad demographic factors including race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and parental education level. The current manuscript provides a focused review of a subset of existing literature chosen to demonstrate how demographic factors may be related to the identification of individuals with ASD within the United States. Several possible explanations for existing disparities are discussed, along with clinical implications for professionals working with children from diverse backgrounds who are suspected of having ASD. Additional research in this area is needed to facilitate development of effective means to eliminate the diagnostic disparities.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. van Etten HM, Carver LJ. Does Impaired Social Motivation Drive Imitation Deficits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ?. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 310-9.

There is clear evidence that children with autism spectrum disorder display deficits in imitation but little consensus on the reasons for these deficits. In this paper, we review evidence that suggests that the presence of imitation deficits may be explained in part by social communication deficits, specifically by impaired social motivation. First, we discuss the social role that imitation serves in typical development and how imitation may facilitate the forming of social connections. Then, we describe evidence that suggests that both the impairments in imitation that have been seen in some areas, and the relative sparing of imitation in other areas, can be explained by impairments in social motivation. Lastly, the importance of therapies to incorporate social communication skills when targeting imitation is emphasized. As more research needs to be done to empirically examine this hypothesis, suggestions of directions for future studies are discussed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Haegele JA, Brian A, Goodway J. Fundamental Motor Skills and School-Aged Individuals with Visual Impairments : a Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2015 ; 2(3) : 320-7.

The purpose of this paper was to review the published research literature on fundamental motor skills (FMS) for school-aged individuals with visual impairment by describing study characteristics and major findings of the extant literature. Keyword searchers were used to identify articles from electronic databases published between 1982 and 2014. Eleven articles met all inclusion criteria, and relevant data were extracted from them. Of the 11 studies, six were comparative, two were correlational, two were validation studies, one was descriptive, and none were interventions. Major findings suggest that, in comparison to peers without disabilities, those with visual impairments tend to perform significantly greater delays in FMS.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)