Sensitivity to audio ‐visual synchrony and its relation to language abilities in children with and without ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by deficits in speech and language processing. Speech processing relies heavily on the integration of auditory and visual information, and it has been suggested that the ability to detect correspondence between auditory and visual signals helps to lay the foundation for successful language development. The goal of the present study was to examine whether young children with ASD show reduced sensitivity to temporal asynchronies in a speech processing task when compared to typically developing controls, and to examine how this sensitivity might relate to language proficienc...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Giulia Righi, Elena J. Tenenbaum, Carolyn McCormick, Megan Blossom, Dima Amso, Stephen J. Sheinkopf Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Relationships between autism spectrum disorder and intolerance of uncertainty
This study examined whether IU may be associated with ASD independent of anxiety. Relationships between anxiety, ASD, and IU were examined in 57 children with ASD without co‐occurring intellectual disability and 32 control participants, ages 7–16 years. Hierarchal linear regressions were run to examine whether ASD variables, including emotion dysregulation, were predictive of IU when controlling for anxiety. Severity of social communication deficits, repetitive behaviors, and emotion dysregulation were each related to IU when controlling for the effects of anxiety. When these variables were entered into the regression ...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Roma A. Vasa, Nicole L. Kreiser, Amy Keefer, Vini Singh, Stewart H. Mostofsky Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Cognitive enhancement therapy for adult autism spectrum disorder: Results of an 18 ‐month randomized clinical trial
This study examined the efficacy of cognitive enhancement therapy (CET) for improving core cognitive and employment outcomes in adult autism. Verbal adult outpatients with autism spectrum disorder (N = 54) were randomized to an 18‐month, single‐blind trial of CET, a cognitive remediation approach that integrates computer‐based neurocognitive training with group‐based training in social cognition, or an active enriched supportive therapy (EST) comparison focused on psychoeducation and condition management. Primary outcomes were composite indexes of neurocognitive and social‐cognitive change. Competitive employ...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Shaun M. Eack, Susan S. Hogarty, Deborah P. Greenwald, Maralee Y. Litschge, Shannondora A. Porton, Carla A. Mazefsky, Nancy J. Minshew Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Utility of an abbreviated version of the stanford ‐binet intelligence scales (5th ed.) in estimating ‘full scale’ IQ for young children with autism spectrum disorder
The fifth edition of the Stanford‐Binet Intelligence scales allows ‘full scale’ IQ (FSIQ) to be estimated using an abridged version of the test—the abbreviated battery IQ (ABIQ). Set within a public early intervention team service, the current cross‐sectional study investigated the utility of the ABIQ in estimating FSIQ for 40 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 3–5 years. A strong ABIQ‐FSIQ association was yielded (r = 0.89; r2 = 0.808) and the ABIQ did not over‐estimate mean FSIQ above a clinically‐relevant threshold; however, clinically significant over‐estimation occurred in 17...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Conal Twomey, Helen O'Connell, Mary Lillis, Sarah Louise Tarpey, Gary O'Reilly Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Visual Motion Prediction and Verbal False Memory Performance in Autistic Children
Recent theoretical accounts propose that atypical predictive processing can explain the diverse cognitive and behavioral features associated with autism, and that difficulties in making predictions may be related to reduced contextual processing. In this pre‐registered study, 30 autistic children aged 6–14 years and 30 typically developing children matched in age and non‐verbal IQ completed visual extrapolation and false memory tasks to assess predictive abilities and contextual processing, respectively. In the visual extrapolation tasks, children were asked to predict when an occluded car would reach the end of a ro...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Furtuna G. Tewolde, Dorothy V. M. Bishop, Catherine Manning Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Comparing growth in linguistic comprehension and reading comprehension in school ‐aged children with autism versus typically developing children
This study compared the developmental trajectories of linguistic and reading comprehension in samples of children with ASD and age‐matched TD peers. Both groups were administered measures of linguistic and reading comprehension multiple times over a 30‐month period. Latent growth curve modeling demonstrated children with ASD performed at significantly lower levels on both measures at the first timepoint and these deficits persisted across time. Children with ASD exhibited growth in both skills comparable to their TD peers, but this was not sufficient to enable them to eventually achieve at a level similar to the TD gro...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Ryan P. Grimm, Emily J. Solari, Nancy S. McIntyre, Matthew Zajic, Peter C. Mundy Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Mid ‐life social outcomes for a population‐based sample of adults with ASD
Adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) fall short of social outcomes of non‐ASD peers in mid‐life, as documented by currently published research. The aim of the current study was to extend what is known about social functioning, employment, independent living, and use of social services by examining details of the current life status for a population‐based sample of adults with ASD (mean age = 35.5 years, range = 22.2–51.4). We collected outcome data via direct assessment and informant report for 169 individuals. Three‐fourths of the sample had cognitive abilities in the intellectually disabled range...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Megan Farley, Kristina J. Cottle, Deborah Bilder, Joseph Viskochil, Hilary Coon, William McMahon Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Longitudinal development of thalamic and internal capsule microstructure in autism spectrum disorder
The thalamus is a key sensorimotor relay area that is implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it is unknown how the thalamus and white‐matter structures that contain thalamo‐cortical fiber connections (e.g., the internal capsule) develop from childhood into adulthood and whether this microstructure relates to basic motor challenges in ASD. We used diffusion weighted imaging in a cohort‐sequential design to assess longitudinal development of the thalamus, and posterior‐ and anterior‐limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC and ALIC, respectively) in 89 males with ASD and 56 males with typical development...
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Kristine McLaughlin, Brittany G. Travers, Olga I. Dadalko, Douglas C. Dean, Do Tromp, Nagesh Adluru, Daniel Destiche, Abigail Freeman, Molly D. Prigge, Alyson Froehlich, Tyler C. Duffield, Brandon A. Zielinski, Erin D. Bigler, Nicholas Lange, Jeff S. Ande Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Dissociation between executed and imagined bimanual movements in autism spectrum conditions
In this study we found that while two handed coordination in ASC can be developed as well as in typically developed persons, the development of motor imagery could still be immature in ASC, leading to difficulties in imagining, understanding as well as programming and coordinating complex movements. (Source: Autism Research)
Source: Autism Research - December 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Alessandro Piedimonte, Massimiliano Conson, Alessandro Frolli, Stefania Bari, Francesco Della Gatta, Marco Rabuffetti, Roberto Keller, Anna Berti, Francesca Garbarini Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
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Autism Research,Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 223-233, February 2018. (Source: Autism Research)
Source: Autism Research - November 29, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Validation of eye ‐tracking measures of social attention as a potential biomarker for autism clinical trials
In this study, an EGT task was evaluated in children with ASD, who watched a video with an actor talking directly to them. Patterns of eye‐gaze were associated with caregiver‐reported measures of social communication that are used in clinical trials. We show EGT may be a promising objective tool measuring outcomes. (Source: Autism Research)
Source: Autism Research - November 29, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Michael Murias, Samantha Major, Katherine Davlantis, Lauren Franz, Adrianne Harris, Benjamin Rardin, Maura Sabatos ‐DeVito, Geraldine Dawson Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
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Autism Research,Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 331-341, February 2018. (Source: Autism Research)
Source: Autism Research - November 21, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Sexual Orientation in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Clinical impressions suggest a different sexual profile between individuals with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Little is presently known about the demographics of sexual orientation in ASD. Sexual Orientation was surveyed using the Sell Scale of Sexual Orientation in an international online sample of individuals with ASD (N = 309, M = 90, F= 219), aged (M = 32.30 years, SD = 11.93) and this was compared to sexual orientation of typically‐developing individuals (N = 310, M = 84, F= 226), aged (M = 29.82 years, SD = 11.85). Findings suggested that sexual orientation was conting...
Source: Autism Research - November 21, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: R. George, M.A. Stokes Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
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Autism Research,Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 385-390, February 2018. (Source: Autism Research)
Source: Autism Research - November 20, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
The prevalence of gluten free diet use among preschool children with autism spectrum disorder
Our objective was to estimate prevalence of current or ever use of a gluten free diet (GFD) in children aged 30–68 months with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and population controls (POP); and to identify characteristics associated with ever having used GFD among children with ASD. We used data from the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED), a multi‐site, case‐control study of children with ASD. Caregivers reported GFD use by their children through structured questionnaires about diet patterns, gastrointestinal (GI) issues, and ASD‐specific treatments. Prevalence was estimated and compared using log‐Poisson r...
Source: Autism Research - November 20, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Eric Rubenstein, Laura Schieve, Chyrise Bradley, Carolyn DiGuiseppi, Eric Moody, Kathleen Thomas, Julie Daniels Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
