Exploring the agreement between questionnaire information and DSM-IV diagnoses of comorbid psychopathology in children with autism spectrum disorders
Autism spectrum disorders are often comorbid with other psychiatric symptoms and disorders. However, identifying psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorders is challenging. We explored how a questionnaire, the Child Behavior Check List, agreed with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fourth Edition (DSM-IV)-based semi-structured interview, the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (Kiddie-SADS). The sample comprised 55 children and adolescents (age 6 to 18 years) with autism spectrum disorders, including the main autism spectrum di...
Source: Autism - April 14, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Gjevik, E., Sandstad, B., Andreassen, O. A., Myhre, A. M., Sponheim, E. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
The influence of maternal language responsiveness on the expressive speech production of children with autism spectrum disorders: A microanalysis of mother-child play interactions
This study used a micro-analytic technique to examine how two facets of maternal utterances, relationship to child focus of attention and degree of demandingness, influenced the immediate use of appropriate expressive language of preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders (n = 28) and toddlers with typical development (n = 16) within a naturalistic mother–child play session. Mothers’ use of follow-in demanding language was most likely to elicit appropriate expressive speech in both children with autism spectrum disorders and children with typical development. For children with autism spectrum disord...
Source: Autism - April 14, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Walton, K. M., Ingersoll, B. R. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Group training in interpersonal problem-solving skills for workplace adaptation of adolescents and adults with Asperger syndrome: A preliminary study
This study describes preliminary data from a group format manual-based intervention, the Interpersonal Problem-Solving for Workplace Adaptation Programme, aimed at improving the cognitive and metacognitive process of social problem-solving skills focusing on typical social situations in the workplace based on mediation as the main strategy. A total of 50 adults with Asperger syndrome received the programme and were compared with a control group of typical development. The feasibility and effectiveness of the treatment were explored. Participants were assessed at pre-treatment and post-treatment on a task of social problem-...
Source: Autism - April 14, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Bonete, S., Calero, M. D., Fernandez-Parra, A. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Temperament and character as endophenotype in adults with autism spectrum disorders or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder overlap in several ways, raising questions about the nature of this comorbidity. Rommelse et al. published an innovative review of candidate endophenotypes for autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in cognitive and brain domains. They found that all the endophenotypic impairments that were reviewed in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were also present in autism spectrum disorder, suggesting a continuity model with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder as "a light form of autism spectrum disorder." Using existing...
Source: Autism - April 14, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Sizoo, B. B., van der Gaag, R. J., van den Brink, W. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Acute pain experience in individuals with autism spectrum disorders: A review
In addition to the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, a number of clinically important comorbid complaints, including sensory abnormalities, are also discussed. One difference often noted in these accounts is hyposensitivity to pain; however, evidence for this is limited. The purpose of the current review therefore was to examine sensitivity to pain of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. This review is interested in reports which consider differences in subjective experience of pain (i.e. different pain thresholds) and differences in behavioural response to pain (i.e. signs of pain-related distress). ...
Source: Autism - April 14, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Moore, D. J. Tags: Review Article Source Type: research
Lay abstracts
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Tags: Lay abstracts Source Type: research
Emotion recognition from congruent and incongruent emotional expressions and situational cues in children with autism spectrum disorder
In this research, the emotion recognition abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children were compared. When facial expressions and situational cues of emotion were congruent, accuracy in recognizing emotions was good for both children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children. When presented with facial expressions incongruent with situational cues, children with autism spectrum disorder relied more on facial cues than situational cues, whereas typically developing children relied more on situational cues. The exception was fear. When presented with incongruent ...
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Tell, D., Davidson, D. Tags: Short Report Source Type: research
Response to commentaries on 'Low endogenous neural noise in autism'
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Davis, G., Plaisted-Grant, K. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research
The costs of generality
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Mottron, L. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research
Low noise in autism: Cause or consequence?
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Gliga, T., Jones, E. J., Johnson, M. H. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research
Contradictory "heuristic" theories of autism spectrum disorders: The case for theoretical precision using computational models
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Austerweil, J. L. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research
Response to Davis and Plaisted-Grant: Psychophysical data do not support the low-noise account of autism
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Manning, C., Baker, D. H. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research
Response to Davis and Plaisted-Grant: Low or high endogenous neural noise in autism spectrum disorder?
(Source: Autism)
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Simmons, D., Milne, E. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research
Low endogenous neural noise in autism
‘Heuristic’ theories of autism postulate that a single mechanism or process underpins the diverse psychological features of autism spectrum disorder. Although no such theory can offer a comprehensive account, the parsimonious descriptions they provide are powerful catalysts to autism research. One recent proposal holds that ‘noisy’ neuronal signalling explains not only some deficits in autism spectrum disorder, but also some superior abilities, due to ‘stochastic resonance’. Here, we discuss three distinct actions of noise in neural networks, arguing in each case that autism spectrum dis...
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Davis, G., Plaisted-Grant, K. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Fixing the mirrors: A feasibility study of the effects of dance movement therapy on young adults with autism spectrum disorder
From the 1970s on, case studies reported the effectiveness of therapeutic mirroring in movement with children with autism spectrum disorder. In this feasibility study, we tested a dance movement therapy intervention based on mirroring in movement in a population of 31 young adults with autism spectrum disorder (mainly high-functioning and Asperger’s syndrome) with the aim to increase body awareness, social skills, self–other distinction, empathy, and well-being. We employed a manualized dance movement therapy intervention implemented in hourly sessions once a week for 7 weeks. The treatment group (n = 16) and t...
Source: Autism - March 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Koch, S. C., Mehl, L., Sobanski, E., Sieber, M., Fuchs, T. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
