The Effect of Music on Exercise Intensity among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for obesity, commonly have sleep disorders, and exhibit stereotypic behaviors that disrupt their learning. Vigorous levels of exercise have been shown to ameliorate these issues in children with ASD, but little research exists to provide techniques for motivating children with ASD to engage in exercise. The present study examined the effect of music on exercise intensity in a group of 13 elementary school students with ASD. Data were collected across six days during structured (e.g., verbal and physical prompts) and unstructured (e.g., minimal prompting) exercise periods. During these exercise periods, three music conditions were randomized: no music, slow-tempo music, and fast-tempo music. Exercise intensity, measured in Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks by triaxial accelerometers, was greatest during the structured exercise periods and during the slow music condition. Student characteristics moderated the impact of music condition on exercise intensity, such that students with high levels of adaptive behavior or lower levels of maladaptive behavior displayed greater exercise intensity during the fast music condition.

Trajectories of Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors in Preterm Children Admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the trajectories of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems of preterm children between 16 months and 6 years of age and predictors of trajectories, including gestational age, child dysregulation, maternal depression, socioeconomic status, and parenting. STUDY DESIGN: This longitudinal study followed 148 children and their mothers from neonatal intensive care unit discharge until 6 years of age. Gestational ages ranged from 23 to 36 weeks. The study included assessment of maternal-reported behavior problems, maternal depression, neonatal and socioeconomic characteristics, and observations of dysregulated behavior and parenting. Trajectories were identified with a semiparametric group-based analytic method, and multinomial logistic regression was used to identify significant risk factors. RESULTS: Three distinct trajectories for preterm children were found for both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. For the 2 groups with greater behavior problems (groups 1 and 2), trajectories reached their peak between 24 and 36 months of age, then leveled off or decreased. Group 3 showed a stable low level of externalizing behaviors, and a low, but slightly increasing level of internalizing behaviors. Maternal depression, child dysregulation, gestational age, and socioeconomic challenges were identified as risk factors that predicted less optimal behavior problem trajectories. CONCLUSIONS: Children born prematurely followed 1 of 3 distinct developmental trajectories for both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The most severe behavior problems started early in development and were associated with increased child dysregulation, maternal depression, and lower socioeconomic status. These findings have implications for screening and monitoring preterm children.

Trajectories of Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Children with Developmental Disabilities.

Children with disabilities tend to have higher levels of behavior problems than other children. Such problems have implications for psychopathology in the young adult years, with possible effects on life course opportunities such as employment and independent living. This investigation examines the developmental course of both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems by employing person-centered analyses to construct patterns of change in behavior problems in 169 children (54 % male) with early diagnosed disabilities, from age 3 to age 18. Early childhood predictors of these patterns indicated that more adverse patterns of both types of behavior problems were predicted by higher maternal depressive symptoms. Greater impacts on the family of having a child with a disability predicted more adverse patterns of internalizing behavior problems. More adaptive patterns of externalizing behavior problems were predicted by positive maternal sensitivity to a child's distress. These findings suggest the need for early intervention focused on the family system.

Contextual Factors Predict Patterns of Change in Functioning over 10 Years Among Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

In the present study, we jointly employ and integrate variable- and person-centered approaches to identify groups of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have similar profiles of change over a period of 10 years across three critical domains of functioning: maladaptive behaviors, autism symptoms, and daily living skills. Two distinct developmental profiles were identified. Above and beyond demographic and individual characteristics, aspects of both the educational context (level of inclusion) and the family context (maternal positivity) were found to predict the likelihood of following a positive pattern of change. Implementing evidence-based interventions that target the school and home environments during childhood and adolescence may have lasting impacts on functioning into adulthood for individuals with ASD.

Trajectories of internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience higher rates of psychopathology than their typically developing peers or peers with other intellectual or developmental disabilities. Little is known about the developmental course of psychiatric symptoms such as internalizing and externalizing behaviors in this population. Individual characteristics and aspects of the family environment may explain variability in outcomes for adults with ASD. The present study extends our current understanding of psychopathology among individuals with ASD by examining group-based trajectories of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adulthood. Overall, the results showed that symptoms became less severe over time. Distinct patterns of change in psychopathology were observed and associated with differential profiles of psychotropic medication use, comorbid mental health diagnoses, and residential placement. The likelihood of following each developmental trajectory was estimated based on characteristics of the adults with ASD (gender, adaptive behavior, and autistic symptoms) and maternal expressed emotion (criticism and warmth). Maternal criticism and warmth were identified as key risk and protective factors, respectively, with important implications for future research and intervention for individuals with ASD.

Parenting stress and child behavior problems within families of children with developmental disabilities: Transactional relations across 15 years.

Parents of children with developmental disabilities (DD) are at increased risk of experiencing psychological stress compared to other parents. Children's high levels of internalizing and externalizing problems have been found to contribute to this elevated level of stress. Few studies have considered the reverse direction of effects, however, in families where a child has a DD. The present study investigated transactional relations between child behavior problems and maternal stress within 176 families raising a child with early diagnosed DD. There was evidence of both child-driven and parent-driven effects over the 15-year study period, spanning from early childhood (age 3) to adolescence (age 18), consistent with transactional models of development. Parent-child transactions were found to vary across different life phases and with different domains of behavior problems.

Change in autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors in adolescence and adulthood: the role of positive family processes.

Little is known about outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) into adulthood. Several characteristics of individuals with ASD predict long-term outcomes, and the family environment may also play a role. The present study uses a prospective, longitudinal design to describe and predict trajectories of autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors over 8.5 years in a large, community-based sample of adolescents and adults with ASD. Overall, autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors were observed to improve over the study period. Above and beyond the adult's gender, age, and level of intellectual disability, greater improvements were associated with higher levels of maternal praise (based on maternal speech samples) and higher quality mother-child relationships. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.

Residential transitions among adults with intellectual disability across 20 years.

The present study addresses critical gaps in the literature by examining residential transitions among 303 adults with intellectual disability (ID) over 10 years (Part 1) and 75 adults with Down syndrome over 20 years (Part 2). All adults lived at home at the start of the study, but many moved to a variety of settings. Several characteristics of the adults with ID differed across settings, most notably adaptive behavior and the number of residential transitions, whereas characteristics such as age, type of disability, and behavior problems were less predictive of residential placements. The number of moves over the course of the study varied widely, with critical links to earlier family dynamics, social relationships, and health and adaptive behavior.

End-of-life care policies and practices in pediatric skilled nursing facilities.

Although most children with intellectual and developmental disabilities reside in the community, a subset of children with severe intellectual disability and complex medical needs reside in pediatric skilled nursing facilities. These children have elevated mortality with end-of-life care (EOLC) routinely provided. The present study explored policies and practice in such settings by surveying administrators, nursing directors, and medical directors in facilities across the United States. In addition to EOLC policies and practices, staff reported on their understanding of definitions of do-not-resuscitate orders, family involvement in EOLC planning, and the availability of in-service training. The presence of an official EOLC policy was associated with higher ratings of perception of effectiveness among staff. Staff felt more prepared and comfortable providing EOLC when in-service training was provided.

Unique and universal barriers: hospice care for aging adults with intellectual disability.

As life expectancy of people with intellectual disability (ID) has increased, there has been a concurrent increase in age-related illnesses and conditions similar to that of the general population. These circumstances result in people with ID dying from typical life-ending conditions, and thus, they require similar end-of-life services such as palliative and hospice care. Although there are notable barriers to hospice for all, people with ID face additional challenges in accessing the benefits of these services. This article presents a review of the literature on these issues, underscoring the multiple challenges and the importance of a more collaborative approach between hospice and palliative care workers with people with ID, their families, and other important stakeholders.