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1.
Ital J Pediatr ; 50(1): 60, 2024 Apr 04.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38575971

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: The goal of our contribution is to discuss a preschool intervention based on the Early Start Denver Model and the use of the main tools for the detection of adaptive behaviour in cases of autism: Vineland, ABAS. CASE PRESENTATION: the work is the presentation of a clinical case that has benefited from an intervention with the Early Start Denver Model methodology for the benefit of a child with socio-cultural and economic disadvantages. This early intervention, in a child of 36 months, which followed the diagnosis, was possible thanks to the intervention of many third-sector organizations which allowed this child, with a serious autism profile, to receive an evidence-based intervention for free. At the beginning of the intervention, the child presented a diagnosis of severe autism with absence of gaze, vocalizations and other communicative impairments. The level of motor clumsiness was also quite high, as were stereotypies. CONCLUSIONS: Research has shown the usefulness of intervening in this area with an early assessment and/or diagnosis and immediate intervention; however, public health services are not always able to maintain this pace. Our contribution therefore shows on the one hand the evidence of the improvements achieved by the child despite the low intensity of the treatment, and on the other hand, demonstrates the total versatility and adaptability of the Denver Model to the Italian context. In our conclusions, there are also some reflections on the tools used to measure adaptive behavior which seem to have a number of limitations and criticalities.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Medicina Social , Criança , Humanos , Pré-Escolar , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/terapia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Transtorno Autístico/diagnóstico , Transtorno Autístico/terapia , Adaptação Psicológica , Itália
2.
Sao Paulo Med J ; 142(5): e2023184, 2024.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38655981

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: During development, children face a number of demands and cognitive, behavioral, and social challenges necessary for growth. Cognitive skills make individuals competent and allow them to interact with their environment. OBJECTIVE: To identify the cognitive skills that promote better social insertion in children with autism spectrum disorder within 12 months. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: In this study, 21 children aged 3-12 years were assessed, and their mothers were interviewed. Children were enrolled in regular or special autistic schools. Twelve months after the first assessment, the same children participated in the second assessment. In individual interviews, mothers provided data by answering the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Each child was assessed individually using the fourth edition of the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale 4th Edition. RESULTS: In the first assessment, the Stanford Binet areas and total scores correlated with the communication domains, daily life abilities, socialization, and total score of the Vineland Scale. After 12 months, a correlation was observed between the Stanford Binet areas and the total and communication domains, daily life abilities, socialization, motor abilities, and total score on the Vineland Scale. CONCLUSION: Logic mathematics and memory promote better social insertion in children with autism spectrum disorder. General cognitive ability promotes communication.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Cognição , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Estudos Prospectivos , Feminino , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Masculino , Cognição/fisiologia , Ajustamento Social , Adaptação Psicológica
3.
Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi ; 26(4): 414-419, 2024 Apr 15.
Artigo em Chinês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38660907

RESUMO

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders in children, and there are currently no specific treatments, with the main interventions focusing on educational training and behavioral correction. Virtual reality, as an emerging technology, is a computer-based environmental simulation system that achieves interactive dynamics and immersive experiences by integrating information from multiple sources. In recent years, it has been gradually applied in intervention training for children with ASD. This paper reviews the recent studies on the effects of virtual reality intervention on emotional cognition, social skills, daily living skills, motor skills, and specific phobias in children with ASD, offering a new direction for ASD intervention training.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Realidade Virtual , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/terapia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Criança , Habilidades Sociais
4.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 7843, 2024 04 03.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38570565

RESUMO

Previous work has shown divergent pupil dilation (PD) and gaze behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which may relate to the development of social difficulties in early life. Here, we investigated temporal dynamics of both phenotypes during naturalistic videos of a person displaying facial emotion expressions in 61 autistic and 61 non-autistic preschoolers. PD was segmented into three serial time components derived from a principal component analysis. Growth curve analysis was applied to analyze changes in looking time on eye and mouth regions over time. Groups did not differ in PD time components. Growth curve analysis revealed initially shorter looking times on the eyes and longer looking times on the mouth in autistic versus non-autistic preschoolers. However, a reversion of this pattern was observed over time, suggesting a delayed compensatory increase in eye attention during prolonged viewing periods in autistic children. Positive and negative associations of PD components and gaze behavior over time indicated a dynamic temporal relationship during emotion viewing. Our findings emphasize the need to apply time-sensitive measures in ecologically valid research, which may index etiological mechanisms of social difficulties in ASD.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Criança , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Pupila , Emoções , Atenção , Fixação Ocular
5.
PLoS One ; 19(3): e0299824, 2024.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38507392

RESUMO

Recent findings suggest that stigma and camouflaging contribute to mental health difficulties for autistic individuals, however, this evidence is largely based on UK samples. While studies have shown cross-cultural differences in levels of autism-related stigma, it is unclear whether camouflaging and mental health difficulties vary across cultures. Hence, the current study had two aims: (1) to determine whether significant relationships between autism acceptance, camouflaging, and mental health difficulties replicate in a cross-cultural sample of autistic adults, and (2) to compare these variables across cultures. To fulfil these aims, 306 autistic adults from eight countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States) completed a series of online questionnaires. We found that external acceptance and personal acceptance were associated with lower levels of depression but not camouflaging or stress. Higher camouflaging was associated with elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Significant differences were found across countries in external acceptance, personal acceptance, depression, anxiety, and stress, even after controlling for relevant covariates. Levels of camouflaging also differed across countries however this effect became non-significant after controlling for the covariates. These findings have significant implications, identifying priority regions for anti-stigma interventions, and highlighting countries where greater support for mental health difficulties is needed.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Adulto , Humanos , Transtorno Autístico/psicologia , Saúde Mental , 60454 , Comparação Transcultural , Inquéritos e Questionários , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia
6.
Sci Data ; 11(1): 299, 2024 Mar 15.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38491000

RESUMO

Engagement plays a key role in improving the cognitive and motor development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sensing and recognizing their engagement is crucial before sustaining and improving the engagement. Engaging technologies involving interactive and multi-sensory stimuli have improved engagement and alleviated hyperactive and stereotyped behaviors. However, due to the scarcity of data on engagement recognition for children with ASD, limited access to and small pools of participants, and the prohibitive application requirements such as robots, high cost, and expertise, implementation in real world is challenging. However, serious games have the potential to overcome those drawbacks and are suitable for practical use in the field. This study proposes Engagnition, a dataset for engagement recognition of children with ASD (N = 57) using a serious game, "Defeat the Monster," based on enhancing recognition and classification skills. The dataset consists of physiological and behavioral responses, annotated by experts. For technical validation, we report the distributions of engagement and intervention, and the signal-to-noise ratio of physiological signals.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Criança , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia
7.
J Neurodev Disord ; 16(1): 12, 2024 Mar 20.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38509470

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Specifying early developmental differences among neurodevelopmental disorders with distinct etiologies is critical to improving early identification and tailored intervention during the first years of life. Recent studies have uncovered important differences between infants with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and infants with familial history of autism spectrum disorder who go on to develop autism themselves (FH-ASD), including differences in brain development and behavior. Thus far, there have been no studies longitudinally investigating differential developmental skill profiles in FXS and FH-ASD infants. METHODS: The current study contrasted longitudinal trajectories of verbal (expressive and receptive language) and nonverbal (gross and fine motor, visual reception) skills in FXS and FH-ASD infants, compared to FH infants who did not develop ASD (FH-nonASD) and typically developing controls. RESULTS: Infants with FXS showed delays on a nonverbal composite compared to FH-ASD (as well as FH-nonASD and control) infants as early as 6 months of age. By 12 months an ordinal pattern of scores was established between groups on all domains tested, such that controls > FH-nonASD > FH-ASD > FXS. This pattern persisted through 24 months. Cognitive level differentially influenced developmental trajectories for FXS and FH-ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate detectable group differences by 6 months between FXS and FH-ASD as well as differential trajectories on each domain throughout infancy. This work further highlights an earlier onset of global cognitive delays in FXS and, conversely, a protracted period of more slowly emerging delays in FH-ASD. Divergent neural and cognitive development in infancy between FXS and FH-ASD contributes to our understanding of important distinctions in the development and behavioral phenotype of these two groups.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Síndrome do Cromossomo X Frágil , Lactente , Humanos , Síndrome do Cromossomo X Frágil/complicações , Síndrome do Cromossomo X Frágil/psicologia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/complicações , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Idioma , Cognição
8.
Neuropsychologia ; 197: 108850, 2024 May 03.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38467371

RESUMO

Neurodevelopmental disorders are traditionally characterised by a range of associated cognitive impairments in, for example, sensory processing, facial recognition, visual imagery, attention, and coordination. In this critical review, we propose a major reframing, highlighting the variety of unique cognitive strengths that people with neurodevelopmental differences can exhibit. These include enhanced visual perception, strong spatial, auditory, and semantic memory, superior empathy and theory of mind, along with higher levels of divergent thinking. Whilst we acknowledge the heterogeneity of cognitive profiles in neurodevelopmental conditions, we present a more encouraging and affirmative perspective of these groups, contrasting with the predominant, deficit-based position prevalent throughout both cognitive and neuropsychological research. In addition, we provide a theoretical basis and rationale for these cognitive strengths, arguing for the critical role of hereditability, behavioural adaptation, neuronal-recycling, and we draw on psychopharmacological and social explanations. We present a table of potential strengths across conditions and invite researchers to systematically investigate these in their future work. This should help reduce the stigma around neurodiversity, instead promoting greater social inclusion and significant societal benefits.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Dislexia , Transtornos do Neurodesenvolvimento , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Percepção Visual , Cognição
9.
Autism Res ; 17(4): 747-760, 2024 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38429933

RESUMO

Autism in adulthood is characterized by heterogeneity, complicating the provision of tailored support. In previous work, we aimed to capture this heterogeneity by determining subgroups of autistic adults that differed in clinical outcomes: cognitive failures, psychological difficulties, and quality of life (QoL). Two subgroups were identified: a "Feelings of Low Grip" subgroup characterized by experiencing a lower sense of mastery and a higher susceptibility to difficulties in daily life, and a "Feelings of High Grip" subgroup characterized by a higher sense of mastery and lower susceptibility to difficulties in daily life. The current pre-registered study involves a longitudinal extension to determine (a) stability and (b) predictive value of the previously identified two subgroups. Subgroups were identified using community detection based on 14 self-report measures related to demographic, psychological, and lifestyle characteristics in two samples (aged 31-86 years) that were analyzed separately: Sample 1 (NAutism = 80) measured 5 years after baseline and Sample 2 (NAutism = 241, NComparison = 211) measured 2 years after baseline. The stability over time was assessed based on (a) the number of subgroups, (b) subgroup profiles, and (c) subgroup membership. Predictive validity was assessed for cognitive failures, psychological difficulties, and QoL. Results indicated that autistic and non-autistic adults formed distinct subgroups. Within both autism samples, the two previously identified autism subgroups were replicated at follow-up. Subgroup profiles were similar for >50% of the variables at two-year follow-up, and 21% at five-year follow-up. Moreover, ≥76% remained in the same subgroup at two-year follow-up, and ≥ 57% after 5 years. Subgroup membership was predictive of external clinical outcomes up to 5 years. Thus, this study demonstrated the stability and predictive value of the autism subgroups, especially for the two-year follow-up. A further focus on their clinical utility might increase the aptness of support, and may provide more insight into the aging process when being autistic.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Adulto , Humanos , Transtorno Autístico/psicologia , Qualidade de Vida/psicologia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Relevância Clínica , Autorrelato
10.
Res Dev Disabil ; 147: 104688, 2024 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38431998

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Prognostic factors from naturalistic treatment studies of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remain largely unknown. We aimed to identify baseline and treatment-related prognostic predictors at 1-year follow-up after Integrative Care Practices (ICPs). METHODS: Eighty-nine preschool children with severe ASD were given ICP combining nine therapeutic workshops based on children's needs. Participants were assessed at baseline and during 12 months follow-up with the Psycho-educational Profile-3-R, Children Autism Rating Scale, Parental Global Impression, and the Autistic Behaviors Scale. We assessed prognostic predictors using multivariable regression models and explored treatment ingredients influencing outcome using Classification and Regression Trees (CART). RESULTS: Multivariable models showed that being a child from first generation immigrant parents predicted increased maladaptive behaviors, whereas play activities had an opposite effect; severity of ASD symptoms and impaired cognitive functions predicted worse autism severity at follow-up; and lower play activities predicted worse parent impression. Regarding treatment effects, more emotion/behavioral interventions predicted better outcomes, and more communication interventions predicted lower autism severity, whereas more education and cognitive interventions had an opposite effect. CART confirmed that more hours of intervention in the emotion/behavioral domain helped classifying cases with better outcomes. More parental support was associated with decreased maladaptive behaviors. Sensorimotor and education interventions also significantly contributed to classifying cases according to outcomes but defined subgroups with opposite prognosis. CONCLUSION: Children who exhibited the best prognosis following ICPs had less autism severity, better cognition, and non-immigrant parents at baseline. Emotion/behavior interventions appeared key across all outcomes and should be promoted.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Pré-Escolar , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Estudos Longitudinais , Estudos Prospectivos , Emoções , Pais/psicologia
11.
PLoS One ; 19(3): e0300973, 2024.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38512901

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: Most previous studies have examined emotion recognition in autism spectrum condition (ASC) without intellectual disability (ID). However, ASC and ID co-occur to a high degree. The main aims of the study were to examine emotion recognition in individuals with ASC and co-occurring intellectual disability (ASC-ID) as compared to individuals with ID alone, and to investigate the relationship between emotion recognition and social functioning. METHODS: The sample consisted of 30 adult participants with ASC-ID and a comparison group of 29 participants with ID. Emotion recognition was assessed by the facial emotions test, while. social functioning was assessed by the social responsiveness scale-second edition (SRS-2). RESULTS: The accuracy of emotion recognition was significantly lower in individuals with ASC-ID compared to the control group with ID, especially when it came to identifying angry and fearful emotions. Participants with ASC-ID exhibited more pronounced difficulties in social functioning compared to those with ID, and there was a significant negative correlation between emotion recognition and social functioning. However, emotion recognition accounted for only 8% of the variability observed in social functioning. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate severe difficulties in the social-perceptual domain and in everyday social functioning in individuals with ASC-ID.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Reconhecimento Facial , Deficiência Intelectual , Adulto , Humanos , Transtorno Autístico/psicologia , Interação Social , Deficiência Intelectual/psicologia , Emoções , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Expressão Facial
12.
Autism Res ; 17(3): 610-625, 2024 Mar.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38450955

RESUMO

Youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are at heightened risk for co-occurring mental health diagnoses, especially anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, caregiver-child agreement on presence of related symptoms in populations with neurodevelopmental conditions is not well understood. Here, we examine the extent to which 37 ASD, 26 DCD, and 40 typically developing children and their caregivers agree on the degree of the child's symptoms of anxiety and ADHD. All caregiver-child dyads completed the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders and Conners 3 ADHD Index. Across groups, intraclass correlations indicated generally poor agreement on anxiety and ADHD symptomatology. Although youth generally reported greater internalizing symptoms (i.e., anxiety), caregivers tended to report more observable externalizing behaviors (i.e., ADHD). Together, the results of this study support the need for a multi-informant approach in assessments of anxiety and ADHD in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade , Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtornos das Habilidades Motoras , Humanos , Adolescente , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/complicações , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Cuidadores , Transtornos das Habilidades Motoras/diagnóstico , Transtornos de Ansiedade/psicologia , Ansiedade/complicações , Ansiedade/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade/complicações , Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade/psicologia
13.
Sensors (Basel) ; 24(5)2024 Feb 26.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38475039

RESUMO

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits that affect their social relationships, communication, and flexibility in reasoning. There are different types of treatment (pharmacological, educational, psychological, and rehabilitative). Currently, one way to address this problem is by using robotic systems to address the abilities that are altered in these children. The aim of this review will be to analyse the effectiveness of the incorporation of the different robotic systems currently existing in the treatment of children up to 10 years of age diagnosed with autism. A systematic review has been carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Dialnet databases, with the following descriptors: child, autism, and robot. The search yielded 578 papers, and nine were selected after the application of the PRISMA guideline. The quality of the studies was analysed with the PEDRo scale, and only those with a score between four and six were selected. From this study, the conclusion is that the use of robots, in general, improves children's behaviour in the short term, but longer-term experiences are necessary to achieve more conclusive results.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Robótica , Criança , Humanos , Pré-Escolar , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Relações Interpessoais , Comunicação
14.
Attach Hum Dev ; 26(1): 22-40, 2024 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38451115

RESUMO

Sensitivity among parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is based on parental insightfulness and on resolution regarding the child's diagnosis. This has been supported in studies of mothers, and we examined whether the same is true regarding fathers. Also, we asked whether parents' Insightfulness and Resolution tap general mentalization and therefore also be expressed in parent-parent interactions. Eighty preschooler boys with ASD and both of their parents participated. As expected, fathers who were more insightful and mothers who were more resolved were more sensitive. Contrary to expectations, no associations were found between fathers' resolution and mothers' insightfulness and their sensitivity. Associations were found between parental insightfulness and resolution and positive parent-parent interaction. The findings are the first to demonstrate the insightfulness-sensitivity link among fathers of children with ASD. Also, they suggest that both insightfulness and resolution involve general mentalization that is evident both in parent-child and parent-parent interactions.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Pai , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Masculino , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Adulto , Pai/psicologia , Mães/psicologia , Relações Pais-Filho , Mentalização
15.
BMC Psychiatry ; 24(1): 232, 2024 Mar 27.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38539137

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Tourette Syndrome (TS), have been extensively studied for their multifaceted impacts on social and emotional well-being. Recently, there has been growing interest in their potential relationship with fracture risks in adulthood. This study aims to explore the associations between these disorders and fracture rates, in order to facilitate better prevention and treatment. METHODS: Employing a novel approach, this study utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the complex interplay between ADHD, ASD, TS, and fractures. The MR framework, leveraging extensive genomic datasets, facilitated a systematic examination of potential causal relationships and genetic predispositions. RESULTS: The findings unveil intriguing bidirectional causal links between ADHD, ASD, and specific types of fractures. Notably, ADHD is identified as a risk factor for fractures, with pronounced associations in various anatomical regions, including the skull, trunk, and lower limbs. Conversely, individuals with specific fractures, notably those affecting the femur and lumbar spine, exhibit an increased genetic predisposition to ADHD and ASD. In this research, no correlation was found between TS and fractures, or osteoporosis.These results provide a genetic perspective on the complex relationships between NDDs and fractures, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis, intervention, and a holistic approach to healthcare. CONCLUSION: This research sheds new light on the intricate connections between NDDs and fractures, offering valuable insights into potential risk factors and causal links. The bidirectional causal relationships between ADHD, ASD, and specific fractures highlight the need for comprehensive clinical approaches that consider both NDDs and physical well-being.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade , Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Fraturas Ósseas , Transtornos do Neurodesenvolvimento , Osteoporose , Síndrome de Tourette , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/genética , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Análise da Randomização Mendeliana , Transtornos do Neurodesenvolvimento/genética , Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade/genética , Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade/psicologia , Osteoporose/genética , Fraturas Ósseas/genética , Predisposição Genética para Doença
16.
Child Adolesc Ment Health ; 29(2): 145-153, 2024 May.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38533770

RESUMO

INTRODUCTION: Caregivers of children with autism face significant challenges in navigating health, education and other systems of care to ensure appropriate services for their children. In South Africa, for example, many children with autism are reported to be out of schools and waiting long periods for specialist school placements thus adding to the burden of care for caregivers and raising many questions about equity, diversity and inclusion. METHODS: Here we performed a qualitative study using focus groups to collect data on the perspectives of caregivers of children with autism waiting for school placement in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. We asked families about their experiences of current autism services and for suggestions to improve service delivery. RESULTS: The main theme that emerged was 'We wait and we wait'. Caregivers expressed high levels of frustration with existing autism educational and other services. Perspectives about services were captured under three categories. The first category, 'The costs of waiting' describes the socioemotional, financial and time costs associated with having a child with autism wait for educational services. The second category 'Barriers while waiting' describes the attitudinal, structural, process and communication barriers experienced by caregivers while seeking services for their children. The final category 'Expecting action' describes attitudinal, service and policy expectations that caregivers felt could improve service delivery. Caregivers provided 10 recommendations for autism service improvements. CONCLUSION: Caregivers of children with autism waiting for educational services in the Western Cape Province of South Africa expressed dissatisfaction with existing services. Efforts to find solutions to providing services and support to children with autism waiting for educational services and their caregivers should be prioritized.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Criança , Humanos , Cuidadores/psicologia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , África do Sul , Grupos Focais
17.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 5663, 2024 03 07.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38453972

RESUMO

Predictive modeling strategies are increasingly studied as a means to overcome clinical bottlenecks in the diagnostic classification of autism spectrum disorder. However, while some findings are promising in the light of diagnostic marker research, many of these approaches lack the scalability for adequate and effective translation to everyday clinical practice. In this study, our aim was to explore the use of objective computer vision video analysis of real-world autism diagnostic interviews in a clinical sample of children and young individuals in the transition to adulthood to predict diagnosis. Specifically, we trained a support vector machine learning model on interpersonal synchrony data recorded in Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) interviews of patient-clinician dyads. Our model was able to classify dyads involving an autistic patient (n = 56) with a balanced accuracy of 63.4% against dyads including a patient with other psychiatric diagnoses (n = 38). Further analyses revealed no significant associations between our classification metrics with clinical ratings. We argue that, given the above-chance performance of our classifier in a highly heterogeneous sample both in age and diagnosis, with few adjustments this highly scalable approach presents a viable route for future diagnostic marker research in autism.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Criança , Humanos , Transtorno Autístico/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Movimento (Física) , Máquina de Vetores de Suporte
18.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 5117, 2024 03 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38429348

RESUMO

We tested the potential for Gazefinder eye-tracking to support early autism identification, including feasible use with infants, and preliminary concurrent validity of trial-level gaze data against clinical assessment scores. We embedded the ~ 2-min 'Scene 1S4' protocol within a comprehensive clinical assessment for 54 consecutively-referred, clinically-indicated infants (prematurity-corrected age 9-14 months). Alongside % tracking rate as a broad indicator of feasible assessment/data capture, we report infant gaze data to pre-specified regions of interest (ROI) across four trial types and associations with scores on established clinical/behavioural tools. Most infants tolerated Gazefinder eye-tracking well, returning high overall % tracking rate. As a group, infants directed more gaze towards social vs. non-social (or more vs. less socially-salient) ROIs within trials. Behavioural autism features were correlated with increased gaze towards non-social/geometry (vs. social/people) scenes. No associations were found for gaze directed to ROIs within other stimulus types. Notably, there were no associations between developmental/cognitive ability or adaptive behaviour with gaze towards any ROI. Gazefinder assessment seems highly feasible with clinically-indicated infants, and the people vs. geometry stimuli show concurrent predictive validity for behavioural autism features. Aggregating data across the ~ 2-min autism identification protocol might plausibly offer greater utility than stimulus-level analysis alone.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Lactente , Humanos , Transtorno Autístico/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Tecnologia de Rastreamento Ocular , Estudos de Viabilidade
19.
Br J Psychiatry ; 224(4): 127-131, 2024 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38362636

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: There are increasing calls for neurodivergent peoples' involvement in research into neurodevelopmental conditions. So far, however, this has tended to be achieved only through membership of external patient and public involvement (PPI) panels. The Regulating Emotions - Strengthening Adolescent Resilience (RE-STAR) programme is building a new participatory model of translational research that places young people with diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism at the heart of the research team so that they can contribute to shaping and delivering its research plan. AIMS: To outline the principles on which the RE-STAR participatory model is based and describe its practical implementation and benefits, especially concerning the central role of members of the Youth Researcher Panel (Y-RPers). METHOD: The model presented is a culmination of a 24-month process during which Y-RPers moved from advisors to co-researchers integrated within RE-STAR. It is shaped by the principles of co-intentionality. The account here was agreed following multiple iterative cycles of collaborative discussion between academic researchers, Y-RPers and other stakeholders. RESULTS: Based on our collective reflections we offer general guidance on how to effectively integrate young people with diagnoses of ADHD and/or autism into the core of the translational research process. We also describe the specific theoretical, methodological and analytical benefits of Y-RPer involvement in RE-STAR. CONCLUSIONS: Although in its infancy, RE-STAR has demonstrated the model's potential to enrich translational science in a way that can change our understanding of the relationship between autism, ADHD and mental health. When appropriately adapted we believe the model can be applied to other types of neurodivergence and/or mental health conditions.


Assuntos
Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade , Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Transtornos Globais do Desenvolvimento Infantil , Criança , Adolescente , Humanos , Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade/diagnóstico , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Ciência Translacional Biomédica
20.
J Exp Psychol Gen ; 153(4): 1112-1130, 2024 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38358708

RESUMO

Social attention is reported to be crucial for the development of social skills, and, according to the social cognitive developmental theory, is fostered by social interactions. Autism is of central importance to the study of social attention, as autism is characterized by atypical social interactions and low social attention, both linked according to the social motivation theory to diminished social interest. Much evidence for positing low social interest in autism comes from eye-tracking studies, which, however, lack ecological validity. Our study documents social attention and physiological arousal, within close to real-life settings, in autistic children, as well as in their neurotypical peers, matched on gender and mental or chronological age. To explore the potential influence of partner familiarity or of the conversational topic, children gaze and electrodermal activity were recorded while they engaged in watercolor activities with, first a familiar and, next, an unfamiliar adult experimenter, who both introduced various topics. Autistic and neurotypical children exhibited comparable attention to their partners' eyes. Notably, across all groups, heightened visual attention was directed to familiar rather than unfamiliar partners. Moreover, parallel arousal patterns emerged, with all children displaying increased skin conductance responses during more engaging topics and when looking at their interactional partner's eyes. These findings underscore the task- and context-dependent nature of social attention and highlight the role of familiarity in an ecologically valid context. The absence of group differences challenges the universality of the social cognitive developmental theory and questions the scope of the social motivation theory of autism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).


Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Criança , Adulto , Humanos , Fixação Ocular , Tecnologia de Rastreamento Ocular , Nível de Alerta , Atenção , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia
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