Screening for autism identifies behavioral disorders in children functional defecation disorders.

UNLABELLED: This study prospectively assessed whether positive screening surveys for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children with functional defecation disorders (FDDs) accurately identify ASD. Parents of children (4-12 years) who met Rome III criteria for functional constipation (FC), FC with fecal incontinence (FI) and functional nonretentive FI (FNRFI) completed two ASD screening surveys. Children with positive screens were referred for psychological evaluation, and a year later, follow-up surveys were conducted. Of the 97 study participants, 30.9 % were diagnosed with FC, 62.9 % with FC with FI, and 6.2 % with FNRFI. ASD surveys were positive for 27 children (27.8 %). New DSM diagnoses were made in 10 out of the 15 children that completed further evaluation. Two (2.1 %) met criteria for ASD, and 12 (12.4 %) met criteria for other behavioral disorders. Average SRS and SCQ-L scores were higher in subjects with FC with FI as compared to FC alone and in those who reported no improvement versus those who reported improvement 1 year later. CONCLUSION: While positive ASD screening surveys did not correctly identify ASD in the majority, it did help to identify other unrecognized behavioral disorders in children with FDD. High screening scores were more common in children with FC with FI and in children with poorer responses to current medical treatments. WHAT IS KNOWN: •A prior study found that 29 % of children with FDD scored positive on ASD screening questionnaires. •Whether positive screens correctly identify ASD in children with FDD is unknown. What is New: •This study shows that positive ASD screens do not correctly identify ASD in children with FDD. However, the use of ASD screening questionnaires can identify previously unrecognized and untreated behavioral/developmental disorders in children with FDD. •High screening scores are more common in children with FC with FI and in children with poorer responses to current medical treatments.

Sex-Based Differences in Autism Symptoms in a Large, Clinically-Referred Sample of Preschool-Aged Children with ASD.

Previous research has identified possible sex-based differences in restricted and repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, this finding is mixed, particularly among preschool-aged children. We investigated the presence of sex-based differences in parent-rated ASD symptomatology, using the Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS). Participants consisted of a large (n = 481,100 female), clinically-referred sample of preschoolers (ages 2-5) diagnosed with ASD (NVIQ: M = 67.11, SD = 21.79). Females had less severe symptoms on the Total, Unusual Behaviors, DSM-5, and Stereotypy scales on the ASRS. The effects were small-to-medium, but statistically significant. There was evidence of differential relationships between nonverbal IQ and ASRS scores among males and females. This study provides additional evidence of sex-based differences in ASD symptoms present from an early age.

Measuring intelligence in Autism and ADHD: Measurement invariance of the-Binet 5th edition and impact of subtest scatter on abbreviated IQ accuracy.

Scatter and heterogeneity in cognitive profiles is thought to be common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which may indicate differences in the construct of IQ. However, less research has investigated IQ scatter in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Scatter is also thought to negatively impact the predictive validity of IQ summary scores, although there is research refuting this notion. Abbreviated IQ tests, such as the Stanford-Binet fifth edition (SB-5) abbreviated battery IQ (ABIQ), may be especially susceptible to the influence of scatter. We tested the measurement invariance of the SB-5 as well as the predictive validity of the ABIQ in predicting FSIQ in 1679 youth (21% female) ages 2-16 years with a clinical diagnosis of ASD or ADHD. Results indicated the SB-5 is measuring IQ the same way in ASD and ADHD. There were no differences between diagnostic groups in scatter between ABIQ (i.e., routing) subtests. Additionally, scatter was not related to dimensional autistic traits. Higher degree of scatter was associated with poorer predictive validity of the ABIQ and a higher likelihood of overestimating FSIQ, regardless of diagnosis. Overall, we found more similarities than differences between the ASD and ADHD groups. Our results show that the SB-5 ABIQ is generally a strong predictor of FSIQ in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the use of the SB-5 ABIQ in research and clinical applications, without consideration of scatter on routing subtests, is potentially problematic.

Child Behavior Problems and Parenting Stress in Underserved Families of Children with ASD: Investigation of Family Resources and Parenting Self-efficacy.

Behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may exacerbate parenting stress. Parenting self-efficacy and family resources may influence this association. We examined cross-sectional statistical mediation effects of parenting self-efficacy on the relationship between child behavior problems and parenting stress and hypothesized that family-level resources moderated this indirect effect. Participants included 132 underserved (Medicaid-eligible) children with ASD (ages 3-13) with racial/ethnic diversity; many (63%) had intellectual disability. Greater externalizing problems were linked with lower parenting self-efficacy, which in turn was associated with increased parenting stress. A larger mediation effect was observed for families with fewer resources. A plausible alternative model (parenting stress mediating parenting self-efficacy) exhibited poorer fit. Implications for family supports and benefits of longitudinal follow-up are discussed.

Optimizing Parent Training to Improve Oral Health Behavior and Outcomes in Underserved Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

A randomized controlled trial established initial efficacy of a novel parent training (PT) intervention for improving oral hygiene and oral health in underserved children with ASD (Fenning et al., 2022), a population at risk for unmet dental needs. The present study describes our emic approach to PT development alongside treatment outcome data examining feasibility, acceptability, and engagement. Families with Medicaid-eligible children with ASD ages 3 to 13 years (85% male, 62% with intellectual disability) were assigned to receive PT (n = 60) or a psychoeducational toolkit (n = 59). Results indicate strong retention, fidelity, and adherence, with quantitative and qualitative metrics revealing high treatment satisfaction and utilization. Discussion focuses on implications for individualizing treatment to optimize engagement of underrepresented families.

Clinician Perspectives on Telehealth Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study examined clinician insights into telehealth assessment services for autism spectrum disorder implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. 35 clinicians from multiple disciplines across 17 sites in the Autism Care Network were interviewed. Themes identified through qualitative analyses included factors related to confidence in diagnosis (impressions of in-home observation; child and family factors that affected diagnostic confidence; changes in rapport); patient and family factors related to telehealth (perceived family benefits of and barriers to telehealth; factors related to healthcare disparities; factors specific to non-native English speakers); and institutional and workplace factors related to transitioning to telehealth (institutional support; changes to efficacy, attendance, and work satisfaction). Results suggest that telehealth has potential to be an effective tool in autism assessment practice.

Preliminary Validation and Feasibility of the Autism Detection in Early Childhood-Virtual (ADEC-V) for Autism Telehealth Evaluations in a Hospital Setting.

This study provided preliminary validation of the Autism Detection in Early Childhood-Virtual (ADEC-V) for telehealth assessment of possible autism. Participants were 121 children (24.79% female) aged 18-47 months who completed telehealth evaluations at a large pediatric hospital in the Midwestern United States between October 2020 and February 2021. The ADEC-V showed good sensitivity (0.82) and specificity (0.78) and was significantly correlated with other ASD symptom measures (i.e., CARS-2, ADI-R). Internal consistency was acceptable (α = 0.77). These results need replication in a larger and broader sample including more children without ASD. This preliminary validation study identifies the ADEC-V as a promising measure for telehealth ASD assessments in young children.

Facilitator Reflections on Shared Expertise and Adaptive Leadership in ECHO Autism: Center Engagement.

INTRODUCTION: Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) is used to increase provider capacity in a wide range of health care specialties. ECHO Autism: Center Engagement is a program that promotes improvement in autism care by improving the management of autism care centers. The program's focus brought experienced clinicians together as both facilitators and participants in an ECHO series. ECHO Autism: Center Engagement facilitators devised a reflective writing exercise to prospectively study their experience leading this new curriculum. METHODS: Drawing on a qualitative thematic analysis of longitudinal reflective writing exercises from seven "Hub Team" facilitators, we describe how ECHO leaders cultivate a learning environment that emphasizes shared learning and acknowledges the expertise of ECHO participants. RESULTS: The analysis generated three main themes: (1) Hub Team facilitators valued reciprocal exchange with Spoke sites, a theme we name "shared learning," (2) Hub Team facilitators demonstrated high levels of awareness about their facilitation styles, and (3) Hub Team facilitators cultivated an interactional style they described as "all teach, all learn." DISCUSSION: Examining the experiences of ECHO facilitators produces qualitative accounts of continuing professional development that may not be captured in other program evaluation approaches. In the case of ECHO Autism: Center Engagement, facilitators cultivated an environment of shared learning, which acknowledged the expertise of both facilitators and participants. These findings are pertinent for scholars of continuing education in health professions who lead educational programs where participants and facilitators have high levels of overlap in their areas of expertise and years of experience.

Parent Training for Dental Care in Underserved Children With Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty participating in dental care and experience significant unmet dental needs. We examined the efficacy of parent training (PT) for improving oral hygiene and oral health in underserved children with ASD. METHOD: Families of Medicaid-eligible children with ASD (ages 3-13 years, 85% boys, 62% with intellectual disability) reporting difficulty with dental care participated in a 6-month randomized controlled trial comparing PT (n = 60) with a psychoeducational dental toolkit (n = 59). Primary outcomes were parent-reported frequency of twice-daily toothbrushing and dentist-rated visible plaque. Secondary outcomes included parent-reported child behavior problems during home oral hygiene and dentist-rated caries. Dentists were blind to intervention assignment. Analyses were intention to treat. RESULTS: Retention was high at posttreatment (3 months, 93%) and 6-month follow-up (90%). Compared with the toolkit intervention, PT was associated with increased twice-daily toothbrushing at 3 (78% vs 55%, respectively; P < .001) and 6 (78% vs 62%; P = .002) months and a reduction in plaque at 3 months (intervention effect, -0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.36 to -0.02; P = .03) and child problem behaviors at 3 (-0.90; 95% CI, -1.52 to -0.28; P = .005) and 6 (-0.77; 95% CI, -1.39 to -0.14; P = .02) months. Comparatively fewer caries developed in children receiving the PT intervention over 3 months (ratio of rate ratios, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.99; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: PT represents a promising approach for improving oral hygiene and oral health in underserved children with ASD at risk for dental problems.

Screening for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care: A Systematic Review.

CONTEXT: Anxiety is common, screening tools are available, and treatment can be effective. Recently, anxiety screening has been recommended for adolescent girls beginning at 13 years of age. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evidence regarding anxiety screening test accuracy in primary care for children and adolescents and assess the effectiveness of treatment of individuals identified through screening. DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane library, and references to potentially eligible studies cited in other articles. STUDY SELECTION: Screening studies were included if they were conducted in primary care or a similar population and employed a reference standard based on DSM criteria. Treatment studies were included if subjects were identified through screening and there was at least 1 comparator intervention or a placebo arm. DATA EXTRACTION: At least 2 reviewers evaluated each identified reference. RESULTS: Two screening studies (1 with low risk of bias and 1 with high risk of bias) and 1 treatment study with a low risk of bias were included. The screening study with a low risk of bias reported a sensitivity of 56% and specificity of 80%. The treatment study found individual cognitive behavioral therapy to be effective for screen-detected adolescents with social phobia. LIMITATIONS: This review only included screening or treatment studies with clear evidence that the study populations were derived from an unselected population reflective of typical primary care. Relevant studies not indexed in PubMed or the Cochrane library could have been missed. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant gaps in evidence related to anxiety screening in the primary care setting.

Correlates of oral health fatalism in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

AIMS: To study correlates of oral health fatalism (OHF) in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS AND RESULTS: This exploratory analysis used baseline data from 118 Medicaid-eligible families of children with ASD in a multi-site randomized clinical trial of a parent training intervention supporting home oral hygiene and dental visits. About half (46%) of caregivers agreed with the statement "most children eventually develop dental cavities," endorsing OHF. Hispanic caregivers more strongly endorsed OHF than non-Hispanics (cumulative odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-4.7, P = .014). Caregivers living alone with children less strongly endorsed OHF than caregivers cohabitating with other adults (cumulative odds ratio = 0.39, 95% CI 0.17-0.86, P = .019). Multivariable analysis maintained significance of ethnicity (P = .030) but not living situation (P = .052). Additional analyses included demographics, parenting beliefs, and children's oral hygiene and oral health status. CONCLUSION: About half the caregivers endorsed OHF, with Hispanic caregivers more strongly endorsing OHF. OHF was not significantly associated with oral health behaviors or status, consistent with emerging literature suggesting fatalism is not necessarily linked to health behavior. Further exploration of OHF correlates in families of children with ASD is needed; ethnicity, living situation, child age, and caries status are of interest.

Access to Dental Visits and Correlates of Preventive Dental Care in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Dental care received by children in the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) was compared to National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) data for children without special healthcare needs and children with parent-reported ASD. Correlates of obtained preventive dental services were examined within the ATN sample. Participants included 375 families of children ages 4 to 17 enrolled in the ATN. ATN families reported levels of preventive dental care that were similar to, or exceeded, NSCH-reported care. However, disparities in obtained preventive dental services emerged within the ATN sample. Lower intellectual functioning was the most consistent correlate of reduced access to and completion of preventive dental care. Implications for developing system-wide supports and targeted interventions are discussed.

Standardized Observation Analogue Procedure in the Treatment of Severe Childhood Aggression Study.

Objective: To explore blinded observational outcomes in the Treatment of Severe Childhood Aggression (TOSCA) study. Methods: During a 9-week acute trial, children with severe physical aggression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder received parent training + titrated psychostimulant for 3 weeks, and those who failed to show an optimal response during Week 4 through Week 6 received in addition either randomly assigned placebo (Basic treatment) or titrated risperidone (Augmented treatment). Child and parent behaviors were videotaped in a Standardized Observation Analogue Procedure (SOAP) designed to elicit problems and strengths in child and parent interactions. SOAPs were collected at baseline and Week 9 and 52 follow-up. Results: During the acute 9-week trial, augmented treatment was associated with better outcomes than basic treatment for 3 of 13 measures: increased Child Compliance (p = 0.004; significant after correction for multiple tests), greater use of positive Parent Reinforcement (p = 0.03), and more Shared Enjoyment (p = 0.04). At follow-up, when medication was no longer by randomized assignment, parents used more Alpha Commands and displayed fewer Parent Negative Behaviors, and the dyads showed more Shared Enjoyment regardless of original randomization. Thus, there were better parent-child interactions with Augmented treatment, and interactions improved overall at follow-up regardless of original treatment assignment. Conclusions: The SOAP demonstrated sensitivity to behavior changes between short-term treatments for a few (but not most) measures. The acute treatment differences for Child Compliance and Child Negative Behavior are generally consistent with the moderate superiority of Augmented over Basic treatment previously reported for the primary study outcome.

Standardised Observation Analogue Procedure (SOAP) for assessing parent and child behaviours in clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Observational measures of parent and child behaviours have a long history in child psychiatric and psychological intervention research, including the field of autism and developmental disability. We describe the development of the Standardised Observational Analogue Procedure (SOAP) for the assessment of parent-child behaviour before and after a structured parent training program for children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). We report on the use of this procedure in a pilot study of 12 participants with PDD. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability across behaviours coded ranged from 75-100% agreement. Blindly scored observations of behaviour showed medium effect sizes for changes in inappropriate child behaviour. Analyses of baseline scores revealed a moderate positive correlation between inappropriate child behaviours as measured in all four SOAP conditions and parent ratings of child noncompliance (r(s) = .66, p < .05). By contrast, the correlations of SOAP scores with parent ratings of irritability was lower (r(s) = .40, p >.05). CONCLUSIONS: As our treatment targeted compliance, these preliminary results suggest that the SOAP provides a valid measure of noncompliant behaviour in children with PDD and is sensitive to treatment effects on inappropriate child behaviours.

Implementation of an Outcome Measure in Pediatric Behavioral Health: A Process Improvement Initiative.

INTRODUCTION: Efforts to monitor outcomes in pediatric behavioral health are becoming a quality, financial, and regulatory imperative. The implementation of a broad-based measure to assess patient functioning at the start of pediatric psychology services, as well as at subsequent visits, has not been demonstrated. This article describes the systematic implementation of a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) to assess functional impairment across an entire clinic population using quality improvement science and methodologies. METHODS: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core 4.0 (PedsQL) was administered at initial and subsequent visits for all patients seeking treatment at a large, tertiary care pediatric psychology clinic in an academic pediatric medical center (Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio). The goal of this project was to design a process change to support a 90% completion rate of this measurement tool by all clinicians. RESULTS: Within 16 months, the completion rate of the PedsQL increased from a baseline of 39% to the identified goal of 90%. This process change was within control limits (over 80%) for over 12 months. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the implementation of a systematic process for collection of outcome measures in a pediatric behavioral health care setting. Successful administration of an outcome measure at multiple time points during the care of children and adolescents in a large psychology clinic can allow for quantitative assessment of treatment progress and identify a pathway for administration of additional measures.

The Treatment of Severe Childhood Aggression Study: 12 Weeks of Extended, Blinded Treatment in Clinical Responders.

OBJECTIVES: Previous "Treatment of Severe Childhood Aggression" (TOSCA) reports demonstrated that many children with severe physical aggression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) responded well to two randomized treatments (parent training [PT]+stimulant+placebo = Basic vs. PT+stimulant+risperidone = Augmented) for 9 weeks. An important clinical question is whether these favorable outcomes are maintained over longer times. METHODS: Clinical responders to the 9-week trial (n = 103/168), defined as Clinical Global Impressions (CGI)-Improvement of much/very much improved plus substantial reduction in parent ratings of disruptiveness, were followed another 12 weeks (21 weeks total) while remaining on blinded treatment. Outcome measures included Clinical Global Impressions scale, Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF), other parent/teacher-rated scales, laboratory tests, clinician ratings of abnormal movement, and other adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Parent ratings of problem behavior showed minimal worsening of behavior from end of the 9-week acute trial (expected from regression to the mean after selecting best responders), but outcomes at Extension endpoint were meaningfully improved compared with acute study baseline. As expected, outcomes for Basic and Augmented treatment did not differ among these children selected for good clinical response. During Extension, more Augmented subjects had elevated prolactin; there were no clinically confirmed cases of tardive dyskinesia. Delayed sleep onset was the most frequent Basic AE. We also conducted a last-observation-carried-forward analysis, which included both nonresponders and responders. We found that, at the end of Extension, Augmented subjects had more improvement than Basic subjects on the NCBRF Positive Social subscale (p = 0.005; d = 0.44), the Antisocial Behavior Scale Reactive Aggression subscale (p = 0.03; d = 0.36), and marginally so on the Disruptive Behavior Total subscale (p = 0.058; d = 0.29, the primary outcome). CONCLUSIONS: The medium-term outcomes were good for the participants in both treatment groups, perhaps because they were selected for good response. When nonresponders were included in ITT analyses, there was some indication that Augmented surpassed Basic treatment.

Confirmation of the Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive in Clinic-Referred Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The measurement of aggression in its different forms (e.g., physical and verbal) and functions (e.g., impulsive and instrumental) is given little attention in subjects with developmental disabilities (DD). In this study, we confirm the factor structure of the Children's Scale for Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP) and demonstrate measurement invariance (consistent performance across clinical groups) between clinic-referred groups with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We also provide evidence of the construct validity of the C-SHARP. METHODS: Caregivers provided C-SHARP, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Proactive/Reactive Rating Scale (PRRS) ratings for 644 children, adolescents, and young adults 2-21 years of age. Five types of measurement invariance were evaluated within a confirmatory factor analytic framework. Associations among the C-SHARP, CBCL, and PRRS were explored. RESULTS: The factor structure of the C-SHARP had a good fit to the data from both groups, and strict measurement invariance between ASD and non-ASD groups was demonstrated (i.e., equivalent structure, factor loadings, item intercepts and residuals, and latent variance/covariance between groups). The C-SHARP Problem Scale was more strongly associated with CBCL Externalizing than with CBCL Internalizing, supporting its construct validity. Subjects classified with the PRRS as both Reactive and Proactive had significantly higher C-SHARP Proactive Scores than those classified as Reactive only, who were rated significantly higher than those classified by the PRRS as Neither Reactive nor Proactive. A similar pattern was observed for the C-SHARP Reactive Score. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence of the validity of the C-SHARP through confirmation of its factor structure and its relationship with more established scales. The demonstration of measurement invariance demonstrates that differences in C-SHARP factor scores were the result of differences in the construct rather than to error or unmeasured/nuisance variables. These data suggest that the C-SHARP is useful for quantifying subtypes of aggressive behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults with DD.

Early intervention critical to autism treatment.

It is still not universally accepted within the scientific community that the habilitation of autistic children is possible, or that their ability to function without supports in regular education by third, fourth, or fifth grade happens as a direct result of EIBI. However, using the outcome studies that have been reported, the rate of children reaching a best-outcome status appears to be between about 10% and 47%. There is a more global way to look at the effects of EIBI or behavioral intervention. Even if the child retains many characteristics of autism, the usual outcome of treatment is that the child learns useful skills. Behavioral intervention results in effective and efficient learning, which is precisely what it aims to accomplish and what behavioral techniques have been developed to do. Children and families have been able to achieve much more than many would ever have believed before EIBI became a realistic possibility.