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Orr E, Kashy Rosenbaum G. "My baby is ready to learn"-The role of infant pointing in redirecting maternal responses to be more informative. INFANCY 2024. [PMID: 39032137 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Caregivers may perceive pointing as an indication of infants' readiness to learn, thereby increasing their tendency to label objects regardless of the infant's gesture type and context. This was investigated in this study by tracking 35 infants at home at the ages of 11 and 13 months and observing their interactions with their mothers during object manipulation. We focused on four types of communicative gestures: typical giving gestures, gestures contingent on exploration, gestures contingent on play, and pointing. We analyzed maternal response tendencies, including affirmation, naming, discourse, and pretense. The results revealed that when infants reached the age of 13 months, they tripled their pointing production; in turn, the maternal response changed entirely, with naming becoming the preferred response to all types of gestures. Furthermore, when infants were 13 months old and offered an object contingent on play acts, mothers increased their pretense acts sevenfold. Based on the most informative responses to infants among those examined, we argue that an increase in the number of pointing gestures may gradually be associated with the establishment of the maternal perception that an infant is ready to learn and a subsequent increase in naming and pretense production by the mother.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edna Orr
- Graduate School, Gordon College of Education, Haifa, Israel
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2
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Riboldi EM, Capelli E, Cantiani C, Beretta C, Molteni M, Riva V. Differentiating early sensory profiles in toddlers at elevated likelihood of autism and association with later clinical outcome and diagnosis. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1654-1666. [PMID: 37795823 PMCID: PMC11191663 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231200081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Early sensory responsiveness may produce cascading effects on later development, but the relation between sensory profiles and autistic diagnosis remains unclear. In a longitudinal sample of toddlers at elevated likelihood for autism, we aimed to characterize sensory subgroups and their association with clinical outcomes later on. Three sensory subgroups were described and early sensory sensitivity plays a significant role in later development and diagnosis. This study supported the importance of examining different levels of sensory patterns to dissect the phenotypic heterogeneity in sensory processing. As sensory differences are associated with later developmental outcomes, these results may be critical when designing intervention needs and support for children at increased likelihood for neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Capelli
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Chiara Cantiani
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Carolina Beretta
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Valentina Riva
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
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3
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Bettoni R, Cantiani C, Riboldi EM, Molteni M, Bulf H, Riva V. Visual statistical learning in preverbal infants at a higher likelihood of autism and its association with later social communication skills. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300274. [PMID: 38748641 PMCID: PMC11095754 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Visual statistical Learning (SL) allows infants to extract the statistical relationships embedded in a sequence of elements. SL plays a crucial role in language and communication competencies and has been found to be impacted in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study aims to investigate visual SL in infants at higher likelihood of developing ASD (HL-ASD) and its predictive value on autistic-related traits at 24-36 months. At 6 months of age, SL was tested using a visual habituation task in HL-ASD and neurotypical (NT) infants. All infants were habituated to a visual sequence of shapes containing statistically predictable patterns. In the test phase, infants viewed the statistically structured, familiar sequence in alternation with a novel sequence that did not contain any statistical information. HL-ASD infants were then evaluated at 24-36 months to investigate the associations between visual SL and ASD-related traits. Our results showed that NT infants were able to learn the statistical structure embedded in the visual sequences, while HL-ASD infants showed different learning patterns. A regression analysis revealed that SL ability in 6-month-old HL-ASD infants was related to social communication and interaction abilities at 24-36 months of age. These findings indicate that early differences in learning visual statistical patterns might contribute to later social communication skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Bettoni
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cantiani
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Elena Maria Riboldi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Hermann Bulf
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Riva
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
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4
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Riva V, Villa L, Fulceri F, Arduino GM, Leonti G, Valeri G, Casula L, Zoccante L, Puttini E, Sogos C, Presicce M, Bentenuto A, Apicella F, Molteni M, Scattoni ML. The teleNIDA: Early Screening of Autism Spectrum Disorder Through a Novel Telehealth Approach. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1680-1690. [PMID: 36814040 PMCID: PMC9946866 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05927-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked interest in telehealth methods to guarantee the continuity of care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Store-and-forward telehealth approaches offer the opportunity to facilitate timely screening of ASD, allowing parents to record videos of their child's behaviors, subsequently shared with clinicians that provide an assessment remotely. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a new telehealth screening tool, the teleNIDA, administered in home settings for remote observation of early signs of ASD in toddlers aged 18-30 months. Results showed good psychometric properties of the teleNIDA, as compared to the gold standard in-person assessment, and the predictive validity on the diagnosis of ASD at 36 months was demonstrated. This study supports the teleNIDA as a promising level 2 screening tool for ASD able to speed up diagnostic and intervention processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Riva
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Laura Villa
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Francesca Fulceri
- Research Coordination and Support Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Guido Leonti
- Centro Autismo e Sindrome di Asperger ASLCN1, 12084, Mondovì, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valeri
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Casula
- Department of Neuroscience, Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Leonardo Zoccante
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
| | - Elena Puttini
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
| | - Carla Sogos
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariaelena Presicce
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Bentenuto
- Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122, Trento, Italy
| | - Fabio Apicella
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Scattoni
- Research Coordination and Support Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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5
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López Resa P, Moraleda Sepúlveda E. Developmental Profile in Children Aged 3-6 Years: Down Syndrome vs. Autism Spectrum Disorder. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:380. [PMID: 38785871 PMCID: PMC11117480 DOI: 10.3390/bs14050380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This research aims to compare the developmental profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with Down Syndrome (DS) between the ages of 3 and 6 years. The study examines whether these developmental disorders share common developmental milestones or exhibit distinctive characteristics. A total of 43 children, 23 with DS and 20 with ASD, participated in the study. Cognitive and language skills were assessed using standardized tools, including the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Reynell Developmental Language Scales III, and NEPSY-II battery. The results indicated that children with ASD outperformed children with DS in the areas of fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and communication. Additionally, children with ASD demonstrated higher scores in language comprehension and expressive language, compared to children with DS. Significant correlations were found between motor skills and communication abilities. Neuropsychological evaluations revealed significant differences between the two groups in various tasks, such as the comprehension of instructions, body part naming and identification, and recognition of emotions. These findings contribute to our understanding of the similarities and differences between ASD and DS, shedding light on the dissociation between cognition and language and its impact on adaptive functioning in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia López Resa
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, 45600 Talavera de la Reina, Spain
| | - Esther Moraleda Sepúlveda
- Departamento de Psicología Experimental, Procesos Cognitivos y Logopedia, Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
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6
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Piazza C, Dondena C, Riboldi EM, Riva V, Cantiani C. Baseline EEG in the first year of life: Preliminary insights into the development of autism spectrum disorder and language impairments. iScience 2023; 26:106987. [PMID: 37534149 PMCID: PMC10391601 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders is important to ensure a prompt and effective intervention, thus improving the later outcome. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and language learning impairment (LLI) are among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, and they share overlapping symptoms. This study aims to characterize baseline electroencephalography (EEG) spectral power in 6- and 12-month-old infants at higher likelihood of developing ASD and LLI, compared to typically developing infants, and to preliminarily verify if spectral power components associated with the risk status are also linked with the later ASD or LLI diagnosis. We found risk status for ASD to be associated with reduced power in the low-frequency bands and risk status for LLI with increased power in the high-frequency bands. Interestingly, later diagnosis shared similar associations, thus supporting the potential role of EEG spectral power as a biomarker useful for understanding pathophysiology and classifying diagnostic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Piazza
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bioengineering Lab, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Chiara Dondena
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Elena Maria Riboldi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Valentina Riva
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Chiara Cantiani
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
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Early Gesture as a Predictor of Later Language Outcome for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): a Systematic Literature Review. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40474-022-00250-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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8
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Pecukonis M, Young GS, Brian J, Charman T, Chawarska K, Elsabbagh M, Iverson JM, Jeste S, Landa R, Messinger DS, Schwichtenberg A, Webb SJ, Zwaigenbaum L, Tager-Flusberg H. Early predictors of language skills at 3 years of age vary based on diagnostic outcome: A baby siblings research consortium study. Autism Res 2022; 15:1324-1335. [PMID: 35652157 PMCID: PMC9253079 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
While previous work has identified the early predictors of language skills in infants at elevated familial risk (ER) and low familial risk (LR) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no studies to date have explored whether these predictors vary based on diagnostic outcome of ASD or no ASD. The present study used a large, multisite dataset to examine associations between a set of commonly studied predictor variables (infant gesture abilities, fine motor skills, nonverbal cognition, and maternal education level), measured at 12 months, and language skills, measured at 3 years, across three diagnostic outcome groups-infants with ASD ("ASD"), ER infants without ASD ("ER-no ASD"), and LR infants without ASD ("LR-no ASD"). Findings revealed that the predictors of language skills differed across groups, as gesture abilities were positively associated with language skills in the ER-no ASD group but negatively associated with language skills in the ASD group. Furthermore, maternal education level was positively associated with language skills in the ASD and LR-no ASD groups only. Variability in these early predictors may help explain why language skills are heterogeneous across the autism spectrum, and, with further study, may help clinicians identify those in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development. LAY SUMMARY: The present study identified predictors of language skills in infants with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maternal education level and 12-month gesture abilities predicted 3-year language skills in infants with ASD. Measuring these predictors early in life may help identify infants and families in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory S. Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis
| | | | - Tony Charman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
| | | | | | | | - Shafali Jeste
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Neurology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles
| | - Rebecca Landa
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute
| | | | | | - Sara Jane Webb
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington
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9
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Huang Y, Cheng CH, Law WW, Wong T, Leung OK, So WC. Gesture Development in Chinese-Speaking Preschool Children With Autism and the Roles of Parental Input and Child-Based Factors. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:2309-2326. [PMID: 35617450 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-21-00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Children with autism are found to have delayed and heterogeneous gesture abilities. It is important to understand the growth of gesture abilities and the underlying factors affecting its growth. Addressing these issues can help to design effective intervention programs. METHOD Thirty-five Chinese-speaking preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (M age = 4.89 years, SD = 0.91; four girls) participated in four play sessions with their parents over 9 months. Their child-based factors including autism severity, intellectual functioning, and expressive language abilities were assessed. The gestures (deictic, iconic, and conventional) of the children and their parents were coded. Growth curve analyses were conducted to examine individual growth trajectories and the roles of child-based factors and parental input in shaping the children's gesture development. RESULTS Child-based factors and parental input predicted gesture development differently. Parents' gestures positively predicted their children's gestures of the same type. Autism severity negatively predicted iconic and conventional gestures. Overall growth was found in deictic rather than iconic and conventional gestures. Subgroup variation was also found. Specifically, children with better expressive language ability showed a decrease in deictic gestures. An increase in iconic and conventional gestures was found in children with more severe autism and those with poorer expressive language ability and intellectual functioning, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Different types of gestures may have different growth trajectories and be predicted by different child-based factors. Particular attention should be given to children who never produced iconic gestures, which is more challenging and may not develop over a short period, and hence require direct instruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
| | - Chun-Ho Cheng
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
| | - Wing-Wun Law
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
| | - Tiffany Wong
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
| | - Oi-Ki Leung
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
| | - Wing-Chee So
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
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10
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Fenchel D, Dimitrova R, Robinson EC, Batalle D, Chew A, Falconer S, Kyriakopoulou V, Nosarti C, Hutter J, Christiaens D, Pietsch M, Brandon J, Hughes EJ, Allsop J, O'Keeffe C, Price AN, Cordero-Grande L, Schuh A, Makropoulos A, Passerat-Palmbach J, Bozek J, Rueckert D, Hajnal JV, McAlonan G, Edwards AD, O'Muircheartaigh J. Neonatal multi-modal cortical profiles predict 18-month developmental outcomes. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101103. [PMID: 35364447 PMCID: PMC8971851 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental delays in infanthood often persist, turning into life-long difficulties, and coming at great cost for the individual and community. By examining the developing brain and its relation to developmental outcomes we can start to elucidate how the emergence of brain circuits is manifested in variability of infant motor, cognitive and behavioural capacities. In this study, we examined if cortical structural covariance at birth, indexing coordinated development, is related to later infant behaviour. We included 193 healthy term-born infants from the Developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP). An individual cortical connectivity matrix derived from morphological and microstructural features was computed for each subject (morphometric similarity networks, MSNs) and was used as input for the prediction of behavioural scores at 18 months using Connectome-Based Predictive Modeling (CPM). Neonatal MSNs successfully predicted social-emotional performance. Predictive edges were distributed between and within known functional cortical divisions with a specific important role for primary and posterior cortical regions. These results reveal that multi-modal neonatal cortical profiles showing coordinated maturation are related to developmental outcomes and that network organization at birth provides an early infrastructure for future functional skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphna Fenchel
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Ralica Dimitrova
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Emma C Robinson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EU, UK
| | - Dafnis Batalle
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Andrew Chew
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Shona Falconer
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Vanessa Kyriakopoulou
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Jana Hutter
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Daan Christiaens
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK; Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maximilian Pietsch
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Jakki Brandon
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Emer J Hughes
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Joanna Allsop
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Camilla O'Keeffe
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Anthony N Price
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Lucilio Cordero-Grande
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK; Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid & CIBER-BBN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andreas Schuh
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Antonios Makropoulos
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | | | - Jelena Bozek
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniel Rueckert
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Institute für Artificial Intelligence and Informatics in Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Joseph V Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Grainne McAlonan
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK
| | - A David Edwards
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK
| | - Jonathan O'Muircheartaigh
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH UK.
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11
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Salomone E, Settanni M, McConachie H, Suma K, Ferrara F, Foletti G, Salandin A, Servili C, Adamson LB. Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the WHO Caregiver Skills Training in Public Health Services in Italy. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4286-4300. [PMID: 34677755 PMCID: PMC9508213 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05297-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parents of children with ASD (N = 86; mean age 44.8 months; 67 boys) were randomized to either WHO Caregiver Skills Training (CST) delivered in public health settings in Italy or enhanced treatment-as-usual. Primary blinded outcomes were 3-months post-intervention change scores of autism severity and engagement during caregiver-child interaction. CST was highly acceptable to caregivers and feasibly delivered by trained local clinicians. Intention-to-treat analysis showed a large and significant effect on parent skills supporting joint engagement and a smaller significant effect on flow of interaction. Expected changes in child autism severity and joint engagement did not meet statistical significance. Analysis of secondary outcomes showed a significant effect on parenting stress, self-efficacy, and child gestures. Strategies to improve the effectiveness of CST are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Salomone
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126, Milan, Italy. .,Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Helen McConachie
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Katharine Suma
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Giulia Foletti
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - Chiara Servili
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lauren B Adamson
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Geogia, USA
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Riva V, Riboldi EM, Urbani B, Molteni M, Villa L. A Pilot Study Evaluating the Effects of Early Intervention for Italian Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111381. [PMID: 34827380 PMCID: PMC8615704 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a high-cost/high-burden problem. Early intervention may prevent development of the disorder, improving child outcomes and reducing long-term consequences. However, few studies have investigated the role of early intervention in children younger than two years. This study aims to examine the effect of early intervention in 18-month-old high-risk siblings of children with ASD (HR-ASD) with clinical signs of autism. The intervention is based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and focuses on the development of early precursors to social and communicative competence (joint attention and imitation behaviors). After controlling for baseline differences, two comparison HR-ASD groups were included: 15 HR-ASD toddlers receiving behavioral intervention for 3 h per week for 5 months (INT+) and 15 HR-ASD toddlers who were only clinically monitored from age 18 months (INT-). Changes in social communication, restricted/repetitive behaviors, and language were assessed using standardized measures at pre- (T0) and post-intervention (T1). From T0 to T1, the INT+ group showed significant improvements in communication, social interaction, and language compared to INT- group. There was no effect on restricted/repetitive behaviors. Our findings highlighted the importance of early detection/intervention in autism and supported a positive impact of targeted interventions to improve outcomes in at-risk children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Riva
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-031-877924; Fax: +39-031-877499
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