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Ikeda A, Hakuno Y, Asada K, Ikeda T, Yamagata T, Hirai M. Developmental process of the understanding of linguistic register in children: A comparison of typically developing children, autistic children, and children with Williams syndrome. Autism Res 2024. [PMID: 39169654 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Although the developmental process of linguistic register-the appropriate manner of speech as determined by the listener and social situation-has been gradually clarified in typically developing (TD) children, research on the mechanism and developmental process of register acquisition in atypically developing children are insufficient. This study compared the developmental process of understanding linguistic register among TD children, autistic children, and those with Williams syndrome (WS), and examined the contributions of social cognition and motivation to the acquisition of linguistic register. Two experiments were designed to assess the recognition of which linguistic register to use when communicating with different listeners and of the listener's feelings according to the speakers' use of register. The results revealed that the process of understanding register-listener associations was nearly identical among all groups of children and their understanding improved with age. Conversely, their understanding of the effect of register selection on the listener's feelings varied. Importantly, as TD children mature, they become aware that adult listeners may feel negatively when spoken to in an inappropriate register, whereas autistic children and those with WS do not exhibit the same awareness. Thus, our results suggest that atypical social cognition and motivation do not disturb the understanding of register-listener associations. However, social cognition and motivation play important roles in understanding the effect of register selection on the listener's feelings. These findings provide a significant contribution to clarifying the mechanism of linguistic register acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Ikeda
- Department of Psychology, Senshu University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
- Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yoko Hakuno
- Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
- Center for Design of Future Symbiosis, Global Research Institute, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kosuke Asada
- Faculty of Sociology, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ikeda
- Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Takanori Yamagata
- Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Masahiro Hirai
- Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
- Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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Dwyer P, Sillas A, Prieto M, Camp E, Nordahl CW, Rivera SM. Hyper-focus, sticky attention, and springy attention in young autistic children: Associations with sensory behaviors and cognitive ability. Autism Res 2024; 17:1677-1695. [PMID: 38840328 PMCID: PMC11341259 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3174] [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] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The autistic-developed monotropism account suggests that atypical, domain-general attentional hyper-focus on interests is a central aspect of autism, but domain-general attention differences in autism can manifest differently. Prior research suggests autistic children are often slow to disengage attention from stimuli-a pattern often called "sticky attention"-and that they can show reduced novelty preference. These attentional patterns could influence sensory experiences and learning. We used eye-tracking to investigate novelty preference and "sticky attention" in young autistic children; we also examined whether attentional patterns were related to cognitive abilities and caregiver-reported sensory responsiveness. A total of 46 autistic and 28 nonautistic participants, aged between 2 and 4 years, provided usable data. We found no evidence that autistic children exhibited greater "sticky attention" than nonautistics, but "sticky attention" in autism was associated with more caregiver-reported sensory hyper-responsiveness, seeking/interests, and enhanced perception. Autistic children also nonsignificantly trended toward exhibiting reduced novelty preference. Unexpectedly, the time-course of this trending novelty preference difference implied it was not driven by reduced orienting to novelty, but increased returning to already-familiarized stimuli: what we call "springy attention." Exploratory analyses of data from the attentional disengagement task suggest autistic participants may have exhibited greater "springy attention," though further research with paradigms optimized for measuring this construct should confirm this. Importantly, "springy attention" was robustly related to reduced cognitive abilities and greater caregiver-reported hypo-responsiveness. Thus, this study illuminates two distinct domain-general attentional patterns, each with distinct correlates in young autistic children, which could have important implications for understanding autistic children's learning, development, and experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Dwyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Andre Sillas
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Melanie Prieto
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Emily Camp
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Susan M. Rivera
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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Bent C, Glencross S, McKinnon K, Hudry K, Dissanayake C, Vivanti G. Predictors of Developmental and Adaptive Behaviour Outcomes in Response to Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention and the Early Start Denver Model. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:2668-2681. [PMID: 37171764 PMCID: PMC11286629 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05993-w] [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] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Many autistic children require support to meet their learning needs. Given the heterogeneity within the autism spectrum it is plausible that different types of support might be better suited to different children. However, knowledge on what interventions work best for which children is limited. We examined the outcomes of autistic preschool-aged children receiving one of two community early intervention approaches. Our main objective was to understand which baseline child characteristics might be associated with the degree of individual response to intervention-whether prognostically (i.e., irrespective of intervention received) or predictively (i.e., specifically in the context of one or other EI approach). Participants comprised two matched groups of preschool-aged autistic children receiving either Group-based Early Start Denver Model (G-ESDM; n = 42) delivered in a 1:3-4 staff:child ratio or an Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI; n = 40) delivered in combination of 1:1 and 1:2 staff:child ratio. Over an approximate one-year follow-up period, children in both groups made significant gains in Developmental Quotient (DQ) scores, and trend-level gains in adaptive behaviour composite scores. Higher attention to a playful adult measured via an eye-tracking task was prognostically indicative of better verbal DQ and adaptive behaviour outcomes for the cohort overall. Moderation analyses indicated a single predictive effect-of pre-program sustained attention for subsequent NVDQ outcomes specific to those children receiving G-ESDM. These findings suggest that fine-grained measures of learning skills offer promise towards the selection and tailoring of intervention approaches to meet individual children's learning needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Bent
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | | | | | - Kristelle Hudry
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Giacomo Vivanti
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
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Li X, Li J, Zhao S, Liao Y, Zhu L, Mou Y. Magnitude representation of preschool children with autism spectrum condition. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:866-880. [PMID: 37522624 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231185408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT The mathematical abilities of children with autism spectrum condition have been understudied. Magnitude representation (e.g. presenting the number of a collection of objects) is a fundamental numerical ability presented since early infancy and is correlated with children's later learning of formal mathematics. It remains unclear about whether children with autism spectrum condition differ from their peers without autism spectrum condition in precision of magnitude representations. This study compared preschool children with and without autism spectrum condition in their precision of magnitude representation with an approximate number comparison task, in which children compared two sets of dots without counting and chose the set with more dots. Children with autism spectrum condition exhibited the lower numerical comparison accuracy (i.e. the weaker magnitude representation) than their peers without autism spectrum condition. This difference existed even when multiple general cognitive abilities (working memory, inhibitory control, and nonverbal intelligence) and language abilities were statistically controlled. Moreover, the individual difference of the numerical comparison accuracy was larger in children with autism spectrum condition than without autism spectrum condition. These findings suggest that children with autism spectrum condition are at risk of weaker magnitude representation from an early age, emphasizing the need for specialized mathematics education or interventions to support their learning. In addition, the large variance in the precision of their magnitude representation suggests that individualized mathematics interventions are needed for children with autism spectrum condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Li
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxi Li
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sijia Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yini Liao
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liqi Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Mou
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Yoon CD, Xia Y, Terol AK, Meadan H, Lee JD. Correlation Between Gaze Behaviors and Social Communication Skills of Young Autistic Children: A Meta-Analysis of Eye-Tracking Studies. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06257-x. [PMID: 38400896 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06257-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
This meta-analysis examined correlations between eye-tracking measures of gaze behaviors manifested during dynamic salient social stimuli and behavioral assessment measures of social communication skills of young autistic children. We employed a multilevel model with random effects to perform three separate meta-analyses for correlation between social communication skills and (a) all gaze behaviors, (b) gaze duration, and (c) gaze transition. Subsequently, we performed meta-regression to assess the role of four moderators, including age, continuum of naturalness of stimuli, gaze metric, and area of interest, on correlation effect sizes that were heterogeneous at the population level. A total of 111 correlation coefficients from 17 studies for 1132 young autistic children or children with high-likelihood for autism (Mage range = 6-95 months) were included in this meta-analysis. The correlation effect sizes for all three meta-analyses were significant, supporting the relation between improved gaze behaviors and better social communication skills. In addition, age, gaze metric, and area of interest were significant moderators. This suggests the importance of identifying meaningful gaze behaviors related to social communication skills and the increasingly influential role of gaze behaviors in shaping social communication skills as young autistic children progress through the early childhood stage. The continuum of naturalness of stimuli, however, was revealed to trend towards having a significant moderating effect. Lastly, it is important to note the evidence of potential publication bias. Our findings are discussed in the context of early identification and intervention and unraveling the complex nature of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy D Yoon
- Department of Special Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
| | - Yan Xia
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Adriana Kaori Terol
- Department of Special Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Hedda Meadan
- Department of Special Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - James D Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 6901 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115, USA
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Jenner LA, Farran EK, Welham A, Jones C, Moss J. The use of eye-tracking technology as a tool to evaluate social cognition in people with an intellectual disability: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:42. [PMID: 38044457 PMCID: PMC10694880 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09506-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relatively little is known about social cognition in people with intellectual disability (ID), and how this may support understanding of co-occurring autism. A limitation of previous research is that traditional social-cognitive tasks place a demand on domain-general cognition and language abilities. These tasks are not suitable for people with ID and lack the sensitivity to detect subtle social-cognitive processes. In autism research, eye-tracking technology has offered an effective method of evaluating social cognition-indicating associations between visual social attention and autism characteristics. The present systematic review synthesised research which has used eye-tracking technology to study social cognition in ID. A meta-analysis was used to explore whether visual attention on socially salient regions (SSRs) of stimuli during these tasks correlated with degree of autism characteristics presented on clinical assessment tools. METHOD Searches were conducted using four databases, research mailing lists, and citation tracking. Following in-depth screening and exclusion of studies with low methodological quality, 49 articles were included in the review. A correlational meta-analysis was run on Pearson's r values obtained from twelve studies, reporting the relationship between visual attention on SSRs and autism characteristics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Eye-tracking technology was used to measure different social-cognitive abilities across a range of syndromic and non-syndromic ID groups. Restricted scan paths and eye-region avoidance appeared to impact people's ability to make explicit inferences about mental states and social cues. Readiness to attend to social stimuli also varied depending on social content and degree of familiarity. A meta-analysis using a random effects model revealed a significant negative correlation (r = -.28, [95% CI -.47, -.08]) between visual attention on SSRs and autism characteristics across ID groups. Together, these findings highlight how eye-tracking can be used as an accessible tool to measure more subtle social-cognitive processes, which appear to reflect variability in observable behaviour. Further research is needed to be able to explore additional covariates (e.g. ID severity, ADHD, anxiety) which may be related to visual attention on SSRs, to different degrees within syndromic and non-syndromic ID groups, in order to determine the specificity of the association with autism characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Jenner
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK.
| | - E K Farran
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK
| | - A Welham
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - C Jones
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - J Moss
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK
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Shic F, Barney EC, Naples AJ, Dommer KJ, Chang SA, Li B, McAllister T, Atyabi A, Wang Q, Bernier R, Dawson G, Dziura J, Faja S, Jeste SS, Murias M, Johnson SP, Sabatos-DeVito M, Helleman G, Senturk D, Sugar CA, Webb SJ, McPartland JC, Chawarska K. The Selective Social Attention task in children with autism spectrum disorder: Results from the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials (ABC-CT) feasibility study. Autism Res 2023; 16:2150-2159. [PMID: 37749934 PMCID: PMC11003770 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3026] [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] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The Selective Social Attention (SSA) task is a brief eye-tracking task involving experimental conditions varying along socio-communicative axes. Traditionally the SSA has been used to probe socially-specific attentional patterns in infants and toddlers who develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This current work extends these findings to preschool and school-age children. Children 4- to 12-years-old with ASD (N = 23) and a typically-developing comparison group (TD; N = 25) completed the SSA task as well as standardized clinical assessments. Linear mixed models examined group and condition effects on two outcome variables: percent of time spent looking at the scene relative to scene presentation time (%Valid), and percent of time looking at the face relative to time spent looking at the scene (%Face). Age and IQ were included as covariates. Outcome variables' relationships to clinical data were assessed via correlation analysis. The ASD group, compared to the TD group, looked less at the scene and focused less on the actress' face during the most socially-engaging experimental conditions. Additionally, within the ASD group, %Face negatively correlated with SRS total T-scores with a particularly strong negative correlation with the Autistic Mannerism subscale T-score. These results highlight the extensibility of the SSA to older children with ASD, including replication of between-group differences previously seen in infants and toddlers, as well as its ability to capture meaningful clinical variation within the autism spectrum across a wide developmental span inclusive of preschool and school-aged children. The properties suggest that the SSA may have broad potential as a biomarker for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Shic
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of General Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Erin C. Barney
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Adam J. Naples
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kelsey J. Dommer
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shou An Chang
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Beibin Li
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Takumi McAllister
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Adham Atyabi
- Department of General Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Quan Wang
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, China
| | - Raphael Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Geraldine Dawson
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - James Dziura
- Emergency Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Susan Faja
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shafali Spurling Jeste
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michael Murias
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Scott P. Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Maura Sabatos-DeVito
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gerhard Helleman
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Damla Senturk
- Department of Biostatistics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Catherine A. Sugar
- Department of Biostatistics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sara Jane Webb
- Department of General Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - James C. McPartland
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Katarzyna Chawarska
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Thom RP, Canales C, Tresvalles M, McDougle CJ, Hooker JM, Chen Y, Zürcher NR. Neuroimaging research in Williams syndrome: Beginning to bridge the gap with clinical care. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105364. [PMID: 37598875 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105364] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder affecting multiple organ systems. Cardinal features include cardiovascular disease, distinct facies, and a unique cognitive profile characterized by intellectual disability, hypersociability, and visuospatial weaknesses. Here, we synthesize neuroimaging research in WS with a focus on how the current literature and future work may be leveraged to improve health and quality of life in WS. More than 80 neuroimaging studies in WS have been conducted, the vast majority of which have focused on identifying morphometric brain differences. Aside from decreased volume of the parieto-occipital region and increased cerebellar volume, morphometric findings have been variable across studies. fMRI studies investigating the visuospatial deficit have identified dorsal stream dysfunction and abnormal activation of the hippocampal formation. Minimal work has been done using PET or MRS. Future approaches that conduct neuroimaging in tandem with clinical phenotyping, utilize novel imaging techniques to visualize brain vasculature or provide biochemical and molecular information, and include more homogenous age groups across the lifespan, have significant potential to advance clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn P Thom
- Lurie Center for Autism, 1 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Camila Canales
- Lurie Center for Autism, 1 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Mary Tresvalles
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Georgetown University School of Medicine, 3900 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, 1 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jacob M Hooker
- Lurie Center for Autism, 1 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Yachin Chen
- Lurie Center for Autism, 1 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Nicole R Zürcher
- Lurie Center for Autism, 1 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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9
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Soleymani Z, Koegel LK, Mohammadzaheri F, Peyghambari M, Bajalan M, Naderi Malek A, Bakhshi E. Development and validation of the Autism Communicative Skills Questionnaire (ACSQ): An autism screening measure in Farsi. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2023; 12:245-256. [PMID: 35785791 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2022.2092738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There has been a steady increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) worldwide. However, screening tools that focus primarily on communicative development that are culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate are needed, particularly in languages, such as Farsi, which is spoken in countries that may benefit from additional resources. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and validate a screening tool, written in Farsi by Iranians, that focuses on communication and factors affecting the development of communication for children with autism. A variety of statistical analyses were conducted and implemented to assess the relevance of various questions related to communication, along with other behaviors that interfere with the development of communication, that may distinguish between children with and without ASD. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the underlying structure of the Autism Communicative Skills Questionnaire (ACSQ). This study represents the first stage in the development of a comprehensive questionnaire to assist with the screening of areas that impact the development of social communication and are unique to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Soleymani
- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Lynn Kern Koegel
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Fereshteh Mohammadzaheri
- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Peyghambari
- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohadese Bajalan
- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Naderi Malek
- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Enayatollah Bakhshi
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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10
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de Belen RA, Pincham H, Hodge A, Silove N, Sowmya A, Bednarz T, Eapen V. Eye-tracking correlates of response to joint attention in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:211. [PMID: 36991383 PMCID: PMC10061704 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04585-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of differences in joint attention behaviour between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) individuals have previously been documented. METHOD We use eye-tracking technology to assess response to joint attention (RJA) behaviours in 77 children aged 31 to 73 months. We conducted a repeated-measures analysis of variance to identify differences between groups. In addition, we analysed correlations between eye-tracking and clinical measures using Spearman's correlation. RESULTS The children diagnosed with ASD were less likely to follow gaze compared to TD children. Children with ASD were less accurate at gaze following when only eye gaze information was available, compared to when eye gaze with head movement was observed. Higher accuracy gaze-following profiles were associated with better early cognition and more adaptive behaviours in children with ASD. Less accurate gaze-following profiles were associated with more severe ASD symptomatology. CONCLUSION There are differences in RJA behaviours between ASD and TD preschool children. Several eye-tracking measures of RJA behaviours in preschool children were found to be associated with clinical measures for ASD diagnosis. This study also highlights the construct validity of using eye-tracking measures as potential biomarkers in the assessment and diagnosis of ASD in preschool children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Anthony de Belen
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Hannah Pincham
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Antoinette Hodge
- Children's Hospital Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Silove
- Children's Hospital Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arcot Sowmya
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tomasz Bednarz
- School of Art & Design, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry South West Sydney, Ingham Institute, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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11
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Mundy P. Research on social attention in autism and the challenges of the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework. Autism Res 2023; 16:697-712. [PMID: 36932883 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
The fuzzy nature of categories of psychopathology, such as autism, leads to significant research challenges. Alternatively, focusing research on the study of a common set of important and well-defined psychological constructs across psychiatric conditions may make the fundamental etiological processes of psychopathology easier to discern and treat (Cuthbert, 2022). The development of the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework is designed to guide this new research approach (Insel et al., 2010). However, progress in research may be expected to continually refine and reorganize the understanding of the specifics of these mental processes (Cuthbert & Insel, 2013). Moreover, knowledge gleaned from the study of both normative and atypical development can be mutually informative in the evolution of our understanding of these fundamental processes. A case in point is the study of social attention. This Autism 101 commentary provides an educational summary of research over the last few decades indicates that social attention is major construct in the study of human social-cognitive development, autism and other forms of psychopathology. The commentary also describes how this research can inform the Social Process dimension of the RDoC framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mundy
- School of Education, Department of Psychiatry and the MIND Institute, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, USA
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12
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Parent Perceptions of the Effects of Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions for Children with Autism. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13010045. [PMID: 36661617 PMCID: PMC9855042 DOI: 10.3390/bs13010045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study aimed to understand parents' perceptions of the effects of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) based on the principles of applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and the lasting outcomes for their children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In particular, this study sought to examine parent perceptions of the relationship between the intensity of ABA interventions and current autism symptom severity, adaptive functioning, and school placement. The current study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, which consisted of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and combining both quantitative and qualitative data. Overall, results suggested that the intensity of previous ABA interventions was a unique predictor of current school placement. Additionally, results suggested that the intensity of previous ABA interventions was a unique predictor of adaptive skills, which was supported by parent interviews. However, the intensity of previous ABA interventions was not a unique predictor of current autism severity. Parent responses to interview questions revealed the imperative nature of the interventions and their effect on service delivery for their children with ASD. Overall, this study provided an increased understanding of parents' perceptions of the effectiveness of EIBI, which in turn may be central to understanding service utilization.
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13
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Morris P, Hope E, Foulsham T, Mills JP. Dancing out for a voice; a narrative review of the literature exploring autism, physical activity, and dance. J Bodyw Mov Ther 2023; 33:202-215. [PMID: 36775520 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2022.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterised by profound challenges with social communication and social interaction. Currently, there are few therapeutic interventions that successfully target some of the functionally impairing traits associated with autism. Furthermore, many of these interventions comprise a variety of limitations; including, limited accessibility, extensive durations, or the requirement of a trained professional to deliver the intervention. New research suggests that instead of targeting all traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder with a single solution, scientific research should focus on providing therapeutic tools that alleviate functionally impairing facets specific to the individual. Owing to the nature of physical activity, sports, and dance (coordinated movement) these activities could provide opportunities to enhance communication skills and social development in autistic children. Therefore, this paper gives a narrative overview of the literature surrounding communication and coordinated movement; outlining what is meant by communication challenges, exploring the benefits of coordinated movement for traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and delineating how coordinated movement elicits positive outcomes for autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Morris
- School of Sport, Exercise Science and Rehabilitation, University of Essex, UK.
| | - Edward Hope
- School of Sport, Exercise Science and Rehabilitation, University of Essex, UK
| | - Tom Foulsham
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, UK
| | - John P Mills
- School of Sport, Exercise Science and Rehabilitation, University of Essex, UK
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14
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Pupillometry as a Window into Young Children's Sustained Attention. J Intell 2022; 10:jintelligence10040107. [PMID: 36412787 PMCID: PMC9680391 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence10040107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sustained attention is critical to cognition, social competence, and academic success. Importantly, sustained attention undergoes significant development over the early childhood period. Yet, how sustained attention fluctuates over time on task has not been clearly outlined, particularly in young children. In this study, we provide a first test of whether the pupillary response can be used as an indicator of moment-to-moment sustained attention over time on task in young children. Children aged 5 to 7 years (N = 41) completed a psychomotor vigilance task, where they were asked to press a button as fast as possible at the onset of a target stimulus. We measured reaction times over the course of the task, pupil size prior to target onset (baseline pupil size), and pupil size in response to target onset (task-evoked pupil size). The results showed a stereotypical vigilance decrement in children's response times: as time on task increased, reaction times increased. Critically, children's task-evoked pupil size decreased over time on task, while no such change was present in baseline pupil size. These results suggest that young children's waning sustained attention may be linked to a decrease in alertness while overall arousal is maintained. We discuss the importance of leveraging pupillometry to understand the mechanisms of sustained attention over individuals and development.
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15
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Vivanti G, Bent C, Capes K, Upson S, Hudry K, Dissanayake C. Characteristics of children on the autism spectrum who benefit the most from receiving intervention in inclusive versus specialised early childhood education settings. Autism Res 2022; 15:2200-2209. [PMID: 36416303 PMCID: PMC9826059 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2815] [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: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the factors associated with social-communicative outcomes for children on the autism spectrum receiving early intervention in inclusive versus specialised early childhood education programmes. Fifty-eight preschool-aged children randomly assigned to receive the Group-Early Start Denver Model (G-ESDM) in either inclusive or specialised (i.e., autism-specific) classrooms across one calendar year showed similar outcomes at group mean-level across measures of communication and social behaviour. We examined factors moderating outcomes across settings. Novel moderation analyses revealed that higher baseline social interest and nonverbal cognitive skills were associated with increased social communication gains for children in the inclusive classrooms, but not for those in specialised settings. Children who spend more time paying attention to people and have higher cognitive skills might benefit from receiving early intervention in inclusive settings, whilst these factors might be less relevant for children educated in specialised settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Vivanti
- A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteDrexel UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA,Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public HealthLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Catherine Bent
- Department of Psychology, Counselling & Therapy, School of Psychology and Public HealthLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Kristy Capes
- Victorian Autism Specific Early Learning and Care CentreLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Shannon Upson
- Victorian Autism Specific Early Learning and Care CentreLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Kristelle Hudry
- Department of Psychology, Counselling & Therapy, School of Psychology and Public HealthLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public HealthLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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16
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Domínguez-García CM, Serrano-Juárez CA, Rodríguez-Camacho M, Moreno-Villagómez J, Araujo Solís MA, Prieto-Corona B. Neuropsychological intervention in attention and visuospatial skills in two patients with Williams syndrome with different types of genetic deletion. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD 2022; 12:177-186. [PMID: 35476532 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2022.2063723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Williams Syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a distinctive physical, cognitive, and behavioral profile caused by a microdeletion in the q11.23 region of chromosome 7. The neuropsychological profile of WS is characterized by intellectual disability, hypersociability, and deficits, especially in attention and visuospatial skills. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of a neuropsychological intervention program in attention and visuospatial skills in two patients with WS (aged 7 and 13 years old) with different types of deletion (1.5 and 1.8 Mb). Cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive abilities were evaluated through various neuropsychological tests and scales; the neuropsychological intervention program was subsequently applied, and we assessed its effectiveness. Both patients initially presented significant deficits in attention and visuospatial skills. After the program, we found improvements in attention and visuospatial skills. In addition, both patients had significant clinical advances and changes in adaptive behaviors (social and self-care). These findings suggest that this intervention program could improve attention processes, visuospatial skills, and some aspects of adaptive behavior in patients with WS, regardless of deletion size. Although the sample was small, limiting the generalizability of the results, we believe this program could be a helpful resource for professionals working with individuals with WS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Alberto Serrano-Juárez
- Laboratorio de Neurometría, Grupo de Neurociencias, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, México
| | - Mario Rodríguez-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Neurometría, Grupo de Neurociencias, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, México
| | - Julieta Moreno-Villagómez
- Laboratorio de Neurometría, Grupo de Neurociencias, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, México
| | - María Antonieta Araujo Solís
- Servicio de Genética UMAE Hospital de Pediatría “Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freund”, CMN “Siglo XXI”, IMSS, Tlalnepantla, México
| | - Belén Prieto-Corona
- Laboratorio de Neurometría, Grupo de Neurociencias, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, México
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17
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Williams syndrome: reduced orienting to other's eyes in a hypersocial phenotype. J Autism Dev Disord 2022:10.1007/s10803-022-05563-6. [PMID: 35445369 PMCID: PMC9020553 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05563-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic condition associated with high sociability, intellectual disability, and social cognitive challenges. Attention to others’ eyes is crucial for social understanding. Orienting to, and from other’s eyes was studied in WS (n = 37, mean age = 23, age range 9–53). The WS group was compared to a typically developing comparison participants (n = 167) in stratified age groups from infancy to adulthood. Typically developing children and adults were quicker and more likely to orient to eyes than the mouth. This bias was absent in WS. The WS group had reduced peak saccadic velocities, indicating hypo-arousal. The current study indicates reduced orienting to others’ eyes in WS, which may affect social interaction skills.
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18
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Mundy P, Bullen J. The Bidirectional Social-Cognitive Mechanisms of the Social-Attention Symptoms of Autism. Front Psychiatry 2022; 12:752274. [PMID: 35173636 PMCID: PMC8841840 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.752274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Differences in social attention development begin to be apparent in the 6th to 12th month of development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and theoretically reflect important elements of its neurodevelopmental endophenotype. This paper examines alternative conceptual views of these early social attention symptoms and hypotheses about the mechanisms involved in their development. One model emphasizes mechanism involved in the spontaneous allocation of attention to faces, or social orienting. Alternatively, another model emphasizes mechanisms involved in the coordination of attention with other people, or joint attention, and the socially bi-directional nature of its development. This model raises the possibility that atypical responses of children to the attention or the gaze of a social partner directed toward themselves may be as important in the development of social attention symptoms as differences in the development of social orienting. Another model holds that symptoms of social attention may be important to early development, but may not impact older individuals with ASD. The alterative model is that the social attention symptoms in infancy (social orienting and joint attention), and social cognitive symptoms in childhood and adulthood share common neurodevelopmental substrates. Therefore, differences in early social attention and later social cognition constitute a developmentally continuous axis of symptom presentation in ASD. However, symptoms in older individuals may be best measured with in vivo measures of efficiency of social attention and social cognition in social interactions rather than the accuracy of response on analog tests used in measures with younger children. Finally, a third model suggests that the social attention symptoms may not truly be a symptom of ASD. Rather, they may be best conceptualized as stemming from differences domain general attention and motivation mechanisms. The alternative argued for here that infant social attention symptoms meet all the criteria of a unique dimension of the phenotype of ASD and the bi-directional phenomena involved in social attention cannot be fully explained in terms of domain general aspects of attention development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mundy
- Department of Learning and Mind Sciences, School of Education, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science and The MIND Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Jenifer Bullen
- Department of Human Development, School of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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19
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Thorup E, Nyström P, Bölte S, Falck-Ytter T. What are you looking at? Gaze following with and without target objects in ASD and typical development. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 26:1668-1680. [PMID: 34903076 PMCID: PMC9483193 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211061940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT During the first year of life, infants start to align their attention with that of other people. This ability is called joint attention and facilitates social learning and language development. Although children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are known to engage less in joint attention compared to other children, several experimental studies have shown that they follow other's gaze (a requirement for visual joint attention) to the same extent as other children. In this study, infants' eye movements were measured at age 10, 14, and 18 months while watching another person look in a certain direction. A target object was either present or absent in the direction of the other person's gaze. Some of the infants were at elevated likelihood of ASD, due to having an older autistic sibling. At age 3 years, infants were assessed for a diagnosis of ASD. Results showed that infants who met diagnostic criteria at 3 years followed gaze to the same extent as other infants. However, they then looked back at the model faster than typically developing infants when no target object was present. When a target object was present, there was no difference between groups. These results may be in line with the view that directly after gaze following, infants with later ASD are less influenced by other people's gaze when processing the common attentional focus. The study adds to our understanding of both the similarities and differences in looking behaviors between infants who later receive an ASD diagnosis and other infants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sven Bölte
- Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Sweden.,Curtin University, Australia
| | - Terje Falck-Ytter
- Uppsala University, Sweden.,Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Sweden.,Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, Sweden
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20
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Manfredi M, Fernandes Rodrigues Pereira E, Horta Tabosa do Egito J, Scarano de Mendonça J, Caldas Osório AA. Altruistic helping in young children with ASD: A preliminary study. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 118:104067. [PMID: 34425543 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
It has long been claimed that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show impaired prosocial behavior, however there is little direct evidence in support of this claim and inconsistencies have been reported in the literature. Therefore, the goal of this study was to compare the levels of altruistic behavior in 15 young children with an ASD and 14 children with Down syndrome, paired in chronological age (age range between 2 years and 8 months and 6 years and 2 months) and non-verbal intellectual ability. Our results showed that children with an ASD engaged less frequently in altruistic behavior compared to the DS group. In addition, we found a significant negative correlation between the severity of autism symptoms and altruistic behavior in the ASD group, suggesting that the more severe the symptoms of ASD, the less frequent the altruistic behaviors. Conversely, no significant correlations were found between non-verbal IQ level and performance in the altruistic behavior tasks, in either group. Overall, our results suggest that, regardless of intellectual skills, the ability to engage in altruistic behavior is compromised in young children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirella Manfredi
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Júlia Horta Tabosa do Egito
- Graduate Program on Developmental Disorders, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Julia Scarano de Mendonça
- Graduate Program on Developmental Disorders, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Alexandra Caldas Osório
- Graduate Program on Developmental Disorders, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
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21
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A Preliminary Examination of the Impact of Working Memory Training on Syntax and Processing Speed in Children with ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4233-4251. [PMID: 34724165 PMCID: PMC8559141 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05295-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In addition to deficits in pragmatics, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have weaknesses in complex syntax and working memory (WM). These two deficits may be closely related. Previous work investigated the effects of WM training in developmental language disorders and showed significant improvement in both WM and syntax. The current study tests the impact of 12 h of WM training across 8 weeks in 30 children with ASD, aged 5 to 11. Results showed direct improvements on untrained WM tasks, as well as transfer effects to syntax and processing speed. Stronger WM led to better syntactic abilities. While they must be replicated, these exciting results provide impetus for further studies of WM interventions.
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22
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Gong X, Li X, Wang Q, Hoi SP, Yin T, Zhao L, Meng F, Luo X, Liu J. Comparing visual preferences between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and normal children to explore the characteristics of visual preference of ASD children by improved visual preference paradigm: a case-control study. Transl Pediatr 2021; 10:2006-2015. [PMID: 34584870 PMCID: PMC8429864 DOI: 10.21037/tp-21-294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of features of Visual preference in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is that they tend to social stimuli to nonsocial stimuli. Though it has been studied widely, until now the results are still not consistent. One of the most important reasons may be that the stimuli of the past visual preference paradigm have different movement patterns. Therefore, the present study aimed to improve the visual preference paradigm to reduce the bias caused by different movement of stimuli and explore the features of visual preference of ASD further. METHODS Two hundred and seven children who met DSM-5 criteria for ASD and 125 typically developmental (TD) children were enrolled. They were matched in age and gender. Visual preference was measured by eye tracking technology. The subjects presented simultaneously with dynamic object images (DOI) and dynamic social images (DSI) with the same type and same speed of repetitive movement. Social interaction deficits of ASD were assessed by parents with Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). RESULTS Compared with TD children, the following findings were noted: (I) children with ASD paid less attention to social stimuli and more attention to nonsocial stimuli (t=6.417, P<0.001). (II) Increased preference to DSI was positively correlated with age (R=0.23, P=0.001). (III) No association was noted between visual preference and IQ in children with ASD (R=0.081, P=0.435). (IV) Reduced preference to DSI was negatively correlated with the severity of social interaction impairment rated by parents with ABC in children with ASD (R=0.237, P=0.010). CONCLUSIONS Children with ASD exhibited abnormal visual preference for social and nonsocial stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Gong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiandong Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Sio Pan Hoi
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingni Yin
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liyang Zhao
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fanchao Meng
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xuerong Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
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23
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Del Bianco T, Mason L, Charman T, Tillman J, Loth E, Hayward H, Shic F, Buitelaar J, Johnson MH, Jones EJH. Temporal Profiles of Social Attention Are Different Across Development in Autistic and Neurotypical People. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:813-824. [PMID: 33191160 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sociocommunicative difficulties, including abnormalities in eye contact, are core diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many studies have used eye tracking to measure reduced attention to faces in autistic people; however, most of this work has not taken advantage of eye-tracking temporal resolution to examine temporal profiles of attention. METHODS We used growth curve analysis to model attention to static social scenes as a function of time in a large (N = 650) sample of autistic participants and neurotypical participants across a wide age range (6-30 years). RESULTS The model yielded distinct temporal profiles of attention to faces in the groups. Initially, both groups showed a relatively high probability of attending to faces, followed by decline after several seconds. The neurotypical participants, however, were significantly more likely to return their attention to faces in the latter part of each 20-second trial, with increasing probability with age. In contrast, the probability of returning to the face in the autistic participants remained low across development. In participants with ASD, more atypical profiles of attention were associated with lower Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales communication scores and a higher curvature in one data-driven cluster correlated with symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that social attention not only is reduced in ASD, but also differs in its temporal dynamics. The neurotypical participants became more sophisticated in how they deployed their social attention across age, a pattern that was significantly reduced in the participants with ASD, possibly reflecting delayed acquisition of social expertise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Del Bianco
- Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Luke Mason
- Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Charman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Tillman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Loth
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Hayward
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frederick Shic
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jan Buitelaar
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mark H Johnson
- Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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Liu Q, Wang Q, Li X, Gong X, Luo X, Yin T, Liu J, Yi L. Social synchronization during joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:2120-2130. [PMID: 34105871 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We explored the social synchronization of gaze-shift behaviors when responding to joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Forty-one children aged 5 to 8 with ASD and 43 typically developing (TD) children watched a video to complete the response to joint attention (RJA) tasks, during which their gaze data were collected. The synchronization of gaze-shift behaviors between children and the female model in the video was measured with the cross-recurrence quantification analysis (CRQA). Ultimately, we discovered that children with ASD had the ability to synchronize their gaze shifts with the female model in the video during RJA tasks. Compared to the TD children, they displayed lower levels of synchronization and longer latency in this synchronized behavior. These findings provide a new avenue to deepen our understanding of the impairments of social interaction in children with ASD. Notably, the analytic method can be further applied to explore the social synchronization of numerous other social interactive behaviors in ASD. LAY SUMMARY: This study explored how autistic children synchronized their gazed shifts with others' gaze cues during joint attention. We found that compared to typical children, autistic children synchronized their gazed shifts less and needed more time to follow others' gaze. These findings provide a new avenue to deepen our understanding of the impairments of social interaction in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinyi Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Qiandong Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyun Gong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Xuerong Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tingni Yin
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Li Yi
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences & Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at PKU, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Xie Y, Zhang X, Liu F, Qin W, Fu J, Xue K, Yu C. Brain mRNA Expression Associated with Cortical Volume Alterations in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cell Rep 2021; 32:108137. [PMID: 32937121 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies report abnormal cerebral cortex volume (CCV) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, genes related to CCV abnormalities in ASD remain largely unknown. Here, we identify genes associated with CCV alterations in ASD by performing spatial correlations between the gene expression of 6 donated brains and neuroimaging data from 1,404 ASD patients and 1,499 controls. Based on spatial correlations between gene expression and CCV differences from two independent meta-analyses and between gene expression and individual CCV distributions of 404 patients and 496 controls, we identify 417 genes associated with both CCV differences and individual CCV distributions. These genes are enriched for genetic association signals and genes downregulated in the ASD post-mortem brain. The expression patterns of these genes are correlated with brain activation patterns of language-related neural processes frequently impaired in ASD. These findings highlight a model whereby genetic risk impacts gene expression (downregulated), which leads to CCV alterations in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Xie
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Qin
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
| | - Jilian Fu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
| | - Kaizhong Xue
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China
| | - Chunshui Yu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 300052 Tianjin, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China.
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26
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McClure LA, Lee NL, Sand K, Vivanti G, Fein D, Stahmer A, Robins DL. Connecting the Dots: a cluster-randomized clinical trial integrating standardized autism spectrum disorders screening, high-quality treatment, and long-term outcomes. Trials 2021; 22:319. [PMID: 33934719 PMCID: PMC8091523 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05286-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects one in 54 children in the United States of America, and supporting people with ASD across the lifespan presents challenges that impact individuals, families, and communities and can be quite costly. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued recommendations for routine ASD screening at 18 and 24 months, but some research suggests that few pediatricians perform high-fidelity, standardized screening universally. Furthermore, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against universal ASD screening. The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that children with ASD who have high fidelity; standardized screening will achieve superior outcomes at 5 years of age compared to children receiving usual care ASD detection strategies. METHODS This is a cluster-randomized, controlled clinical trial in 3 sites in the USA. Pediatric practices will be randomized to implement universal, standardized, high-fidelity toddler screening or usual care, with randomization stratified by the practice size. The study will enroll 3450 children, approximately half in each group. From this sample, we anticipate 100 children to be diagnosed with ASD. Children in both groups receiving an ASD diagnosis will be administered the Early Start Denver Model, an evidence-based early intervention addressing social, communication, and cognitive functioning. Treatment will last for 1 year, with up to 20 h per week of therapy for children with ASD. RESULTS Primary outcomes measured at baseline, following treatment, and at 4 and 5 years of age include ASD symptom severity (Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC)) and cognitive functioning (Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and Differential Abilities Scale-II (DAS-II)). Secondary outcomes in children include measures of adaptive functioning, ASD symptoms, and kindergarten readiness; secondary analyses will also examine stress and empowerment among parents. Several novel exploratory measures will be included as well. The study will utilize a modified intention-to-treat analysis. CONCLUSIONS This trial will evaluate the impact of universal, standardized, high-fidelity screening for ASD among children at 18 months of age, with a goal of providing evidence to support this strategy to detect ASD in toddlers in order to start treatment as young as possible and maximize outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Drexel University (IRB protocol: 1607004653). All findings will be provided by the principal investigator via email; data will be available through the NIMH Data Archive ( https://nda.nih.gov/ ). TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03333629 . Registered on November 7, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nora L. Lee
- Drexel University, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Katherine Sand
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Giacomo Vivanti
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Deborah Fein
- University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd, Storrs, CT 06268 USA
| | - Aubyn Stahmer
- University of California, Davis, 2825 50th St, Sacramento, CA 95819 USA
| | - Diana L. Robins
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
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Niedźwiecka A. Eye contact effect: The role of vagal regulation and reactivity, and self-regulation of attention. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01682-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractEye contact is a crucial aspect of social interactions that may enhance an individual’s cognitive performance (i.e. the eye contact effect) or hinder it (i.e. face-to-face interference effect). In this paper, I focus on the influence of eye contact on cognitive performance in tasks engaging executive functions. I present a hypothesis as to why some individuals benefit from eye contact while others do not. I propose that the relations between eye contact and executive functioning are modulated by an individual’s autonomic regulation and reactivity and self-regulation of attention. In particular, I propose that individuals with more optimal autonomic regulation and reactivity, and more effective self-regulation of attention benefit from eye contact. Individuals who are less well regulated and over- or under-reactive and who do not employ effective strategies of self-regulation of attention may not benefit from eye contact and may perform better when eye contact is absent. I present some studies that justify the proposed hypothesis and point to a method that could be employed to test them. This approach could help to better understand the complex mechanisms underlying the individual differences in participant’s cognitive performance during tasks engaging executive functions.
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Thiele M, Hepach R, Michel C, Gredebäck G, Haun DBM. Social interaction targets enhance 13‐month‐old infants' associative learning. INFANCY 2021; 26:409-422. [DOI: 10.1111/infa.12393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maleen Thiele
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
- Department of Early Child Development and Culture Leipzig University Leipzig Germany
| | - Robert Hepach
- Department of Experimental Psychology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Christine Michel
- Department of Early Child Development and Culture Leipzig University Leipzig Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig Germany
| | | | - Daniel B. M. Haun
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
- Department of Early Child Development and Culture Leipzig University Leipzig Germany
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Gormley L, Penrose H, Bracken M, Barron B. Training behavioural therapists in presession pairing skills to evaluate the impact on children's life skill acquisition rates. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 66:339-347. [PMID: 34150196 PMCID: PMC7942779 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2020.1827209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Presession pairing is a well-documented behaviour analytic practice that supports the development of a positive instructional environment and is associated with reduced rates of challenging behaviour among children with developmental disabilities. However, there is limited research evaluating the impact of presession pairing on children's skill acquisition rates. Therefore, in the current study, four behavioural therapists were systematically trained in an established presession pairing protocol and using a multiple baseline across participants design, the impact of this training on life skill acquisition rates among a group of four children with Autism Spectrum Disorder was evaluated. A robust improvement rate difference was calculated for each child and a robust omnibus improvement rate difference showed that the impact of training therapists in the presession pairing protocol had a very small effect on the children's life skill acquisition rates. These findings were discussed in the context of the importance of reporting null findings and designing replication studies that provide an understanding of why an effect was not demonstrated, in order to develop and refine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gormley
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Heidi Penrose
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maeve Bracken
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brittany Barron
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Fanning PAJ, Sparaci L, Dissanayake C, Hocking DR, Vivanti G. Functional play in young children with autism and Williams syndrome: A cross-syndrome comparison. Child Neuropsychol 2020; 27:125-149. [DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2020.1804846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. J. Fanning
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
- Developmental Neuromotor & Cognition Lab, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Laura Sparaci
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (UCL), London, UK
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (STC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Darren R. Hocking
- Developmental Neuromotor & Cognition Lab, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Giacomo Vivanti
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Language Growth in Young Children with Autism: Interactions Between Language Production and Social Communication. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 51:644-665. [PMID: 32588273 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04576-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with a broad range of spoken language abilities, as well as delays in precursor skills such as gesture production and joint attention skills. While standardized assessments describe language strengths, the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS-DP) is a particularly robust measure as it additionally characterizes precise aspects of social communication. This study provides a unique contribution by assessing the interactional effects of CSBS-DP Social Composite performance with early language samples on later language outcomes. Our results indicate that multiple social communication elements significantly interact with early spoken language to predict later language. Our findings also highlight the transactional relationship between early spoken vocabulary and social communication skills that bolster language development growth.
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Shic F, Wang Q, Macari SL, Chawarska K. The role of limited salience of speech in selective attention to faces in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:459-469. [PMID: 31471912 PMCID: PMC7048639 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired attention to faces of interactive partners is a marker for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in early childhood. However, it is unclear whether children with ASD avoid faces or find them less salient and whether the phenomenon is linked with the presence of eye contact or speech. METHODS We investigated the impacts of speech (SP) and direct gaze (DG) on attention to faces in 22-month-old toddlers with ASD (n = 50) and typically developing controls (TD, n = 47) using the Selective Social Attention 2.0 (SSA 2.0) task. The task consisted of four conditions where the presence (+) and absence (-) of DG and SP were systematically manipulated. The severity of autism symptoms, and verbal and nonverbal skills were characterized concurrently with eye tracking at 22.4 (SD = 3.2) months and prospectively at 39.8 (SD = 4.3) months. RESULTS Toddlers with ASD looked less than TD toddlers at face and mouth regions only when the actress was speaking (direct gaze absence with speech, DG-SP+: d = 0.99, p < .001 for face, d = 0.98, p < .001 for mouth regions; direct gaze present with speech, DG+SP+, d = 1.47, p < .001 for face, d = 1.01, p < .001 for mouth regions). Toddlers with ASD looked less at the eye region only when both gaze and speech cues were present (d = 0.46, p = .03). Salience of the combined DG and SP cues was associated concurrently and prospectively with the severity of autism symptoms, and the association remained significant after controlling for verbal and nonverbal levels. CONCLUSIONS The study links poor attention to faces with limited salience of audiovisual speech and provides no support for the face avoidance hypothesis in the early stages of ASD. These results are consequential for research on early discriminant and predictive biomarkers as well as identification of novel treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Shic
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development; 2001 8 Ave Ste 400; Seattle, WA 98121
- Univeristy of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics; 2001 8 Ave Ste 400; Seattle, WA 98121
| | - Quan Wang
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Suzanne L. Macari
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Katarzyna Chawarska
- Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center; 40 Temple St Ste 7D; New Haven, CT 06510
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33
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Cilia F, Touchet C. Initiation and response of joint attention bids in autism spectrum disorder children depend on the visibility of the target. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2020; 5:2396941520950979. [PMID: 36440322 PMCID: PMC9685212 DOI: 10.1177/2396941520950979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Response to joint attention (RJA) and initiation of joint attention (IJA) are impaired in pre-schoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children's response to joint attention may depend on the presence of the target in the child's field of vision or on the type of deictic index (head and eye orientation, pointing and verbalisations) used by the adult to initiate joint attention. METHODS This study deals with 50 ASD children aged from 2 years 8 months to 11 years 7 months, with a communicative level comparable to children under 31 months of age, according to the French version of the Early Social Communication Scales (ECSP, by its French acronym). We compared the aforementioned ASD children with 50 typically developing (TD) children, aged 9 to 30 months who had no communication disorders according to the ECSP. During the ECSP test, we analysed joint attention behaviours on three posters present or absent from the children's visual field. RESULTS We did not observe any difference in the number of IJAs between groups, but ASD children were less responsive than TD children were. Our results showed a developmental progression in the responses of children with ASD if several deictic cues were used by an adult simultaneously (looking and pointing, or looking and verbalising to indicate a target), whether the referent was present or absent from the child's visual field. In addition, we observed developmental progression when the referent was behind the child and the adult only used their gaze to refer to it. CONCLUSION Thus, we argue that the type of cues used affects ASD children's response behaviours during joint attention towards a referent that may be present or absent from their visual field.Implications: Regarding the social and the sensory difficulties of children with ASD, many therapeutic approaches focus their intervention methods on non-verbal communication skills and joint attention. This fundamental research makes it possible to identify the most appropriate type of deictic index for children with ASD with developmental delay, depending on the presence or absence of the referent in the child's visual field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Cilia
- Federica Cilia, CRP-CPO: Centre de Recherche
en Psychologie: Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations, University of Picardie
Jules Verne, Bureau E312, Chemin du Thil, 80000 Amiens, France.
| | - Claire Touchet
- CRP-CPO: Centre de Recherche en Psychologie:
Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations, EA 7273, University of Picardie Jules
Verne, Amiens, France
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Hamner T, Raitano Lee N, Hocking DR, Vivanti G. Shared and syndrome-specific adaptive difficulties in preschoolers with Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorder: a cross-syndrome study. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2019; 63:1305-1311. [PMID: 31321842 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding adaptive functioning profiles in children with Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is critical to inform treatment strategies. However, knowledge in this area is limited and inconclusive. METHOD The current study aimed to characterise the early adaptive profiles of young children with WS (n = 18; Mage = 47 months) and ASD (n = 26; Mage = 45 months) matched on chronological age and developmental age using the Vineland Scales of Adaptive Behavior, Second Edition. RESULTS Results suggest that young children with WS and ASD do not differ on their overall level of adaptive functioning but that those with WS show relative strengths in the Socialisation scale compared with children with ASD. No other subscales differed between groups. Within groups, the WS group showed a profile of Communication, Daily Living Skills and Motor < Socialisation, whereas the ASD group did not evidence differences across subscales. CONCLUSIONS Consideration of the shared and syndrome-specific adaptive profiles provides relevant insight on intervention targets and strategies. Given the shared challenges across the two clinical groups, implications and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Hamner
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - N Raitano Lee
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - D R Hocking
- Developmental Neuromotor and Cognition Laboratory, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - G Vivanti
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
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Parsons JP, Bedford R, Jones EJH, Charman T, Johnson MH, Gliga T. Gaze Following and Attention to Objects in Infants at Familial Risk for ASD. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1799. [PMID: 31481909 PMCID: PMC6710391 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced gaze following has been associated previously with lower language scores in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we use eye-tracking in a controlled experimental setting to investigate whether gaze following and attention distribution during a word learning task associate with later developmental and clinical outcomes in a population of infants at familial risk for ASD. Fifteen-month-old infants (n = 124; n = 101 with familial risk) watched an actress repeatedly gaze toward and label one of two objects present in front of her. We show that infants who later developed ASD followed gaze as frequently as typically developing peers but spent less time engaged with either object. Moreover, more time spent on faces and less on objects was associated with lower concurrent or later verbal abilities, but not with later symptom severity. No outcome group showed evidence for word learning. Thus, atypical distribution of attention rather than poor gaze following is a limiting factor for language development in infants at familial risk for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet P. Parsons
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachael Bedford
- Biostatistics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J. H. Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H. Johnson
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Teodora Gliga
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
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Howard PL, Zhang L, Benson V. What Can Eye Movements Tell Us about Subtle Cognitive Processing Differences in Autism? Vision (Basel) 2019; 3:E22. [PMID: 31735823 PMCID: PMC6802779 DOI: 10.3390/vision3020022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is neurodevelopmental condition principally characterised by impairments in social interaction and communication, and repetitive behaviours and interests. This article reviews the eye movement studies designed to investigate the underlying sampling or processing differences that might account for the principal characteristics of autism. Following a brief summary of a previous review chapter by one of the authors of the current paper, a detailed review of eye movement studies investigating various aspects of processing in autism over the last decade will be presented. The literature will be organised into sections covering different cognitive components, including language and social communication and interaction studies. The aim of the review will be to show how eye movement studies provide a very useful on-line processing measure, allowing us to account for observed differences in behavioural data (accuracy and reaction times). The subtle processing differences that eye movement data reveal in both language and social processing have the potential to impact in the everyday communication domain in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippa L Howard
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth BH12 5BB, UK
| | - Li Zhang
- Academy of Psychology and Behaviour, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300074, China
| | - Valerie Benson
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
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Eye-Tracking Research in Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Are We Measuring and for What Purposes? CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40474-019-00158-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Williams syndrome: recent advances in our understanding of cognitive, social and psychological functioning. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2019; 32:60-66. [PMID: 30557270 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Since the last review of Williams syndrome in Current Opinion (2001) there have been many advances in knowledge about the cognitive, social and psychological impairments that characterize the disorder. The present review focuses on current research in these areas. RECENT FINDINGS Williams syndrome is associated with a wide range of cognitive, linguistic, social and other difficulties. When young, these deficits may appear relatively mild - for example, many children are highly sociable and talkative - but with age the impact of these difficulties becomes more evident. Thus, inappropriate social behaviours can significantly increase the risk of social exclusion and vulnerability to abuse. Their superficially good speech can lead to educational and other services failing to understand the true extent of impairments or the need for specialist support. Mental health problems, especially related to anxiety, often become an increasing challenge from adolescence onwards. SUMMARY The core difficulties associated with Williams syndrome have a cascading effect on many areas of development over time. However, specialist provision is rare and intervention trials are almost nonexistent. Longitudinal research is needed to identify factors associated with cognitive, social and emotional problems and to develop more effective ways of minimizing and treating difficulties.
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Vivanti G, Hamner T, Lee NR. Neurodevelopmental Disorders Affecting Sociability: Recent Research Advances and Future Directions in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2018; 18:94. [DOI: 10.1007/s11910-018-0902-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Vivanti G, Hamner T, Lee NR. Neurodevelopmental Disorders Affecting Sociability: Recent Research Advances and Future Directions in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2018. [PMID: 30328520 DOI: 10.1007/s11910–018–0902-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this review, we summarize current knowledge and hypotheses on the nature of social abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Williams syndrome (WS). RECENT FINDINGS Social phenotypes in ASD and WS appear to reflect analogous disruptions in social cognition, and distinct patterns of social motivation, which appears to be reduced in ASD and enhanced in WS. These abnormalities likely originate from heterogeneous vulnerabilities that disrupt the interplay between domain-general and social domain-specific cognitive and motivational processes during early development. Causal pathways remain unclear. Advances and research gaps in our understanding of the social phenotypes in ASD and WS highlight the importance of (1) parsing the construct of sociability, (2) adopting a developmental perspective, (3) including samples that are representative of the spectrum of severity within ASD and WS in neuroscientific research, and (4) adopting transdiagnostic treatment approaches to target shared areas of impairment across diagnostic boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Vivanti
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3734, USA. .,Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3734, USA.
| | - Taralee Hamner
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3734, USA.,Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3734, USA
| | - Nancy Raitano Lee
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3734, USA
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Vivanti G, Dissanayake C, Fanning PAJ, Hocking DR. Reduced Motor Interference in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome. Dev Neuropsychol 2018; 43:751-763. [PMID: 30321065 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1531289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Motor interference occurs when action execution is hindered by the observation of an incongruent action. The present study used a novel eye-tracking paradigm to test the motor interference effect in 22 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 14 preschoolers with Williams syndrome (WS), and 18 typically developing (TD) peers. In TD children, performance of a pre-determined action was slower after the observation of an incongruent motor action and faster following observation of a congruent motor action, indicating a motor interference effect. In both the ASD and WS groups, performance was unaffected by the congruent versus incongruent nature of the observed motor action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Vivanti
- a A.J. Drexel Autism Institute , Drexel University , Philadelphia , PA , USA.,b Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- b Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
| | - Peter A J Fanning
- b Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
| | - Darren R Hocking
- c Developmental Neuromotor & Cognition Lab, School of Psychology and Public Health , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
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Baptista J, Sampaio A, Fachada I, Osório A, Mesquita AR, Garayzabal E, Duque F, Oliveira G, Soares I. Maternal Interactive Behaviours in Parenting Children with Williams Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Relations with Emotional/Behavioural Problems. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 49:216-226. [PMID: 30143949 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3715-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This study compared maternal responsiveness to children with two neurodevelopmental disorders sharing different but, in some cases, overlapping social phenotypes-Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-and explored the relations between maternal responsiveness and child emotional/behavioural problems (EBP). The sample included 16 pre-schoolers with WS and 43 with ASD, and their mothers. Responsiveness was assessed during a mother-child interaction task. Mothers completed the CBCL 1½-5, providing a measure of EBP. No significant differences emerged between groups, and most dyads were characterized by less responsive behaviours. Maternal responsiveness proved related to child developmental age, but not with EBP. These results provide further insight into the rearing environment of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, highlighting the need for early relationship-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Baptista
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology of the University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Adriana Sampaio
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology of the University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Inês Fachada
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology of the University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Osório
- Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana R Mesquita
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology of the University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Elena Garayzabal
- Department of Linguistics, University Autónoma of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Frederico Duque
- Neurodevelopmental and Autism Unit from Child Developmental Center and Centro de Investigação e Formação Clinica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,University Clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Guiomar Oliveira
- Neurodevelopmental and Autism Unit from Child Developmental Center and Centro de Investigação e Formação Clinica, Hospital Pediátrico, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,University Clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Isabel Soares
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology of the University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
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Tonnsen BL, Richards JE, Roberts JE. Heart rate-defined sustained attention in infants at risk for autism. J Neurodev Disord 2018; 10:7. [PMID: 29439664 PMCID: PMC5811956 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-018-9224-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although aberrant visual attention has been identified in infants at high familial risk for autism, the developmental emergence of atypical attention remains unclear. Integrating biological measures of attention into prospective high-risk infant studies may inform more nuanced developmental trajectories, clarifying the onset and course of atypical attention and potentially advancing early screening or treatment protocols. Heart rate-defined sustained attention (HRDSA) is a well-validated biological measure of attentional engagement that, in non-clinical infant populations, provides incremental information about attentional engagement beyond looking behaviors alone. The present study aimed to examine the characteristics and clinical correlates of HRDSA in high-risk infants, informing whether HRDSA may operate as a promising biological measure of attention and clinical symptoms in this population. Methods We examined age-related patterns of HRDSA during a passive looking task in 5- to 14-month-old high-risk infant siblings of children with autism (n = 21) compared to low-risk controls (n = 21), with most participants contributing multiple assessments. Emergent autism features were measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule at 24 months. Primary dependent variables included the proportion of time in behavioral attention, proportion of time in HRDSA, and average heart rate deceleration during HRDSA. For each variable, we used nested multilevel models to examine whether attention differed by group, as well as whether attention predicted emergent autism features among high-risk infant siblings. Results As expected, HRDSA served as a global biological measure of attention in high-risk infants, predicting greater variability in group risk status than behavioral looking alone. Among high-risk infants, more severe ASD features were also associated with increasingly shallow heart rate deceleration during HRDSA across development, suggesting abnormal qualities of HRDSA may inform individual differences within this population. Conclusions These preliminary findings provide initial evidence that HRDSA may offer a sensitive, affordable, and portable biological measure of attention that may enhance understanding of atypical attention in high-risk infants. Using this method, we also provide initial evidence that atypical patterns of heart activity previously reported in children and adults with autism may emerge in the first year of life, warranting further study of how HRDSA may specifically inform attention profiles in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgette L Tonnsen
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, 703 3rd Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47906, USA. .,Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, 1512 Pendleton Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
| | - John E Richards
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, 1512 Pendleton Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Jane E Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, 1512 Pendleton Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
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