1
|
Patti MA, Croen LA, Dickerson AS, Joseph RM, Ames JL, Ladd-Acosta C, Ozonoff S, Schmidt RJ, Volk HE, Hipwell AE, Magee KE, Karagas M, McEvoy C, Landa R, Elliott MR, Mitchell DK, D'Sa V, Deoni S, Pievsky M, Wu PC, Barry F, Stanford JB, Bilder DA, Trasande L, Bush NR, Lyall K. Reproducibility between preschool and school-age Social Responsiveness Scale forms in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes program. Autism Res 2024; 17:1187-1204. [PMID: 38794898 PMCID: PMC11186723 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3147] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Evidence suggests core autism trait consistency in older children, but development of these traits is variable in early childhood. The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) measures autism-related traits and broader autism phenotype, with two age-dependent forms in childhood (preschool, 2.5-4.5 years; school age, 4-18 years). Score consistency has been observed within forms, though reliability across forms has not been evaluated. Using data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (n = 853), preschool, and school-age SRS scores were collected via maternal report when children were an average of 3.0 and 5.8 years, respectively. We compared reproducibility of SRS total scores (T-scores) and agreement above a clinically meaningful cutoff (T-scores ≥ 60) and examined predictors of discordance in cutoff scores across forms. Participant scores across forms were similar (mean difference: 3.3 points; standard deviation: 7), though preschool scores were on average lower than school-age scores. Most children (88%) were classified below the cutoff on both forms, and overall concordance was high (92%). However, discordance was higher in cohorts following younger siblings of autistic children (16%). Proportions of children with an autism diagnoses were also higher among those with discordant scores (27%) than among those with concordant scores (4%). Our findings indicate SRS scores are broadly reproducible across preschool and school-age forms, particularly for capturing broader, nonclinical traits, but also suggest that greater variability of autism-related traits in preschool-age children may reduce reliability with later school-age scores for those in the clinical range.
Collapse
Grants
- UH3OD023285 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UG3 OD023342 NIH HHS
- UH3OD023288 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- U24OD023319 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023244 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023313 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023305 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023275 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023328 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023342 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- U2C OD023375 NIH HHS
- UH3OD023271 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- U24OD023382 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3OD023249 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- U2COD023375 NIH ECHO Program, funded by the office of the Director, NIH
- UH3 OD023342 NIH HHS
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marisa A Patti
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Aisha S Dickerson
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert M Joseph
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer L Ames
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Heather E Volk
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research, Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kelsey E Magee
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Margaret Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Cindy McEvoy
- Department of Pediatrics, Papé Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Rebecca Landa
- Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael R Elliott
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Daphne Koinis Mitchell
- Bradley-Hasbro Research Center and the Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Viren D'Sa
- Bradley-Hasbro Research Center and the Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Sean Deoni
- Bradley-Hasbro Research Center and the Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Michelle Pievsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Pei-Chi Wu
- Bradley-Hasbro Research Center and the Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Fatoumata Barry
- Bradley-Hasbro Research Center and the Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Joseph B Stanford
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Deborah A Bilder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Laue HE, Bonham KS, Coker MO, Moroishi Y, Pathmasiri W, McRitchie S, Sumner S, Hoen AG, Karagas MR, Klepac-Ceraj V, Madan JC. Prospective association of the infant gut microbiome with social behaviors in the ECHO consortium. Mol Autism 2024; 15:21. [PMID: 38760865 PMCID: PMC11101342 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00597-2] [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: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying modifiable risk factors of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may inform interventions to reduce financial burden. The infant/toddler gut microbiome is one such feature that has been associated with social behaviors, but results vary between cohorts. We aimed to identify consistent overall and sex-specific associations between the early-life gut microbiome and autism-related behaviors. METHODS Utilizing the Environmental influences on Children Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium of United States (U.S.) pediatric cohorts, we gathered data on 304 participants with fecal metagenomic sequencing between 6-weeks to 2-years postpartum (481 samples). ASD-related social development was assessed with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). Linear regression, PERMANOVA, and Microbiome Multivariable Association with Linear Models (MaAsLin2) were adjusted for sociodemographic factors. Stratified models estimated sex-specific effects. RESULTS Genes encoding pathways for synthesis of short-chain fatty acids were associated with higher SRS-2 scores, indicative of ASDs. Fecal concentrations of butyrate were also positively associated with ASD-related SRS-2 scores, some of which may be explained by formula use. LIMITATIONS The distribution of age at outcome assessment differed in the cohorts included, potentially limiting comparability between cohorts. Stool sample collection methods also differed between cohorts. Our study population reflects the general U.S. population, and thus includes few participants who met the criteria for being at high risk of developing ASD. CONCLUSIONS Our study is among the first multicenter studies in the U.S. to describe prospective microbiome development from infancy in relation to neurodevelopment associated with ASDs. Our work contributes to clarifying which microbial features associate with subsequent diagnosis of neuropsychiatric outcomes. This will allow for future interventional research targeting the microbiome to change neurodevelopmental trajectories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Laue
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Kevin S Bonham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Modupe O Coker
- School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Yuka Moroishi
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Wimal Pathmasiri
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Susan McRitchie
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Susan Sumner
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anne G Hoen
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Vanja Klepac-Ceraj
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA.
| | - Juliette C Madan
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, One Medical Center Drive, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhong C, Rando J, Patti MA, Braun JM, Chen A, Xu Y, Lanphear BP, Yolton K, Croen LA, Fallin MD, Hertz-Picciotto I, Newschaffer CJ, Lyall K. Gestational thyroid hormones and autism-related traits in the EARLI and HOME studies. Autism Res 2024; 17:716-727. [PMID: 38436527 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3115] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones are essential for neurodevelopment. Few studies have considered associations with quantitatively measured autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-related traits, which may help elucidate associations for a broader population. Participants were drawn from two prospective pregnancy cohorts: the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), enrolling pregnant women who already had a child with ASD, and the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, following pregnant women from the greater Cincinnati, OH area. Gestational thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) were measured in mid-pregnancy 16 (±3) weeks gestation serum samples. ASD-related traits were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) at ages 3-8 years. The association was examined using quantile regression, adjusting for maternal and sociodemographic factors. 278 participants (132 from EARLI, 146 from HOME) were included. TSH distributions were similar across cohorts, while FT4 levels were higher in EARLI compared to HOME. In pooled analyses, particularly for those in the highest SRS quantile (95th percentile), higher FT4 levels were associated with increasing SRS scores (β = 5.21, 95% CI = 0.93, 9.48), and higher TSH levels were associated with decreasing SRS scores (β = -6.94, 95% CI = -11.04, -2.83). The association between TSH and SRS remained significant in HOME for the 95% percentile of SRS scores (β = -6.48, 95% CI = -12.16, -0.80), but not EARLI. Results for FT4 were attenuated when examined in the individual cohorts. Our results add to evidence that gestational thyroid hormones may be associated with ASD-related outcomes by suggesting that relationships may differ across the distribution of ASD-related traits and by familial likelihood of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caichen Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Juliette Rando
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Marisa A Patti
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yingying Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, USA
| | - M Daniele Fallin
- Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Craig J Newschaffer
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Associations between media exposure and mental health among children and parents after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2023; 14:2163127. [PMID: 37052091 PMCID: PMC9848268 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2163127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Exposure to natural disaster media coverage is associated with mental health problems, but its long-term impacts are still unclear. Also, no study has analysed the psychological impact of exposure to natural disaster media coverage among children who are generally sensitive to threatening events.Objective: We aimed to examine how television images of victims after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake were associated with mental health among children and their parents.Methods: In 2012, questionnaires for sociodemographic factors were distributed to 2053 families. Parents who provided written consent were contacted in 2013 and invited to provide information on mental health problems (outcome) and retrospectively provide information on television watching at the time of the earthquake (exposure). We used data from 159 parents who completed the survey as the final sample. We used a dichotomous variable to evaluate exposure to media coverage. Multivariable regression was used to examine the association between exposure to television images of victims and mental health, adjusting for potential confounders. Bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs) were used.Results: Exposure to television images of victims was significantly associated with worse psychopathology among children (β, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.07-2.96) and greater psychological distress among their parents (β, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.28-2.70). Child psychopathology and parental psychological distress were significantly correlated (r = 0.36, p < .001).Conclusions: Exposure to television images of disaster victims may produce long-term impacts on mental health among children and their parents. To reduce the likelihood of mental health problems associated with disasters, clinicians may recommend reducing exposure to television images of victims.
Collapse
|
5
|
Li X, Shen H, Kong H, Xie J. Autistic traits predict social avoidance and distress: The chain mediating role of perceived stress and interpersonal alienation. Scand J Psychol 2023; 64:802-809. [PMID: 37345676 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12946] [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: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Social avoidance and distress are the primary aspects of social anxiety. Nonautistic people with high levels of autistic traits are more likely to exhibit social avoidance and distress. However, research has yet to reveal how autistic traits induce social avoidance and distress. To fill this gap, the present study recruited 708 participants to complete the 25-item Autism Spectrum Quotient, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Chinese Perceived Stress Scale, and Interpersonal Alienation Subscale. The results indicated that autistic traits significantly predicted social avoidance and distress in nonautistic people. In addition, autistic traits induced social avoidance and distress through perceived stress and interpersonal alienation, respectively. Importantly, perceived stress and interpersonal alienation (including the subdimensions of interpersonal alienation: sense of loneliness, sense of social isolation, and alienation between family members) partially mediated the relationships between autistic traits and social avoidance and distress. Overall, autistic traits predict social avoidance and distress via perceived stress and interpersonal alienation. This finding extends the hypothetical model of clinical anxiety in autism spectrum disorders. Furthermore, reducing perceived stress and interpersonal alienation in nonautistic people with high levels of autistic traits may be a valid intervention method to prevent and eliminate their social avoidance and distress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangning Li
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210097, China
| | - Hongyan Shen
- Mental Health Education and Consultation Center, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Haiyan Kong
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210097, China
| | - Jiushu Xie
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210097, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ames JL, Burjak M, Avalos LA, Braun JM, Bulka CM, Croen LA, Dunlop AL, Ferrara A, Fry RC, Hedderson MM, Karagas MR, Liang D, Lin PID, Lyall K, Moore B, Morello-Frosch R, O’Connor TG, Oh J, Padula AM, Woodruff TJ, Zhu Y, Hamra GB. Prenatal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Childhood Autism-related Outcomes. Epidemiology 2023; 34:450-459. [PMID: 36630444 PMCID: PMC10074577 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic evidence linking prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with altered neurodevelopment is inconclusive, and few large studies have focused on autism-related outcomes. We investigated whether blood concentrations of PFAS in pregnancy are associated with child autism-related outcomes. METHODS We included 10 cohorts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (n = 1,429). We measured 14 PFAS analytes in maternal blood collected during pregnancy; eight analytes met detection criteria for analysis. We assessed quantitative autism-related traits in children via parent report on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). In multivariable linear models, we examined relationships of each PFAS (natural log-transformed) with SRS scores. We further modeled PFAS as a complex mixture using Bayesian methods and examined modification of these relationships by child sex. RESULTS Most PFAS in maternal blood were not associated with child SRS T-scores. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) showed the strongest and most consistent association: each 1-unit increase in ln-transformed PFNA was associated with greater autism-related traits (adjusted β [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.5 [-0.1, 3.0]). The summed mixture, which included six PFAS detected in >70% of participants, was not associated with SRS T-scores (adjusted β [95% highest posterior density interval] = 0.7 [-1.4, 3.0]). We did not observe consistent evidence of sex differences. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal blood concentrations of PFNA may be associated with modest increases in child autism-related traits. Future work should continue to examine the relationship between exposures to both legacy and emerging PFAS and additional dimensional, quantitative measures of childhood autism-related outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Ames
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | | | - Lyndsay A. Avalos
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | | | - Lisa A. Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Assiamira Ferrara
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | | | | | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Pi-I D. Lin
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse (CoRAL), Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Brianna Moore
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Jiwon Oh
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis CA, USA
| | - Amy M. Padula
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Tracey J. Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
The subcortical correlates of autistic traits in school-age children: a population-based neuroimaging study. Mol Autism 2023; 14:6. [PMID: 36765403 PMCID: PMC9921646 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-023-00538-5] [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: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is emerging evidence that the neuroanatomy of autism forms a spectrum which extends into the general population. However, whilst several studies have identified cortical morphology correlates of autistic traits, it is not established whether morphological differences are present in the subcortical structures of the brain. Additionally, it is not clear to what extent previously reported structural associations may be confounded by co-occurring psychopathology. To address these questions, we utilised neuroimaging data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to assess whether a measure of autistic traits was associated with differences in child subcortical morphology, and if any observed differences persisted after adjustment for child internalising and externalising symptoms. METHODS Our analyses included data from 7005 children aged 9-10 years (female: 47.19%) participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Autistic traits were assessed using scores from the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Volumes of subcortical regions of interest were derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging data. RESULTS Overall, we did not find strong evidence for an association of autistic traits with differences in subcortical morphology in this sample of school-aged children. Whilst lower absolute volumes of the nucleus accumbens and putamen were associated with higher scores of autistic traits, these differences did not persist once a global measure of brain size was accounted for. LIMITATIONS It is important to note that autistic traits were assessed using the SRS, of which higher scores are associated with general behavioural problems, and therefore may not be wholly indicative of autism-specific symptoms. In addition, individuals with a moderate or severe autism diagnosis were excluded from the ABCD study, and thus, the average level of autistic traits will be lower than in the general population which may bias findings towards the null. CONCLUSIONS These findings from our well-powered study suggest that other metrics of brain morphology, such as cortical morphology or shape-based phenotypes, may be stronger candidates to prioritise when attempting to identify robust neuromarkers of autistic traits.
Collapse
|
8
|
Shirama A, Stickley A, Kamio Y, Saito A, Haraguchi H, Wada A, Sueyoshi K, Sumiyoshi T. Emotional and behavioral problems in Japanese preschool children with subthreshold autistic traits: findings from a community-based sample. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:499. [PMID: 35879703 PMCID: PMC9317455 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04145-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, there has been a growing recognition that autistic traits exist along a continuum beyond diagnostic categories and that even subclinical symptoms may be associated with an increased risk for the psychosocial well-being and mental health of children. However, as yet, there has been little research on whether preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, who do not meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD, are more likely to experience difficulties. To address this deficit this study examined whether young children with subthreshold autistic traits have an increased risk for emotional/behavioral difficulties. METHODS Data were analyzed from 1057 Japanese preschool children aged 5-years old collected during the first wave of the Tama Children's Survey (TCS) cohort study. Parent-reported autistic traits were assessed with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), while they provided information on their child's emotional/behavioral problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations. RESULTS Preschool children with mild-to-moderate autistic traits, corresponding to subclinical autism were significantly more likely to score above the clinical thresholds for emotional/behavioral problems compared to children with fewer autistic traits. Follow-up diagnostic assessments and analyses of 72 children from the cohort confirmed these findings and showed that these children with subthreshold autistic traits also had a significantly lower intelligence quotient (IQ) as measured by the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI). CONCLUSIONS Although subthreshold autistic traits are difficult to define due to the sometimes vague border between typical and atypical development, there may be a large number of preschool children with subthreshold autistic traits, who may have an increased risk for a variety of different emotional/behavioral difficulties as well as lower cognitive functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aya Shirama
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan.
| | - Andrew Stickley
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Yoko Kamio
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
- Institute of Education and Human Development, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
| | - Aya Saito
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
- Human Science Division, Faculty of Core Research, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Haraguchi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Ayumu Wada
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Kazuki Sueyoshi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Tomiki Sumiyoshi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Vecchione R, Wang S, Rando J, Chavarro JE, Croen LA, Fallin MD, Hertz-Picciotto I, Newschaffer CJ, Schmidt RJ, Lyall K. Maternal Dietary Patterns during Pregnancy and Child Autism-Related Traits: Results from Two US Cohorts. Nutrients 2022; 14:2729. [PMID: 35807909 PMCID: PMC9268965 DOI: 10.3390/nu14132729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined the relationship between maternal intake of established dietary patterns and child autism-related outcomes in two prospective cohorts in the United States. Participants were drawn from the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI, n = 154) and the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII, n = 727). Dietary information was collected via food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) and used to calculate the empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP), Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Western and Prudent dietary patterns, and the alternative Mediterranean Diet (aMED) score. Primary analyses examined associations with continuous autism-related traits as measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and secondary analyses with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. We used crude and multivariable quantile regression fixed at the 50th percentile to examine associations between quartiles of dietary patterns and SRS scores, and logistic regression to examine associations with ASD diagnosis. There was suggestion of a positive association with the Western diet (Q4 vs. Q1, ß = 11.19, 95% CI: 3.30, 19.90) in EARLI, though the association was attenuated with adjustment for total energy intake, and no clear associations were observed with other dietary patterns and ASD diagnosis or SRS scores. Further work is needed to better understand the role of maternal dietary patterns in ASD and related outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Vecchione
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Siwen Wang
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (S.W.); (J.E.C.)
| | - Juliette Rando
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Jorge E. Chavarro
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (S.W.); (J.E.C.)
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Lisa A. Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Norther California, Oakland, CA 94612, USA;
| | - M. Daniele Fallin
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (I.H.-P.); (R.J.S.)
| | - Craig J. Newschaffer
- College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA;
| | - Rebecca J. Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (I.H.-P.); (R.J.S.)
| | - Kristen Lyall
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Emotional and behavioral problems in Japanese preschool children with motor coordination difficulties: the role of autistic traits. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:979-990. [PMID: 33566188 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01732-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
There has been little research on whether younger children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) symptoms have an increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems. This study examined whether coordination difficulties are associated with emotional and behavioral problems (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, reduced prosocial behavior) in preschool children and the role of autistic traits in this association. Data (N = 1042, age 58-71 months) were analyzed from the Tama Children's Survey (TCS). The Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ) was used to measure coordination difficulty symptoms. Information was obtained on emotional/behavioral problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and on autistic traits with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Higher autistic traits were based on SRS cutoff scores (53.5 for boys and 52.5 for girls). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between the variables. In adjusted models, children with probable DCD (pDCD) were significantly more likely to score above the clinical thresholds on all SDQ emotional/behavioral domains. However, nearly all of these associations became nonsignificant after including autistic traits in the analysis. Additional analyses showed that children with pDCD with higher autistic traits had significantly increased odds for emotional problems (odds ratio [OR]: 4.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-13.19), hyperactivity/inattention (OR: 3.74, 95% CI: 1.45-9.64), peer problems (OR: 15.81, 95% CI: 5.96-41.99), and total difficulties (OR: 28.78, 95% CI: 7.23-114.57), compared to children with pDCD alone. These results indicate that the increased risk of emotional/behavioral difficulties in preschool children with pDCD might be mediated by autistic traits.
Collapse
|
11
|
Stanyon D, Yamasaki S, Ando S, Endo K, Nakanishi M, Kiyono T, Hosozawa M, Kanata S, Fujikawa S, Morimoto Y, Hiraiwa-Hasegawa M, Kasai K, Nishida A. The role of bullying victimization in the pathway between autistic traits and psychotic experiences in adolescence: Data from the Tokyo Teen Cohort study. Schizophr Res 2022; 239:111-115. [PMID: 34871995 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Autistic traits are associated with psychotic experiences in adolescence; however, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not well understood. Prior research indicates that bullying victimization increases the risk of psychotic experiences in general adolescent populations, and autistic youth are at higher risk of being bullied than their non-autistic peers. Using longitudinal data from general population adolescents aged 10-14 in the Tokyo Teen Cohort study, we tested the hypothesis that bullying is responsible for the association between autistic traits and psychotic experiences in adolescence. We identified an indirect effect (estimate = 0.033 [95% CIs: 0.014-0.057], p < 0.001) between autistic traits and psychotic experiences via bullying victimization, even after controlling for known confounders. Prevention of bullying victimization may be one avenue for reducing risk of psychosis among adolescents with high levels of autistic traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Stanyon
- Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Syudo Yamasaki
- Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Shuntaro Ando
- Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaori Endo
- Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miharu Nakanishi
- Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kiyono
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Hosozawa
- Institute for Global Health Policy Research, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Kanata
- Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Fujikawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Morimoto
- Department of Psychology, Ube Frontier University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Mariko Hiraiwa-Hasegawa
- School of Advanced Science, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nishida
- Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kim JI, Lee J, Lee KS, Lee YA, Shin CH, Hong YC, Kim BN, Lim YH. Association of phthalate exposure with autistic traits in children. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 157:106775. [PMID: 34314979 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phthalates are synthetic chemicals with endocrine-disrupting properties. They are reportedly associated with various neurotoxic outcomes. Studies on exposure to phthalates and children's autistic traits have shown inconsistent results with respect to sex and susceptible time periods. We investigated the association of phthalate exposure during the prenatal period and childhood with autistic traits over time using a birth cohort in South Korea. METHODS Five phthalate metabolites were measured during mid-term pregnancy and children's follow-up at ages of 4, 6, and 8 years among a total of 547 mother-child pairs. The social communication questionnaire (SCQ) was used to assess autistic traits of children at each time point. The relationship between phthalate metabolites and SCQ scores were analyzed by exposure windows and sex. RESULTS A 2.7 fold increase in di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolite levels, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) during pregnancy was associated with increased SCQ scores at 4 years by 8.5% (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.9%, 15.5%) and 7.4% (95% CI: 0.3%, 15.0%), respectively, but not at the age of 6 or 8 years. Moreover, MEHHP levels at ages of 4 and 8 years were associated with increased SCQ scores at 8 years by 9.9% (95% CI: 1.8%, 18.6%) and 9.6% (95% CI: 1.3%, 18.6%), respectively. Boys showed stronger associations between phthalate exposure and SCQ scores than girls. CONCLUSION The study suggested different susceptible time windows of phthalate exposure: exposure during pregnancy is associated with autistic traits in young children, whereas exposure during early childhood years leads to autistic traits in school-aged children, particularly boys.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Inhyang Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Lee
- Integrative Care Hub, Children's Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Shin Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Environmental Health Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Ah Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Choong Ho Shin
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Environmental Health Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bung-Nyun Kim
- Division of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Youn-Hee Lim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Stickley A, Shirama A, Kitamura S, Kamio Y, Takahashi H, Saito A, Haraguchi H, Kumazaki H, Mishima K, Sumiyoshi T. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and sleep problems in preschool children: the role of autistic traits. Sleep Med 2021; 83:214-221. [PMID: 34049039 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep problems are elevated in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, until now there has been comparatively little research on the role of autistic traits in this association. The current study examined the association between ADHD symptoms and sleep problems in Japanese preschool children and whether autistic traits might also be important for this relationship. METHODS Data were analyzed from 1053 children (average age 64.14 months, range 58-71; 50.3% male) that were drawn from the Tama Children's Survey (TCS). Parent-reported information was obtained on ADHD symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and autistic traits with the Social Responsiveness Scale Second Edition (SRS-2). Parents also provided information on three different categories of sleep problems experienced by their children - parasomnias, sleep disordered breathing and awakening/daytime problems. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations. RESULTS In analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors, the mother's mental health and child's emotional problems, compared to children with no ADHD symptoms or autistic traits, children with only ADHD symptoms had significantly increased odds for only one of 11 individual sleep problems - waking in a negative mood. In contrast, children with comorbid ADHD symptoms and autistic traits had elevated odds for five sleep problems with odds ratios ranging from 2.10 (takes time to become alert in the morning) to 3.46 (excessive body movement while sleeping). CONCLUSIONS Sleep problems may be especially elevated in children with comorbid ADHD symptoms and autistic traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Stickley
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan.
| | - Aya Shirama
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Shingo Kitamura
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Yoko Kamio
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan; Institute of Education and Human Development, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Takahashi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan; Kochi Medical School Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kochi University, 185-1 Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku-shi, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
| | - Aya Saito
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan; Human Science Division, Faculty of Core Research, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Haraguchi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kumazaki
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Kazuo Mishima
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Tomiki Sumiyoshi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Chen JY, Strodl E, Wu CA, Huang LH, Yin XN, Wen GM, Sun DL, Xian DX, Chen YJ, Yang GY, Chen WQ. Screen time and autistic-like behaviors among preschool children in China. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2020; 26:607-620. [PMID: 33227216 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2020.1851034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Screen time is becoming increasingly common in daily life. Early and excessive screen use has raised growing concerns for children's neuropsychological development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between exposure to screen time in early life and the presence of autistic-like behaviors among preschool children. 29,461 child-caregiver dyads at kindergartens in Longhua New District of Shenzhen, China, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Information concerning socio-demographic characteristics, frequency and duration of children's electronic screen exposure for each year since birth, and autistic-like behaviors (measured by the Autism Behavior Checklist) were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire completed by the primary caregivers. A series of logistic regression models assessed the association between screen time and autistic-like behaviors. Results indicated that younger initial age, longer daily screen time and longer cumulative years of screen exposure since birth were associated with the presence of autistic-like behaviors at preschool age. The risk was enhanced with the increase of both daily screen time and cumulative years of screen exposure during preschool period. Moreover, the cross-over analysis indicated that the first three years following birth might be a sensitive period for children when screen exposure increases the risk of experiencing autistic-like behaviors. In conclusion, our study implied that screen exposure in early life might increase the occurrence of autistic-like behaviors among preschoolers. These findings support the need for early interventions into preschoolers' screen use, however longitudinal studies are necessary to further confirm the causal relationship between early screen time and the incidence of later autistic-like behaviors among preschool children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yi Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Esben Strodl
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Chuan-An Wu
- Department of Child Healthcare, Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li-Hua Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Na Yin
- Department of Child Healthcare, Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guo-Min Wen
- Department of Child Healthcare, Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Deng-Li Sun
- Department of Child Healthcare, Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dan-Xia Xian
- Department of Child Healthcare, Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying-Jie Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gui-You Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Qing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Information Management, Xinhua College of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Nguyen PH, Ocansey ME, Miller M, Le DTK, Schmidt RJ, Prado EL. The reliability and validity of the social responsiveness scale to measure autism symptomology in Vietnamese children. Autism Res 2019; 12:1706-1718. [PMID: 31355545 PMCID: PMC7397486 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) has been validated in high-income countries but not yet in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to assess the reliability of the SRS in a community sample and its validity to discriminate between children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Vietnam. We used a three-phase study: piloting the translated SRS, reliability testing, and validation of the SRS in 158 Vietnamese caretakers and their children (ages 4-9 years). We examined reliability, validity and sensitivity, and specificity to ASD diagnosis. We applied receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine optimal cutoff scores discriminating the children with ASD from those without ASD. We also assessed the performance of the SRS short form. We found that reliability was good with high internal consistency (0.88-0.89), test-retest reliability (0.82-0.83), sensitivity (93%), and specificity (98%) for identification of children with ASD. The ROC curves were similar for total raw score and total T-score, with the area under the curve (AUC) values reaching 0.98 and the optimal cutoff of 62 for raw scores and 60 for T-scores. The SRS short form also performed well in distinguishing children with ASD from children without ASD, with high AUC (0.98), sensitivity (90%), and specificity (98%) when using a raw score of 15 as a cutoff. In conclusion, the translated and culturally adapted SRS shows good reliability, validity, and sensitivity for identification of children with ASD in Vietnam. Both SRS long and short forms performed adequately to discriminate between children with and without ASD. Autism Res 2019, 00: 1-13. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Middle-income countries often lack validated tools to evaluate autism symptoms. The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) translated to Vietnamese was reliable and performed well to distinguish between children with and without autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam. The Vietnamese SRS, and translations of the tool to other languages with this methodology, may be useful in pediatric practice, potentially allowing providers to make more appropriate referrals for diagnostic evaluations and identify children for intervention to help them fulfill their developmental potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, District of Columbia.,Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation, Thai Nguyen University of Pharmacy and Medicine, Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
| | - Maku E Ocansey
- Program in International and Community Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Meghan Miller
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Dung T K Le
- Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation, Thai Nguyen University of Pharmacy and Medicine, Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Elizabeth L Prado
- Program in International and Community Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kašćelan D, Katsos N, Gibson JL. Relations Between Bilingualism and Autistic-Like Traits in a General Population Sample of Primary School Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2509-2523. [PMID: 30976960 PMCID: PMC6546658 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-03994-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Some evidence suggests that bilingualism improves communication and cognitive skills which are often impaired in autism. However, diagnosing autism in bilinguals may suffer a cultural bias, which can affect the investigation of bilingualism and autism. Therefore, the current study investigates relations between autistic-like traits (ALTs) and bilingualism in a general population sample of 394 children (M age = 8;3). Within the high-scoring group on the ALT measure, monolinguals had significantly higher ALT scores than bilinguals. There were no differences between monolinguals and bilinguals in the low-scoring group. Across the whole sample, age and structural language skills accounted for 35% variance in ALTs, while bilingualism had no effect on ALTs. Furthermore, structural language skills explained more variance in ALTs among bilinguals than among monolinguals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Draško Kašćelan
- Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages, University of Cambridge, Raised Faculty Building, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DA, UK.
| | - Napoleon Katsos
- Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages, University of Cambridge, Raised Faculty Building, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DA, UK
| | - Jenny L Gibson
- Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|