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O'Neill S, O'Donnell GM. Identifying autistic children: Priorities for research arising from a systematic review of parents' experiences of the assessment process. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241243107. [PMID: 38659201 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241243107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Hearing about parents' experiences of having their child recognised as autistic could help improve the supports offered to parents. Our article may also help guide future research on this topic. We made a list of the type of research that interested us. We searched the studies already completed, only studying the research that matched our interests. After reading the studies, we rated their quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool.It became clear that parents went through four phases during the identification process. The first phase occurred before their child was identified as autistic. The second involved the actual assessment of their child. Parents' emotional reactions to the news were the focus of the third phase. The final phase occurred after their child was identified as autistic. We discuss the findings of our research. As there are sensitivities involved in conducting research on this topic, we identify how researchers can ensure that their research is of the best quality. We are committed to respecting the human rights of all involved, so we emphasise the need for professionals to develop good relationships with the parents of autistic children. Researchers have recently come to see autism as typical of human diversity. We encourage the professionals involved to adopt this understanding of autistic children and make practical suggestions to enable them to do so.
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Shapter S, Carroll A, Roberts K. Clinician Opinions Regarding the Usefulness of the BOSA for ASD Assessment in a Service for Children Aged Under 12 Years. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-023-06207-z. [PMID: 38565777 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06207-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent social distancing policies forced healthcare teams to drastically alter the way they deliver services. This was particularly challenging for clinicians involved in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as assessment tools and methods required face-to-face social interactions between clinicians and children. To address this, the Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA) was developed to ensure that people suspected of ASD can receive diagnostic assessments during the pandemic. This project aimed to explore clinicians' opinions on the BOSA, particularly regarding the usefulness of the assessment for clinicians to clarify diagnostic outcomes of ASD assessments. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered within an NHS community paediatric team. This included a questionnaire for clinicians to complete, and data from the BOSA assessments done in the service. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics revealed that many clinicians felt that the BOSA can be beneficial in certain cases, such as selective mutism, and found the BOSA particularly helpful for observing parent-child interactions. These findings highlighted important information that the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Second Edition (ADOS-2) does not give opportunities to observe. Clinicians reported that at times, the BOSA materials, brevity and parental administration created barriers to gathering information for diagnostic decisions. As may be expected, clinicians showed a clear preference for the more familiar and validated ADOS-2. However, the study highlights perceived limitations of the ADOS-2 and strengths of the BOSA, with recommendations made for future practice and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Shapter
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Amy Carroll
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kate Roberts
- Oak Tree Centre, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, Huntingdon, PE29 7HN, UK
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3
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Sapiets SJ, Hastings RP, Totsika V. Predictors of Access to Early Support in Families of Children with Suspected or Diagnosed Developmental Disabilities in the United Kingdom. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1628-1641. [PMID: 37142908 PMCID: PMC10159231 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05996-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
This study examined predictors of access to early support amongst families of 0-6-year-old children with suspected or diagnosed developmental disabilities in the United Kingdom. Using survey data from 673 families, multiple regression models were fitted for three outcomes: intervention access, access to early support sources, and unmet need for early support sources. Developmental disability diagnosis and caregiver educational level were associated with intervention access and early support access. Early support access was also associated with child physical health, adaptive skills, caregiver ethnicity, informal support, and statutory statement of special educational needs. Unmet need for early support was associated with economic deprivation, the number of household caregivers, and informal support. Multiple factors influence access to early support. Key implications include enhancing processes for formal identification of need, addressing socioeconomic disparities (e.g., reducing inequalities, increasing funding for services), and providing more accessible services (e.g., coordinating support across services, flexible service provision).
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzi J Sapiets
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
- Tizard Centre, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, UK.
| | - Richard P Hastings
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash Medical Centre, Monash University, Block P, Level 3 246 Clayton Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Vasiliki Totsika
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash Medical Centre, Monash University, Block P, Level 3 246 Clayton Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Rd, London, W1T 7BN, UK
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Spinazzi NA, Velasco AB, Wodecki DJ, Patel L. Autism Spectrum Disorder in Down Syndrome: Experiences from Caregivers. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1171-1180. [PMID: 36624226 PMCID: PMC10907487 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05758-x] [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] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to learn about the experiences of families of individuals with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (DS-ASD), and to document the journey from early concerns to diagnosis and intervention. Caregivers completed an online survey describing their journey raising a child with DS-ASD. Survey responses were analyzed qualitatively and coded into categories to highlight common themes. Stereotypy, severe communication impairments, and behavioral difficulties prompted caregivers to pursue further evaluation. There was a mean 4.65-year gap between first noticing symptoms and receiving an ASD diagnosis. Several therapeutic interventions were identified as beneficial, including behavioral and communication support. Caregivers expressed frustration and described high levels of stress and social isolation. The diagnosis of ASD in children with DS is often delayed, and caregivers' initial concerns are frequently dismissed. Raising a child with DS-ASD can lead to social isolation and elevated caregiver stress. More research is needed to tailor diagnostic algorithms and therapeutic interventions to the unique needs of this patient population. Caregivers yearn for improved understanding of DS-ASD, more targeted therapies and educational programs, and more overall support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Alice Spinazzi
- Division of Primary Care, Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, 5220 Claremont Ave, Oakland, CA, USA.
| | - Alyssa Bianca Velasco
- Graduate Medical Education, Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Oakland, CA, USA
- Lucille Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, USA
| | | | - Lina Patel
- Division of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
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Honda H, Sasayama D, Niimi T, Shimizu A, Toibana Y, Kuge R, Takagi H, Nakajima A, Sakatsume R, Takahashi M, Heda T, Nitto Y, Tsukada S, Nishigaki A. Awareness of children's developmental problems and sharing of concerns with parents by preschool teachers and childcare workers: The Japanese context. Child Care Health Dev 2024; 50:e13153. [PMID: 37460209 DOI: 10.1111/cch.13153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aims to determine the extent to which preschool teachers and childcare workers are aware of the presence of developmental problems among children and to what extent they share information with parents about their concerns regarding a child's development or diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). METHODS We wrote to all 924 preschools and childcare centres in Japan's Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures to request participants. We then sent survey forms to the preschools and childcare centres that agreed to cooperate for three grades comprising 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in the school year 2020. We asked the staff member in charge of each child to complete the survey. The survey included questions about the teacher's concerns regarding the possibility of an NDD and whether the matter had been shared with the children's parents. RESULTS We obtained data for 10 354 children from 206 preschools and childcare centres (response rate = 22.3%). Among these children, 457 (4.4%) had an NDD diagnosis that their parents shared with the teachers. However, the teachers of 1274 children (12.3%) had concerns regarding their development but were not informed by the parents about the diagnosis, if any. These 1274 children included 775 (60.8%) cases where the teachers failed to share their concerns with parents because (1) the teachers could not communicate with parents (n = 119), (2) the teachers were not sure if there was a neurodevelopmental problem (n = 360) and (3) the parents were not aware of the problem (n = 296). CONCLUSIONS Preschool teachers and childcare workers had concerns about the development of a substantial proportion of children in their charge. However, teachers and childcare workers did not share their concerns regarding many children's developmental problems with their parents. The findings suggest that there are challenges in information-sharing between teachers/childcare workers and parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Honda
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
- Mental Health Clinic for Children, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano, Japan
| | - Daimei Sasayama
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
- Mental Health Clinic for Children, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
| | - Taemi Niimi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
| | - Ayako Shimizu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
| | - Yuki Toibana
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
| | - Rie Kuge
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
- Mental Health Clinic for Children, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Takagi
- Department of Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
| | - Aya Nakajima
- Department of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychiatry, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
- Social Welfare Corporation Kosodachi Hattatsu No Sato, Nest Yamanashi Mental Support, Yamanashi, Japan
| | | | | | - Takuma Heda
- Social Welfare Group Kosui Fukushikai, Nagano, Japan
| | - Yukari Nitto
- Department of Human Psychology, Sagami Women's University, Sagamihara, Japan
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Belcher HL, Uglik-Marucha N, Vitoratou S, Ford RM, Morein-Zamir S. Gender bias in autism screening: measurement invariance of different model frameworks of the Autism Spectrum Quotient. BJPsych Open 2023; 9:e173. [PMID: 37781848 PMCID: PMC10594186 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2023.562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Autism Spectrum Quotient is a popular autism screening tool recommended for identifying potential cases of autism. However, many women with autism demonstrate a different presentation of traits to those currently captured by screening measures and assessment methods, such as the Autism Spectrum Quotient. AIMS Different models of the Autism Spectrum Quotient have been proposed in the literature, utilising different items from the original 50-item scale. Within good-fitting models, the current study aimed to explore whether these items assess autistic traits similarly across men and women. METHOD Seventeen Autism Spectrum Quotient models were identified from the literature. Using the responses of a large sample of adults from the UK general population (5246 women, 1830 men), confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the fit of each model. Measurement invariance with respect to gender, adjusting for age, was explored in the 11 model frameworks that were found to have satisfactory fit to our data. RESULTS It emerged that only two items were gender invariant (non-biased), whereas for the remaining items, the probability of endorsement was influenced by gender. In particular, women had a higher probability of endorsing items relating to social skills and communication. CONCLUSIONS If the items of the Autism Spectrum Quotient indeed reflect autism-related traits, those items should be rephrased to ensure they do not present a gender-related bias. This is vital for ensuring more timely diagnoses and support for all people with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L. Belcher
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Nora Uglik-Marucha
- Psychometrics and Measurement Laboratory, Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Silia Vitoratou
- Psychometrics and Measurement Laboratory, Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Ruth M. Ford
- School of Psychology and Sports Science, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
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7
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Rah SS, Jung M, Lee K, Kang H, Jang S, Park J, Yoon JY, Hong SB. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Real-World Accuracy of Children's Developmental Screening Tests. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 62:1095-1109. [PMID: 36592715 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This review presents a list of developmental screening tests used in clinical settings worldwide and provides a broad estimate of their accuracy (PROSPERO: CRD42021236474). METHOD Following the PRISMA Diagnostic Test Accuracy (DTA) guidelines, this review involved searching PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Google Scholar (for manual searching). Inclusion criteria included studies published in English through 2020 that compared the accuracy of developmental screening tests against developmental diagnostic tests among children under 13 years of age. Six researchers, in pairs, independently selected the studies and extracted the data. A hierarchical model was applied to meta-analyze the diagnostic accuracy of the tests, and meta-regression was used to identify the moderators using R 4.1.3 software. RESULTS The meta-analysis included 56 studies (17 screening tests and 61 outcomes). The most frequently used screening tests were the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST), and Parent's Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.75 (95% CI = 0.69-0.80) and 0.76 (95% CI = 0.71-0.80), and the overall diagnostic accuracy of the total outcomes (area under the curve) was 0.80. High heterogeneity was observed between the included studies with various thresholds of the tests. Participants' developmental concerns at the baseline significantly moderated the accuracy of the screening tests, resulting in double the positive predictive value and prevalence compared to those without the concerns. CONCLUSION We recommend a standardized process of validation studies for diagnostic accuracy, to ensure the effectiveness of developmental screening tests in clinical settings. STUDY PREREGISTRATION INFORMATION Accuracy of Developmental Screening Tools among Children in Real World: a Systematic Review and Meta Analysis; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/; CRD42021236474.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Sil Rah
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minho Jung
- Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungmin Lee
- Seoul National University College of Nursing, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hannah Kang
- Seoul National University College of Nursing, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soyoung Jang
- Center for Human-Caring Nurse Leaders for the Future by Brain Korea 21 (BK 21) Four Project, Seoul National University College of Nursing, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghyun Park
- Seoul National University College of Nursing, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Young Yoon
- Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soon-Beom Hong
- Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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8
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MacKenzie KT, Mazefsky CA, Eack SM. Obtaining a First Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Descriptions of the Diagnostic Process and Correlates of Parent Satisfaction from a National Sample. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3799-3812. [PMID: 35896863 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05673-1] [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] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Obtaining an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis is often challenging for parents. The purpose of this study was to better understand this process and examine how elements of the process may influence parent satisfaction. A total of 406 parents of autistic children participated. Participants were administered a survey covering the ASD diagnostic process. Parents had developmental concerns early but experienced long wait times and usually attended many appointments. Mean diagnostic age was 3.26 years and overall delay was 1.20 years. Stress and being told there was "no problem" were significantly associated with parental satisfaction with the process. Findings provide insight into challenges experienced by families of autistic children and can help pinpoint areas where the diagnostic process may be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T MacKenzie
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Carla A Mazefsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shaun M Eack
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Ayyash M, Ayyash M, Saad F, Alaouie M, Blackwood RA. A comparison of the experiences, challenges and coping strategies for parents of children with autism residing in the United States and The Arab World. J Natl Med Assoc 2023; 115:254-262. [PMID: 36828706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnma.2023.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Most research on autism has targeted White Americans. Although challenges and coping mechanisms are present for all parents, some aspects are influenced by culture. This study aims to compare the experiences, challenges and coping strategies for parents of children with autism residing in the US and Arab countries. A survey, available in both English and Arabic, was posted electronically on social media support groups for parents of children with autism in Arab countries and the US. The survey covered experiences, challenges and coping strategies for raising a child with autism spectrum disorder. 165 surveys were collected from 15 Arab countries and 235 surveys were collected from 32 US states. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being highest satisfaction, US parents reported a higher satisfaction for the overall diagnostic process with median score of 3.0 compared to 2.5 for parents in Arab countries. Parents in both countries reported information seeking/self-education about autism and acceptance and/or religion as the 2 most valuable coping strategies. Lower satisfaction with all aspects of the diagnosis process was found among parents in Arab countries compared to those residing in the US. Lack of community support for Arab parents was also a more significant challenge compared to US parents. With such poor community support for Arab parents, it is pivotal to expand upon initiatives that minimize the stigma and shame associated with an autism diagnosis to ultimately reduce challenges and allow for better parental experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Ayyash
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Arab American Health Initiative, Dearborn, MI
| | - Mariam Ayyash
- Arab American Health Initiative, Dearborn, MI; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI.
| | - Fatima Saad
- Arab American Health Initiative, Dearborn, MI; University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI
| | | | - R Alexander Blackwood
- Arab American Health Initiative, Dearborn, MI; Michigan Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Ann Arbor, MI; Office for Health Equity and Inclusion, Ann Arbor, MI
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Sobieski M, Sobieska A, Sekułowicz M, Bujnowska-Fedak MM. Tools for early screening of autism spectrum disorders in primary health care – a scoping review. BMC PRIMARY CARE 2022; 23:46. [PMID: 35291950 PMCID: PMC8925080 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-022-01645-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in early childhood. Early diagnosis of these disorders allows for the initiation of early therapy, which is crucial for the child's further functioning in society.
Objectives
This review aims to gather and present the existing ASD screening tools that can be used in primary care and adapted to different countries conditions linguistically and culturally.
Eligibility criteria
We searched for English-language publications on ASD screening tools for children aged 0–3 years suitable for use in primary care (i.e. free, requiring no additional training or qualifications).
Sources of evidence
Four databases were explored to find English studies on ASD screening tools intended for the rapid assessment of children aged 0–3.
Charting methods
The information sought (specific features of the questionnaires relevant to primary health care workers, psychometric and diagnostic values of a given cultural adaptation of screening tools, and the linguistic and cultural changes made) were extracted and collected to create profiles of these tools.
Results
We found 81 studies which met inclusion criteria and underwent full data extraction. Three additional data sources were included. These allowed to create 75 profiles of adaptations for 26 different screening tools and collect data on their psychometric values and characteristic features.
Conclusions
The results of our study indicate the availability of several diagnostic tools for early ASD screening in primary care setting concordant culturally and linguistically with a given population. They could be an effective method of accelerating the diagnostic process and starting personalized therapy faster. However, most tools have significant limitations – some are only available for research purposes, while others do not have scientific evidence to prove their effectiveness.
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11
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Jurin A, Šimleša S, Cepanec M. Parental perception of the process of communicating a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in the Republic of Croatia. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1006-1018. [PMID: 35606685 DOI: 10.1177/13591045221105191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The process of communicating a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) stands out as the first important factor when confronting parents with such a diagnosis for their child. The situation in which a child is diagnosed with ASD is viewed as certainly one of the most stressful moments for parents. Previous research has indicated several factors that affect the positivity of parents' experiences. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the experiences of parents in the Republic of Croatia concerning the process of communicating a diagnosis of ASD to them and to show the satisfaction level of parents with the characteristics of this procedure. The study involved 52 parents of children who were either suspected of having or diagnosed with ASD. For the purposes of the research, a questionnaire was constructed. The results showed a relatively high degree of parental satisfaction with the process of communicating a diagnosis of ASD. A significant correlation was found between parental satisfaction and the presence of positive characteristics in both the diagnostic process and communicating the diagnosis. However, the results also indicated that there is much room for improvement regarding the conditions and manner of expressing this unwanted news.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamarija Jurin
- Department of Pediatrics, 117037Zadar General Hospital, Zadar, Croatia
| | - Sanja Šimleša
- Child Communication Research Laboratory, Department of Speech and Language Pathology, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, 37631University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maja Cepanec
- Child Communication Research Laboratory, Department of Speech and Language Pathology, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, 37631University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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12
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Matos MB, Bara TS, Cordeiro ML. Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses: A Comparison of Countries with Different Income Levels. Clin Epidemiol 2022; 14:959-969. [PMID: 35992506 PMCID: PMC9386174 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s373186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to assess whether high-income countries have a lower mean age at the time of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than low- and middle-income countries. Method We reviewed studies related to ASD diagnoses and the time of first concerns in low-, middle-, and high-income countries, published in PubMed, SciELO, Lilacs, and ScienceDirect. Thirty articles were included: 13 from low- and middle-income countries and 17 from high-income countries. Results The average delay between initial concerns and diagnosis was 32.33 months, with initial concerns averaging 23.64 months and diagnosis at 55.97 months. No statistical differences were found between countries with low-, middle-, and high-income. Conclusions This review found a considerable delay in ASD diagnosis despite an early presence of recognized signs and symptoms. It highlights the urgent need for standardized tools for early ASD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia B Matos
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Tiago S Bara
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Mara L Cordeiro
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Denton K, Coneway B, Simmons M, Behl M, Shin M. Parents' voices matter: A mixed‐method study on the dyslexia diagnosis process. PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pits.22762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Denton
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work West Texas A&M University Canyon Texas USA
| | - Betty Coneway
- Department of Education West Texas A&M University Canyon Texas USA
| | - Michelle Simmons
- Department of Education West Texas A&M University Canyon Texas USA
| | - Malvika Behl
- Department of Education West Texas A&M University Canyon Texas USA
| | - Mikyung Shin
- Department of Education West Texas A&M University Canyon Texas USA
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Morin M, Rivard M, Morin D, Mello C, Coulombe P. Parents' satisfaction with a Canadian pilot clinic to reduce waiting lists for the assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability in young children. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES 2022; 35:1186-1198. [PMID: 35638232 DOI: 10.1111/jar.13012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A large body of evidence suggest that parents of young children with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability experience low levels of satisfaction with the diagnostic evaluation process. This study sought to document parents' satisfaction with the services of a pilot clinic implemented in Québec, Canada. METHOD Two-hundred fifty-nine (259) parents were recruited following their child's diagnosis. A mixed methods approach was used to investigate parents' satisfaction globally and with specific aspects of the assessment process. RESULTS Parents expressed overall high satisfaction with the assessment process. Parental satisfaction with specific aspects of the assessment process was negatively related to paternal stress, fathers' unemployment and household income and positively related to maternal stress. CONCLUSIONS This pilot clinic could meet parents' needs at this crucial moment in their care and services trajectory. The factors associated with satisfaction in the present study may inform future improvements to its services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Morin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Mélina Rivard
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Diane Morin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Catherine Mello
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA
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15
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Reisinger DL, Hines E, Raches C, Tang Q, James C, Keehn RM. Provider and Caregiver Satisfaction with Telehealth Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:5099-5113. [PMID: 35579789 PMCID: PMC9112250 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05576-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The present study examines provider and caregiver satisfaction with telehealth evaluation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children during the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. A telehealth model of ASD evaluation was implemented with 308 children ages 14 to 78 months between May 2020 to June 2021. Data were gathered from electronic health records, autism-specific telehealth diagnostic tools, and post-evaluation surveys. Overall, the majority of providers and caregivers were satisfied with telehealth ASD evaluation. Multiple variables were associated with ratings of satisfaction, differing by providers and caregivers. Findings have important implications for the feasibility and acceptability of telehealth ASD evaluations, in addition to key factors to consider in optimizing and sustaining telehealth evaluations beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra L Reisinger
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 3120, 46202, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
| | - Elesia Hines
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 3120, 46202, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Christine Raches
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 3120, 46202, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Qing Tang
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Cristina James
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 3120, 46202, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Rebecca McNally Keehn
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 3120, 46202, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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16
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Montagut-Asunción M, Crespo-Martín S, Pastor-Cerezuela G, D’Ocon-Giménez A. Joint Attention and Its Relationship with Autism Risk Markers at 18 Months of Age. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9040556. [PMID: 35455600 PMCID: PMC9027970 DOI: 10.3390/children9040556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
(1) Joint attention is the ability to coordinate attention to share a point of reference with another person. It has an early onset and is a clear indicator of understanding the representations of others, and it is essential in the development of symbolic thought and the acquisition of language. Deficiencies in this prelinguistic early communication skill are strong markers of the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); (2) this longitudinal study aimed to evaluate joint attention skills in a group of 32 infants at two developmental moments (8 and 12 months) in order to explore whether their performance on this skill was related to the presence of early signs of ASD at 18 months. Logistic multiple regressions were carried out for the data analysis; (3) results of the analysis showed that the variables of initiating joint attention at 8 months and responding to joint attention at 12 months were linked to the risk of ASD at 18 months of age; (4) in conclusion, early joint attention skills had a pivotal role in defining early manifestations of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite Montagut-Asunción
- Department of Neuropsychobiology, Methodology, and Basic and Social Psychology, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain;
| | - Sarah Crespo-Martín
- Department of Basic Psychology, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.-M.); (A.D.-G.)
| | - Gemma Pastor-Cerezuela
- Department of Basic Psychology, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.-M.); (A.D.-G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ana D’Ocon-Giménez
- Department of Basic Psychology, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.-M.); (A.D.-G.)
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17
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Guillon Q, Baduel S, Bejarano-Martín Á, Canal-Bedia R, MagÁn-Maganto M, FernÁndez-Álvarez C, Martín-Cilleros MV, SÁnchez-Gómez MC, García-Primo P, Rose-Sweeney M, Boilson A, LinertovÁ R, Roeyers H, Van der Paelt S, Schendel D, Warberg CK, Cramer S, Narzisi A, Muratori F, Scattoni ML, Moilanen I, Yliherva A, Saemundsen E, Jonsdottir SL, Efrim-Budisteanu M, Arghir A, Papuc SM, Vicente A, Rasga C, Xenia Kafka J, Poustka L, Kothgassner OD, Kawa R, Pisula E, Sellers T, Posada de la Paz M, Rogé B. Determinants of satisfaction with the detection process of autism in Europe: Results from the ASDEU study. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 26:2136-2150. [PMID: 35261293 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221080318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Professional guidance and support in response to first concerns appears to be an important predictor of the level of satisfaction with the detection process of autism in young children. In this study, we analyzed the views of 1342 family members, including 1278 parents, who completed an online survey form collecting information about their experience and satisfaction with the early detection of autism in their child. Specifically, we were interested in how specific experiences with the detection process relate to the satisfaction with it and whether we could identify important predictors of satisfaction. The detection process is an emotionally charged period for parents, often described as painful, chaotic, and lengthy. A better understanding of their experiences is important to take appropriate action to improve the detection process. In our sample, the level of satisfaction with the detection process varied greatly from one respondent to another. Among the different experiences we considered, whether or not respondents received professional guidance and support in response to first concerns explained most of this variation. We also found that difficulty finding information about detection services, lack of professional guidance and support in response to first concerns, having to find a diagnostic service on one's own, and longer delays between confirmation of concerns and first appointment with a specialist were experiences associated with a greater likelihood of being unsatisfied. The findings of this study highlight the importance of the parent-professional relationship in the detection process and have important practical implications for health administrations to improve the detection process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Renata LinertovÁ
- Canary Island Foundation for Health Research (Fundación Canaria de Investigación Sanitaria/FUNCANIS) and Health Service Research Network for Chronic Diseases (Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas/REDISSEC), Spain
| | | | | | - Diana Schendel
- iPSYCH, The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, Denmark.,Aarhus University, Denmark.,Drexel University, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Irma Moilanen
- University of Oulu, Finland.,Oulu University Hospital, Finland
| | | | | | | | | | - Aurora Arghir
- Victor Babes - National Institute of Pathology, Romania
| | | | - Astrid Vicente
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Portugal
| | - Celia Rasga
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Portugal
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18
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Lust JM, Adams ILJ, Reinders‐Messelink HA, Luijckx J, Schoemaker MM, Steenbergen B. The diagnostic trajectory of developmental coordination disorder in the Netherlands: Experiences of mothers. Child Care Health Dev 2022; 48:139-149. [PMID: 34528720 PMCID: PMC9292148 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Receiving a diagnosis can have a major impact on the child and its family. Parental satisfaction concerning the diagnostic trajectory is important with regard to acceptance and coping with their child's problems. Our aim was to describe the diagnostic trajectory of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in the Netherlands and identify factors that are related to parents' satisfaction. METHOD Mothers of 60 children with a DCD diagnosis completed an online survey concerning their experiences during and after the diagnostic trajectory of obtaining this diagnosis. RESULTS Forty percent of the mothers rated the diagnostic trajectory towards a DCD diagnosis as stressful and 47% rated the knowledgeability of the first professional they consulted (mostly a general practitioner, paediatric physical therapist, or youth health care physician) as having no or just superficial knowledge about DCD. Around 60% of the mothers described a lack of knowledge and support at their child's school after receiving the diagnosis. Notwithstanding this, the majority of the participating mothers was (very) satisfied with the diagnostic trajectory. Higher appreciation of both the manner of the diagnosing professional and the post-diagnostic support provided were predictive of higher satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Our results underline the importance of improving the knowledgeability in primary schools and primary health care professionals with regard to DCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M. Lust
- Behavioural Science Institute (BSI)Radboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Imke L. J. Adams
- Behavioural Science Institute (BSI)Radboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Heleen A. Reinders‐Messelink
- Rehabilitation Center ‘Revalidatie Friesland’BeetsterzwaagThe Netherlands,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement SciencesGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Joli Luijckx
- Balans, Parents Association for Children With Developmental DisordersDe BiltThe Netherlands
| | - Marina M. Schoemaker
- University Medical Center Groningen, Centre for Human Movement SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Bert Steenbergen
- Behavioural Science Institute (BSI)Radboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands,Centre for Disability and Development Research (CeDDR), School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVICAustralia
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19
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Crowd annotations can approximate clinical autism impressions from short home videos with privacy protections. INTELLIGENCE-BASED MEDICINE 2022; 6. [PMID: 35634270 PMCID: PMC9139408 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmed.2022.100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) solutions are increasingly considered for telemedicine. For these methods to serve children and their families in home settings, it is crucial to ensure the privacy of the child and parent or caregiver. To address this challenge, we explore the potential for global image transformations to provide privacy while preserving the quality of behavioral annotations. Crowd workers have previously been shown to reliably annotate behavioral features in unstructured home videos, allowing machine learning classifiers to detect autism using the annotations as input. We evaluate this method with videos altered via pixelation, dense optical flow, and Gaussian blurring. On a balanced test set of 30 videos of children with autism and 30 neurotypical controls, we find that the visual privacy alterations do not drastically alter any individual behavioral annotation at the item level. The AUROC on the evaluation set was 90.0% ±7.5% for unaltered videos, 85.0% ±9.0% for pixelation, 85.0% ±9.0% for optical flow, and 83.3% ±9.3% for blurring, demonstrating that an aggregation of small changes across behavioral questions can collectively result in increased misdiagnosis rates. We also compare crowd answers against clinicians who provided the same annotations for the same videos as crowd workers, and we find that clinicians have higher sensitivity in their recognition of autism-related symptoms. We also find that there is a linear correlation (r = 0.75, p < 0.0001) between the mean Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score provided by professional clinicians and the corresponding score emitted by a previously validated autism classifier with crowd inputs, indicating that the classifier’s output probability is a reliable estimate of the clinical impression of autism. A significant correlation is maintained with privacy alterations, indicating that crowd annotations can approximate clinician-provided autism impression from home videos in a privacy-preserved manner.
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20
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Chérif L, Yaich K, Sahnoun C, Khemekhem K, Boudabbous J, HadjKacem I, Ayadi H, Moalla Y. Autisme : annonce du diagnostic et vécu des parents. ANNALES MEDICO-PSYCHOLOGIQUES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.amp.2020.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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21
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Ghahari N, Hosseinali F, Cervantes de Blois CL, Alesheikh H. A space-time analysis of disparities in age at diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: environmental and socioeconomic risk factors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2021; 19:1941-1950. [PMID: 34900317 PMCID: PMC8617109 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-021-00746-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early diagnosis of autism is a critical step for gaining early intervention. The earlier interventions begin, the greater chance to reduce symptoms of autism over the lifespan. Despite the improvement in early diagnosis, age at diagnosis varies by residential locations. In order to improve early screening services, this study aims to identify geographic clusters of early and late diagnosis of autism, in addition, it is aimed to compare cases inside the clusters with the rest of the province on characteristics and socioeconomic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS Survey data were collected from 163 autistics born from 1996 to 2011 in Isfahan Province, Iran. As this study found diagnosis of autism occur at an earlier age among children, who on average every 2.5 months increased for each year of age, distance from regression line has been used to determine how early a case was diagnosed compared to other identified cases. After dividing cases into 5 classes based on their distances from the regression line, the ordinal based space-time scan statistic in SaTScan was used to identify geographic areas within specific time periods that have significantly elevated proportions of autistic children who received diagnosis at the earlier or later stages. RESULTS The space-time analysis identified two geographic areas that age of diagnosis was inconsistent with the overall study area, the first area has an early diagnosis in central part of Isfahan megacity between 1998 and 2006 (P = .001), the second area shows to have a late diagnosis centered by Najafabad from 2010 through 2015 (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS The result of our spatial analysis can be used to evaluate the performance of diagnosis services and additionally provide information to target specific at-risk population for further interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Ghahari
- Department of Surveying Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Lavizan, Tehran, 16785-163 Iran
| | - Farhad Hosseinali
- Department of Surveying Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Lavizan, Tehran, 16785-163 Iran
| | - Chelsea L. Cervantes de Blois
- Department of Geography, Environment & Society, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 414 Social Science Building 267 19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Hessam Alesheikh
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Velenjak St., Shahid Chamran Highway, Tehran, Iran
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22
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McDaniel J, Brady NC, Warren SF. Effectiveness of Responsivity Intervention Strategies on Prelinguistic and Language Outcomes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Group and Single Case Studies. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4783-4816. [PMID: 34779992 PMCID: PMC9556387 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05331-y] [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] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a systematic review to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and single case research design (SCRD) studies of children with autism spectrum disorder that evaluate the effectiveness of responsivity intervention techniques for improving prelinguistic and/or language outcomes. Mean effect sizes were moderate and large for RCTs (33 studies; g = 0.36, 95% CI [0.21, 0.51]) and SCRD (34 studies; between-case standardized mean difference = 1.20, 95% CI [0.87, 1.54]) studies, respectively. Visual analysis (37 studies) revealed strong evidence of a functional relation for 45% of the opportunities and no evidence for 53%. Analyses of moderator effects and study quality are presented. Findings provide support for responsivity intervention strategies with more robust support for context-bound outcomes than more generalized outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jena McDaniel
- Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, 3001 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Ave, Lawrence, KS, 66045-7555, USA.
| | - Nancy C Brady
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences & Disorders, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Steven F Warren
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences & Disorders, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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23
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Pierce K, Gazestani V, Bacon E, Courchesne E, Cheng A, Barnes CC, Nalabolu S, Cha D, Arias S, Lopez L, Pham C, Gaines K, Gyurjyan G, Cook-Clark T, Karins K. Get SET Early to Identify and Treatment Refer Autism Spectrum Disorder at 1 Year and Discover Factors That Influence Early Diagnosis. J Pediatr 2021; 236:179-188. [PMID: 33915154 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine the impact of a new approach, Get SET Early, on the rates of early autism spectrum disorder (ASD) detection and factors that influence the screen-evaluate-treat chain. STUDY DESIGN After attending Get SET Early training, 203 pediatricians administered 57 603 total screens using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Infant-Toddler Checklist at 12-, 18-, and 24-month well-baby examinations, and parents designated presence or absence of concern. For screen-positive toddlers, pediatricians specified if the child was being referred for evaluation, and if not, why not. RESULTS Collapsed across ages, toddlers were evaluated and referred for treatment at a median age of 19 months, and those screened at 12 months (59.4% of sample) by 15 months. Pediatricians referred one-third of screen-positive toddlers for evaluation, citing lack of confidence in the accuracy of screen-positive results as the primary reason for nonreferral. If a parent expressed concerns, referral probability doubled, and the rate of an ASD diagnosis increased by 37%. Of 897 toddlers evaluated, almost one-half were diagnosed as ASD, translating into an ASD prevalence of 1%. CONCLUSIONS The Get SET Early model was effective at detecting ASD and initiating very early treatment. Results also underscored the need for change in early identification approaches to formally operationalize and incorporate pediatrician judgment and level of parent concern into the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Pierce
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.
| | - Vahid Gazestani
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Elizabeth Bacon
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Eric Courchesne
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Amanda Cheng
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Srinivasa Nalabolu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Debra Cha
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Steven Arias
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Linda Lopez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Christie Pham
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Kim Gaines
- San Diego Regional Center, San Diego, CA
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24
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Daniels NF, Coughlan B, Duschinsky R. How UK health care professionals conceptualise parental experiences of the diagnostic process for autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative study. SAGE Open Med 2021; 9:20503121211031310. [PMID: 34349995 PMCID: PMC8287381 DOI: 10.1177/20503121211031310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Much of the literature on diagnostic experiences of autism focuses on parental perspectives. Few studies have explored how health care professionals conceptualise parental experiences of the diagnostic process. The current study examines clinical perspectives of the diagnostic process with a focus on the perceived impact of assessment on families. METHODS Qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 health care professionals from various National Health Service child and adolescent mental health services and general practices in the United Kingdom. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analysed using a thematic approach. RESULTS Two main themes were identified: (1) stress and the autism spectrum disorder diagnostic process and (2) expectations of the diagnostic pathway. The main sources of stress perceived by the health care professionals related to diagnostic delay and ambiguity around the diagnostic process, with parents facing significant hurdles in understanding their child's behaviour. Many health care professionals also reported a struggle to navigate differing expectations of the diagnostic process between parents and clinicians, as well as managing objectivity in the face of significant distress. Parent internalised stigma and guilt was a key component of the health care professional's perception of sources of stress around the diagnostic process. CONCLUSION The vast majority of clinicians recognised the diagnostic pathway as a significant source of stress for parents, with many hurdles and battles to finalise the process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barry Coughlan
- Department of Public Health and Primary
Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robbie Duschinsky
- Department of Public Health and Primary
Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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25
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Pulsipher DT, Lieb RW. Using latent profile analysis to evaluate the utility of a DSM-5 symptom checklist in screening children for autism spectrum disorder. Clin Neuropsychol 2021; 36:874-898. [PMID: 34080494 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2021.1929495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Currently available screening measures for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) typically do not reflect DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and generally have weak positive predictive values. These factors result in missed opportunities for early intervention, delays in diagnosis, and contribute to inefficient usage of healthcare resources by inadequately discerning those in need of comprehensive assessment. This study examined a DSM-5 ASD symptom checklist to determine whether parent-report response patterns could accurately identify which children received an ASD diagnosis. Method: Data were examined from 376 ASD evaluations in a three-year period. Latent profile analysis was used to determine if subgroups could be identified according to parent response patterns, and network analysis was implemented to examine the relationship among DSM-5 ASD criteria within each latent profile. Results: A four-profile model was best supported based on fit indices and high probability classifications. The model was largely a product of how parents responded regarding their child's sensory behavior and minimally reflected other symptomatology. Subsequent network analyses by profile indicated weak coherence among DSM-5 symptoms within all profiles. Overall, direct assessment of DSM-5 criteria based on parent report did not add diagnostic value beyond that reflected in base rates. Conclusions: Although continued refinement of ASD screening tools is needed to improve accuracy of referrals for evaluations and reduce wait time for diagnosis, this study continues to support the need for behavioral observation and formal assessment by trained clinicians. Continued development of sensitive and specific screening tools, likely with embedded behavioral and/or objective observation, is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalin T Pulsipher
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca W Lieb
- NeuroDevelopmental Science Center, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, OH, USA.,Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
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26
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Licari MK, Varcin K, Hudry K, Leonard HC, Alvares GA, Pillar SV, Stevenson PG, Cooper MN, Whitehouse AJO. The course and prognostic capability of motor difficulties in infants showing early signs of autism. Autism Res 2021; 14:1759-1768. [PMID: 34021977 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Delays within the motor domain are often overlooked as an early surveillance marker for autism. The present study evaluated motor difficulties and its potential as an early predictive marker for later autism likelihood in a cohort of infants (N = 96) showing early behavioral signs of autism aged 9-14 months. The motor domain was evaluated using the motor subscales of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning at baseline, and at a 6-month follow-up. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Toddler Module (ADOS-T) was completed at follow-up as a measure of autism likelihood. Motor difficulties were common at baseline, with 63/96 (65.6%) infants scoring very low or below average in the gross motor domain and 29/96 (30.2%) in the fine motor domain. At follow-up, gross motor difficulties had resolved for many, with 23/63 (36.5%) infants maintaining these difficulties. Fine motor difficulties resolved in fewer infants, with 20/29 (69.0%) continuing to present with fine motor delays at follow-up. Adjusted linear regression models suggested that fine motor scores at baseline (β = -0.12, SE = 0.04) and follow-up (β = -0.17, SE = 0.05) were associated with higher ADOS-T scores; with difficulties across both timepoints (β = 5.60, SE = 1.35) the strongest (largest in magnitude) association with ADOS-T scores of the predictors examined. Motor difficulties are prominent in children displaying emerging signs of autism, with persistent fine motor difficulties predictive of the developing autism phenotype. The findings indicate the potential clinical value of including evaluation of motor skills within early autism surveillance measures. LAY SUMMARY: This prospective study evaluated motor development over a 6-month period in infants showing early behavioral signs of autism. Atypical motor development was a common feature of infants showing early signs of autism and persistent fine motor difficulties were predictive of the emerging autism phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K Licari
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kandice Varcin
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kristelle Hudry
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Gail A Alvares
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Sarah V Pillar
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Paul G Stevenson
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew N Cooper
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Andrew J O Whitehouse
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Sapiets SJ, Totsika V, Hastings RP. Factors influencing access to early intervention for families of children with developmental disabilities: A narrative review. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES 2021; 34:695-711. [PMID: 33354863 PMCID: PMC8246771 DOI: 10.1111/jar.12852] [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: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early intervention (EI) can improve a range of outcomes for families of children with developmental disabilities. However, research indicates the level of access does not always match the level of need. To address disparities, it is essential to identify factors influencing access. METHOD We propose a framework where access to EI is conceptualised as a process that includes three main phases. A narrative review examined potential barriers, facilitators and modifiers of access for each phase. RESULTS The process of access to EI includes the following: 1) recognition of need, 2) identification or diagnosis and 3) EI provision or receipt. Several factors affecting access to EI for each phase were identified, related to the family, services, the intersection between family and services, and the context. CONCLUSION A broad range of factors appear to influence the process of access to EI for this population. Our framework can be used in future research investigating access. Broad implications for policy, practice and future research to improve access to EI are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzi J. Sapiets
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR)University of WarwickCoventryUK
| | - Vasiliki Totsika
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR)University of WarwickCoventryUK
- Division of PsychiatryUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash HealthMonash UniversityClayton VIC 3800Australia
| | - Richard P. Hastings
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR)University of WarwickCoventryUK
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash HealthMonash UniversityClayton VIC 3800Australia
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28
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Bendik LA, Spicer-White F. The untold perspective: Parents' experiences of the autism spectrum disorder assessment process when the child did not receive a diagnosis. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:1761-1770. [PMID: 33840207 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211003741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autism is diagnosed by a process of child assessment and parental interview. It has been well-documented by parents of children who received a diagnosis of autism, that the process can be lengthy and cause distress for families. Nevertheless, the outcome often compensated for the difficult assessment journey as it enables families to gain access to further information, support and intervention. However, less is known about the assessment process from parents who undertake the same process but at the end are told their child does not meet the diagnostic criteria, meaning no diagnosis is given. We interviewed six parents in North Wales, whose child did not receive a diagnostic of autism following an assessment. During the interview, parents were asked about their experience of the autism assessment process. We found that parents reflected on their experience according to three themes: (1) parents tried to navigate how they could make sense of their child being different despite not receiving a diagnosis; (2) parents referred to the assessment process as a journey, which encompassed many emotional and psychological components and (3) parents discussed what it was like to hear a non-diagnosis outcome, in terms of feeling relieved, confused and raising questions for the child's future. These findings are important for professionals working in autism assessment services to help improve the assessment process for families, particularly when the assessment does not result in a diagnosis.
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29
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Washington P, Tariq Q, Leblanc E, Chrisman B, Dunlap K, Kline A, Kalantarian H, Penev Y, Paskov K, Voss C, Stockham N, Varma M, Husic A, Kent J, Haber N, Winograd T, Wall DP. Crowdsourced privacy-preserved feature tagging of short home videos for machine learning ASD detection. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7620. [PMID: 33828118 PMCID: PMC8027393 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87059-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Standard medical diagnosis of mental health conditions requires licensed experts who are increasingly outnumbered by those at risk, limiting reach. We test the hypothesis that a trustworthy crowd of non-experts can efficiently annotate behavioral features needed for accurate machine learning detection of the common childhood developmental disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for children under 8 years old. We implement a novel process for identifying and certifying a trustworthy distributed workforce for video feature extraction, selecting a workforce of 102 workers from a pool of 1,107. Two previously validated ASD logistic regression classifiers, evaluated against parent-reported diagnoses, were used to assess the accuracy of the trusted crowd's ratings of unstructured home videos. A representative balanced sample (N = 50 videos) of videos were evaluated with and without face box and pitch shift privacy alterations, with AUROC and AUPRC scores > 0.98. With both privacy-preserving modifications, sensitivity is preserved (96.0%) while maintaining specificity (80.0%) and accuracy (88.0%) at levels comparable to prior classification methods without alterations. We find that machine learning classification from features extracted by a certified nonexpert crowd achieves high performance for ASD detection from natural home videos of the child at risk and maintains high sensitivity when privacy-preserving mechanisms are applied. These results suggest that privacy-safeguarded crowdsourced analysis of short home videos can help enable rapid and mobile machine-learning detection of developmental delays in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Washington
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | | | - Emilie Leblanc
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Brianna Chrisman
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Kaitlyn Dunlap
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Aaron Kline
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Haik Kalantarian
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Yordan Penev
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Kelley Paskov
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Catalin Voss
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Nathaniel Stockham
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Neuroscience, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Maya Varma
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Arman Husic
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Jack Kent
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Nick Haber
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Terry Winograd
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Dennis P. Wall
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pediatrics (Systems Medicine), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (By Courtesy), Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
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30
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Makino A, Hartman L, King G, Wong PY, Penner M. Parent Experiences of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis: a Scoping Review. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-021-00237-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe purpose of this review was to identify the quantity, breadth, and methodological characteristics of literature examining parent perspectives of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, synthesize key research findings, and highlight gaps in the current literature. A systematic search was conducted for the period January 1994–February 2020. One hundred and twenty-two articles underwent data extraction. The majority of studies took place in Europe and North America in high-income countries. Over half of the studies used qualitative methodology. Four key components of the diagnostic experience were identified: journey to assessment, assessment process, delivery of the diagnosis and feedback session, and provision of information, resources, and support. Themes of parental emotions and parental satisfaction with the diagnostic process were also found.
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31
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Scattoni ML, Micai M, Ciaramella A, Salvitti T, Fulceri F, Fatta LM, Poustka L, Diehm R, Iskrov G, Stefanov R, Guillon Q, Rogé B, Staines A, Sweeney MR, Boilson AM, Leósdóttir T, Saemundsen E, Moilanen I, Ebeling H, Yliherva A, Gissler M, Parviainen T, Tani P, Kawa R, Vicente A, Rasga C, Budişteanu M, Dale I, Povey C, Flores N, Jenaro C, Monroy ML, Primo PG, Charman T, Cramer S, Warberg CK, Canal-Bedia R, Posada M, Schendel D. Real-World Experiences in Autistic Adult Diagnostic Services and Post-diagnostic Support and Alignment with Services Guidelines: Results from the ASDEU Study. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:4129-4146. [PMID: 33502713 PMCID: PMC8510906 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04873-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Research providing an evidence-base for autistic adult services is sparse. The Autism Spectrum Disorders in the European Union (ASDEU) network implemented an on-line survey to determine gaps in autistic adult diagnostic evaluation and post-diagnostic support services. More than 55% in all groups experienced most of the recommended features for diagnostic evaluation for autistic adults. In contrast, < 2% of adults or carers, and < 21% of professionals experienced each of the recommended features for post-diagnostic support. In contrast to 61% of professionals, only about 30% of autistic adults and carers had knowledge of good local services models for autism diagnosis in adulthood. There are major differences between good practice guidelines for diagnostic and post-diagnostic care for autistic adults, and what is actually experienced by services users and professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luisa Scattoni
- Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Research Coordination and Support Service, Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy.
| | - Martina Micai
- Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Research Coordination and Support Service, Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio Ciaramella
- Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Research Coordination and Support Service, Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy
| | - Tommaso Salvitti
- Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Research Coordination and Support Service, Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Fulceri
- Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Research Coordination and Support Service, Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy
| | - Laura Maria Fatta
- Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Research Coordination and Support Service, Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Gottingen, Germany
| | - Robert Diehm
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Georgi Iskrov
- Institute for Rare Diseases, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.,Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv Town, Bulgaria
| | - Rumen Stefanov
- Institute for Rare Diseases, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.,Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv Town, Bulgaria
| | - Quentin Guillon
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, CERPPS, Toulouse, Occitanie, France
| | - Bernadette Rogé
- Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, CERPPS, Toulouse, Occitanie, France
| | - Anthony Staines
- School of Nursing, Psychotherapy & Community Health, Dublin City University, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Mary Rose Sweeney
- School of Nursing, Psychotherapy & Community Health, Dublin City University, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Andrew Martin Boilson
- School of Nursing, Psychotherapy & Community Health, Dublin City University, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Thora Leósdóttir
- The State Diagnostic and Counselling Centre, 200, Kópavogur, Iceland
| | - Evald Saemundsen
- The State Diagnostic and Counselling Centre, 200, Kópavogur, Iceland
| | - Irma Moilanen
- Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University and University Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Medical Faculty, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Hanna Ebeling
- Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University and University Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Medical Faculty, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anneli Yliherva
- Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University and University Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,University of Oulu, Logopedic Child Language Research Center, Oulu, Finland
| | - Mika Gissler
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland.,University of Turku, Research Centre for Child Psychiatry, Turku, Finland.,Division of Family Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tarja Parviainen
- Finnish Association for Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
| | - Pekka Tani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rafal Kawa
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Astrid Vicente
- Center for Biodiversity, Functional and Integrative Genomics, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Célia Rasga
- Center for Biodiversity, Functional and Integrative Genomics, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Magdalena Budişteanu
- Victor Babeş" National Institute for Research and Development in Pathology and Biomedical Sciences, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ian Dale
- National Autistic Society, The Centre for Autism, London, UK
| | - Carol Povey
- National Autistic Society, The Centre for Autism, London, UK
| | - Noelia Flores
- Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos, INICO-Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Cristina Jenaro
- Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos, INICO-Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Maria Luisa Monroy
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, INICO-Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Patricia García Primo
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Institute of Rare Diseases Research Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tony Charman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Susanne Cramer
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Ricardo Canal-Bedia
- Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos, INICO-Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Posada
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Institute of Rare Diseases Research Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Schendel
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Economics and Business, Aarhus University, National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus, Denmark
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32
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Zhang Y, Tian Y, Wu P, Chen D. Application of Skeleton Data and Long Short-Term Memory in Action Recognition of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:E411. [PMID: 33430118 PMCID: PMC7827022 DOI: 10.3390/s21020411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The recognition of stereotyped action is one of the core diagnostic criteria of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, it mainly relies on parent interviews and clinical observations, which lead to a long diagnosis cycle and prevents the ASD children from timely treatment. To speed up the recognition process of stereotyped actions, a method based on skeleton data and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is proposed in this paper. In the first stage of our method, the OpenPose algorithm is used to obtain the initial skeleton data from the video of ASD children. Furthermore, four denoising methods are proposed to eliminate the noise of the initial skeleton data. In the second stage, we track multiple ASD children in the same scene by matching distance between current skeletons and previous skeletons. In the last stage, the neural network based on LSTM is proposed to classify the ASD children's actions. The performed experiments show that our proposed method is effective for ASD children's action recognition. Compared to the previous traditional schemes, our scheme has higher accuracy and is almost non-invasive for ASD children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunkai Zhang
- School of Communication and Electronic Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yinghong Tian
- School of Communication and Electronic Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.T.)
| | - Pingyi Wu
- Experimental Teaching Center for Teacher Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Dongfan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
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33
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Anderberg E, South M. Predicting Parent Reactions at Diagnostic Disclosure Sessions for Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:3533-3546. [PMID: 33387242 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04817-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Receiving a diagnosis of autism for their child can be a pivotal moment for parents, yet there is little research about how providers can predict parent reactions and adjust their feedback. We investigated factors related to parent reactions during the disclosure session using interviews with providers (n = 6), a parent focus group (n = 10), and a mixed-methods survey of parents (n = 189) of recently diagnosed children. Parents' prior knowledge of autism and anxiety about diagnosis predicted emotional reactions and readiness for next steps. Families anxious about receiving a diagnosis are most in need of information but may leave the session feeling lost and unprepared. Providers can promote positive emotional reactions for parents and prevent confusion by increasing their own positivity, warmth, respect, clarity, and confidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Anderberg
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachussetts General Hospital, Lexington, MA, USA
| | - Mikle South
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
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34
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Stewart SL, Celebre A, Iantosca JA, Poss JW. Autism Spectrum Screening Checklist (ASSC): The Development of a Scale to Identify High-Risk Individuals Within the Children's Mental Health System. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:709491. [PMID: 34552515 PMCID: PMC8451328 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.709491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex childhood onset neurodevelopmental disorder that has become the fastest growing developmental disability. Due to the increased demand for diagnostic assessments and subsequent increased wait times, standardized screening as part of regular clinical practice is needed. More specifically, there is an important need for the development of a more streamlined screening tool within an existing assessment system to identify those at greatest risk of having ASD. The current study utilized data from ~17,000 assessments obtained within the province of Ontario, based on the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) and Child and Youth Mental Health and Developmental Disability (ChYMH-DD), to develop a scale to identify children who have a higher likelihood of having autism. The scale was then tested on a trial population with data from the interRAI Early Years instrument. Further analyses examined the predictive validity of the scale. The Autism Spectrum Screening Checklist (ASSC) was found to be a good predictor of ASD with a sensitivity of 0.73 and specificity of 0.62, at the recommended cut-point of 2+. The results were consistent across several age ranges, specifically from 2 to 21 years of age. The ASSC scale provides an initial screen to help identify children and youth at heightened risk for autism within larger populations being assessed as part of routine practice. The main goal for the development and implementation of the ASSC scale is to harness the power of the existing interRAI assessment system to provide a more efficient, effective screening and referral process. This will ultimately help improve patient outcomes through needs-based care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela Celebre
- Faculty of Education, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jo Ann Iantosca
- Faculty of Applied Arts and Health Sciences, Seneca College, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeffrey W Poss
- Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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35
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Shulman C, Esler A, Morrier MJ, Rice CE. Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2020; 43:583-603. [PMID: 33126997 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders it is also one of the most heterogeneous conditions, making identification and diagnosis complex. The importance of a stable and consistent diagnosis cannot be overstated. An accurate diagnosis is the basis for understanding the individual and establishing an individualized treatment plan. We present those elements that should be included in any assessment for ASD and describe the ways in which ASD typically manifests itself at various developmental stages. The implications and challenges for assessment at different ages and levels of functioning are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Shulman
- The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel.
| | - Amy Esler
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota 2540 Riverside Ave S., RPB 550, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Michael J Morrier
- Emory Autism Center, 1551 Shoup Court, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Catherine E Rice
- Emory Autism Center, 1551 Shoup Court, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
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36
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Coughlan B, Duschinsky R, O'Connor ME, Woolgar M. Identifying and managing care for children with autism spectrum disorders in general practice: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2020; 28:1928-1941. [PMID: 32667097 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many healthcare systems are organised such that General Practitioners (GPs) often have a key role in identifying autism spectrum disorders (hereafter collectively referred to as autism) in children. In this review, we explored what GPs know about autism and the factors that influence their ability to identify and manage care for their patients with autism in practice. We conducted a systematic narrative review using eight electronic databases. These included Embase and MEDLINE via Ovid, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO via Ebscohost, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis, and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) via ProQuest. Our search yielded 2,743 citations. Primary research studies were included, and we did not impose any geographical, language or date restrictions. We identified 17 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Studies included in the review were conducted between 2003 and 2019. We thematically synthesised the material and identified the following themes: the prototypical image of a child with autism; experience, sources of information, and managing care; barriers to identification; strategies to aid in identification; and characteristics that facilitate expertise. Together, the findings from this review present a mixed picture of GP knowledge and experiences in identifying autism and managing care for children with the condition. At one end of the continuum, there were GPs who had not heard of autism or endorsed outmoded aetiological theories. Others, however, demonstrated a sound knowledge of the conditions but had limited confidence in their ability to identify the condition. Many GPs and researchers alike called for more training and this might be effective. However, framing the problem as one of a lack of training risks silences the array of organisational factors that impact on a GP's ability to provide care for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry Coughlan
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robbie Duschinsky
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Matt Woolgar
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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37
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Mitroulaki S, Serdari A, Tripsianis G, Gundelfinger R, Arvaniti A, Vorvolakos T, Samakouri M. First Alarm and Time of Diagnosis in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Compr Child Adolesc Nurs 2020; 45:1-17. [PMID: 33090020 DOI: 10.1080/24694193.2020.1834013] [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: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is of paramount importance as it opens the road to early intervention, which is associated with better prognosis. However, early diagnosis is often delayed until preschool or school age. The purpose of the current retrospective study was to explore the age of recognition of first alarming symptoms in boys and girls as well as the age at diagnosis of different subtypes of ASD in a small sample. A total of 128 parents' of children with ASDs were participated in the survey by completing a self-report questionnaire about early signs and symptoms that raised their concern. Parents of children with autism voiced concerns earlier and obtained diagnosis significantly earlier compared to parents of children with Asperger syndrome (p value <0.000). No significant difference (p value<0.05) has been detected between males and females in early manifestation of first signs and symptoms of ASD. The mean age at diagnosis was 3.8 years for autistic disorder, 6.2 years for children with Asperger syndrome and 6.4 years for other, e.g., PDD-NOS. The most commonly reported symptoms were speech and language problems (p value = 0.001) for children who were later diagnosed with autism, while behavior problems (p value = 0.046) as well as difficulties in education at school (p value = 0.013) for children with Asperger syndrome. The gap between early identification and diagnosis pinpoints the urgent need for national systematic early screening, the development of reliable and sensitive diagnostic instruments for infants and toddlers and heightened awareness of early signs of ASD among parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals and providers as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sotiria Mitroulaki
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Aspasia Serdari
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Gregory Tripsianis
- Department of Medical Statistics, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Ronnie Gundelfinger
- Autism Clinic, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Aikaterini Arvaniti
- Department of Psychiatry, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Theofanis Vorvolakos
- Department of Psychiatry, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Maria Samakouri
- Department of Psychiatry, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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McCrimmon AW, Gray SM. A Systematic Review of Factors Relating to Parental Satisfaction with the Diagnostic Process for Autism Spectrum Disorder. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-020-00224-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Jacobs D, Steyaert J, Dierickx K, Hens K. Parents' multi-layered expectations when requesting an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment of their young child: an in-depth interview study. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20:440. [PMID: 32912176 PMCID: PMC7488345 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-02806-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parents are valued stakeholders in research, clinical practice and policy development concerning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about what drives and moves parents besides their obvious worries and help request when they ask for a diagnostic ASD assessment of their child. METHODS Seventeen Flemish parents of 11 young children participated in a longitudinal study consisting of three in-depth interviews before and after their child's diagnostic ASD assessment. Data were analysed in Nvivo 11 according to the procedures of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS In this paper we report the results of the first series of interviews which were conducted after parents had asked for an ASD assessment of their young child, and before this assessment started. The pre-assessment experiences of the parents were dominated by the anticipation of various implications of an ASD diagnosis, comprising both positive and negative expectations. The theme of positive expectations consisted of two equally prominent subthemes: treatment-related implications but also expectations pertaining to their psychological and relational experiences. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests important issues for clinicians to bear in mind during a consultation with parents who request an ASD assessment of their young child. We argue that attending to and communicating about parents' expectations prior to their child's ASD assessment may help clinicians to better understand parents' requests for help, and to address their needs more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Jacobs
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law - KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35 box 7001, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Centre for Autism Expertise, Child and Youth Psychiatry - University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kris Dierickx
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law - KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35 box 7001, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristien Hens
- Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, University of Antwerp, Prinsstraat 13, 2000, Antwerpen, Belgium
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Bent CA, Barbaro J, Dissanayake C. Parents' experiences of the service pathway to an autism diagnosis for their child: What predicts an early diagnosis in Australia? RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 103:103689. [PMID: 32434123 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The early identification and diagnosis of autism is critical to ensure access to appropriate early intervention and support. Few studies have examined the association between potentially modifiable characteristics of the service system and timelier diagnosis. METHODS An online survey was conducted to examine parental experiences of service pathways to an autism diagnosis for their child, and to identify child, family, and service level characteristics that predict the age and timeliness of diagnosis. Participants included 107 parents of children with autism who were diagnosed by 7 years of age and a smaller subgroup of 29 parents who were diagnosed after 7 years of age. RESULTS Parents of younger children reported that, on average, it took approximately 12 months and 8 professional consultations to receive a confirmed diagnosis for their child. Parents of older children, as well as those who reported they were a sole caregiver, or were advised by professionals to 'wait and see', reported more time between first raising concerns and diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS The findings reiterate the importance of proactive professional responses to parental concerns. They also highlight the need for standardised screening and assessment and professional development and training to build capacity in the sector to deliver timely and accurate autism diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Bent
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia.
| | - Josephine Barbaro
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia
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Rohanachandra YM, Prathapan S, Amarabandu HGI. The knowledge of Public Health Midwives on Autism Spectrum Disorder in two selected districts of the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Asian J Psychiatr 2020; 52:102094. [PMID: 32334398 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early interventions are important for improving outcome in autism. However, the diagnosis of autism is often delayed for 3-4 years, which leads to missed opportunities to initiate early intensive behavioural interventions, thus jeopardizing its prognosis. The lack of knowledge among healthcare workers about the features of autism is postulated to be the main reason for this delay. METHODOLOGY A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among the PHMs in the Colombo and Kalutara districts of the Western Province, Sri Lanka. A specifically designed self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information about the socio-demographic details. The knowledge about the signs and symptoms and common comorbidities of ASD were assessed using the "Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) Questionnaire". RESULTS Out of 406 participants, 56.9 % (n = 231) were from the Colombo District. The mean knowledge of the participants on the "Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) Questionnaire" was 13.23/19 (SD = 2.647). The knowledge was significantly higher in those who had participated in training programmes on autism (p < 0.01) and in those who have had contact with a child with autism (p < 0.05). Of the participants, 17.2 % (n = 70) believed that autism could be completely cured. 43.6 % and 42.2 % believed that poor attention from parents and parental conflicts during pregnancy and early childhood caused autism in children respectively. CONCLUSION The knowledge of PHMs on autism is inadequate, with regard to the comorbidities, aetiology and treatment options. In service programmes are useful in improving the knowledge of PHMs on autism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shamini Prathapan
- Department of Community Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Soratha Mawatha, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
| | - H G Irosha Amarabandu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Soratha Mawatha, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on “being diagnosed with autism in adulthood: a personal case study”.
Design/methodology/approach
A commentary on an individual’s personal experiences of being referred to autism assessment services and subsequently receiving a diagnosis of autism in adulthood.
Findings
Many individuals are not diagnosed with autism until their adult life, and as a result, miss the benefits of timely introduction of sources of support, such as during their schooling. Receiving an autism diagnosis can come as a relief and promote self-understanding, but availability of high-quality post-diagnostic support services and accommodating employers are both highly important.
Originality/value
A commentary on an original viewpoint is published in this special edition on gender and diversity.
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Rivard M, Mello C, Mercier C, Lefebvre C, Millau M, Morin M, Morin D, Abouzeid N, Chatenoud C. Development of a questionnaire to assess the quality of service trajectories in autism spectrum disorder from families' perspective. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES 2020; 33:1500-1511. [PMID: 32627311 DOI: 10.1111/jar.12777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ETAP-1 was created to evaluate the quality of services trajectory from families' perspective. The items of ETAP-1 were developed from previous studies on integrated care, existing quality assessments, and consultations with families and experts in evaluation and in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD The questionnaire was completed by 200 parents of children aged 5 and under who were recently diagnosed with ASD or intellectual disability. Of these, 183 received diagnostic evaluation through a clinic specialized in ASD; the other 17 underwent diagnostic evaluation in hospital settings. RESULTS Factor analysis supported the a priori dimensions of quality and distinctions between experiences before and during diagnostic evaluation. The instrument had high internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity with other measures and was sensitive to differences in service delivery models. DISCUSSION ETAP-1 is useful in organizing information on families' experiences throughout their services trajectories and according to a dynamic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélina Rivard
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Mello
- Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation and Human Services, The Pennsylvania State University - Berks, Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Céline Mercier
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine Lefebvre
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Millau
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marjorie Morin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Diane Morin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nadia Abouzeid
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Céline Chatenoud
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Shulman C, Esler A, Morrier MJ, Rice CE. Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 2020; 29:253-273. [PMID: 32169262 DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2020.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders it is also one of the most heterogeneous conditions, making identification and diagnosis complex. The importance of a stable and consistent diagnosis cannot be overstated. An accurate diagnosis is the basis for understanding the individual and establishing an individualized treatment plan. We present those elements that should be included in any assessment for ASD and describe the ways in which ASD typically manifests itself at various developmental stages. The implications and challenges for assessment at different ages and levels of functioning are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Shulman
- The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel.
| | - Amy Esler
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota 2540 Riverside Ave S., RPB 550, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Michael J Morrier
- Emory Autism Center, 1551 Shoup Court, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Catherine E Rice
- Emory Autism Center, 1551 Shoup Court, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
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Barbaro J, Yaari M. Study protocol for an evaluation of ASDetect - a Mobile application for the early detection of autism. BMC Pediatr 2020; 20:21. [PMID: 31952489 PMCID: PMC6969425 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1888-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) can be reliably diagnosed by 24 months of age. However, despite the well-known benefits of early intervention, there is still a research-practice gap in the timely identification of ASC, particularly in low-resourced settings. The Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS) tool, which assesses behavioural markers of autism between 12 to 24 months of age, has been implemented in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) settings, with excellent psychometric properties. ASDetect is a free mobile application based on the SACS, which is designed to meet the need for an effective, evidence-based tool for parents, to learn about children’s early social-communication development and assess their child’s ‘likelihood’ for ASC. Study aims The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of ASDetect in the early detection of children with ASC. A secondary aim is to assess ASDetect’s acceptability and parental user experience with the application. Methods Families are recruited to download the application and participate in the study via social media, health professionals (e.g., MCH nurses, paediatricians) and word of mouth. All participating caregivers complete a demographic questionnaire, survey regarding their user experience, and the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2), an autism screening questionnaire; they are also invited to participate in focus groups. Children identified at ‘high likelihood’ for ASC based on the ASDetect results, the SRS-2 or parental and/or professional concerns undergo a formal, gold-standard, diagnostic assessment. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses will be used to assess psychometric properties of ASDetect. Thematic analyses will be used to explore themes arising in the focus groups to provide insights regarding user experiences with the app. Multiple regression analyses will be carried out to determine the extent to which demographic factors, parental stress and beliefs on health surveillance and child results on ASDetect are associated with the parental user-experience of the application. Discussion With a strong evidence-base and global access, ASDetect has the potential to empower parents by providing them with knowledge of their child’s social-communication development, validating and reassuring any parental concerns, and supporting them in communicating with other health professionals, ultimately enhancing child and family outcomes and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Barbaro
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health. College of Science, Heath & Engineering. La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
| | - Maya Yaari
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health. College of Science, Heath & Engineering. La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.,Goshen - Community Child Health and Well-Being. Haruv Campus for Children. Mount Scopus, 9765418, Jerusalem, Israel
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Lee HY, Vigen C, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Smith I, Brian J, Watson LR, Crais ER, Turner-Brown L, Reznick JS, Baranek GT. The Performance of the First Year Inventory (FYI) Screening on a Sample of High-Risk 12-Month-Olds Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at 36 Months. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:4957-4973. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04208-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Ford T, Kenchington R, Norman S, Hancock J, Smalley A, Henley W, Russell G, Hayes J, Logan S. The agreement between the referrer, practitioner and research diagnosis of autistic spectrum conditions among children attending child and adolescent mental health services. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2019; 28:1253-1264. [PMID: 30778764 PMCID: PMC6751276 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01290-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to explore the levels of agreement about the diagnoses of Autistic Spectrum Conditions between the referrer, CAMHS practitioner and a research diagnosis, as well as the stability of the practitioner's diagnosis over time in a secondary analysis of data from 302 children attending two Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services over two years. Kappa coefficient was used to assess the agreement between the referrer and research diagnosis. Kendall's tau b coefficient was used to assess the agreement between the practitioner and the research diagnosis assigned using the Development and Well-Being Assessment, as well as the agreement between the referrer's indication of presenting problems and the practitioner diagnosis. Diagnostic stability was explored in children with and without a research diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition. There was a moderate level of agreement between the referrer and research diagnosis (Kappa = 0.51) and between practitioner's and research diagnosis (Kendall's tau = 0.60) at baseline, which reduced over the subsequent two years. Agreement between the referrer and practitioner's diagnosis at baseline was fair (Kendall's tau = 0.36).The greatest diagnostic instability occurred among children who practitioners considered to have possible Autistic Spectrum Conditions but who did not meet research diagnostic criteria. Further studies could explore the approaches used by practitioners to reach diagnoses and the impact these may have on diagnostic stability in Autistic Spectrum Conditions. Standardised assessment using a clinically rated diagnostic framework has a potential role as an adjunct to standard clinical care and might be particularly useful where practitioners are uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamsin Ford
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England.
| | - Ralphy Kenchington
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England
| | - Shelley Norman
- Psychology Department, University of Exeter, Exeter, England
| | - John Hancock
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England
| | - Alex Smalley
- Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, England
| | - William Henley
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England
| | - Ginny Russell
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England
| | - Jennie Hayes
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England
| | - Stuart Logan
- University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, 2.03 College House, College Road, Devon, Exeter, EX1 2LU, England
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Jashar DT, Fein D, Berry LN, Burke JD, Miller LE, Barton ML, Dumont-Mathieu T. Parental Perceptions of a Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation for Toddlers at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:1763-1777. [PMID: 30607783 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3851-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Parent satisfaction with neurodevelopmental evaluations may influence the pursuit of intervention. Parent satisfaction with a neurodevelopmental evaluation for toddlers at risk for autism (n = 257; 128 with autism) was examined using the Post-Evaluation Satisfaction Questionnaire, which collected quantitative and qualitative information. Fewer ethnic/racial minority than non-minority parents returned the questionnaire. Factor analysis indicated a one-factor model, Total score, which did not differ significantly by diagnosis, autism severity, child's cognitive or adaptive delay, family race/ethnicity, maternal education, family annual income, or parental stress. Examination of 24 individual items showed a race/ethnicity difference for only one item; minority parents scored the evaluation as meeting their needs less. Qualitative data stressed the importance of fully explaining diagnoses/recommendations and providing direct and clear feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dasal Tenzin Jashar
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Kennedy Krieger Institute, 1750 E. Fairmount Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.
| | - Deborah Fein
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Leandra N Berry
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 8080 North Stadium Drive, Suite 180, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Burke
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Lauren E Miller
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Marianne L Barton
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Thyde Dumont-Mathieu
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center, 282 Washington Street, Hartford, CT, 06106, USA
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Legg H, Tickle A. UK parents’ experiences of their child receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the qualitative evidence. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2019; 23:1897-1910. [DOI: 10.1177/1362361319841488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to systematically identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative research concerning UK parents’ experiences of their child receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In total, 11 articles were located through a systematic search of five databases, reference lists, citations and grey literature. These were critically appraised and their results synthesised using meta-ethnography. The quality scores given to included studies were variable, so suggestions are made to improve reporting of future research. Three third-order constructs were developed: (1) emotional needs, (2) informational needs and (3) relational needs. Each relates to parents’ needs as they navigate the process of making sense of their child by seeking and adjusting to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Parents’ experiences of assessment and diagnosis of their children varied, but these needs were evident across the course of the process. Fathers seemed to find it more difficult than mothers to reconcile having a child with autism spectrum disorder, which may have been grounded in a sense of exclusion from the assessment process. The findings should be considered by professionals working with children, particularly those directly involved in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder. Clinical implications emphasise the need for consideration of parents’ emotional needs, provision of information to aid understanding, and strong relationships with professionals. Future clinical research, which should be informed by quality standards, might develop and evaluate standards of assessment and diagnosis, including post-diagnostic support.
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Crane L, Jones L, Prosser R, Taghrizi M, Pellicano E. Parents' views and experiences of talking about autism with their children. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2019; 23:1969-1981. [PMID: 30915857 DOI: 10.1177/1362361319836257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The way an autism diagnosis is disclosed to parents has been found to play a crucial role in their acceptance of, and the way they cope with, their child's diagnosis. Yet, research into parents' subsequent experiences of disclosing a diagnosis to their children, and talking to their families about autism more generally, is limited. Using an online survey, the current study examined 558 parents' experiences of talking about autism with their autistic and non-autistic children. Results demonstrated that most parents (n = 379, 67.9%) had told their autistic children about their diagnosis. Despite few parents (n = 163, 20.4%) receiving advice or support regarding the disclosure of the diagnosis, those that had disclosed felt satisfied with the process (n = 319, 84.2%) and felt confident in talking about autism with their children (n = 339, 92.4%). Those who had not told their autistic children about the diagnosis largely planned to discuss this with their child in the future (n = 100, 73.5%), felt confident in doing so (n = 95, 70.9%) and were satisfied with their decision (n = 95, 70.4%). Analysis of open-ended data, using thematic analysis, highlighted the importance of openness and the need to tailor explanations to individual children's needs, while acknowledging that disclosure could often be challenging for parents.
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