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Yanchik A, Vietze P, Lax LE. The Effects of Discrete Trial and Natural Environment Teaching on Adaptive Behavior in Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder. AMERICAN JOURNAL ON INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2024; 129:263-278. [PMID: 38917993 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-129.4.263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
The literature has yet to review the differential effects of Natural Environment Teaching (NET) and Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) on adaptive skills. A sample of 142 children diagnosed with ASD between the ages of 16 and 35 months received either DTT, NET, or both interventions (NET+ DTT). The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID) Adaptive Subscale and the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) Barriers Assessment were used as baseline and posttest measures. Children who received NET and NET+DTT conditions showed significant improvements compared to the DTT condition indicating that the addition of NET leads to increased adaptive skills and decreased barrier behaviors in participants. DTT may also play a necessary foundational role for children with more significant delays. These results provide support for the use of a combination of teaching strategies in community-based early intervention and refine protocols for teaching adaptive skills to toddlers with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Vietze
- Peter Vietze, Montclair State University and CARES, Inc
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2
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Kim J, Jung MW, Lee D. Reward learning improves social signal processing in autism model mice. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113228. [PMID: 37815916 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Social and reward signal processing and their association are critical elements of social motivation. Despite the use of reward learning to improve the social interactions of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. Here, we found different yet conjunct neuronal representations of social and reward signals in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We also found that social signal processing is selectively disrupted, whereas reward signal processing is intact in the mPFC of Shank2-knockout mice, a mouse model of ASD. Furthermore, reward learning not only allows Shank2-knockout mice to associate social stimuli with reward availability, but it also rescues the impaired social signal processing. These findings provide insights into the neural basis for the therapeutic use of reward learning in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joowon Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea; Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Min Whan Jung
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunction, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
| | - Doyun Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea.
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3
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Functional connectivity based brain signatures of behavioral regulation in children with ADHD, DCD, and ADHD-DCD. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:85-94. [PMID: 34937602 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral regulation problems have been associated with daily-life and mental health challenges in children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Here, we investigated transdiagnostic brain signatures associated with behavioral regulation. Resting-state fMRI data were collected from 115 children (31 typically developing (TD), 35 ADHD, 21 DCD, 28 ADHD-DCD) aged 7-17 years. Behavioral regulation was measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and was found to differ between children with ADHD (i.e., children with ADHD and ADHD-DCD) and without ADHD (i.e., TD children and children with DCD). Functional connectivity (FC) maps were computed for 10 regions of interest and FC maps were tested for correlations with behavioral regulation scores. Across the entire sample, greater behavioral regulation problems were associated with stronger negative FC within prefrontal pathways and visual reward pathways, as well as with weaker positive FC in frontostriatal reward pathways. These findings significantly increase our knowledge on FC in children with and without ADHD and highlight the potential of FC as brain-based signatures of behavioral regulation across children with differing neurodevelopmental conditions.
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4
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Valori I, Carnevali L, Mantovani G, Farroni T. Motivation from Agency and Reward in Typical Development and Autism: Narrative Review of Behavioral and Neural Evidence. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1411. [PMID: 36291344 PMCID: PMC9599071 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Our ability to perform voluntary actions and make choices is shaped by the motivation from having control over the resulting effects (agency) and positive outcomes (reward). We offer an overview of distinct and common behavioral and neural signatures of agency and reward. We discuss their typical and atypical developmental trajectories, focusing on autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is characterized by neurodiverse processes underlying action selection. We propose that reduced sensitivity to agency and reward in ASD may be related to atypical multisensory processes and motor planning, with potential for understanding restricted and repetitive behaviors. We emphasize the limitations of the existing literature, and prospects for future research. Understanding the neurocognitive processes that shape the way people with ASD select actions and perceive outcomes is essential to support not only learning, but also volition and self-determination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Teresa Farroni
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Godfrey KJ, Espenhahn S, Stokoe M, McMorris C, Murias K, McCrimmon A, Harris AD, Bray S. Autism interest intensity in early childhood associates with executive functioning but not reward sensitivity or anxiety symptoms. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 26:1723-1736. [PMID: 34957885 PMCID: PMC9483189 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211064372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Personal interests in autism are a source of joy, pride, and assist with the formation of social relationships. However, highly intense engagement can also interfere with other activities including activities of daily living. Theories have suggested that intense interests relate to executive functioning, reward sensitivity, and anxiety symptoms; but none of these theories have been tested in early childhood. Understanding which behavioral traits relate to intense interests in early childhood could help understand how intense interests may emerge, while also providing clues for how to manage interest intensity and best promote the many benefits of personal interests. We recruited families with autistic and non-autistic children aged 3-6 years. Parents completed questionnaires to assess children's interest diversity and intensity, executive functioning, reward sensitivity, and anxiety symptoms. We found that for autistic and non-autistic children, greater difficulty shifting attention between activities related to more intense interests. In autistic children only, difficulty with inhibitory control of attention also related to more intense interests. However, reward sensitivity and anxiety symptoms did not relate to interest intensity. Based on these observations, assisting young children with developing executive functioning skills could help with mediating the interference of interests in daily life to ultimately promote the many benefits of personal interests.
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Siyam N, Abdallah S. Toward automatic motivator selection for autism behavior intervention therapy. UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY 2022; 22:1-23. [PMID: 36160369 PMCID: PMC9483340 DOI: 10.1007/s10209-022-00914-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) usually show little interest in academic activities and may display disruptive behavior when presented with assignments. Research indicates that incorporating motivational variables during interventions results in improvements in behavior and academic performance. However, the impact of such motivational variables varies between children. In this paper, we aim to address the problem of selecting the right motivator for children with ASD using reinforcement learning by adapting to the most influential factors impacting the effectiveness of the contingent motivator used. We model the task of selecting a motivator as a Markov decision process problem. The states, actions and rewards design consider the factors that impact the effectiveness of a motivator based on applied behavior analysis as well as learners' individual preferences. We use a Q-learning algorithm to solve the modeled problem. Our proposed solution is then implemented as a mobile application developed for special education plans coordination. To evaluate the motivator selection feature, we conduct a study involving a group of teachers and therapists and assess how the added feature aids the participants in their decision-making process of selecting a motivator. Preliminary results indicated that the motivator selection feature improved the usability of the mobile app. Analysis of the algorithm performance showed promising results and indicated improvement of the recommendations over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Siyam
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, British University in Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sherief Abdallah
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, British University in Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Leung CNW, Tsang B, Huang DH, Chan RWS. Building Self-Efficacy in Parenting Adult Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder: An Initial Investigation of a Two-Pronged Approach in Role Competence. Front Psychol 2022; 13:841264. [PMID: 35941955 PMCID: PMC9355802 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.841264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies on parenting adult children with ASD were scarce, and their intervention protocols mainly were derived from established work with children. Development of an applicable adult-oriented protocol and demonstration of its effectiveness is warranted. The present study outlined the development and evaluation of Core Autism Parenting Skills (CAPS), which targets to enhance parenting self-efficacy (PSE) intervention for adult children with ASD by addressing two intervention goals in parallel: acquisition of parenting skills and cultivating positive attributes. In CAPS, PSE is operationalised into four parent roles: to observe, reinforce, empathise, and accompany, each with requisite attributes, skills, and prescribed training. Twenty-seven parents with adult children with ASD (aged 16-37) were recruited. They completed measures assessing their PSE, competence in the four parent roles, and emotional well-being at pre-training, post-training and 2-month follow-up. The intervention was well-received by the participants and reported significant improvements in PSE, parent role competence at post-training and 2-month follow-up. The applicability of PSE and parent role competence in constructing effective parenting intervention for adult children with ASD was supported.
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Djerassi M, Ophir S, Atzil S. What Is Social about Autism? The Role of Allostasis-Driven Learning. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1269. [PMID: 34679334 PMCID: PMC8534207 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific research on neuro-cognitive mechanisms of autism often focuses on circuits that support social functioning. However, autism is a heterogeneous developmental variation in multiple domains, including social communication, but also language, cognition, and sensory-motor control. This suggests that the underlying mechanisms of autism share a domain-general foundation that impacts all of these processes. In this Perspective Review, we propose that autism is not a social deficit that results from an atypical "social brain". Instead, typical social development relies on learning. In social animals, infants depend on their caregivers for survival, which makes social information vitally salient. The infant must learn to socially interact in order to survive and develop, and the most prominent learning in early life is crafted by social interactions. Therefore, the most prominent outcome of a learning variation is atypical social development. To support the hypothesis that autism results from a variation in learning, we first review evidence from neuroscience and developmental science, demonstrating that typical social development depends on two domain-general processes that determine learning: (a) motivation, guided by allostatic regulation of the internal milieu; and (b) multi-modal associations, determined by the statistical regularities of the external milieu. These two processes are basic ingredients of typical development because they determine allostasis-driven learning of the social environment. We then review evidence showing that allostasis and learning are affected among individuals with autism, both neurally and behaviorally. We conclude by proposing a novel domain-general framework that emphasizes allostasis-driven learning as a key process underlying autism. Guided by allostasis, humans learn to become social, therefore, the atypical social profile seen in autism can reflect a domain-general variation in allostasis-driven learning. This domain-general view raises novel research questions in both basic and clinical research and points to targets for clinical intervention that can lower the age of diagnosis and improve the well-being of individuals with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shir Atzil
- Department of Psychology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel; (M.D.); (S.O.)
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Briganti G, Williams DR, Mulder J, Linkowski P. Bayesian Network Structure and Predictability of Autistic Traits. Psychol Rep 2020; 125:344-357. [PMID: 33283664 DOI: 10.1177/0033294120978159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this work is to explore the construct of autistic traits through the lens of network analysis with recently introduced Bayesian methods. A conditional dependence network structure was estimated from a data set composed of 649 university students that completed an autistic traits questionnaire. The connectedness of the network is also explored, as well as sex differences among female and male subjects in regard to network connectivity. The strongest connections in the network are found between items that measure similar autistic traits. Traits related to social skills are the most interconnected items in the network. Sex differences are found between female and male subjects. The Bayesian network analysis offers new insight on the connectivity of autistic traits as well as confirms several findings in the autism literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Briganti
- Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Clinical Research, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Joris Mulder
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, 7899Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
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Coburn KL, Williams DL. Development of Neural Structure and Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential Implications for Learning Language. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2020; 29:1783-1797. [PMID: 32697616 DOI: 10.1044/2020_ajslp-19-00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Neurodevelopmental processes that begin during gestation and continue throughout childhood typically support language development. Understanding these processes can help us to understand the disruptions to language that occur in neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method For this tutorial, we conducted a focused literature review on typical postnatal brain development and structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetoencephalography, and electroencephalography studies of the neurodevelopmental differences that occur in ASD. We then integrated this knowledge with the literature on evidence-based speech-language intervention practices for autistic children. Results In ASD, structural differences include altered patterns of cortical growth and myelination. Functional differences occur at all brain levels, from lateralization of cortical functions to the rhythmic activations of single neurons. Neuronal oscillations, in particular, could help explain disrupted language development by elucidating the timing differences that contribute to altered functional connectivity, complex information processing, and speech parsing. Findings related to implicit statistical learning, explicit task learning, multisensory integration, and reinforcement in ASD are also discussed. Conclusions Consideration of the neural differences in autistic children provides additional scientific support for current recommended language intervention practices. Recommendations consistent with these neurological findings include the use of short, simple utterances; repetition of syntactic structures using varied vocabulary; pause time; visual supports; and individualized sensory modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Coburn
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Diane L Williams
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
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11
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Skewes JC, Kemp T, Paton B, Hohwy J. How are attention, learning, and social cognition related on the non-clinical autistic spectrum? Acta Psychol (Amst) 2020; 210:103157. [PMID: 32801071 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - and autistic traits more generally - are associated with a heterogeneous pattern of differences in cognitive function. These include differences in associative learning, attention, and processing of social information. All three cognitive functions have importance in clinical, educational, and research contexts. The present study investigates the relationships between these functions in the context of autistic traits in the neurotypical population. In an online study, we asked a group of over 400 people to complete the Autism Spectrum Quotient questionnaire. We also asked participants to complete one of two standard attentional learning paradigms - either a Kamin blocking or an attentional highlighting task. To investigate the relation of attention and learning to social information processing, we incorporated social cues in one of each kind of paradigm. We found Kamin blocking increased with increasing number of autistic traits, in particular the sub-trait attention switching, but only for non-social cues. We found that highlighting decreased with increasing number of traits, in particular the sub-trait communication, but only for social cues. We interpret these findings as evidence of a crucial role for attention in other characteristics of the broader autistic phenotype, and discuss the relevance of these results for cognitive explanations of autistic traits and symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C Skewes
- Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science, and Semiotics, Aarhus University, Denmark; Interacting Minds Centre, Department of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Denmark.
| | - Tony Kemp
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Australia
| | - Bryan Paton
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Australia; Cognition and Philosophy Lab, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jakob Hohwy
- Cognition and Philosophy Lab, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Crawley D, Zhang L, Jones EJH, Ahmad J, Oakley B, San José Cáceres A, Charman T, Buitelaar JK, Murphy DGM, Chatham C, den Ouden H, Loth E. Modeling flexible behavior in childhood to adulthood shows age-dependent learning mechanisms and less optimal learning in autism in each age group. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000908. [PMID: 33108370 PMCID: PMC7591042 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Flexible behavior is critical for everyday decision-making and has been implicated in restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, how flexible behavior changes developmentally in ASD remains largely unknown. Here, we used a developmental approach and examined flexible behavior on a probabilistic reversal learning task in 572 children, adolescents, and adults (ASD N = 321; typical development [TD] N = 251). Using computational modeling, we quantified latent variables that index mechanisms underlying perseveration and feedback sensitivity. We then assessed these variables in relation to diagnosis, developmental stage, core autism symptomatology, and associated psychiatric symptoms. Autistic individuals showed on average more perseveration and less feedback sensitivity than TD individuals, and, across cases and controls, older age groups showed more feedback sensitivity than younger age groups. Computational modeling revealed that dominant learning mechanisms underpinning flexible behavior differed across developmental stages and reduced flexible behavior in ASD was driven by less optimal learning on average within each age group. In autistic children, perseverative errors were positively related to anxiety symptoms, and in autistic adults, perseveration (indexed by both task errors and model parameter estimates) was positively related to RRB. These findings provide novel insights into reduced flexible behavior in relation to clinical symptoms in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Crawley
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Zhang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- F. Hoffmann La Roche, Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Emily J. H. Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jumana Ahmad
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Social Work and Counselling, University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany Oakley
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Antonia San José Cáceres
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Departamento de Psiquiatría del Niño y del Adolescente, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan K. Buitelaar
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Declan G. M. Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), London, United Kingdom
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Hanneke den Ouden
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eva Loth
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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Padmanabhan PS, Shroff H. Addressing mealtime behaviours of children with autism spectrum disorders in schools: a qualitative study with educators in Mumbai, India. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 68:198-206. [PMID: 35309705 PMCID: PMC8928840 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2020.1738794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study was conducted to explore the experiences of educators with mealtime behaviours of children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in schools, and to explore the strategies undertaken in schools to improve nutrition among these children. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 educators of various special schools across Mumbai. They described their experiences with 3-11 year-old children with a diagnosis of ASD. Four themes emerged from this study: reasons for disruptive mealtime behaviours, using mealtimes as opportunities for indirect learning, strategies used to avoid disruptive mealtime behaviours, and school policies regarding food and nutrition. The presence of sensory stressors, changes in break-time schedules, and inability to communicate hunger were identified as main reasons for disruptive mealtime behaviours in the classroom. Strategies to tackle these behaviours were discussed. Most educators reported that their school followed a strict 'no junk-food' policy. The perspective of educators is important to understand the mealtime behaviours of children with ASD in school settings. The initiatives taken at the school-level are valuable as they provide a different approach and diverse strategies that may work to improve the food intake and nutrition of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hemal Shroff
- School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India
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14
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Schuetze M, Cho IYK, Vinette S, Rivard KB, Rohr CS, Ten Eycke K, Cozma A, McMorris C, McCrimmon A, Dewey D, Bray SL. Learning with individual-interest outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 38:100668. [PMID: 31174061 PMCID: PMC6969337 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent work has suggested atypical neural reward responses in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), particularly for social reinforcers. Less is known about neural responses to restricted interests and few studies have investigated response to rewards in a learning context. We investigated neurophysiological differences in reinforcement learning between adolescents with ASD and typically developing (TD) adolescents (27 ASD, 31 TD). FMRI was acquired during a learning task in which participants chose one of two doors to reveal an image outcome. Doors differed in their probability of showing liked and not-liked images, which were individualized for each participant. Participants chose the door paired with liked images, but not the door paired with not-liked images, significantly above chance and choice allocation did not differ between groups. Interestingly, participants with ASD made choices less consistent with their initial door preferences. We found a neural prediction-error response at the time of outcome in the ventromedial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices that did not differ between groups. Together, behavioural and neural findings suggest that learning with individual interest outcomes is not different between individuals with and without ASD, adding to our understanding of motivational aspects of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Schuetze
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Canada.
| | - Ivy Y K Cho
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Foothills Campus, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Sarah Vinette
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada
| | - Keelin B Rivard
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Christiane S Rohr
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Foothills Campus, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Kayla Ten Eycke
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Adelina Cozma
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada
| | - Carly McMorris
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Adam McCrimmon
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3D10, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Signe L Bray
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Foothills Campus, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada
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