Investigating the Associations Between Child Autistic Symptoms, Socioeconomic Context, and Family Life: A Pilot Study

The Association Between Autism Symptomatology and Adaptive Functioning Over Six Months: Findings from the Pilot Phase of the PARC Study

PURPOSE

In the context of developmental trajectories, the association between adaptive functioning and core autism symptomatology remains unclear. The current study examines the associations of adaptive behavior with autism symptom sub-domains and with different facets of symptom expression.

METHODS

Participants include 36 children with a recent diagnosis of autism (33 males; mean age = 56.4 months; SD = 9 months). Families were recruited in the context of the Pediatric Autism Research Cohort (PARC) project. Parents filled out questionnaires at two time points, six months apart, regarding their child's autism symptoms and adaptive functioning. The longitudinal relationship between adaptive functioning and autism symptoms was investigated using Mixed Linear Model analyses: one assessing the relationship between general symptom levels and adaptive functioning, and another examining the associations between symptom frequency and impact with adaptive functioning. We conducted Pearson correlation tests at both time points to assess the associations between symptom sub-domains and adaptive functioning.

RESULTS

Findings showed that higher autism symptoms associated with lower adaptive behavior skills, and that this association remained stable over time. Autism impact scores did not significantly relate to adaptive skills, as opposed to frequency scores. Associations between adaptive functioning and autism symptom sub-domains strengthened over time.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that adaptive functioning is associated with parent-report autism symptomatology, and that this association changes and, on average, becomes stronger over time. Findings may indicate that frequency and impact of symptoms have differential roles in the development of adaptive skills and are worthy of further exploration.

Detecting Time Concept Competence in Children with Autism Spectrum and Attention Disorders

The importance of time concept in human existence is "ancient history" celebrated in the biblical book Ecclesiastes. Indeed, our time-sensitive mechanisms are literally carved into our biology and neurology on a molecular level, gifting us with neural clocks. However, time in human consciousness is not the time indicated by physical clocks: time is a subjective reality in our psychological makeup due to the nature of the temporal neural mechanisms and unique properties of physical time. Nonetheless, subjective time requires anchoring to physical time which permeates our language, endeavors, and entire existence, a process hinging on time-related skills such as estimates and measures of passage and duration of time. Moreover, accurate time reading, a critical adaptive life-skill, is imperative for effective function in all societal activities. Because it embodies the complexity of the time construct, it is central to instruction of time concept in primary education. It is often measured in children by clock drawings, a cognitive integrative skill with errors pointing to neuroanatomical differences impacting the integrity of executive function. Time competence in children with atypical neurobiological development and high prevalence, as in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and attention disorders (ADHD), is often compromised, calling for investigation of its function. This thematic review article aims to: 1) discuss the complexity of time concept and its underlying bio-neurological mechanisms, 2) elucidate difficulties children with ASD and those with ADHD exhibit in temporal development, and 3) demonstrate the use of a set of clinical tools in uncovering temporal competence and ecological executive function in two children with ASD, and a child with ADHD, using a clock drawing task and error analyses; children's time knowledge questionnaire; a behavior rating parent questionnaire examining ecological executive function, and parent open-ended questions related to their children's time difficulties. A discussion, directions, and a take-home message round out the article.