1
|
Richard Williams N, Tremblay L, Hurt-Thaut C, Brian J, Kowaleski J, Mertel K, Shlüter S, Thaut M. Auditory feedback decreases timing variability for discontinuous and continuous motor tasks in autistic adults. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1379208. [PMID: 38690085 PMCID: PMC11058991 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1379208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autistic individuals demonstrate greater variability and timing error in their motor performance than neurotypical individuals, likely due at least in part to atypical cerebellar characteristics and connectivity. These motor difficulties may differentially affect discrete as opposed to continuous movements in autistic individuals. Augmented auditory feedback has the potential to aid motor timing and variability due to intact auditory-motor pathways in autism and high sensitivity in autistic individuals to auditory stimuli. Methods This experiment investigated whether there were differences in timing accuracy and variability in autistic adults as a function of task (discontinuous vs. continuous movements) and condition (augmented auditory feedback vs. no auditory feedback) in a synchronization-continuation paradigm. Ten autistic young adults aged 17-27 years of age completed the within-subjects study that involved drawing circles at 800 milliseconds intervals on a touch screen. In the discontinuous task, participants traced a series of discrete circles and paused at the top of each circle for at least 60 milliseconds. In the continuous task, participants traced the circles without pausing. Participants traced circles in either a non-auditory condition, or an auditory condition in which they heard a tone each time that they completed a circle drawing. Results Participants had significantly better timing accuracy on the continuous timing task as opposed to the discontinuous task. Timing consistency was significantly higher for tasks performed with auditory feedback. Discussion This research reveals that motor difficulties in autistic individuals affect discrete timing tasks more than continuous tasks, and provides evidence that augmented auditory feedback may be able to mitigate some of the timing variability present in autistic persons' movements. These results provide support for future investigation on the use of music-based therapies involving auditory feedback to address motor dysfunction in autistic individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Richard Williams
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
- College of Music and Performing Arts, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Luc Tremblay
- Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Corene Hurt-Thaut
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jessica Brian
- Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julia Kowaleski
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kathrin Mertel
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Michael Thaut
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
McNaughton KA, Moss A, Yarger HA, Redcay E. Smiling synchronization predicts interaction enjoyment in peer dyads of autistic and neurotypical youth. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241238269. [PMID: 38497277 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241238269] [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: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT For autistic and neurotypical youth, having positive social interactions with other youth is an important part of well-being. Other researchers have found that one factor that can make people feel like social interactions have gone well is synchronization. Synchronization happens when peoples' body movements and facial expressions align while they're interacting. We focus on smiling synchronization here because other studies have found that when neurotypical individuals synchronize their smiles more in a social interaction, they say they enjoy that social interaction more. However, no studies have directly tested whether smiling synchrony influences social interaction enjoyment in autistic and neurotypical youth. We measured smiling synchrony in pairs of interacting autistic and neurotypical youth who were meeting each other for the first time. Some pairs were autistic youth interacting with other autistic youth (autistic with autistic participant pairs), some pairs were autistic youth interacting with neurotypical youth (autistic with neurotypical participant pairs), and other pairs were neurotypical youth interacting with neurotypical youth (neurotypical with neurotypical participant pairs). We found that autistic with neurotypical participant pairs had lower smiling synchrony than neurotypical with neurotypical participant pairs. Youth who were in dyads that had more smiling synchrony said they enjoyed interacting with their partner more and that they wanted to interact with their partner again. Our research shows that smiling synchrony is one part of interactions between autistic and neurotypical youth that influences how well youth say the interaction went. Identifying natural opportunities for autistic and neurotypical youth to share positive feelings could be one way to promote positive social interactions between autistic and neurotypical youth.
Collapse
|
3
|
Koehler JC, Dong MS, Bierlich AM, Fischer S, Späth J, Plank IS, Koutsouleris N, Falter-Wagner CM. Machine learning classification of autism spectrum disorder based on reciprocity in naturalistic social interactions. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:76. [PMID: 38310111 PMCID: PMC10838326 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02802-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by impaired social communication and interaction. As a neurodevelopmental disorder typically diagnosed during childhood, diagnosis in adulthood is preceded by a resource-heavy clinical assessment period. The ongoing developments in digital phenotyping give rise to novel opportunities within the screening and diagnostic process. Our aim was to quantify multiple non-verbal social interaction characteristics in autism and build diagnostic classification models independent of clinical ratings. We analyzed videos of naturalistic social interactions in a sample including 28 autistic and 60 non-autistic adults paired in dyads and engaging in two conversational tasks. We used existing open-source computer vision algorithms for objective annotation to extract information based on the synchrony of movement and facial expression. These were subsequently used as features in a support vector machine learning model to predict whether an individual was part of an autistic or non-autistic interaction dyad. The two prediction models based on reciprocal adaptation in facial movements, as well as individual amounts of head and body motion and facial expressiveness showed the highest precision (balanced accuracies: 79.5% and 68.8%, respectively), followed by models based on reciprocal coordination of head (balanced accuracy: 62.1%) and body (balanced accuracy: 56.7%) motion, as well as intrapersonal coordination processes (balanced accuracy: 44.2%). Combinations of these models did not increase overall predictive performance. Our work highlights the distinctive nature of non-verbal behavior in autism and its utility for digital phenotyping-based classification. Future research needs to both explore the performance of different prediction algorithms to reveal underlying mechanisms and interactions, as well as investigate the prospective generalizability and robustness of these algorithms in routine clinical care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Sen Dong
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Afton M Bierlich
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Johanna Späth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Irene Sophia Plank
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Koutsouleris
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Plank IS, Traiger LS, Nelson AM, Koehler JC, Lang SF, Tepest R, Vogeley K, Georgescu AL, Falter-Wagner CM. The role of interpersonal synchrony in forming impressions of autistic and non-autistic adults. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15306. [PMID: 37723177 PMCID: PMC10507088 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
When people meet, they almost instantaneously form an impression of each other. First impressions of character traits and rapport are less favourable when people with autism spectrum condition (ASC) are judged compared to non-autistic people. Little is known about the behavioural differences that drive these altered impressions. In the present study, we investigated the influence of interpersonal synchrony on impression formation of autistic and non-autistic people. Specifically, we used lagged cross-correlations to assess how much each interactant's motion energy, a measure which can be determined from video recordings, influenced the other interactant's motion energy. In short, silent clips of dyadic conversations, we asked non-autistic participants to rate their impression of one of the two interactants, which was solely based on the outlines of both interactants. We expected that the amount of leading of the target interactant, their diagnostic status as well as the interaction of these factors would influence impression formation. We found that while the amount of leading had a positive effect on the impressions of non-autistic interactants, this was not true for interactants with ASC. This suggests that interpersonal synchrony of motion energy is one driver of less favourable impressions of autistic compared to non-autistic people.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I S Plank
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany.
| | - L S Traiger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - A M Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - J C Koehler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - S F Lang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - R Tepest
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - K Vogeley
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - A L Georgescu
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - C M Falter-Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Koehler JC, Falter-Wagner CM. Digitally assisted diagnostics of autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1066284. [PMID: 36816410 PMCID: PMC9928948 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1066284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Digital technologies have the potential to support psychiatric diagnostics and, in particular, differential diagnostics of autism spectrum disorder in the near future, making clinical decisions more objective, reliable and evidence-based while reducing clinical resources. Multimodal automatized measurement of symptoms at cognitive, behavioral, and neuronal levels combined with artificial intelligence applications offer promising strides toward personalized prognostics and treatment strategies. In addition, these new technologies could enable systematic and continuous assessment of longitudinal symptom development, beyond the usual scope of clinical practice. Early recognition of exacerbation and simplified, as well as detailed, progression control would become possible. Ultimately, digitally assisted diagnostics will advance early recognition. Nonetheless, digital technologies cannot and should not substitute clinical decision making that takes the comprehensive complexity of individual longitudinal and cross-section presentation of autism spectrum disorder into account. Yet, they might aid the clinician by objectifying decision processes and provide a welcome relief to resources in the clinical setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Christina Koehler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bloch C, Tepest R, Jording M, Vogeley K, Falter-Wagner CM. Intrapersonal synchrony analysis reveals a weaker temporal coherence between gaze and gestures in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20417. [PMID: 36437262 PMCID: PMC9701674 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24605-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The temporal encoding of nonverbal signals within individuals, referred to as intrapersonal synchrony (IaPS), is an implicit process and essential feature of human communication. Based on existing evidence, IaPS is thought to be a marker of nonverbal behavior characteristics in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but there is a lack of empirical evidence. The aim of this study was to quantify IaPS in adults during an experimentally controlled real-life interaction task. A sample of adults with a confirmed ASD diagnosis and a matched sample of typically-developed adults were tested (N = 48). Participants were required to indicate the appearance of a target invisible to their interaction partner nonverbally through gaze and pointing gestures. Special eye-tracking software allowed automated extraction of temporal delays between nonverbal signals and their intrapersonal variability with millisecond temporal resolution as indices for IaPS. Likelihood ratio tests of multilevel models showed enlarged delays between nonverbal signals in ASD. Larger delays were associated with greater intrapersonal variability in delays. The results provide a quantitative constraint on nonverbal temporality in typically-developed adults and suggest weaker temporal coherence between nonverbal signals in adults with ASD. The results provide a potential diagnostic marker and inspire predictive coding theories about the role of IaPS in interpersonal synchronization processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carola Bloch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU Clinic, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Ralf Tepest
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mathis Jording
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Christine M Falter-Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LMU Clinic, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstraße 7, 80336, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vogel DHV, Jording M, Esser C, Conrad A, Weiss PH, Vogeley K. Temporal binding of social events less pronounced in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14853. [PMID: 36050371 PMCID: PMC9437002 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19309-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Differences in predictive processing are considered amongst the prime candidates for mechanisms underlying different symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A particularly valuable paradigm to investigate these processes is temporal binding (TB) assessed through time estimation tasks. In this study, we report on two separate experiments using a TB task designed to assess the influence of top-down social information on action event related TB. Both experiments were performed with a group of individuals diagnosed with ASD and a matched group without ASD. The results replicate earlier findings on a pronounced social hyperbinding for social action-event sequences and extend them to persons with ASD. Hyperbinding however, is less pronounced in the group with ASD as compared to the group without ASD. We interpret our results as indicative of a reduced predictive processing during social interaction. This reduction most likely results from differences in the integration of top-down social information into action-event monitoring. We speculate that this corresponds to differences in mentalizing processes in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David H V Vogel
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3), Research Center Juelich, Jülich, Germany. .,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Mathis Jording
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3), Research Center Juelich, Jülich, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Carolin Esser
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Amelie Conrad
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter H Weiss
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3), Research Center Juelich, Jülich, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3), Research Center Juelich, Jülich, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bowsher-Murray C, Gerson S, von dem Hagen E, Jones CRG. The Components of Interpersonal Synchrony in the Typical Population and in Autism: A Conceptual Analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 13:897015. [PMID: 35734455 PMCID: PMC9208202 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.897015] [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: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Interpersonal synchrony - the tendency for social partners to temporally co-ordinate their behaviour when interacting - is a ubiquitous feature of social interactions. Synchronous interactions play a key role in development, and promote social bonding and a range of pro-social behavioural outcomes across the lifespan. The process of achieving and maintaining interpersonal synchrony is highly complex, with inputs required from across perceptual, temporal, motor, and socio-cognitive domains. In this conceptual analysis, we synthesise evidence from across these domains to establish the key components underpinning successful non-verbal interpersonal synchrony, how such processes interact, and factors that may moderate their operation. We also consider emerging evidence that interpersonal synchrony is reduced in autistic populations. We use our account of the components contributing to interpersonal synchrony in the typical population to identify potential points of divergence in interpersonal synchrony in autism. The relationship between interpersonal synchrony and broader aspects of social communication in autism are also considered, together with implications for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Bowsher-Murray
- Wales Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Gerson
- Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Elisabeth von dem Hagen
- Wales Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Cardiff University Brain Imaging Research Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine R. G. Jones
- Wales Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Daniel S, Wimpory D, Delafield-Butt JT, Malloch S, Holck U, Geretsegger M, Tortora S, Osborne N, Schögler B, Koch S, Elias-Masiques J, Howorth MC, Dunbar P, Swan K, Rochat MJ, Schlochtermeier R, Forster K, Amos P. Rhythmic Relating: Bidirectional Support for Social Timing in Autism Therapies. Front Psychol 2022; 13:793258. [PMID: 35693509 PMCID: PMC9186469 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.793258] [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: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose Rhythmic Relating for autism: a system of supports for friends, therapists, parents, and educators; a system which aims to augment bidirectional communication and complement existing therapeutic approaches. We begin by summarizing the developmental significance of social timing and the social-motor-synchrony challenges observed in early autism. Meta-analyses conclude the early primacy of such challenges, yet cite the lack of focused therapies. We identify core relational parameters in support of social-motor-synchrony and systematize these using the communicative musicality constructs: pulse; quality; and narrative. Rhythmic Relating aims to augment the clarity, contiguity, and pulse-beat of spontaneous behavior by recruiting rhythmic supports (cues, accents, turbulence) and relatable vitality; facilitating the predictive flow and just-ahead-in-time planning needed for good-enough social timing. From here, we describe possibilities for playful therapeutic interaction, small-step co-regulation, and layered sensorimotor integration. Lastly, we include several clinical case examples demonstrating the use of Rhythmic Relating within four different therapeutic approaches (Dance Movement Therapy, Improvisational Music Therapy, Play Therapy, and Musical Interaction Therapy). These clinical case examples are introduced here and several more are included in the Supplementary Material (Examples of Rhythmic Relating in Practice). A suite of pilot intervention studies is proposed to assess the efficacy of combining Rhythmic Relating with different therapeutic approaches in playful work with individuals with autism. Further experimental hypotheses are outlined, designed to clarify the significance of certain key features of the Rhythmic Relating approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Daniel
- British Association of Play Therapists, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dawn Wimpory
- BCU Health Board (NHS), Bangor, United Kingdom
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan T. Delafield-Butt
- Laboratory for Innovation in Autism, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- School of Education, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Malloch
- Westmead Psychotherapy Program, School of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ulla Holck
- Music Therapy, Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Monika Geretsegger
- The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
| | - Suzi Tortora
- Dancing Dialogue, LCAT, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nigel Osborne
- Department of Music, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Benjaman Schögler
- Perception Movement Action Research Consortium, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Koch
- Research Institute for Creative Arts Therapies, Alanus University, Alfter, Germany
- School of Therapy Sciences, Creative Arts Therapies, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Judit Elias-Masiques
- BCU Health Board (NHS), Bangor, United Kingdom
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Karrie Swan
- Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, United States
| | - Magali J. Rochat
- Functional and Molecular Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Katharine Forster
- BCU Health Board (NHS), Bangor, United Kingdom
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - Pat Amos
- Independent Researcher, Ardmore, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
McKernan EP, Kumar M, Di Martino A, Shulman L, Kolevzon A, Lord C, Narayanan S, Kim SH. Intra-topic latency as an automated behavioral marker of treatment response in autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3255. [PMID: 35228613 PMCID: PMC8885715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07299-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Data science advances in behavioral signal processing and machine learning hold the promise to automatically quantify clinically meaningful behaviors that can be applied to a large amount of data. The objective of this study was to identify an automated behavioral marker of treatment response in social communication in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). First, using an automated computational method, we successfully derived the amount of time it took for a child with ASD and an adult social partner (N pairs = 210) to respond to each other while they were engaged in conversation bits (“latency”) using recordings of brief, natural social interactions. Then, we measured changes in latency at pre- and post-interventions. Children with ASD who were receiving interventions showed significantly larger reduction in latency compared to those who were not receiving interventions. There was also a significant group difference in the changes in latency for adult social partners. Results suggest that the automated measure of latency derived from natural social interactions is a scalable and objective method to quantify treatment response in children with ASD.
Collapse
|
11
|
Ardalan A, Yamane N, Rao AK, Montes J, Goldman S. Analysis of gait synchrony and balance in neurodevelopmental disorders using computer vision techniques. Health Informatics J 2022; 27:14604582211055650. [PMID: 34989252 DOI: 10.1177/14604582211055650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gait tasks are commonly administered during motor assessments of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Gait analyses are often conducted in laboratory settings using costly and cumbersome experiments. In this paper, we propose a computational pipeline using computer vision techniques as an ecological and precise method to quantify gait in children with NDDs with challenging behaviors. We analyzed videos of 15 probands (PB) and 12 typically developing (TD) siblings, engaged in a preferred-pace walking task, using pose estimation software to track points of interest on their bodies over time. Analyzing the extracted information revealed that PB children had significantly less whole-body gait synchrony and poorer balance compared to their TD siblings. Our work offers a cost-effective method while preserving the validity of its results. This remote approach increases access to more diverse and distant cohorts and thus lowers barriers to research participation, further enriching our understanding of motor outcomes in NDDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adel Ardalan
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, 538196Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natasha Yamane
- Department of Neurology, 21611Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ashwini K Rao
- Department of Neurology, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Programs in Physical Therapy, 21611Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacqueline Montes
- Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Programs in Physical Therapy, Columbia, 21611University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sylvie Goldman
- Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, 21611Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zadok E, Gordon I, Navon R, Rabin SJ, Golan O. Shifts in Behavioral Synchrony in Response to an Interaction Partner's Distress in Adolescents With and Without ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4261-4273. [PMID: 34611838 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05307-y] [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: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show altered behavioral synchrony and empathic behavior. Yet, an ecologically valid examination of these in adolescents is still required. We employed a social interaction sequence comprising a friendly conversation with a confederate, an expression of distress by her, and a return to friendly conversation. 44 male adolescents (22 with ASD) participated. Socio-emotional behaviors, coded by blind raters and through automated analyses of motion, were analyzed. Results indicated reduced synchrony in the ASD group. Moreover, whereas controls displayed a decrease in synchrony when facing another's distress, adolescents with ASD showed no such change. No group differences were found on empathic behavior. Findings imply gaps between verbal and non-verbal responses of adolescents with ASD to a distressed interaction partner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ester Zadok
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ilanit Gordon
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Roni Navon
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | | | - Ofer Golan
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. .,Autism Treatment and Research Center - Association for Children at Risk, Givat Shmuel, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
|
14
|
Meermeier A, Jording M, Alayoubi Y, Vogel DHV, Vogeley K, Tepest R. Brief Report: Preferred Processing of Social Stimuli in Autism: A Perception Task. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:3286-3293. [PMID: 34532839 PMCID: PMC9213359 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05195-2] [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: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In this study we investigate whether persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive social images differently than control participants (CON) in a graded perception task in which stimuli emerged from noise before dissipating into noise again. We presented either social stimuli (humans) or non-social stimuli (objects or animals). ASD were slower to recognize images during their emergence, but as fast as CON when indicating the dissipation of the image irrespective of its content. Social stimuli were recognized faster and remained discernable longer in both diagnostic groups. Thus, ASD participants show a largely intact preference for the processing of social images. An exploratory analysis of response subsets reveals subtle differences between groups that could be investigated in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Meermeier
- University Hospital Cologne, NRW, Kerpener Strasse 62, Geb. 31, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - M Jording
- University Hospital Cologne, NRW, Kerpener Strasse 62, Geb. 31, 50931, Cologne, Germany.,Forschungszentrum Jülich, INM3, NRW, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße 1, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Y Alayoubi
- University Hospital Cologne, NRW, Kerpener Strasse 62, Geb. 31, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - David H V Vogel
- University Hospital Cologne, NRW, Kerpener Strasse 62, Geb. 31, 50931, Cologne, Germany.,Forschungszentrum Jülich, INM3, NRW, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße 1, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - K Vogeley
- University Hospital Cologne, NRW, Kerpener Strasse 62, Geb. 31, 50931, Cologne, Germany.,Forschungszentrum Jülich, INM3, NRW, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße 1, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - R Tepest
- University Hospital Cologne, NRW, Kerpener Strasse 62, Geb. 31, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Brief Report: Specificity of Interpersonal Synchrony Deficits to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Potential for Digitally Assisted Diagnostics. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:3718-3726. [PMID: 34331629 PMCID: PMC9296396 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05194-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Reliably diagnosing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in adulthood poses a challenge to clinicians due to the absence of specific diagnostic markers. This study investigated the potential of interpersonal synchrony (IPS), which has been found to be reduced in ASD, to augment the diagnostic process. IPS was objectively assessed in videos of diagnostic interviews in a representative referral population from two specialized autism outpatient clinics. In contrast to the current screening tools that could not reliably differentiate, we found a significant reduction of IPS in interactions with individuals later diagnosed with ASD (n = 16) as opposed to those not receiving a diagnosis (n = 23). While these findings need to be validated in larger samples, they nevertheless underline the potential of digitally-enhanced diagnostic processes for ASD.
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
AbstractTemporal synchrony is the alignment of processes in time within or across individuals in social interaction and is observed and studied in various domains using wide-ranging paradigms. Evidence suggesting reduced temporal synchrony in autism (e.g. compared to neurotypicals) has hitherto not been reviewed. To systematically review the magnitude and generalisability of the difference across different tasks and contexts, EBSCO, OVID, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched. Thirty-two studies were identified that met our inclusion criteria in audio-visual, audio-motor, visuo-tactile, visuo-motor, social motor, and conversational synchrony domains. Additionally, two intervention studies were included. The findings suggest that autistic participants showed reduced synchrony tendencies in every category of temporal synchrony reviewed. Implications, methodological weaknesses, and evidence gaps are discussed.
Collapse
|
17
|
Bertamini G, Bentenuto A, Perzolli S, Paolizzi E, Furlanello C, Venuti P. Quantifying the Child-Therapist Interaction in ASD Intervention: An Observational Coding System. Brain Sci 2021; 11:366. [PMID: 33805630 PMCID: PMC7998397 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11030366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observational research plays an important part in developmental research due to its noninvasiveness. However, it has been hardly applied to investigate efficacy of the child-therapist interaction in the context of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI). In particular, the characteristics of child-therapist interplay are thought to have a significant impact in NDBIs in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Quantitative approaches may help to identify the key features of interaction during therapy and could be translated as instruments to monitor early interventions. METHODS n = 24 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were monitored from the time of the diagnosis (T0) and after about one year of early intervention (T1). A novel observational coding system was applied to video recorded sessions of intervention to extract quantitative behavioral descriptors. We explored the coding scheme reliability together with its convergent and predictive validity. Further, we applied computational techniques to investigate changes and associations between interaction profiles and developmental outcomes. RESULTS Significant changes in interaction variables emerged with time, suggesting that a favorable outcome is associated with interactions characterized by increased synchrony, better therapist's strategies to successfully engage the child and scaffold longer, more complex and engaging interchanges. Interestingly, data models linked interaction profiles, outcome measures and response trajectories. CONCLUSION Current research stresses the need for process measures to understand the hows and the whys of ASD early intervention. Combining observational techniques with computational approaches may help in explaining interindividual variability. Further, it could disclose successful features of interaction associated with better response trajectories or to different ASD behavioral phenotypes that could require specific dyadic modalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Bertamini
- Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, TN, Italy; (G.B.); (A.B.); (S.P.); (E.P.)
- Data Science for Health (DSH), Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK), 38123 Povo, TN, Italy
| | - Arianna Bentenuto
- Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, TN, Italy; (G.B.); (A.B.); (S.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Silvia Perzolli
- Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, TN, Italy; (G.B.); (A.B.); (S.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Eleonora Paolizzi
- Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, TN, Italy; (G.B.); (A.B.); (S.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Cesare Furlanello
- Hk3 Lab, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy;
- Orobix Life, 24121 Bergamo, BG, Italy
| | - Paola Venuti
- Laboratory of Observation, Diagnosis and Education (ODFLab), Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, TN, Italy; (G.B.); (A.B.); (S.P.); (E.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Vogel DHV, Jording M, Kupke C, Vogeley K. The Temporality of Situated Cognition. Front Psychol 2020; 11:546212. [PMID: 33132954 PMCID: PMC7550648 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.546212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Situated cognition embeds perceptions, thoughts, and behavior within the contextual framework of so-called “4E cognition” understanding cognition to be embodied, enactive, extended, and embedded. Whereas this definition is primarily based on the spatial properties of a situation, it neglects a fundamental constituent: the cognitive situation as enduring. On a subpersonal level, situated cognition requires the integration of information processing within a minimal temporal extension generating the basic building blocks of perception and action (“microlayer” of time). On a personal level, lived situations and experienced narratives leading to our biography can be defined by their broader temporal horizons (“macrolayer” of time). The macrolayer of time is based on and emerges from information processing on the microlayer of time. Whereas the constraints on the microlayer are primarily defined by the integrity of neurobiological processes within an individual cognitive system, the temporal horizons and subsequently the situational context on the macrolayer are defined by the complex affordances of a situation on a personal or interpersonal level. On both time layers, cognition can be defined as a continuous dynamic process, reflecting the transition from one situated state to another. Taken together, the events forming the delimiting horizons of these situations correspond to the temporal structure of the cognitive process along which it continuously proceeds. The dynamic driving and enabling this transition from state to state is synonymous with the inherent flow of time. Just as the layers of time, flow and structure, are inseparably connected. The integration of temporal flow and temporal structure into the continuous dynamic process constitutes the enduring situatedness of cognition. By providing everyday examples and examples from psychopathology, we highlight the benefits of understanding cognitive processes as part of enduring situations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David H V Vogel
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM3), Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mathis Jording
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM3), Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian Kupke
- Department of Psychiatry, Society for Philosophy and Sciences of the Psyche, Charité, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Vogeley
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM3), Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review evidence for the presence, quality, and correlates of interpersonal synchrony in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across four domains: motor, conversational, physiological, and neural. We also propose cognitive and neural mechanisms for the disruption of interpersonal synchrony and investigate synchrony as a mechanism of intervention in ASD. RECENT FINDINGS Across domains, synchrony is present but reduced or atypical in individuals with ASD during interactions with individuals with typical development (TD). Atypical synchrony may reflect the contribution of both intrapersonal mechanisms, such as atypical motor timing, and interpersonal mechanisms, such as atypical interindividual coupling. Research suggests evidence for synchrony interventions leading to improvements in some aspects of social behavior. Understanding synchrony in ASD has the potential to lead to biomarkers and interventions to support social functioning. However, further research should clarify mechanisms of atypical synchrony in ASD including taking features of the dyad into account.
Collapse
|