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Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine Mar 2024Being a typically developing sibling to a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD-Sib) can be associated with several behavioral and mental health problems. With this... (Review)
Review
Being a typically developing sibling to a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD-Sib) can be associated with several behavioral and mental health problems. With this understanding, researchers are beginning to focus on sibling-oriented interventions. This review seeks to evaluate the current literature on such interventions. We searched digital databases and identified eight relevant studies. The sample (n = 247) had an age range of 4-16 years. The outcomes were generally positive, with improvements in different facets of ASD-Sibs. Results differed due to varied intervention styles, outcome variables, methods, and samples. Our findings highlight the potential for improvement in ASD-Sib's knowledge of autism and their psychological functioning and hence call for further research with robust methods.
PubMed: 38725717
DOI: 10.1177/02537176231176404 -
The American Journal of Occupational... Jul 2024Since the first descriptions of autism, difficulties with affective contact (e.g., interpersonal exchanges of feelings between individuals) have been considered a common...
IMPORTANCE
Since the first descriptions of autism, difficulties with affective contact (e.g., interpersonal exchanges of feelings between individuals) have been considered a common feature of autism spectrum disorder, and these difficulties frequently manifest in occupational therapy interventions.
OBJECTIVE
To (1) explore how autistic young adults describe their emotions and (2) suggest ways to improve the affective contact between autistic clients and their therapists.
DESIGN
Virtual focus group interviews.
SETTING
Online (Qualtrics) survey and Zoom focus groups.
PARTICIPANTS
Autistic adults (N = 24) who met the following inclusion criteria: self-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or Asperger syndrome, age 18-35 yr, able to understand English, and able to participate in a focus group or individual interview using verbal or written communication.
RESULTS
Two themes were noted and are presented in this article: (1) Autistic people experience complex emotions and (2) autistic people's emotions are often (mis)measured and (mis)understood.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The findings indicate that autistic people experience diverse, complex, and intense emotions and that these are connected to occupation. This suggests that occupational therapists must be attuned to the emotional dimension of occupation when working with autistic clients and that autistic clients may benefit from the use of embodied language to reference their emotions. Occupational therapists can help autistic clients recognize their bodily changes when experiencing emotions and to better identify and regulate their emotions. The results also show that there were many cases nonautistic people misinterpreted the emotions of autistic people on the basis of their facial expressions or words. Plain-Language Summary: This article provides information about the emotional experiences of autistic people. The study found that autistic people experience complex emotions and that those emotions are often misinterpreted or misunderstood. The author provides information on how occupational therapists can use a neurodiversity-affirming and person-centered approach to support the emotional experiences of people in the autism community. Positionality Statement: In this article, identity-first language is used when referring to autistic adults. This deliberate choice aligns with the principles of the neurodiversity-affirming movement. Autistic self-advocates have indicated a preference for this style of language over person-first language. The author would also like to acknowledge their positionality. As both a neurodivergent researcher and a self-advocate for the disabled community, this style of language aligns with their own experiences of and beliefs about their disability.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Male; Female; Young Adult; Emotions; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Occupational Therapy; Focus Groups; Adolescent; Autistic Disorder; Professional-Patient Relations; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 38923977
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2024.050502 -
L'Encephale Apr 2024Humor is essential to social relationships. Its use and understanding appear to be impaired in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The main objective was to...
OBJECTIVES
Humor is essential to social relationships. Its use and understanding appear to be impaired in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The main objective was to review the existing literature on the detection, understanding and use of humor in persons with ASD. The secondary objective involved exploring assessment scales and specific intervention tools.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was carried out on all available French and English scientific papers about humor - including irony - in persons with ASD up to November 2021. We extracted 552 references and included 43 articles from six databases.
RESULTS
Studies suggest that those with ASD can detect audiovisual and written humor. Understanding humor was impaired in writing and when using pure auditory stimuli and non-verbal cartoons. For irony, the results indicated a lower detection of quality and less understanding in speaking but not in writing. Regarding its use, in terms of expression, people with ASD use benevolent humor less often and do not consider humor as a key source of satisfaction with life, as opposed to the control group.
CONCLUSIONS
It appears that it would be worthwhile to develop standardized humor detection and assessment tools specific to persons with ASD. Practical strategies that focus on humor ability could be worth developing, either individually or in groups.
Topics: Humans; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Interpersonal Relations
PubMed: 38176977
DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2023.10.002 -
Autism Research : Official Journal of... Nov 2023Psychosocial stressors have been suggested to precipitate psychotic episodes in patients with pre-existing psychosis and otherwise healthy subjects. However, such a risk...
Psychosocial stressors have been suggested to precipitate psychotic episodes in patients with pre-existing psychosis and otherwise healthy subjects. However, such a risk has never been formally investigated in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sixty-nine autistic adolescents hospitalized for psychotic/manic symptoms (PSY) and other mental health issues (NPSY) over a 9-year period were compared with reference to their previous exposure to psychosocial stressors. ASD diagnoses satisfied the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria. Psychotic/manic symptom assessment followed the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). Psychosocial stressor exposure was collected separately at each admission. Preliminarily, univariate between-group comparisons were conducted. Then, a binomial model was adopted to investigate associations with previous exposure to psychosocial stressors. Results were reported with a change in AIC (ΔAIC). PSY patients presented with higher previous exposure to adverse life events (30.43% vs. 6.52%, OR = 6.079 [1.209, 40.926], p = 0.013) and school/work difficulties (30.43% vs. 8.70%, OR = 4.478 [0.984, 23.846], p = 0.034) than NPSY ones. Admissions for psychotic/manic symptoms occurred more likely in the context of family disturbances (OR = 2.275 [1.045, 5.045], p = 0.030) and adverse life events (OR = 3.489 [1.194, 11.161], p = 0.014). The fitted binomial model was found to be significant compared to the random effects model (ΔAIC = -1.962; χ = 21.96, p = 0.015), with the risk of presenting psychotic/manic symptoms being increased by family disturbances (z = +4.118) and school/work difficulties (z = +2.455). The results suggest a potential psychosis-inducing effect of psychosocial stressors in ASD, which has clinical and policy implications.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Psychotic Disorders; Autistic Disorder; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
PubMed: 37929657
DOI: 10.1002/aur.3042 -
Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Research 2023Asperger syndrome is a type of autism spectrum disorder that may affect oral health and dental management. Spongiotic gingival hyperplasia is a rare lesion with unique...
BACKGROUND
Asperger syndrome is a type of autism spectrum disorder that may affect oral health and dental management. Spongiotic gingival hyperplasia is a rare lesion with unique clinicopathological features and unknown pathogenesis that has not been previously reported in a patient with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this case report is to present the first case of spongiotic gingival hyperplasia in a child with Asperger syndrome.
METHODS
A 14-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome was referred for diagnosis and management of bright red granular overgrowths of the marginal gingiva and interdental papilla of the mandibular right incisors and marginal gingiva of the mandibular left incisor. A biopsy was performed on the interdental papilla between the mandibular right incisors.
RESULTS
Microscopic examination and cytokeratin 19 immunopositivity confirmed the diagnosis of spongiotic gingival hyperplasia. The parents of the patient declined any further intervention, and four months later the gingival lesions, including the biopsied area, did not show any significant difference from the initial examination.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with autism spectrum diseases, such as Asperger syndrome, cannot achieve a good level of oral hygiene. Thus, it is expected that the incidence of spongiotic gingival hyperplasia should be higher in this group of patients, in case oral microbiome participates in its pathogenesis. Management of such lesions is challenging, as such patients do not comply with a proper oral hygiene program and do not cooperate with surgical excision.
PubMed: 37969953
DOI: 10.5037/jomr.2023.14305 -
History of Psychiatry Apr 2024After his 1944 thesis, Asperger continued to write about autism, but none of these texts have been translated. At a time when autism spectrum disorder faces many...
After his 1944 thesis, Asperger continued to write about autism, but none of these texts have been translated. At a time when autism spectrum disorder faces many challenges (e.g. the nature and measurement of autism), this text tells us more about the particular population that Asperger worked with. He describes sensitive, intelligent, creative and rational children, a far cry from the Wing triad. Moreover, 'Asperger's Syndrome' was introduced after he had died, was included in the DSM-IV in 1994 and was omitted from the DSM-5 in 2013. The question posed by this last text, written before his death, is whether Asperger's descriptions of autistic children are really part of the autism spectrum disorder or whether they are outside the pathological field.
PubMed: 38679954
DOI: 10.1177/0957154X241248261 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Valid and reliable developmental screening and assessment tools allow professionals to identify disabilities/delays in children, enabling timely intervention to limit... (Review)
Review
Valid and reliable developmental screening and assessment tools allow professionals to identify disabilities/delays in children, enabling timely intervention to limit adverse lifelong impacts on health. However, differences in child development related to culture, genetics, and perinatal outcomes may impact tool applicability. This study evaluated the validity, reliability, and accessibility of multidomain developmental screening tools for young children, analyzed the applicability of tools across different contexts, and created a compendium of tools. Employing adapted realist review methods, we searched APA PsycInfo, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, and Google to identify relevant articles and information. We assessed accessibility, validity, reliability, and contextual applicability (N = 4110 evidence sources) to create tool ratings and make recommendations. Of 33 identified tools, 22 were screening and 11 were assessment tools. Fewer screening tools than assessment tools were rated highly overall. Evidence for use in different cultures was often lacking for both types of tools. The ASQ (screening) and BDI (assessment) tools were rated most favorably and are recommended for use, though other tools may be more applicable in different contexts (e.g., NEPSY among children with Asperger's Syndrome). Future research should focus on assessing the validity and reliability of tools across different demographics to increase accessibility and ensure all children are properly supported.
PubMed: 38929324
DOI: 10.3390/children11060745 -
Pathophysiology : the Official Journal... Nov 2023Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that includes autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder. ASD is characterized by...
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that includes autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder. ASD is characterized by poor interpersonal relationships and strong attachment. The correlations between activated or inactivated gene products, which occur as a result of genetic mutations affecting neurons in ASD patients, and ASD symptoms are now of critical concern. Here, for the first time, we describe the process in which that the respective ASD-associated mutations (Arg676-to-Cys [R676C] and Ser951-to-Cys [S951C]) of semaphorin-5A (Sema5A) localize Sema5A proteins themselves around the plasma membrane in the N1E-115 cell line, a model line that can achieve neuronal morphological differentiation. The expression of each mutated construct resulted in the promotion of excessive elongation of neurite-like processes with increased differentiation protein markers; R676C was more effective than S951C. The differentiated phenotypes were very partially neutralized by an antibody, against Plexin-B3 as the specific Sema5A receptor, suggesting that the effects of Sema5A act in an autocrine manner. R676C greatly increased the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), one of the signaling molecules underlying process elongation. In contrast, the blocking of JNK signaling, by a chemical JNK inhibitor or an inhibitory construct of the interaction of RhoG with Elmo1 as JNK upstream signaling molecules, recovered the excessive process elongation. These results suggest that ASD-associated mutations of Sema5A, acting through the JNK signaling cascade, lead to excessive differentiated phenotypes, and the inhibition of JNK signaling recovers them, revealing possible therapeutic targets for recovering the potential molecular and cellular phenotypes underlying certain ASD symptoms.
PubMed: 38133141
DOI: 10.3390/pathophysiology30040040 -
Nursing & Health Sciences Jun 2024A scoping review on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and its impact on the families of affected children was undertaken due to insufficient information available on the... (Review)
Review
A scoping review on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and its impact on the families of affected children was undertaken due to insufficient information available on the diverse experiences impacting their lives. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, eligibility criteria were guided by Population (families), Concept (family experiences), and Context (African region). English-language articles were sought from a variety of databases and search engines. The publication date of the identified articles ranged from 2003 to 2021 with most published in 2020 (n = 10), and the majority using qualitative methodologies (n = 51). Most family members involved were parents (n = 51) and their ages ranged from 18 to 75 years. The families experienced various challenges related to their child with regard to education, healthcare, and the broader community including lack of support. Family coping strategies included believing in God, attending counseling sessions, adapting, and accepting the situation. Healthcare professionals should be prepared and positioned to educate families and siblings on various aspects of ASD. There is a need for active, continued research on families within most countries of World Health Organization Afro-region.
Topics: Humans; Autism Spectrum Disorder; World Health Organization; Child; Family; Adaptation, Psychological; Male; Adolescent; Female; Adult
PubMed: 38692580
DOI: 10.1111/nhs.13123 -
Imaging Neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.) Oct 2023Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) quality is known to impact and bias neuroanatomical estimates and downstream analysis, including case-control comparisons,...
Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) quality is known to impact and bias neuroanatomical estimates and downstream analysis, including case-control comparisons, and a growing body of work has demonstrated the importance of careful quality control (QC) and evaluated the impact of image and image-processing quality. However, the growing size of typical neuroimaging datasets presents an additional challenge to QC, which is typically extremely time and labour intensive. One of the most important aspects of MRI quality is the accuracy of processed outputs, which have been shown to impact estimated neurodevelopmental trajectories. Here, we evaluate whether the quality of surface reconstructions by FreeSurfer (one of the most widely used MRI processing pipelines) interacts with clinical and demographic factors. We present a tool, FSQC, that enables quick and efficient yet thorough assessment of outputs of the FreeSurfer processing pipeline. We validate our method against other existing QC metrics, including the automated FreeSurfer Euler number, two other manual ratings of raw image quality, and two popular automated QC methods. We show strikingly similar spatial patterns in the relationship between each QC measure and cortical thickness; relationships for cortical volume and surface area are largely consistent across metrics, though with some notable differences. We next demonstrate that thresholding by QC score attenuates but does not eliminate the impact of quality on cortical estimates. Finally, we explore different ways of controlling for quality when examining differences between autistic individuals and neurotypical controls in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) dataset, demonstrating that inadequate control for quality can alter results of case-control comparisons.
PubMed: 38495338
DOI: 10.1162/imag_a_00022