Autism Research最新文献

{"title":"Assessing the Validity and Reliability of the Chinese Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Aged 1–6","authors":"Lin Deng,&nbsp;Mingyu Xu,&nbsp;Yubin Hu,&nbsp;Yuqi Liu,&nbsp;Zilin Chen,&nbsp;Hangyu Tan,&nbsp;Wenchong Du,&nbsp;Yaqiong Xiao,&nbsp;Fei Li","doi":"10.1002/aur.70045","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70045","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), a widely used assessment tool for assessing developmental profiles of children, has been adapted to various cultural contexts with proven efficacy. This study evaluated the applicability and efficacy of the Chinese Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (CVABS-III) in assessing children with different developmental profiles within the context of Chinese culture. The VABS items were meticulously translated and modified to reflect cultural relevancy. We assessed 2118 Chinese preschoolers aged 1–6 years, including those with typical development (TD; <i>n</i> = 943), and various clinical subgroups including autism spectrum disorder (ASD; <i>n</i> = 449), developmental delay (DD; <i>n</i> = 477), and speech and language developmental delay (SLDD; <i>n</i> = 249). Internal reliability, construct validity, and discriminant validity with the Gesell Developmental Schedules were assessed. The CVABS-III demonstrated excellent internal consistency and construct validity. It effectively distinguished between TD children and those with ASD, DD, or SLDD. It also showed progressively stronger correlations with the Gesell Developmental Schedules especially in children aged 3–6 years. These findings confirm that the CVABS-III retains the robust psychometric properties of its original VABS while being suitably adapted for the Chinese context. This adaptation enhances the scale's utility for early identification and intervention in developmental delays within diverse Chinese populations. Future research might explore further refinement to improve its applicability across all ages and developmental conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 7","pages":"1412-1430"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144059133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effective Autism Classification Through Grasping Kinematics","authors":"Erez Freud,&nbsp;Zoha Ahmad,&nbsp;Eitan Shelef,&nbsp;Bat Sheva Hadad","doi":"10.1002/aur.70049","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, where motor abnormalities play a central role alongside social and communication difficulties. These motor symptoms often manifest in early childhood, making them critical targets for early diagnosis and intervention. This study aimed to assess whether kinematic features from a naturalistic grasping task could accurately distinguish autistic participants from non-autistic ones. We analyzed grasping movements of autistic and non-autistic young adults, tracking two markers placed on the thumb and index finger. Using a subject-wise cross-validated classifiers, we achieved accuracy scores of above 84%. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed strong classification performance with area under the curve values of above 0.95 at the subject-wise analysis and above 0.85 at the trial-wise analysis. These findings indicate strong reliability in accurately distinguishing autistic participants from non-autistic ones. These findings suggest that subtle motor control differences can be effectively captured, offering a promising approach for developing accessible and reliable diagnostic tools for autism.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 6","pages":"1170-1181"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144035721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms of Altered Imitation in Autism Spectrum Disorders","authors":"Sean McWeeny,&nbsp;Ata Kolday,&nbsp;Ericka L. Wodka,&nbsp;Stewart H. Mostofsky,&nbsp;Brian S. Caffo,&nbsp;Joshua B. Ewen","doi":"10.1002/aur.70046","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Imitation plays a critical role in enhancing social reciprocity and social/non-social skill learning. Accordingly, impaired imitation may have downstream implications on skill acquisition in autism. Social, motor, representational, and executive processes contribute to imitation performance, but it is unknown the degree to which differences in these domains contribute to imitation differences in autism. In the present study, we evaluated the role of various psychological mechanisms of autism-related imitation differences using mediation models. We assessed autistic and non-autistic 7–12-year-old children (<i>n</i> = 708) with FSIQ ≥ 80, using a wide battery of performance-based and parent-report tests that measured meaningful and non-meaningful gesture imitation performance, motor execution, action representation, social motivation, and executive function processes. Multiple marginal mediation analyses revealed that motor execution tests most strongly mediated imitation deficits in autism, though effects from social motivation, action representation, and executive function also partially mediated the relationship between autism diagnosis and imitation performance. Using cross-validated regression models, the domains tested here accounted for 39% of the variation in imitation performance. Results are contextualized across a broad range of experimental and observational studies with respect to the prompted imitation task utilized here. Future research will require longitudinal data, particularly from earlier stages of development.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 7","pages":"1397-1411"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144054248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infant Achievements Intervention Improves Caregiver Implementation Fidelity and Infant Social Communication Outcomes: A Preliminary Randomized Clinical Trial","authors":"Rebecca J. Landa,&nbsp;Rachel Reetzke,&nbsp;Christine Reiner Hess","doi":"10.1002/aur.70051","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focused on idiopathic social communication delay (SCD) in the first year of life are rare. We preliminarily tested the efficacy of an 8-week caregiver-implemented intervention for infants with idiopathic SCD. Infants (8–12 months) with SCD were block-randomized with caregivers to the Infant Achievements (IA) (<i>n</i> = 18) or Caregiver Education (CE) (<i>n</i> = 20) group in this assessor-masked RCT. Assessments were completed at baseline, post-intervention, and 8-week follow-up. IA caregivers received reflective, home-based coaching to implement naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) strategies. Primary outcomes: masked ratings of caregiver implementation fidelity, frequency of infant initiation of joint attention (IJA), and percent of coordination of joint engagement (CJE). Secondary outcomes: masked researcher-administered and scored Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) language and Visual Reception scaled scores; nonmasked caregiver-reported Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Caregiver Questionnaire (CSBS CQ) Social, Speech, and Symbolic composite scores and McArthur-Bates Communication Development Inventories Words Understood and Produced scores. Prespecified analyses followed an intent-to-treat approach using Generalized Linear Mixed Models for non-normally distributed outcomes and linear mixed-effects models for those with normal distributions. Significant group by time effects favored the IA group relative to the CE group on all primary outcomes at post-intervention (<i>p</i>'s ≤ 0.001), and for caregiver fidelity and IJA, at follow-up (≤ 0.03). Significant IA intervention effects were detected on secondary outcomes of nonverbal cognition (MSEL Visual Reception) and CSBS CQ Speech composite at post-intervention (&lt; 0.01) and follow-up (≤ 0.02). IA equips caregivers to learn and generalize the implementation of child-responsive NDBI strategies and propels pre-linguistic social communication advances in SCD infants.</p>\u0000 <p>\u0000 <b>Trial Registration:</b> ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03404505.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 5","pages":"1104-1116"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144012134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship Between Antipsychotic Use and Cholesterol Levels in a Retrospective Chart Review of an Adult Autism Clinic Patient Population","authors":"Gregory Cejas,&nbsp;Alisha J. Steigerwald,&nbsp;Malori Chrisman,&nbsp;Tanvi Yadlapalli,&nbsp;David Q. Beversdorf","doi":"10.1002/aur.70047","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a high prevalence of metabolic and gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities. Antipsychotics are commonly prescribed for adults with ASD. Our study investigated the effect of antipsychotic medication on metabolic and GI comorbidities, as well as effects across age, in an adult ASD population. We retrospectively analyzed 279 charts from patients with ASD, ages 16–62 (mean = 27.97, SD = 8.89, 18.3% female). Data abstracted included demographic information, medications taken, GI and metabolic comorbidities, and recent values for body mass index (BMI), triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Participants were separated into two groups based on antipsychotic use. Between-group differences were calculated for the prevalence of GI comorbidities and mean values for BMI, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Lastly, binary correlations were calculated for age and total cholesterol as well as triglycerides, and age and BMI. No significant difference was found between the prevalence of GI comorbidities for the two groups. For metabolic factors, no significant difference was found in the mean BMI, triglycerides, or total cholesterol. Binary correlation analysis also revealed no significant correlation between age and BMI or triglycerides for patients in either group. A significant correlation was found between age and total cholesterol for patients both taking and not taking antipsychotics. Despite approximately one in three patients in this study taking an antipsychotic medication, no significant differences in GI or metabolic comorbidities were found. However, cholesterol increased with age regardless of the presence or absence of antipsychotics. Future research is needed to better understand the long-term effects of antipsychotics on adults with ASD and metabolic monitoring in those not on antipsychotics.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 6","pages":"1187-1194"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144053689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Intersection of Variability in Gross Motor Performance and Adaptive Behavior in Young Autistic Children: Combining Video Data Analysis and Standardized Assessments","authors":"Maria J. Ayoub,&nbsp;Laura Keegan,&nbsp;Michele Z. Luo,&nbsp;Helen Tager-Flusberg,&nbsp;Karen Chenausky,&nbsp;Marc F. Maffei,&nbsp;Jordan R. Green,&nbsp;Simone V. Gill","doi":"10.1002/aur.70048","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Autism research has shown relationships between motor skills and other developmental domains. However, little research has examined variability in gross motor performance and its potential relation to adaptive behavior in this population. The purpose of this study was to use task-based measures of gross motor performance to quantify variability and to determine if gross motor variability was associated with adaptive behavior. We collected video data of autistic children aged 4–7 years (<i>N</i> = 71) performing two task-based measures of gross motor performance: walking over flat ground and balancing on one leg. We also computed walking behaviors: behaviors exhibited by children during walking (e.g., jumping). We used the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale Adaptive Behavior Composite (VABS-ABC) to measure adaptive behavior. Results showed high intra-subject variability during walking skill, walking behaviors, and balance performance. Less variable walking velocity was correlated with higher adaptive behavior scores. In contrast, less variability in walking behaviors was correlated with lower adaptive behavior scores. These results highlight that variability in gross motor performance may be a feature of ASD and examining gross motor variability in relation to other developmental domains (e.g., adaptive behavior) may provide a more comprehensive understanding of autism.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 6","pages":"1269-1278"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144029212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Impressions Towards Autistic People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","authors":"Lashindri C. Wanigasekera,&nbsp;Murray T. Maybery,&nbsp;Romina Palermo,&nbsp;Andrew J. O. Whitehouse,&nbsp;Diana Weiting Tan","doi":"10.1002/aur.70019","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70019","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Emerging evidence suggests that observers tend to form less favorable first impressions toward autistic people than toward non-autistic people. These negative impressions may be associated with immediate behavioral responses, as well as long-lasting attitudes toward those being observed that may negatively impact their psychosocial wellbeing. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized the existing literature that has compared first impressions toward autistic and non-autistic people to investigate whether first impressions are influenced by: (1) type of first impression measure, (2) modality of stimulus presentation, and (3) characteristics of the observers and/or stimulus participants. Key inclusion criteria were: (1) one or more groups of observers provided first impression ratings, (2) the stimuli were presented in either audio-only, video-only, audio–video, still image, or speech transcript format, and (3) first impressions toward autistic and non-autistic individuals were compared. A systematic search identified a final sample of 21 articles, which included 221 effects for analyses. Findings showed that first impressions were generally less favorable for autistic compared to non-autistic people across all presentation modalities other than speech transcript, with effect sizes typically moderate to large. Differences in first impressions toward autistic and non-autistic people were generally more pronounced for ratings of interpersonal attraction and social and communication presentation, rather than for ratings of psychological and personality traits. There was also some evidence that characteristics of non-autistic observers, such as autism knowledge and quality of contact with autistic people, impact first impressions. These findings provide insight into the critical role first impressions play in influencing social interaction between autistic and non-autistic individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 5","pages":"983-1010"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70019","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144000399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intact Susceptibility to Visual Illusions in Autistic Individuals","authors":"Yarden Mazuz,&nbsp;Bat-Sheva Hadad,&nbsp;Tzvi Ganel","doi":"10.1002/aur.70044","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70044","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Altered sensory perception, a core characteristic of autism, has been attributed to attenuated use of stimuli context or prior information in perception. Reduced susceptibility to perceptual illusions was extensively used to support these accounts for autistic perception. However, empirical evidence has been inconsistent. The current study systematically investigated susceptibility to size illusions in autistic and non-autistic individuals using a standardized psychophysical battery. Eighty-one participants, 41 autistic and 40 non-autistic individuals, completed the Ben-Gurion University Test for Perceptual Illusions (BTPI), measuring susceptibility to the Ponzo, Ebbinghaus, and Height-width illusions. The results demonstrate clear evidence for susceptibility to illusions in the perception of size both in the autistic and non-autistic groups. No significant differences were found between groups in the magnitude of illusion on the perceived size, or on the perceptual resolutions of size (discrimination thresholds) in any of the illusory settings tested. The results challenge current theories suggesting reduced reliance on priors or enhanced sensory measurement in autism. Instead, using robust psychophysical methods, the study provides clear evidence for autistic people forming priors and using long-term knowledge in perception.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 6","pages":"1257-1268"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70044","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143993639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating More Granular Options for Socio-Demographic Questions in Autism Research","authors":"Rosalind Usher,&nbsp;Kristn Currans,&nbsp;Kate Wallis,&nbsp;Amanda Bennett,&nbsp;Judith S. Miller","doi":"10.1002/aur.70041","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70041","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of adding more detailed choices for race, ethnicity, sex, gender, and socio-economic status for a demographic survey used by families both within and outside a large learning health network, the Autism Care Network (ACNet). We updated our demographic survey using an iterative approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative feedback from interested parties across the US and Canada. Pilot testing of the revised survey was conducted with families with and without autism served by two large academic pediatric tertiary care centers. Through purposive sampling, recruitment was enriched for families from ethnic, racial, or gender minority backgrounds. The updated demographic survey increased the number of response options for race and ethnicity, sex, gender, and language. 85 families within the ACNet and 242 families outside the ACNet provided feasibility and acceptability data. 41% of respondents were from nonWhite or multiple race groups. 99% of respondents rated the updated form same or better than the original. 91% of respondents rated the updated form as acceptable, while 97% rated the survey as feasible. Despite concerns about the burden on respondents, we found high rates of feasibility and acceptability of more granular response options in demographic surveys. Researchers can adapt this approach to make their own more granular demographic forms focused on the specific variables relevant to their study and local contexts. More granular demographic data can identify strengths and gaps in representation that could impact a study's generalizability.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 6","pages":"1301-1308"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70041","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144043603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Screening for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Symptoms Among Autistic Adults: Measurement Invariance With a Comparison General Sample","authors":"Courtney E. Breiner,&nbsp;Goldie A. McQuaid,&nbsp;Gregory L. Wallace,&nbsp;Hana F. Zickgraf","doi":"10.1002/aur.70039","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Research suggests a higher prevalence of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in autistic people across the lifespan compared to the general population. However, ARFID symptoms in autistic people may be misattributed to core autistic traits and gastrointestinal symptoms that often co-occur with autism. This diagnostic overshadowing could lead to the under-recognition and under-treatment of modifiable symptoms of psychopathology in autistic people. Validating ARFID symptom measures in this population is essential to screening for ARFID and tracking treatment outcomes in this population. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the equivalence of the factor structure, factor loadings, and item intercepts of the Nine-Item ARFID Screen (NIAS) between a sample of autistic adults (<i>n</i> = 248) who self-disclosed their diagnosis and a comparison general sample (<i>n</i> = 398). There was support for strong measurement invariance (configural, metric, and scalar) on the NIAS. Autistic adults scored significantly higher on each of the three subscales: selective eating (<i>d</i> = 0.54), appetite impairment (<i>d</i> = 0.27), and fear-driven avoidance of eating (<i>d</i> = 0.37). The NIAS is a valid instrument for measuring ARFID symptomatology in autistic adults. Autistic adults experience elevated symptomatology across all three ARFID eating restrictions. Future research should address whether evidence-based ARFID treatments are efficacious for autistic adults or need to be modified.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 7","pages":"1381-1388"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}