{"title":"Longitudinal Associations Between Autistic Traits, Self-compassion, Anxiety and Depression in Autistic and Non-autistic Adults Without Intellectual Disability.","authors":"John Galvin, Abby Howes, Gareth Richards","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06157-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06157-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Previous cross-sectional research suggests self-compassion may mediate associations between autistic traits and mental health in autistic and non-autistic adults. However, no research to date has examined these relationships longitudinally. In this study, we used a cross-lagged panel analysis to examine correlations over time between autistic traits, self-compassion, and anxiety/depression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants were from the UK and included autistic (n = 228 at T1, n = 156 at T2, and n = 165 at T3) and non-autistic adults (n = 228 at T1, n = 122 at T2, and n = 124 at T3) without intellectual disability. Participants were recruited through an online participation platform and completed demographics, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline (T1), 6 months (T2), and 12 months (T3).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the autistic sample, negative correlations were observed between self-compassion and subsequent anxiety/depression across all models and timepoints, and these relationships were not reciprocal (i.e., earlier depression and anxiety did not predict future self-compassion). In the non-autistic sample, the findings generally suggested bi-directional relationships between self-compassion and anxiety/depression. In both groups, an indirect pathway between T1 autistic traits and T3 anxiety/depression via T2 self-compassion was confirmed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Considering the high prevalence of anxiety and depression among autistic people, and that self-compassion can be cultivated through practice, these findings suggest that self-compassion could be a useful therapeutic target to promote mental health in the autistic population.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49690653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sakinah Idris, Femke H F Ten Hoeve, Allison B Ratto, Susan W White, Neeltje van Haren, Kirstin Greaves-Lord
{"title":"Psychometric Properties of the Dutch Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS): An Independent Observational Outcome Measure of Social Skills in Autistic Adolescents.","authors":"Sakinah Idris, Femke H F Ten Hoeve, Allison B Ratto, Susan W White, Neeltje van Haren, Kirstin Greaves-Lord","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06156-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06156-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The goal of this study was to translate and adapt the original 9-item of the Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS) to a Dutch version and assess its psychometric qualities. Autistic adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (n = 99) took part in a randomized controlled trial. In this study, pre-intervention data were utilized. The original CASS was adapted to ensure cultural relevance and the content validity was assessed. Data was used to assess reliability and structural validity, using confirmatory factor analysis. 4-item were added to the CASS during the adaptation to better align with the objectives of the experimental intervention. The original 9-item had inter-item correlations between .01 and .70. The Cronbach's alpha for the original 4-item total score was moderate (α = .69), while for a 7-item total score, it was high (α = .86). This 7-item total score had a sufficient model fit (Comparative Fit Index = .90). This total score had a significant correlation with the Assertion subscale of the Social Skills Improvement System-Adolescent (SSIS-A) (r = 0.26, p < .01), and the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) total score (r = - .21, p = .04) indicating sufficient convergent validity. The CASS total score was not correlated with the Repetitive and Restricted Behavior scale of the SRS-2 (r = - .08, p = .43), indicating sufficient divergent validity. The Dutch CASS can be considered a conceptually sound and reliable observational instrument for assessing social conversational skills in Dutch autistic youth. Further evaluation of its feasibility when implemented in practice, outside of clinical research, is needed.Trial registration: Dutch trail register NTR6255 (NL6117) 08/02/2017 https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6117.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89718374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jason K Baker, Rachel M Fenning, Amanda E Preston, Neilson Chan, Hadley A McGregor, Cameron L Neece
{"title":"Parental Distress and Parenting Behavior in Families of Preschool Children with and Without ASD: Spillover and Buffering.","authors":"Jason K Baker, Rachel M Fenning, Amanda E Preston, Neilson Chan, Hadley A McGregor, Cameron L Neece","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06163-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06163-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report increased distress relative to parents of children with neurotypical development. Parent well-being is generally considered a key determinant of parenting behavior, thus increased distress may spill over into less optimal parenting in families of children with ASD. However, evidence is mixed regarding the degree to which parenting is actually compromised in this population, suggesting the possibility of buffering, wherein the parenting of children with ASD may be robust against spillover from increased parental distress. The current study tested competing spillover and buffering models with regard to relations among child ASD status, parental distress, and parenting behavior. Parents of preschoolers with (n = 73) and without (n = 55) ASD completed self-report measures of parenting stress, depressive symptoms, and emotion dysregulation, as well as of positive and negative parenting behaviors. Families of preschoolers with ASD reported higher distress and negative parenting, and lower positive parenting than did their counterparts. Findings supported the spillover model for negative parenting such that increased parental distress accounted for status-group differences in negative parenting. In contrast, potential buffering was observed for positive parenting in that an inverse association between distress and parenting was observed for parents of children with neurotypical development only. Findings highlight the potential benefit of intervention to reduce parental distress in families of children with ASD, but also suggest some existing ability of these families to buffer certain parenting behaviors from deleterious effects of parent distress.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"92154424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noah Glaser, Charles Thull, Matthew Schmidt, Alice Tennant, Jewoong Moon, Cannon Ousley
{"title":"Learning Experience Design and Unpacking Sociocultural, Technological, and Pedagogical Design Considerations of Spherical Video-Based Virtual Reality Systems for Autistic Learners: A Systematic Literature Review.","authors":"Noah Glaser, Charles Thull, Matthew Schmidt, Alice Tennant, Jewoong Moon, Cannon Ousley","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06168-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06168-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This systematic literature review discusses the use of spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) as a training and therapy intervention for autistic individuals. The authors emphasize the need for an evidence-based framework with guidelines and design considerations to help developers and educators tailor SVVR to the diverse needs of autistic learners. The paper highlights the unique benefits of SVVR, such as being relatively easier to develop compared to other VR technologies and high compatibility with various devices, making it more affordable for educational settings. The authors also discuss the importance of the STP (Sociotechnical-Pedagogical) framework for evaluating and designing social aspects of SVVR interventions for autistic individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138444714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fatal Shooting of an Autistic Adolescent: What Should We Do?","authors":"Kyle Lane-McKinley, Justin Hogg, Lawrence K Fung","doi":"10.1007/s10803-024-06558-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-024-06558-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ryan Gainer, a 15-year-old African-American youth on the Autism-spectrum, was shot and killed by police officers in March 2024. The authors reflect on the tragedy of this incident and the harms that such police actions inflict on people living with disabilities and/or mental illnesses, as well as on their families, loved ones, and communities. Drawing on past research and similar incidents in recent years, the authors offer a series of systematic changes which may be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of police use of force on people on the autism spectrum.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142347181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Harsh Parenting and Trajectories of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Autistic Children.","authors":"Georgia Cronshaw, Emily Midouhas","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06167-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06167-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Autistic children show higher rates of co-occurring emotional and behavioural difficulties compared to other children in the general population. However, the environmental factors which contribute to the development of emotional (internalising) and behavioural (externalising) difficulties in autistic individuals are poorly understood. This study sought to investigate the association between harsh parenting (smacking, shouting, telling off) and the trajectories of emotional and behavioural difficulties in autistic children from ages 3 to 7. A sample comprising of 349 autistic children participated from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study. Associations between harsh parenting and child emotional and behavioural difficulties were modelled using multilevel growth curve models. In autistic children, harsh parenting was associated with total emotional and behavioural difficulties and behavioural (but not emotional) problems concurrently. Moreover, harsh parenting was not associated with changes in emotional and behavioural difficulties over time. Harsh parenting may have an important role in externalising problems in young autistic children indicating the need for public health strategies which educate parents on its effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71481844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Briana J Taylor, Kahsi A Pedersen, Carla A Mazefsky, Martine A Lamy, Charles F Reynolds, William R Strathmann, Matthew Siegel
{"title":"From Alert Child to Sleepy Adolescent: Age Trends in Chronotype, Social Jetlag, and Sleep Problems in Youth with Autism.","authors":"Briana J Taylor, Kahsi A Pedersen, Carla A Mazefsky, Martine A Lamy, Charles F Reynolds, William R Strathmann, Matthew Siegel","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06187-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06187-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Developmental changes in sleep in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are understudied. In non-ASD youth, adolescents exhibit a \"night owl chronotype\" (i.e., later sleep/wake timing) and social jetlag (i.e., shifts in sleep timing across school nights and weekends), with corresponding sleep problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate age trends in chronotype, social jetlag, and sleep problems in high-risk youth with ASD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Youth with ASD (N = 171), ages 5-21 years old, were enrolled at the time of admission to specialized psychiatric units. Caregivers reported children's demographic information, habitual sleep timing, and sleep problems. Multivariate analyses evaluated the effect of age on chronotype, social jetlag, and sleep problems and the effects of chronotype and social jetlag on sleep problems. Covariates and moderators included sex, race, verbal ability, autism symptom severity, supplemental melatonin, and pubertal status.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Older age was associated with later chronotype, more social jetlag, fewer sleep anxiety/co-sleeping problems, fewer night waking and parasomnia problems, and more daytime alertness problems. The effect of age on chronotype was stronger for youth with greater social affective symptom severity. Mediation analyses showed that later chronotype statistically mediated the association between age and daytime alertness problems.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Youth with ASD may exhibit night owl chronotype behavior and social jetlag as they enter adolescence. Shifts toward a later chronotype may be exacerbated by autism severity and may contribute to alertness problems and sleepiness during the day. Chronotype is modifiable and may be leveraged to improve daytime functioning in youth with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11215932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138451559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Racial and Practical Barriers to Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Black Families of Autistic Youth: A Mixed-Method Exploration.","authors":"Harlee Onovbiona, Lauren Quetsch, Rebecca Bradley","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06166-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06166-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The present study explored the role race-related barriers and practical barriers to treatment participation play in treatment effectiveness and satisfaction among Black families with autistic youth using a mixed-method approach. In a sample of Black caregivers with autistic youth (N = 101), multiple regressions were conducted to examine the impact of reported racial and practical barriers on parental stress, treatment effectiveness, and treatment satisfaction. Caregivers provided further narratives on their experience navigating diagnostic and treatment services in qualitative interviews. The study demonstrated that Black caregivers of autistic youth are still encountering several racial and logistical barriers when seeking treatment and diagnostic services for their children. These barriers negatively impact caregiver stress and caregiver perceived treatment quality. Contrary to the barriers and stress experienced by Black caregivers, caregivers are generally satisfied with the treatments they are utilizing and find them helpful. The narratives told by caregivers further elucidate the tumultuous experiences of Black caregivers as they seek diagnostic and treatment services for their children. An experience that may be worsened by family, professional, and systemic barriers, and can be improved by advocacy, acceptance, peer and community support, and increased knowledge. Black families of autistic youth call for increased compassion, support, training, and humility among professionals who serve autistic youth.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138459992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Increasing Vocabulary and Listening Comprehension During Adapted Shared Reading: An Intervention for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.","authors":"Emre Laçin","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06149-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06149-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study examined the improvement in vocabulary and listening skills of children with ASD through adapted shared reading. It also investigated the generalisation effect of this increase to new books and social validity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A multiple probe across participants design was used to investigate the effect of ASR (adapted shared reading) on the vocabulary and listening comprehension skills of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The participants were Turkish-speaking children diagnosed with ASD attending a preschool special education institution in Turkey. The researcher analysed the data obtained from the baseline, intervention, generalization and mastery phases using the visual analysis method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Following the intervention, all three participating children gradually improved their vocabulary and listening comprehension skills. The findings suggest that young children with ASD can participate in and benefit from shared reading interventions with support.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The adapted shared reading method (ASR) is an effective method for increasing the vocabulary and listening comprehension skills of young children with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41131516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yonat Rum, Ofer Golan, Carrie Allison, Paula Smith, Simon R White, Simon Baron-Cohen
{"title":"Does Having a Sibling Affect Autistic People's Empathy?","authors":"Yonat Rum, Ofer Golan, Carrie Allison, Paula Smith, Simon R White, Simon Baron-Cohen","doi":"10.1007/s10803-023-06153-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-023-06153-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined whether autistic people with siblings score higher on measures of empathy than those without siblings. Cohorts of autistic children (n = 939; mean age = 7.35 years (SD = 2.15)) and autistic adults (n = 736; mean age = 37 years (SD = 12.39)) from the Cambridge Autism Research Database (CARD) were each divided into two groups: with or without siblings. Empathy was measured using the children version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) (parent-report) for children. For adults, the EQ (self-report version) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) were used. Contrary to the hypothesis, autistic children without siblings scored higher on EQ than those with siblings (t<sub>(283.70)</sub> = 4.20, p < .001; d = 0.50). In adults, there was no difference between autistic adults with and without siblings on both measures, but there was an interaction effect between sex and group on the RMET (f<sub>(1732)</sub> = 4.10, p = 0.04): whilst autistic males without siblings on average scored lower than females, autistic males with siblings on average performed similarly to females. Future research should investigate the possible effect of siblings on autistic males' empathy performance in a larger cohort of autistic individuals. Children's empathic abilities may be underestimated by their parents when they have siblings due to a contrast effect.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71481842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}