{"title":"Response to Leaf et al.’s critique of Kupferstein’s finding of a possible link between applied behaviour analysis and post-traumatic stress disorder","authors":"Nick Chown, E. Hughes, J. Leatherland, S. Davison","doi":"10.1108/AIA-01-2019-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-01-2019-0002","url":null,"abstract":"Leaf et al. (2018, p. 127) conclude their response to Kupferstein’s article indicating a possible linkage between applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by contending that “service providers, behavior analysts, funding agencies, and parents should carefully and objectively evaluate (Kupferstein’s, 2018) study prior to avoiding making recommendations for ABAbased interventions for individuals diagnosed with ASD based upon the results”.","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-01-2019-0002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43638656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Conservatory education of a musical savant with autism: a case study in Turkey","authors":"Şule Erden, G. Reyhanoglu","doi":"10.1108/AIA-11-2018-0046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-11-2018-0046","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Savant syndrome, a very rare condition in the world, refers to individuals who have extraordinary talents but might have disabilities that prevent them from maintaining their life. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the views of conservatory instructors about the education of Buğra Çankır (BC), a musical savant with autism.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000As it was difficult to communicate with BC and elicit his views, interviews were conducted with his teachers, who had similar experiences in his music education process. The participants were six instructors who worked as full-time instructors in the conservatory. The participants were administered a semi-structured focus group interview form that described the difficulties, experiences, perceptions and feelings they had in their interactions with BC. Data obtained from the study were subjected to content analysis methods performed by the researchers; analysis involved identification of the codes and themes and formation of sub-themes and codes in line with these themes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Results showed that the participants had difficulties in teaching BC because of having insufficient knowledge about his features. In addition, while planning the conservatory education processes, the participants were found to redesign the teaching content considering the features of the student.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000The present case study is important in terms of revealing the problems experienced in the education processes of these individuals. More detailed qualitative studies or action research could be utilised in studies to be conducted in the future.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000BC’s educational experience is the first case for educational institutions and instructors in Turkey.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-11-2018-0046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41920547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hiroshi Asaoka, Tomoya Takahashi, Jiafei Chen, A. Fujiwara, Masataka Watanabe, F. Noro
{"title":"Difficulties in spontaneously performing level 2 perspective-taking skills in children with autism spectrum disorder","authors":"Hiroshi Asaoka, Tomoya Takahashi, Jiafei Chen, A. Fujiwara, Masataka Watanabe, F. Noro","doi":"10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0028","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to investigate why children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to respond to tasks from their own perspective. The authors investigated the effects of explicitness of viewpoint on performance of spontaneous level 2 perspective-taking skills in six- to eight-year-old children with ASD.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The authors conducted visual perspective-taking tasks with explicit and implicit instructions about the viewpoint to be used. Participants operated a toy car on a map while listening to the experimenter’s instructions. In the implicit condition, when the experimenter said “Turn right/left” at each intersection, the participants moved the car accordingly. Subsequently, in the explicit condition, the experimenter said “Look from the driver’s viewpoint and turn right/left” at each intersection.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000In the implicit condition, the authors did not observe a clear developmental change in performance between six- and eight-year-old children in the ASD group. In contrast, performance in the ASD group improved under the explicit condition relative to that under the implicit condition.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000The results suggest six- to eight-year-old children with ASD tend not to spontaneously use level 2 perspective-taking skills. Therefore, viewpoints should be explicitly instructed to children with ASD. In addition, it is also important to implement training to encourage spontaneous transitions from self-perspective to other-perspective under the implicit condition.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0028","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46006759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of autism awareness training provided to staff working in a high secure psychiatric care hospital","authors":"D. Murphy, Josephine Broyd","doi":"10.1108/aia-06-2019-0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-06-2019-0017","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to evaluate autism awareness training provided to staff working in a high secure psychiatric care (HSPC) hospital.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000An online survey of staff views who had completed an autism awareness training day.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000All staff who completed the evaluation questionnaire reported that an autism awareness training day had been useful and had increased their knowledge of how to work with individuals who have autism. However, most staff also reported that one day was not long enough and that more case discussion would have been helpful. Although most staff also reported that autism awareness training should be mandatory, motivation to attend such training was considered important. In terms of the number of staff who had completed the training, whilst a wide range of staff groups had attended training, only a minority had done so, with the number of staff completing the training each year remaining relatively constant over a five-year period.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000Within the context of promoting Enabling Environments in forensic settings and the recent government consultation paper exploring whether autism awareness training should be mandatory for all those working in health care, further investigation is required into how to increase staff motivation to attend autism awareness training and to explore how it is used during everyday work with patients.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000As an initial evaluation of optional autism awareness training delivered in HSPC, the project offers some valuable information in terms of the number of staff who attend such training, what they find useful and how it might be improved for this setting.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/aia-06-2019-0017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44765490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Contingencies of self-worth in adolescents with ASD and their correlation with subjective adjustment to school","authors":"Shuhei Ogawa, M. Kojima","doi":"10.1108/aia-04-2019-0010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-04-2019-0010","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to validate the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale (CSWS) for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing individuals and, second, examine the association between contingencies of self-worth and subjective adjustment to school.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A self-report was used to examine both contingencies of self-worth and subjective adjustment to school in adolescents with ASD and typically developing individuals.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000First, the validity and reliability of the CSWS was verified. Second, the scale was not significant correlation with subjective adjustment to school and contingencies of self-worth in adolescents with ASD. As the reason for this, it has been suggested that there are adaptive aspects and maladaptive aspects in contingencies of self-worth.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This is an original research designed to examine contingencies of self-worth in adolescents with ASD.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/aia-04-2019-0010","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46847529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Circumscribed interests in autism: are there sex differences?","authors":"Sallie W. Nowell, Desiree R Jones, Clare Harrop","doi":"10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0032","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Sex differences in circumscribed interests (CI) may delay diagnosis for females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); therefore, it is important to characterize sex differences in CI to determine if differential approaches to diagnostic assessment are warranted for females with ASD. The purpose of this paper is to examine sex differences in parent-reported quantity, content and functional impairment of children’s interests.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Parent responses to the Interests Scale were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVAs to determine diagnostic (ASD vs typical development (TD)) and sex differences between four groups of children ages six to ten years: ASD males, ASD females, TD males and TD females.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Groups were comparable on the quantity of interests reported on the Interests Scale. Children with ASD demonstrated significantly more nonsocial interests and had greater functional impairment associated with their interests than TD children. A significant diagnosis×sex effect was found for the number of interests in folk psychology. Descriptively, males with ASD were more likely to have a primary interest in the traditionally male category of physics than females with ASD whose primary interest mainly fell into the categories of TV or the more traditionally female category of psychology.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000These findings strengthen the results of Turner-Brown et al. (2011) by replicating their findings that children with ASD have more nonsocial interests and greater functional impairments related to their interests compared to TD children in a sample that is balanced on biological sex. However, there are distinctions between males and females with ASD in their primary interests that have implications for diagnostic assessment.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0032","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43939877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How many girls are we missing in ASD? An examination from a clinic- and community-based sample","authors":"L. Barnard‐Brak, D. Richman, M. H. Almekdash","doi":"10.1108/AIA-11-2018-0048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-11-2018-0048","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Research has indicated that males diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) outnumber females diagnosed with ASD, which has been attributed to a number of potential biological and genetic risk factors. The purpose of this paper is to estimate how many girls may be missing from ASD via a two-study format, comparing two distinct data sets to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention population estimates for sex distribution of males vs females in ASD.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000In Study 1, the authors utilized data from the National Database for Autism Research as a clinic-based sample. In Study 2, the authors utilized data from the National Survey of Children’s Health as a community-based sample.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The current study estimates that approximately 39 percent more girls should be diagnosed with ASD. The authors estimate that the sex distribution in ASD should be approximately 28 percent female and 72 percent male based upon current practices. Thus, it appears that more females are being identified as potentially having ASD but were not subsequently being diagnosed with ASD as compared to their male counterparts.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000These results could suggest that a leaky pipeline in the assessment of girls with ASD may exist along one or more points in the ASD diagnostic process, with one potential point at the level of ASD-specific screening (i.e. the SCQ in Study 1) in the clinic setting and another in the community setting as a whole for universal screening (i.e. NSCH data in Study 2).\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-11-2018-0048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45940311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring the female autism phenotype of repetitive behaviours and restricted interests (RBRIs): a systematic PRISMA review","authors":"C. Allely","doi":"10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0030","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to address the need for increased understanding, awareness and recognition of the autism female phenotype in terms of repetitive behaviours and restricted interests (RBRIs).\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A systematic PRISMA review was conducted. The main aim of the present systematic review is to identify studies which have investigated RBRIs in females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or the differences in RBRIs between males and females with ASD.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000In sum, 19 relevant articles were identified: 5 studies found no significant evidence to support the notion of sex differences in RRBIs in ASD; 1 study did not report any differences in RRBIs between males and females with ASD; 12 studies found evidence that males with ASD had significantly more RRBIs compared to females with ASD; and, lastly, 1 study found that girls with ASD have features of RRBIs which are exhibited more compared to boys with ASD.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000There is a real lack of in-depth knowledge and understanding of the female phenotype of ASD, and such lack of knowledge has a detrimental impact on the identification of autistic females and a lack of identification can have negative consequence. This is important to address in future research as it is well established that the earlier the diagnosis, the better the outcomes, due to the timely access to appropriate interventions.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The RBRIs exhibited in autistic females are not sufficiently captured by most currently diagnostic instruments. Clinicians are less likely to identify the RBRIs in females as they tend not to be the typical repetitive behaviours commonly associated with ASD. It has been recommended that clinicians consider “females as a whole” in terms of their clinical presentation and look for any indication of RBRIs, even repetitive interests which appear clinically innocuous.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000There is relatively little research investigating RBRIs in autistic women and girls. There is a real need to highlight the importance of understanding and recognising how RBRIs can differ between males and females with ASD.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0030","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41294876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Autistic women and girls: increasingly recognised, researched and served","authors":"V. Chester","doi":"10.1108/AIA-07-2019-052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-07-2019-052","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-07-2019-052","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44665896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Tromans, V. Chester, C. Kapugama, A. Elliott, Sarah Robertson, M. Barrett
{"title":"The PAAFID project: exploring the perspectives of autism in adult females among intellectual disability healthcare professionals","authors":"S. Tromans, V. Chester, C. Kapugama, A. Elliott, Sarah Robertson, M. Barrett","doi":"10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0033","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals on autism in adult females with intellectual disability (ID), including regarding the gender ratio of autism, the clinical manifestation of autism in females, and the recognition, screening and diagnosis of autism.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The questionnaire was developed following a review of the relevant literature and distributed to professionals within three healthcare trusts as well as members of two clinical research groups. The questionnaire was completed by 80 ID healthcare professionals. Data were aggregated and analysed using Microsoft Excel.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000ID healthcare professionals had a lack of recognition of the smaller gender ratio of autism in patients with ID as compared to those without ID. Most respondents reported believing that autism manifests differently in females; with women demonstrating a greater ability to mask their symptoms. A considerable proportion of participants reported feeling less confident in recognising, screening and diagnosing autism in female patients, with many endorsing a wish for additional training in this area.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000These findings suggest that ID healthcare professionals are keen to improve their skills in providing services for women with autism. Training programmes at all levels should incorporate the specific needs of women with ASD, and individual professionals and services should actively seek to address these training needs in order to promote best practice and better outcomes for women with autism.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This is the first published questionnaire exploring the perspectives of healthcare professionals regarding autism in adult females with ID.\u0000","PeriodicalId":43640,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2019-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0033","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48124555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}