Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders最新文献

{"title":"Higher levels of autistic traits in the general population are associated with reduced visual field asymmetries in a dual-stream attentional blink task","authors":"Jason L. Ringo ,&nbsp;Lisa N. Jefferies ,&nbsp;Jacob A. Burack","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Spatial attention is typically right-hemisphere lateralized, resulting in a bias to preferentially process information in the left visual field (VF). As atypical hemispheric lateralization is considered a fundamental neurobiological feature of autism, we assessed whether it is also evident in people who display higher levels of autistic-type traits but do not meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of autism. In doing so, we used a dual-stream attentional blink task – a task with heavy processing demands and stimuli displayed simultaneously in both VFs – to elicit inter-hemispheric competition and assess visual field asymmetries.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>The participants were 82 university students, who had never been clinically diagnosed with autism, divided into two groups based on the level of autistic traits that they displayed on the Autism Quotient scale (AQ; Baron-Cohen et al., 2001). Two simultaneous streams of digit-distractors were displayed, one in each VF, and the participants’ task was to identify two letter-targets that were displayed unpredictably in the left or right stream.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found reduced VF asymmetries in higher autism-trait individuals, with the magnitude of the asymmetry correlating with AQ score.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We suggest that the reduced VF asymmetries in individuals with higher autism traits may be due to increased perceptual processing capacity (Remington et al., 2009), which reduces hemispheric competition and, thus, visual field asymmetries. The findings also highlight that even subtle differences in the degree of autistic traits in the general population may be associated with differences in visual attention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102503"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142654099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Commentary on: Towards a neurodiversity-affirmative conceptualisation of psycho-education in the context of autism","authors":"Daniel Shepherd","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102517","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102517"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142702955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mouse strain as a model to study the genetic, immune, and metabolic origins of neurodevelopmental disorders","authors":"MP Viscomi,&nbsp;J. Czyrska,&nbsp;D. Winiarczyk,&nbsp;MM Ziętek,&nbsp;S. Sampino","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102526","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102526","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The BTBR T⁺ Itpr3^tf/J (BTBR) mouse strain manifests a peculiar behavioral phenotype that mirrors the core symptomatology of autism spectrum disorders, including alterations in social-communicative behavioral domains, and the presence of repetitive/stereotyped behaviors. Concurrent immune and metabolic imbalances characterize the BTBR phenotype and are exacerbated by specific gene mutations, resulting in severe multi-organs imbalances that recapitulate the symptoms of human autoimmune and metabolic disorders. The present review aims to retrace and summarize state-of-the-art regarding the genetic, immune, and metabolic features of the BTBR strain and address its potential use as a valid model to study the multi-system etiology and pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102526"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142747062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Family experiences with supplemental social security income and legal guardianship for autistic adults: A mixed-methods study","authors":"Emily F. Ferguson ,&nbsp;Elaine B. Clarke ,&nbsp;Noa Schisterman ,&nbsp;Catherine Lord","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102522","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Family interactions with the Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) program and the decision to pursue legal guardianship are poorly understood in services research for autistic adults.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a mixed-methods study and incorporated quantitative survey data from 122 autistic adults in an existing longitudinal cohort with qualitative interviews with 12 autistic adults and/or legal guardians. We explored sociodemographic, developmental, and behavioral features associated with the likelihood of having SSI and a legal guardian at 25 years old. Spoken interviews were transcribed verbatim, and interviews were analyzed using a rapid qualitative analytic approach.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were quantitative differences in whether families were able to obtain SSI and guardianship based on intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, adaptive behavior, and autistic characteristics, but not by race, ethnicity, or maternal education. Qualitative data analysis revealed six themes that highlighted the challenges associated with obtaining and maintaining SSI, along with the complex, nuanced decisions associated with legal guardianship. Families noted many challenges in navigating these procedures and some potential benefits for each unique circumstance.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings offer new perspectives on experiences associated with pursuing SSI benefits and legal guardianship for autistic adults<strong>,</strong> including similarities and key differences in these procedures. Findings also provide suggestions for future research to improve coordination and supports for families throughout adulthood.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102522"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142722051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sensory responsivity and its relation to alexithymia, social processing and restricted interests and repetitive behaviour in autistic children","authors":"Madeleine Diepman,&nbsp;Nuala Brady","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Although noted in the earliest descriptions of autism, differences in sensory processing, including hyper-responsivity, hypo-responsivity and sensory seeking, have only been included as a diagnostic criterion more recently. Understanding how these unique features of sensory processing are related to the emotional and social aspects of autism is an ongoing question. Here we ask whether differences in sensory processing are associated with <em>alexithymia</em>, a trait characterised by an inability to identify and describe one’s feelings, which has a high incidence in autism.</p></div><div><h3>Method</h3><p>Parents of autistic children (n = 38) and parents of non-autistic children (n = 35) completed four standardized scales, the Short Sensory Profile-2, Social Responsiveness Scale-2, Social Communication Questionnaire, and the Children’s Alexithymia Measure.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Across all four scales the autistic children showed higher scores than the non-autistic children, with large effect sizes. Using the subscales of the SSP-2 we show that, for the autistic children but not for the non-autistic children, sensory hyper-responsivity is predictive of alexithymia, of core social features of autism and of restricted interests and repetitive behaviour (RIRB), after controlling for hypo-responsivity and sensory seeking.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>These results add to a small but growing literature on the relationship between sensory processing and social and emotional behaviours in autistic children, and are discussed with reference to predictive coding and ‘sensory first’ accounts of autism. As sensory differences in autism impact children’s daily functioning and educational opportunities, understanding how these differences relate to social and emotional behaviour is important.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102470"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1750946724001454/pdfft?md5=2ff12568ad36158bb42e6fc9bbc4cea3&pid=1-s2.0-S1750946724001454-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142169248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring social cognition and romantic self-efficacy in autistic young adults: Better social awareness is associated with lower confidence","authors":"Isabella Schichter ,&nbsp;Nicole Nadwodny ,&nbsp;Brooke H. Kohn ,&nbsp;Dhruval Thakkar ,&nbsp;David W. Pantalone ,&nbsp;Susan Faja","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102466","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102466","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Despite misconceptions, autistic young adults are interested in romantic relationships (<span><span>Fernandes et al., 2016</span></span>, <span><span>Hancock, Stokes, &amp; Mesibov, 2019</span></span>, <span><span>Mehzabin and Stokes, 2011</span></span>). Research is needed to better understand how the social characteristics of autism impact romantic relationship experiences, knowledge of sexual health, and confidence in one’s own abilities. Social cognition skills are linked to functioning in interpersonal relationships and are important for understanding the mental states of others. The present research aims to explore the intersections among social cognition skills, romantic self-efficacy, perceived knowledge, and dating outcomes. We hypothesize that social cognition level, self-efficacy, perceived knowledge, and romantic relationship outcomes will be positively related.</p></div><div><h3>Method</h3><p>Verbal autistic young adults (<em>N</em> = 31) aged 18–26 years participated in a study aimed at investigating the romantic experiences of young autistic adults. Participants completed questionnaires on self-efficacy and perceived knowledge, as well as a battery of social cognition tasks, including assessments of spontaneous and non-spontaneous social cognition.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Spontaneous social cognition was negatively correlated with both relationship self-efficacy and perceived knowledge. Perceived knowledge, actual knowledge, and self-efficacy were positively correlated with each other.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This exploratory study was the first of which we are aware to demonstrate that autistic adults with stronger spontaneous social awareness are less confident of their sexual knowledge and abilities in romantic relationships than autistic adults with weaker spontaneous awareness. These findings suggest social cognitive tasks could be useful in assessing the specific sexual and romantic health-education needs of young autistic adults.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102466"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142162316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of face masks on autistic and non-autistic adults’ face processing abilities","authors":"Natasha Baxter ,&nbsp;Lucy Harlow ,&nbsp;Ebony Harrison ,&nbsp;Caitlin Smith ,&nbsp;Hannah Hobson","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Atypical emotion recognition is argued to be characteristic of autism spectrum conditions (ASC), underpinned in part by atypical eye gaze, with less eye contact and more gaze direction towards the mouth. Given the widespread adoption of face masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic, exploring the effect of face masks on face processing in autism, as they occlude the mouth region, is of interest. This study investigated the impact of face masks on emotion and identity recognition, with a non-autistic (<em>N</em> = 50) and autistic (<em>N</em> = 27) sample. Participants also completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the abridged Autism Quotient, to investigate the roles of alexithymia and autistic traits in any impacts of face masks on face processing abilities. Masks were detrimental to performance for both autistic and non-autistic groups, and masks affected participants’ performance on the emotion recognition task more than the identity recognition task. Autistic participants’ performance was more negatively affected by the presence of masks, affecting emotion recognition precision in particular. The impact of face masks was not predicted by alexithymia or autistic traits, after gender and age were taken into account. Overall, the results suggest that masks negatively affect face processing for both non-autistic and autistic groups, particularly emotion recognition, however the impact of masks is amplified for autistic people. These results supplement autistic people’s reports that masks interfere with social interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102485"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142324099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virtual reality interview with feedback framework for situational practice of gaze among autistic adults","authors":"Saygin Artiran ,&nbsp;Shana Cohen ,&nbsp;Pamela Cosman","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Autistic individuals commonly seek employment; however, only a small fraction are in the workforce. In part, this might be due to mismatches between their social patterns of attention and gaze, and society’s normative expectations during interviews.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>To help mitigate such disadvantages through a solo situational practice tool, we present a framework that consists of a virtual reality (VR) based job interview simulation and a coaching component. Employing data visualization, video modeling, and VR role-play of the targeted behavior, the coaching support could be done in a self-deliverable practice manner. A participatory design session with two autistic design partners was important in the co-creation of the feedback methods, making them easier to understand, and including positive reinforcement.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Fourteen autistic individuals used the VR job interview simulation tool. Eleven received the gaze analysis and support stage and participated in a second VR simulation session. Preliminary results were positive, in that participant scores on average eye contact duration, average time without eye contact, and percentage of eye contact while listening and while speaking generally approached the corresponding medians of the non-autistic reference dataset. Participants were surveyed about the utility of the tool after the second feedback session and two months later. All survey respondents perceived the tool to be useful and the provided feedback to be helpful in daily social interactions.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides insights towards the development of a VR job interview simulation and feedback framework that can enable solo situational practice of gaze and common interview questions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102494"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Event-, time- and activity-based prospective memory in children with higher autistic traits","authors":"Xiao-min Su ,&nbsp;Tian-xiao Yang ,&nbsp;Sascha Zuber ,&nbsp;Shuai-biao Li ,&nbsp;Rong-man Yuan ,&nbsp;Chen-wei Yuan ,&nbsp;Han-xue Yang ,&nbsp;Ya Wang ,&nbsp;Raymond C.K. Chan","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>School-age children rely on prospective memory (PM) to complete various tasks in the future. Previous research suggests children with autism spectrum disorders exhibit PM impairment, but whether PM impairment extends to children with higher autistic traits remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to compare PM performance in children with higher and lower autistic traits and to examine potentially differential associations to executive functions.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Forty pairs of children with higher and lower autistic traits between age 6- to 12-years old completed event-, time-, and activity-based PM tasks, and two executive function tasks (i.e., inhibition and working memory). We also collected parents-rated PM abilities using the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire for Children.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The two groups showed similar performance in both executive function tasks, the 3 PM tasks and parents-reported PM in daily life. In children with lower autistic traits, performance of the time-based PM task was correlated with working memory whereas it was correlated with inhibition function in children with higher autistic traits. Moreover, children with higher autistic traits exhibited a continuous reduction of time monitoring behavior across trials, leading to worse performance in the last PM trial compared with children with lower autistic traits.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Children with higher autistic traits showed intact executive functioning and similar PM performance as children with lower autistic traits, but they relied on different types of executive functions to complete time-based PM tasks. Moreover, children with higher autistic traits showed reduced time monitoring behavior and unstable PM performance across time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102498"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An acceptability and feasibility investigation of a community-based motor program for autistic children with moderate and high support needs","authors":"Lee Svensson ,&nbsp;Michalis Stylianou ,&nbsp;Jessica Hill ,&nbsp;Stewart G. Trost ,&nbsp;John Cairney","doi":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>General motor impairments are ubiquitous in Autism and are positively correlated with autism symptom severity. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a 13-week community-based motor program for autistic children with moderate and high support needs (MHS).</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>In this exploratory single arm within-subject study, 10 autistic children with MHS, ages 4–10 years, completed a community-based motor program delivered in a one-on-one format by therapists. Feasibility was determined through recruitment, retention, attendance, enjoyment, engagement and useability of motor, physical activity (PA), and behavioural assessment tools. Thematic analysis evaluated post-intervention semi-structured parent interviews.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>High program attendance and retention were demonstrated, and therapists reported child engagement and enjoyment were high. Identified themes revealed parents perceived unexpected substantial positive impacts including improvements in social, motor, and behavioural outcomes. They highly valued both the program and the therapeutic relationships fostered within it. Although parents of the children with the higher support needs reported the most substantial improvements, these children were unable to score on motor assessments due to difficulties following instructions and off-task behaviours. Additionally, only four participants wore an accelerometer-based PA monitor.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This community-based motor program was considered feasible and acceptable by the children’s parents, and qualitative findings provided valuable insights into clinical practice for children with MHS. However, recruitment challenges and assessment tools being unfeasible for children with higher support needs led to low participant numbers. Future evaluations should explore alternative assessment measures and study designs, given the challenges associated with studying such a heterogenous and complex group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48255,"journal":{"name":"Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102495"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142433434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}