Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Revealing the Plight of a Hidden Population and Recognizing Challenges with the Implementation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984)

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U.K. policing practice is topical and the subject of considerable political debate. Especially in relation to vulnerable individuals, it is variously described as problematic, “heavy handed” or even unjust. In this article, the way that individuals who have autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) are treated by the police will be explored. Research undertaken across England and Wales confirms that not only are individuals with ASD some of the most vulnerable people in society, but also, they are often subjected to negative treatment by the police. Despite the enactment of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act in 1984, findings suggest that due process protections are not being appropriately applied, and that legislative rhetoric does not reflect reality, having worrying consequences for those with ASD. The lived experiences of research participants feature prominently in this article, revealing weaknesses in statutory safeguards. These weaknesses are not insignificant, potentially harming those with ASD and undermining confidence in the justice system. Reflecting on research findings, this article concludes that there is an urgent need for a strengthening of protections by the U.K. Parliament for ASD-affected people, including more effective training and a transformation of attitudes to realize both due process and justice.

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Cytokine-neuroendocrine peripheral signature in the context of the “accelerated ageing” phenomenon in autism spectrum and schizophrenia spectrum disorders
  • Apr 15, 2021
  • Russian Journal of Immunology
  • Yu Yu Filippova + 1 more

Currently, differentiation between autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders in children is a difficult task, because it relies mainly on behavioral and symptomatic characteristics, since these disorders are highly similar. We have previously demonstrated that peripheral indexes of immune and neuroendocrine systems, which we combined into cytokine-neuroendocrine signature, may reflect distinct clinical phenotypes of autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Moreover, a number of researchers discovered the “accelerated ageing” phenomenon in the persons with schizophrenia, which includes deficiencies of cognitive functions and performance as the main symptoms. Here we carried out a search for biological markers of the “accelerated ageing” phenomenon in children with autistic conditions and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Our aim was to assess the opportunity of applying the cytokine-neuroendocrine signature as biological evidence of “accelerated ageing” phenomenon in children with autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, which could be potentially useful for differential diagnosis of these disorders.Thirteen parameters of the cytokine-neuroendocrine signature were assessed in blood plasma using ELISA method in 82 children with autism, 9 children with schizophrenia, 45 normally developing children, 25 subjects in their reproductive age, and 39 elderly persons: cytokines (IL-6, IL- 1β, IFNγ, TNFα, IL-10, IL-4) and neurohormones (oxytocin, dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, and serotonin). The nonlinear principal component analysis (CATPCA algorithm) was used to assess the variants of cytokine-neuroendocrine signature for different diagnostic categories, i.e., “autism spectrum disorders”, “schizophrenia spectrum disorders”, and “healthy ageing”.The “healthy ageing” variant of cytokine-neuroendocrine signature presented a classic phenomenon, referred to as immune senescence presented by pro-inflammatory age-related cytokines — IL-6, IL- 1β, IFNγ. Only the “schizophrenia spectrum disorders” variant of the cytokine-neuroendocrine signature, unlike all the other signature variants, demonstrated high-level similarity with the “healthy ageing” variant (differing in 2 out of 13 indexes): lower levels of IL- 1β and IFNγ, at the same level of IL-6 “gerontological cytokine” index.Evaluation of the cytokine-neuroendocrine signature can be used for differentiation between autistic disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, including predictive diagnostics in children with autism, thus enabling group selection of children at risk for later conversion to schizophrenia.

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Internet technology has radically changed society, widely affecting communication and the availability of information. The digital age holds unique significance for autism spectrum disorder. In this article I explore the interface between autism and the World Wide Web by reviewing evolving virtual communities pioneered by individuals with autism, exploring the online growth of advocacy organizations, and considering the positive and negative consequences that arise from autism’s fledgling voices.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An unexplored co-occurrence of conditions.
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The perception of emotional facial expressions by children with autism using hybrid multiple factorial design and eye-tracking
  • Oct 10, 2018
  • Chinese Science Bulletin
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Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have the deficits in emotional facial expression recognition and understanding, which is considered as the core source of their social communication disorder and stereotype behaviour. Previous studies have suggested that individuals with ASD have the deficits in the perception of static emotional facial expressions, but results are inconclusive. The use of 3D or dynamic facial stimuli that express emotions at different levels of intensities may produce more robust results, since these resemble the expression of emotions in daily life to a greater extent. In this study, 30 children (aged 2–7 years) with ASD and 51 age-matched children with typical development (TD) performed an emotion recognition (ER) task, in which morphs, presented on a computer screen, depicted facial expressions associated with two basic emotions (happiness and fear) at four levels of emotional intensity(25%–100%). Using a hybrid-design experiment and eye-tracking technology, we explored the influencing factors of ER in children with ASD and their interaction. In addition, we analyzed the gaze characteristics and processing patterns of children with ASD during the ER, and their impact on ER. The results showed that the type of subject, expression category, and intensity of expression had the main effect on recognition accuracy, and there was interaction among the factors that affected the emotional face recognition ability of the children with ASD. Moreover, children with ASD and TD both had an advantage when recognizing dynamic expressions rather than static expressions in 2D or 3D. The recognition accuracy of 3D expressions of children with TD was higher than that of 2D expressions, but children with ASD had the opposite result. The recognition accuracy of fearful expression for both ASD and TD groups was significantly better than that of happy expression. There was an interaction effect between gender and expression category, but age was not significant. In particular, girls’ facial expression recognition ability was superior to that of boys. The eye-tracking results showed that children with ASD have face-specific processing mechanisms: avoidance of eye contact, increased focus on the mouth and background information, and a preference for local feature processing. In conclusion, this study suggests that the material, category, and intensity of facial expression combines with the age and gender of subjects to affect the emotional expression recognition ability of children with ASD. Children with autism have the advantage of dynamic processing and mouth-directed gaze. In addition, dynamic facial expressions may be used as effective training and intervention materials for ER. Abnormal face processing and eye-tracking characteristics can help to understand the social disorders of ASD and provide behavioral characteristic indicators for early identification of ASD.

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Autism symptoms in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a community-based study
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Background Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children (Polanczyk, Willcutt, Salum, Kieling, & Rohde, 2014) and is highly comorbid with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Green et al., 2015; Kotte et al., 2013). Although it is well established that children with ADHD or ASD and their families experience poorer functioning including child and parent mental health problems, child peer problems, poorer family quality of life (FQoL) and parenting difficulties, it is unknown how comorbid ASD symptoms contribute to child and family functioning in children with ADHD. It is important to understand which comorbidities contribute to poorer child and family functioning to guide treatment planning. Aims This study aimed to examine the prevalence of ASD symptoms in children with ADHD and the association between ASD symptoms and child and family functioning across three connected studies. The specific aims of each study are outlined below. Study 1. To examine the prevalence and type of ASD symptoms (social interaction, communication and stereotyped behaviour) in children with ADHD and non-ADHD controls. Within the ADHD group only, we also examined the relationship between ADHD subtype, hyperactive/impulsive and inattentive symptoms, ADHD symptom severity and child gender and ASD symptom severity. Study 2. To examine the association between ASD symptoms and (a) social functioning; (b) mental health; (c) quality of life and (d) sleep, in children with and without ADHD. Study 3. To examine the association between ASD symptoms (measured dimensionally) in children with and without ADHD and a broad range of family functioning variables and to examine differences between ADHD+ASD, ADHD and control groups on family functioning variables. Methods Participants were 6-10 year old children (164 ADHD; 198 non-ADHD control) attending 43 schools in Melbourne, Australia, who were participating in the Children’s Attention Project. ADHD was assessed in two stages using the parent and teacher Conners’ 3 ADHD index and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV (DISC-IV). ASD symptoms were identified using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). Child functioning measures were social functioning (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), mental health (DISC-IV, SDQ), quality of life (QoL: Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0) and sleep problem severity. Family functioning outcome variables were parent mental health, family quality of life (FQoL), and scales assessing couple conflict, couple support and parenting behaviours. Unadjusted and adjusted linear and logistic regression examined continuous and categorical outcomes, respectively. Results Study 1. Children with ADHD had more ASD symptoms than non-ADHD controls (adjusted mean difference = 4.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.8; 5.3, p < 0.001, effect size = 0.7). Boys with ADHD had greater ASD symptom severity than girls with ADHD (adjusted mean difference = 2.9, 95% CI 0.8; 5.2, p = 0.01, effect size = 0.4). Greater ADHD symptom severity was associated with greater ASD symptom severity (regression co-efficient = 1.6, 95% CI 1.2; 2.0, p < 0.001). No differences were observed by ADHD subtype. Greater hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were associated with greater ASD symptoms (regression coefficient = 1.0; 95% CI 0.0; 2.0, p = 0.04) however, this finding attenuated in adjusted analyses, which accounted for parent educational attainment, socioeconomic status, child internalising and externalising comorbidities (p = 0.45). Study 2. Each standard deviation (SD) increase in SCQ scores was associated with a 6.7 unit reduction in QoL (p < 0.001) and greater parent and teacher-reported peer problems, emotional and conduct problems. For every SD increase in SCQ scores, internalising (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.3, 2.6, p = 0.001) and externalising disorders (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 2.1, p = 0.02) increased, as did moderate/severe sleep problems (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.0, 2.2, p = 0.04). Most findings held in analyses adjusting for socio-demographic factors, ADHD symptom severity, and comorbidities (when not the outcome), with the exception of externalising disorders and sleep problems. Study 3. In unadjusted dimensional analyses, higher ASD symptoms were associated with more couple conflict (p = 0.04) and poorer FQoL for all subscales (p ≤ 0.001), with non-significant trends for less couple support (R2 = 0.10, p = 0.06), more hostile parenting (R2 = 0.02, p = 0.06) and poorer parent mental health (R2 = 0.02, p = 0.07). In adjusted dimensional analyses, higher ASD symptoms were only associated with poorer FQoL, across all subscales only (p ≤ 0.01). The trend association between ASD symptoms and parent mental health attenuated due to meaningful associations with comorbid internalising disorder (p = 0.003) and ADHD symptom severity (p = 0.05). The trend association between ASD symptoms and hostile parenting attenuated due to significant associations with comorbid externalising disorders (p = 0.002), lower parent education attainment (p = 0.03) and greater ADHD symptom severity (p = 0.04). Less couple support attenuated due to a significant association with socioeconomic status (p = 0.004). In unadjusted categorical analyses, parents of children with ADHD+ASD reported more couple conflict (p = 0.04), less couple support (p = 0.001), poorer FQoL (p <0.001) and a non-significant trend for greater mental health difficulties (p = 0.07), compared to the ADHD group. In adjusted categorical analyses, parents of children with ADHD+ASD had poorer parent self-efficacy (p = 0.02), poorer FQoL (p < 0.05) (p < 0.05) and a non-significant trend for less couple support (p = 0.06), compared to parents of children with ADHD. In unadjusted categorical analyses, family functioning was significantly poorer for the ADHD and ADHD+ASD groups, compared to controls for most outcomes (p <0.001). In adjusted categorical analyses, all findings attenuated except FQoL was significantly poorer for the ADHD and ADHD+ASD groups, compared to controls. Conclusion ASD symptoms are common, and associated with poorer functioning in children with ADHD. It is important for clinicians working with children with ADHD to identify and manage ASD symptoms, given that they exacerbate functional impairments in this already vulnerable group. The relationship between ASD symptoms and broader family functioning appears to be largely driven by internalising and externalising disorders, ADHD severity, and socioeconomic status. Poorer FQoL appears to be independently associated with ASD symptoms in children with ADHD.

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Fetal and Sociocultural Environments and Autism
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Implementation of school-based services for students with autism: Barriers and facilitators across urban and rural districts and phases of implementation.
  • Jun 16, 2021
  • Autism
  • Jessica Suhrheinrich + 4 more

The law requires that schools use evidence-based practices to educate students with autism spectrum disorder. However, these practices are often not used, or are not used correctly in school programs. Understanding barriers and facilitators of use of evidence-based practices in schools will help improve the implementation process. This study uses focus groups to characterize how school-based providers representing urban or rural school districts perceive barriers and facilitators for implementing new practices for students with autism spectrum disorder. Guiding questions include the following: (1) Are contextual factors perceived as barriers or facilitators and how do these vary by district location? and (2) What are the key factors impacting implementation across the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment phases? Focus group participants (n = 33) were service providers to children with autism spectrum disorder from urban- and rural-located school districts. Several personnel-related themes (attitudes and buy-in, knowledge and skills, staffing, and burnout) were shared by participants representing both urban and rural districts. However, some personnel-related themes and organizational factors were unique to rural or urban districts. For example, themes related to system and organizational factors (leadership approval, support and expectations, district structure, competing priorities, time for effective professional development, litigation and due process, and materials and resources) differed between the district locations. This project serves as an initial step in identifying implementation strategies that may improve the use of evidence-based practices in schools.

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  • 10.7916/d893115w
Preparing Teachers in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Reflections on Teacher Quality
  • Jan 1, 2011
  • Amanda L Mazin

PREPARING SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: REFLECTIONS ON TEACHER QUALITY Amanda L. Mazin The number of students receiving educational services under the classification of autism is increasing (Sack-Min, 2008; Center for Disease Control Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 2007; Dymond, Gilson, Myran, 2007; Fitzgerald & Ryan, 2006). There is a need to provide better educational opportunities for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in schools. One of the clearest needs in the field is to increase the number of well-prepared professionals to work with children and their families. (Simpson, LaCava, Graner, 2004; Palmer, Blanchard, Jean & Mandell, 2005). Learners with ASD can be expected to acquire vital skills, knowledge, and behaviors only when educators are able and willing to adopt and properly use effective practice strategies and methods (Lerman, Vorndran, Addison & Contucci Kuhn, 2004). A Two-Phase Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Method design was used in this study. In the first qualitative phase, seven experts in the field of ASD and teacher education were interviewed to explore the phenomenon quality special education teachers of students with ASD, particularly the areas of knowledge, skill and characteristics. The results of this phase were used to develop a battery of measurement instruments that were used in the second, quantitative phase of the study. During the second phase, 112 special education teachers of students with ASD were surveyed, using the instruments developed in phase one, to investigate correlations and predictive relationships between the dependent variables knowledge of ASD, skill, characteristics quality, self-efficacy and the independent variables number of courses in ASD, highest degree reported, type of certification/endorsement, number of years of professional experiences working with individuals with ASD, number of years of professional experience working with individuals with disabilities, number of students with ASD worked with in professional career, number of current students with ASD, number of years since received highest degree, and self-reported effectiveness of preparation. Correlations and hierarchical regressions for all dependent variables were conducted. Results indicated the best predictors of knowledge of ASD for special education teachers of students with ASD were: number of courses in ASD; highest degree reported; number of years of professional experience working with individuals with ASD; and number of students with ASD worked with in professional career. The best predictors of skill were: number of courses in ASD; number of years of professional experience working with individuals with ASD; and self-reported effectiveness of preparation. The best predictors of self-efficacy were: number of courses in ASD and number of years of professional experience working with individuals with ASD. Lastly, the best predictors of quality special education teachers of students with ASD were determined to be the number of courses in ASD and self-reported effectiveness of preparation

  • Dissertation
  • Cite Count Icon 2
  • 10.14264/uql.2015.162
Understanding autism spectrum disorder in Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Oct 17, 2014
  • Ha Song Vu

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now recognised as a public health concern worldwide with the reported prevalence substantially increasing. However, the understanding of this condition in Vietnam and in other low and middle income countries is still very limited. This study aims to understand the socio-cultural construction of ASD in Hanoi, Vietnam, and the experiences of children living with ASD. This study attempts to achieve its aim through objectives of (1) exploring the meanings attached to and the representations of ASD within the social and cultural context of Vietnam, (2) describing services and social supports available as well as barriers preventing children with ASD and their parents accessing services, (3) describing the lived experience of parents of children with ASD, and (4) exploring the utility of using ‘photovoice’ to engage children with ASD and communicate their experiences.Informed by theoretical frameworks of social constructionism, critical medical anthropology and disability studies, I conceptualise ASD within a set of multi-level interactions between individuals, families, community and society. My fieldwork took from July 2011 to end of May 2012 in Hanoi, Vietnam. This study employed a range of methodologies of ethnography and participatory action research. These included participant observation, photovoice with nine children with ASD and six parents, and in-depth interviews with 27 parents and 17 key informants. In addition, I also conducted an online self-administered survey with 125 parents, and collected secondary data.This study describes various limitations in assessment and diagnosis of ASD in Vietnam. These include the lack of clinical guidance for assessment and monitoring the quality of assessment at clinics; a lack of developmental screening for young children; a rushed and perfunctory process for the assessment and diagnosis of children; and poor communication between health professionals in assessment teams, and between professionals and parents of children with ASD. These result in a lack of early identification, a pattern of overdiagnosis, and limited support for the children and their parents during assessment.Children with ASD and their families in Hanoi experience various forms of stigma and discrimination. Children with ASD are often treated as one homogenous group with stereotypes as inauspicious, useless, stupid, and dangerous people. They experience limited health care, education and social integration. These result from misunderstandings of this condition, and the structural exclusion of people with disability. Cultural expectations of parenthood and childhood, and traditional beliefs and understandings of disability also make families of children with ASD feel ashamed, guilty, inferior and worried.Parents of children with ASD suffer confusion and distress as they seek diagnosis, have access to limited services, seek various kinds of interventions and worry about their child’s education and future. Parents are mostly solely responsible for their children’s education and interventions. Limited political and economic supports exacerbate the difficulties of families with ASD in accessing services for their children. Despite policies supporting mainstream education for children with disabilities, parents find little support for integration and some resort to bribing schools to accept their child. Parents’ resilience is evident in their care and love for their children.Photovoice provided rich insights into the lived experiences of children with ASD, their interests, worldview, sensory experience and relationships. Such visual methods are a useful means of engaging children with ASD, and their parents in research and communicating their lived experience. It also provides an opportunity for them to educate the community and advocate for their children’s needs. However, as my study shows, undertaking photovoice is time-consuming and requires intensive input and flexibility. Ethical considerations include the need for careful communication on the study purpose, informed consent and asking permission to take photographs of other people. Furthermore, content analysis provides very limited understanding of the visual data. The combination of a participatory approach and ethnographic study helps to fully contextualise the photographic data. In this study the use of photovoice also resulted in a public exhibition of children’s photographs for advocacy and education of the general public – an example of participatory research resulting in action for the benefit of study participants.This study also documents the nascent advocacy movement within Vietnam for individuals on the spectrum. Families affected by ASD enact new forms of biosociality – coming together around their common interests in ASD. These include manipulating existing systems, learning, challenging and disseminating knowledge, creating their own groups, establishing new forms of service delivery, and constructing new identities for their children and themselves. Parents work together to reframe definitions of the biological condition of ASD. Through their advocacy work and education efforts with health professionals they seek to address power differentials and assert their children’s rights.

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  • Feb 23, 2017
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  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 725
  • 10.1176/ajp.154.2.185
Broader autism phenotype: evidence from a family history study of multiple-incidence autism families.
  • Feb 1, 1997
  • American Journal of Psychiatry
  • Joseph Piven + 4 more

Studies of families ascertained through a single autistic proband suggest that the genetic liability for autism may be expressed in nonautistic relatives in a phenotype that is milder but qualitatively similar to the defining features of autism. The objective of this study was to examine behaviors that may define this broader phenotype in relatives ascertained through two autistic siblings. The authors used a semistructured family history interview to compare the rates of social and communication deficits and stereotyped behaviors in relatives ascertained through two autistic siblings (families with multiple-incidence autism; 25 families) with the rates in relatives of Down syndrome probands (30 families). Higher rates of social and communication deficits and stereotyped behaviors were found in the relatives in the families with multiple-incidence autism. These data suggest that further studies should be undertaken to delineate the boundaries of the broader autism phenotype and that this broader phenotype should be included in some future genetic analyses of this disorder.

  • Abstract
  • 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.09.494
T6 - An Investigation Of Assortative Mating Patterns And Underlying Genetic Correlates In Parents Of Offspring With Asd
  • Jan 1, 2017
  • European Neuropsychopharmacology
  • Aaron Besterman + 2 more

T6 - An Investigation Of Assortative Mating Patterns And Underlying Genetic Correlates In Parents Of Offspring With Asd

  • Research Article
  • 10.1016/j.cub.2011.07.031
Copy numbers count for autism
  • Aug 1, 2011
  • Current Biology
  • Michael Gross

Copy numbers count for autism

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