Definition Of Autism Research Articles

Autisme og den udvidede fænotype

Autism is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder with symptoms concerning language- and communication skills, social relations and interaction—and also involving repetitive, stereotype behaviour. Over the years many theories concerning autism and its etiology have been researched and discussed. Focus is no longer as much on environmental aspects, but on the many indications that the cause of autism is genetic. E.g. tuberose sclerosis and Fragile-X syndrome are genetic disorders associated with autism (Smalley, 1991). Also twin- and familiy studies have strongly suggested a genetic explanation to the questions of etiology. In present article different aspects of the genetic perspective on autism are discussed. Thus the implications of using a broader phenotype in the definition of autism are considered.

Ryean's Story: Coping with Illness, Trauma, and Pain

This article describes the background and the grief, pain, illness, and trauma involved in the life of Ryean, a twenty-two-year-old young man with autistic characteristics. Replete with definitions of autism, the authors indicate which common characteristics of autism Ryean has and to what degree. Throughout the article, Ryean's professional educator parents integrate their own sense of coping with their son's condition and sensing hope for him. Illustrative of this hope are Ryean's current school-to-work transition and his parents overall goal of Ryean's growth and development through economic integration in the community.

A multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis of autism

ABSTRACT This paper describes the development of a local provision for children presenting with a complex communication disorder (autism continuum). The service is organised as a partnership between parents, professionals and voluntary organisations. The paper is organised under the headings: Where we were; Where we are; Where we are going. The content to include: Definition of autism; Joint development of the service; Team structure and network; Parents' information leaflet; Data on children seen, including referrals, results and sample action plan; Pro forma of structured play session with individualised samples; Protocol and audit results; Consumer survey results; Post‐assessment service provisions; Training of professionals; Future developments. Areas for discussion include: Protocol; Assessment process, and Evaluation.

Recent Research in Autism

Recent research in three areas is reviewed. Advances in diagnosis and classification will likely lead to convergence between the American and international definitions of autism and related disorders, which should facilitate research of these conditions. Studies of psychological process have focused on understanding the nature of social dysfunction in autism. In the area of neurobiologic research, much interest has centered on the possible role of genetic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of autism.

Quantifying Social Development in Autism

Objective This study was concerned with the development of quantitative measures of social development in autism. Method Multiple regression equations predicting social, communicative, and daily living skills on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were derived from a large, normative sample and applied to groups of autistic and nonautistic, developmentally disordered children. Predictive models included either mental or chronological age and other relevant variables. Result Social skills in the autistic group were more than two standard deviations below those predicted by their mental age; an index derived from the ratio of actual to predicted social skills correctly classified 94% of the autistic and 92% of the nonautistic, developmentally disordered cases. Conclusions The findings are consistent with the idea that social disturbance is central in the definition of autism. The approach used in this study has potential advantages for providing more precise measures of social development in autism. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1993, 32, 3:627–632.