Field Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Articles

Promoting evidence-based care for children and adolescents on the autism spectrum

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been increasing in worldwide prevalence,1 including Singapore. In this latest issue of the Annals, we share the latest Singapore Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for Autism in Children and Adolescents, discussed by Wong et al.2 This is the culmination of the tremendous effort of cross-sectoral professionals coming together to generate recommendations of practice for the community, aspiring in goals of using high-quality evidence to promote high-quality care for families and children on the autism spectrum. The first CPG on ASD in Preschool Children was published in March 2010,3 and the current updated version presents an opportunity to extend the guidelines to adolescents, as well as bring together more professionals within other non-health sectors to participate in its shaping. We highlight some of the key features of the CPG in tandem with evolving and important issues pertinent to practitioners in Singapore in the field of ASD.

A Review and Comparative Study of Works that Care is Monitoring Detection and Therapy of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Recognizing human activity from video sequences and sensor data is one of the major challenges in human-computer interaction and computer vision. Health care is a rapidly developing field of technology and services. The latest development in this field is remote patient monitoring, which has many advantages in a rapidly evolving world. With relatively simple applications for monitoring patients within hospital rooms, technology has advanced to the point where a patient can be allowed to carry out normal daily activities at home while still being monitored using modern communication technologies and sensors. These new technologies can monitor patients based on their disease or condition. The technology varies from sensors attached to the body to peripheral sensors connected to the environment, and innovations show contactless monitoring that only requires the patient to be within a few meters of the sensor. Nowadays, the Internet of Things, wearable devices, mobile technologies, and improved communication and computing capabilities have given rise to innovative mobile health solutions, and several research efforts have recently been made in the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This technology may be particularly useful for some rapidly changing emotional states, especially people with ASD. Children with ASD have some disturbing activities, and usually cannot speak fluently. Instead, they use signs and words to establish rapport, so understanding their needs is one of the most challenging tasks for healthcare providers, but monitoring the disease can make it much easier. We study in this work more than 50 collected articles that have made a significant contribution to the field were selected. Indeed, the current paper reviews the literature to identify current trends, expectations, and potential gaps related to the latest portable, smart, and wearable technologies in the field of ASD. This study also provides a review of recent developments in health care and monitoring of people with autism.

Younger age is associated with better outcomes in autism severity, language, and adaptive skills after one school year in autism special education classes

A well-accepted hypothesis in the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is that early intervention is crucial for better outcomes. However, research has noted significant variability in early intervention outcomes. This study examined the role of age in relation to outcomes in comprehensive developmental domains following one year of school in community special education classes for ASD. We compared two groups: a younger group (n = 35) aged 34–59 months and an older group (n = 38) aged 60–91 months. The groups did not differ in cognitive ability, autism severity or adaptive behavioral skills at the start of the school year. After one year, the entire study population showed significant progress in all developmental domains. However, changes in effect size were much more robust in the younger ASD group. Only younger children showed a significant decrease in the severity of communication, awareness and restricted interests and repetitive behavior subdomains and a significant increase in motor adaptive skills. Younger children also showed more remarkable improvement in the naming and expressive subdomains. Respectively, older age predicted more severe ASD symptoms at the end of the educational year.Corresponding to brain plasticity theories, our findings point to an association between age and outcomes. The findings should serve as a benchmark for policymakers regarding early intervention in young children with autism.

Paradigm Shift: New Approaches to Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

A significant increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), both worldwide and in our country, dictates the need to search for modern and effective methods of prevention, diagnosis and medical care for such patients. At the same time, the results of numerous biomedical research in the field of autism are not reflected in practical healthcare. Aims of this work — substantiation of new approaches to the organization of medical care for people with ASD. The results of promising areas of autism research in the field of genetics, epigenetics, metabolomics, microbiome and multimorbidity, which marked a paradigm shift in the understanding of autism spectrum disorders, and requiring implementation in practice, are analyzed. Based on the concept of 7-p pediatrics (programming child development and health, preventive, predictive, personalized, participatory, multiprofessional, progressive), the necessity and possibility of implementing the results of scientific research into real clinical practice of managing children with autism are substantiated. The results of fundamental scientific research in the field of ASD, revealing their complex and multifaceted nature, allow us to talk about a paradigm shift in understanding this disorder Based on a new concept of medical care — 7P-pediatrics — the results of scientific research can be translated into real clinical practice, including diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive and rehabilitative effects on autism, as well ase programming of the optimal trajectory of the cognitive-behavioral phenotype of children with neurodevelopmental features, including ASD.

Psychological Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders using Machine Learning

This research aims to advance the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment by proposing a machine learning-based approach tailored for school and community settings. Leveraging a diverse dataset encompassing behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging data, we apply advanced machine learning algorithms to develop predictive models for early ASD detection. Our study integrates expert interviews to validate the clinical utility of these models and explores ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and bias. Preliminary results show promising accuracy in ASD identification. This research contributes to a more accessible and objective ASD assessment, with implications for early intervention and inclusive support, particularly in educational and community contexts.

Challenges encountered: A Qualitative analysis of professionals’ lived experiences in the field of autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) significantly impacts American families, requiring substantial support from professionals in the field. This qualitative study explores the experiences of nine professionals in the ASD field using a phenomenological framework. Four main themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Service Delivery Constraints, 2) Knowledge Limitations, 3) Professional Adaptation, and 4) Future Directions. These findings illuminate the unique challenges professionals face in service delivery and their roles within the autism field. The study provides practical and scholarly insights based on real-life experiences, benefiting professionals, scholars, and families with children with autism.

Children autism spectrum disorder and gut microbiota: A bibliometric and visual analysis from 2000 to 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has evolved from a narrow and rare childhood-onset disorder to a widely publicized and researched lifelong disease recognized as common and significantly heterogeneous. Researchers have suggested that gastrointestinal symptoms in ASD may be a manifestation of an underlying inflammatory process. However, there is a lack of bibliometric analysis of ASD and gut microbiota in children. Accordingly, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis of ASD and gut microbiota in children from 2000 to 2023, explores the current status and cutting-edge trends in the field of ASD and gut microbiota in children, and identifies new directions for future research. The literature on ASD and gut microbiota in children was screened using the Web of Science Core Collection from 2000 to 2023. Annual publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and references were visualized and analyzed using CiteSpace 5.8. R3 and VOSviewer1.6.18. This study included 1071 publications. Since the beginning of 2011, the overall number of articles shows an upward trend. The most productive country and institution are the United States and the University of California system, respectively. The most frequently cited author is Kang Dae-Wook, with 790 citations, who has contributed significantly to this field. Timothy Dinan is the most prolific author, with 34 articles. The journal with the most published articles on this topic is Nutrients, whereas PLOS One is the most cited journal. The most used keyword is “gut microbiota,” and the reference for the highest outbreak intensity is Hsiao. The research hotspots and trends predicted in this study provide a reference for further in-depth research in this field.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and mTOR in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental diseases that manifest themselves at early ages as insufficient social and communicative skills, repetitive sensory-motor behaviors and restricted interests, and peculiar combinations of these traits. Autism prevalence in wealthy nations is currently rising. Due to increasing numbers of diagnosis, studies on the genetic background of autism have gained momentum recently. Especially the research on mitochondrial dysfunction and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is important in that it might provide a great contribution to the ASD field for new treatment resources. .

CAMOUFLAGING AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

In order to fit into the environment, satisfy social norms, and increase the opportunities of creating successful interpersonal interactions, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (hereinafter referred to as ASD) often try to develop coping strategies, and one such strategy is camouflaging. Camouflaging can be seen as a way in which individuals try to hide the less desirable aspects of their personality. The aim of this review was to determine the sex/gender differences in the representation of camouflaging in individuals with ASD by reviewing the relevant literature, to determine the impact of camouflaging on mental health, as well as the reasons and consequences of the camouflaging. By searching the SCOPUS database and after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria for publications in the field of autism spectrum disorder and camouflaging, a total of 10 publications were included and analyzed in the current review. Results show that individuals of the female sex/gender with ASD report higher levels of camouflaging compared to individuals of the male sex/gender with ASD. In addition to the above, it has been found that camouflaging is associated with mental health challenges. The results showed that individuals of the female sex/gender with ASD were more supportive of conventional reasons than individuals of the male sex/ gender with ASD. The results of research on the consequences of camouflaging show that people with ASD who camouflage themselves most often feel unhappy because they perceive camouflaging their true identity and personality as lying and deceiving about who they really are. Also, research indicates that thanks to camouflaging, individuals with ASD did not encounter the stereotype of “autistic person”, however, this caused negative consequences such as delaying or questioning their diagnosis of ASD, especially in individuals of female sex/gender with ASD.

Modernising autism spectrum disorder model engineering and treatment via CRISPR-Cas9: A gene reprogramming approach.

A neurological abnormality called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects how a person perceives and interacts with others, leading to social interaction and communication issues. Limited and recurring behavioural patterns are another feature of the illness. Multiple mutations throughout development are the source of the neurodevelopmental disorder autism. However, a well-established model and perfect treatment for this spectrum disease has not been discovered. The rising era of the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system can streamline the complexity underlying the pathogenesis of ASD. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is a powerful genetic engineering tool used to edit the genome at the targeted site in a precise manner. The major hurdle in studying ASD is the lack of appropriate animal models presenting the complex symptoms of ASD. Therefore, CRISPR-Cas9 is being used worldwide to mimic the ASD-like pathology in various systems like in vitro cell lines, in vitro 3D organoid models and in vivo animal models. Apart from being used in establishing ASD models, CRISPR-Cas9 can also be used to treat the complexities of ASD. The aim of this review was to summarize and critically analyse the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated discoveries in the field of ASD.

Innovations of the ICD-11 in the Field of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Psychological Approach.

This article aims to explain and elaborate upon the recently released ICD-11 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, World Health Organization), which endorse a medical model. We integrate insights from several disciplines (e.g., psychology, linguistics, sociology and lived experiences) to reflect the scientific and ethical insights derived from the biopsychosocial, neurodiversity perspective on autism. First, we describe the core domains of ASD's behavioural characteristics and then the lifetime, developmental perspective on the manifestations of these behaviours. Subsequently, we discuss potential underlying neuropsychology, related behaviours (i.e. associated features/conditions) and we consider some similarities and differences with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM 5, American Psychological Association). Recommendations for clinical application are provided. For instance, diagnostic classification in clinical practise should be a means to provide proper, suitable care, and therefore all diagnostic assessments should be used to tailor interventions and/or care to the capacities and genuine needs of the people that ask for professional help.

Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review and Systematic Update.

Sleep problems are a common comorbidity for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and research in this area has a relatively long history. Within this review, we first outline historic patterns in the field of sleep and ASD. Second, we conducted a systematic update and coded these studies based on their alignment with historic patterns. Research on ASD and sleep over the past two decades has primarily focused on four principal areas: (1) documenting the prevalence and types of sleep problems; (2) sleep problem treatment options and efficacy; (3) how sleep problems are associated with other behavioral, contextual, or biological elements; and (4) the impact of child sleep problems on families and care providers. The systematic update in this paper includes empirical studies published between 2018 and 2021 with terms for sleep and ASD within the title, keywords, or abstract. In sum, 60 studies fit the inclusion/exclusion criteria and most fit within the historic patterns noted above. Notable differences included more global representation in study samples, studies on the impacts of COVID-19, and a growing body of work on sleep problems as an early marker of ASD. The majority of studies focus on correlates of sleep problems noting less optimal behavioral, contextual, and biological elements are associated with sleep problems across development for children with ASD. Recommendations for future directions include continued expansion of global and age representation across samples, a shift toward more treatment and implementation science, and studies that inform our mechanistic understanding of how sleep and ASD are connected. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40675-022-00234-5.

Genetic and environmental mouse models of autism reproduce the spectrum of the disease.

Genetic and environmental factors increase autism spectrum disorder (ASD) incidence, and this has led to the generation of corresponding animal models, with some showing strong construct and face validity. This short review focuses on results we have recently obtained with environmental and genetic mouse models of ASD and that are the valproic acid, the poly I:C and the Shank 3 models. This has allowed us to provide a comparative description of these widely used animal models providing an interesting perspective as to the pros and cons of each one of them, in our experimental settings. In these papers, we focused on motor and gait disorders which are currently not included in the diagnosis criteria, but which may provide new insights to ASD pathophysiology potentially leading to innovative therapies for a disease that currently has none. In all these models, we reported behavioral, cellular and molecular alterations related to the cerebellum. Motor and gait deficits were observed to various degrees in animal models and, when strongly present, they were correlated to the severity of social deficits as well as to the number of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Additionally, we also reported that, like in humans, males are more severely affected than females in these ASD models. These findings, along with an increasing body of literature, open new hopes in the ASD field pointing to brain regions, such the cerebellum, that are at the crossroads between cognitive, social and motor deficits. Targeting these brain regions and their underlying pathways and synaptic connections may prove of significant benefits.

Evaluation of an interprofessional collaborative practice training module for the management of children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundProtocols instituted for behavioral treatment and skills training programs for the management of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suffer from lack of collaborative approaches. The tenets of interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) focus on preparing a panel of health care professionals (HCPs) from different professions who can work together to enable the common goal of ensuring that children with ASD can participate in society. This study was designed to pilot this approach through an IPCP training module on ASD for care providers from multiple professions. MethodsAn interventional study with pre-post analysis began with formation of the interprofessional (IP) team, who developed an IPCP module, addressing the knowledge and skills needed for the collaborative management of neurodevelopmental issues of children with ASD. This module was delivered through an online training workshop using various teaching learning methods to the participants from seven different health professions after obtaining informed consent. Perceptions of interprofessional collaboration and competencies of IPCP were assessed using standard IP tools and reflective summaries and analyzed through a mixed-methods approach. ResultsA total of 42 HCPs from seven professions, including speech and hearing, occupational therapy, clinical psychology, physiotherapy, pediatrics, nursing, and pedodontics, participated in the study. Pre-post analysis of PINCOM-Q and Dow-IPEC data and thematic analysis revealed a significant difference in the perceptions of interprofessional collaboration and competencies’ levels of IPCP. ConclusionThis study suggests that use of IPCP principles in the training of professionals working with ASD is a promising and feasible option to develop more competent health professionals. The training enhanced the abilities of professionals to work in field of ASD as conveyed by the participants. They also expressed confidence in the knowledge of IP core competencies after the completion of the module.

Is traditional back translation enough? Comparison of translation methodology for an ASD screening tool.

Early identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in non-English speaking children often relies on translation of English ASD screening measures. Most measures employ a forward-back translation approach, despite data suggesting that this method may result in poor psychometric properties. Some studies in non-ASD fields have suggested that a rigorous method of translation with cultural adaptation may yield better psychometric properties, but no studies in the ASD field have compared the two approaches directly. This investigation compares these two translation methodologies to determine if they produce psychometrically similar or dissimilar measures. Three hundred and eighty US-based Spanish-speaking caregivers of children 8-16 months old were randomly assigned to complete either a forward-back Spanish translation or a rigorous translation with cultural adaptation of a parent-report ASD screening tool. Measurement invariance analyses determined that the two translations were psychometrically dissimilar. Additional qualitative explanatory methods using cognitive interviews examined textual differences and participant preferences between non-invariant items. LAY SUMMARY: Autism screening questionnaires created in English need to be translated into other languages so non-English speaking parents can fill them out accurately. Traditionally, researchers have not considered cultural differences when they translate these questionnaires. When we compared a direct translation to a translation with cultural adaptations, the two questionnaires were statistically different. Parents interpreted and responded to the same questions differently, depending on which version they filled out.

Parental experience of parent-mediated intervention for children with ASD: A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis.

The effectiveness of parent-mediated interventions in the field of autism spectrum disorder is well documented but information on the experience of parents involved in parent-mediated interventions is limited.This study is the first synthesis of evidence concerning the experience of parents involved in parent-mediated interventions. It synthesizes the voice of 345 parents across the world into four general themes: barriers to implementation and logistical issues, feeling overwhelmed and stressed (a need for support), facilitators of implementation, and empowerment in the parent and improvement in the child.The findings of our study provide evidence that parent-mediated interventions should be adapted to the needs of each family. Specific care and support should be offered to parents in addition to parent-mediated interventions. Our study, however, highlights which outcomes are important to parents and should be considered in future studies.

A bibliometrics analysis and visualization of autism spectrum disorder.

BackgroundThe prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increased rapidly in the last 20 years. Although related research has developed rapidly, little is known about its etiology, diagnostic marker, or drug treatment, which forces researchers to review and summarize its development process and look for the future development direction.MethodsWe used bibliometrics to analyze papers of ASD in the Web of Science from 1998 to 2021, to draw the network of authors, institutions, countries, and keywords in the ASD field, and visualize the results.ResultsA total of 40,597 papers were included with a continually increasing trend. It turns out that the research on ASD is mainly concentrated in universities. The United States has the largest number of ASD studies, followed by England and Canada. The quality of papers related to ASD is generally high, which shows that ASD research has become a hot spot of scientific research. The keywords of ASD etiology and diagnostic markers can be classified into at least 7 aspects. The detection of keywords shows that ASD research is mostly based on its subtypes, takes children as the study population, focuses on neurodevelopmental imaging or genetics, and pays attention to individual differences. And ASD research has changed greatly under the impact of Corona Virus Disease 2019 in the past 2 years.ConclusionWe consider the future development direction should be based on the improvement of case identification, accurate clinical phenotype, large-scale cohort study, the discovery of ASD etiology and diagnostic markers, drug randomized controlled trials, and telehealth.

Role of Brain Modulators in Neurodevelopment: Focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Associated Comorbidities.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated neurodevelopmental disorders share similar pathogenesis and clinical features. Pathophysiological changes in these diseases are rooted in early neuronal stem cells in the uterus. Several genetic and environmental factors potentially perturb neurogenesis and synaptogenesis processes causing incomplete or altered maturation of the brain that precedes the symptomology later in life. In this review, the impact of several endogenous neuromodulators and pharmacological agents on the foetus during pregnancy, manifested on numerous aspects of neurodevelopment is discussed. Within this context, some possible insults that may alter these modulators and therefore alter their role in neurodevelopment are high-lighted. Sometimes, a particular insult could influence several neuromodulator systems as is supported by recent research in the field of ASD and associated disorders. Dopaminergic hy-pothesis prevailed on the table for discussion of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia (SCH), atten-tion-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ASD for a long time. However, recent cumulative evidence suggests otherwise. Indeed, the neuromodulators that are dysregulated in ASD and comorbid disorders are as diverse as the causes and symptoms of this disease. Additionally, these neuromodulators have roles in brain development, further complicating their involvement in comorbidity. This review will survey the current understanding of the neuromodulating systems to serve the pharmacological field during pregnancy and to minimize drug-related insults in pa-tients with ASD and associated comorbidity disorders, e.g., SCH or ADHD.

The Effectiveness of a Training Program to Develop an Attitude toward Creativity in Gifted Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Attitude toward creativity may play a central role in developing creative abilities in gifted children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), so, examining attitudes toward creativity is important. This empirical research evaluated the effectiveness of a training program to develop attitudes toward creativity, that is, training that encourages the production of a wide range of ideas marked by freshness and originality in the realms of talent; these ideas should be practical and beneficial, and well received in the community in which these gifted children live). The sample involved six gifted children with ASD, aged between 8 and 12 years. A quasi-experimental approach was used, the Scale of Attitude toward Creativity was applied, and the training program was presented by the researcher. The results show a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the mean ranks of participants on the Scale of Attitude toward Creativity before and after the application of the training program, in favor of the post-test. After two months, a follow-up application of the Scale of Attitude toward Creativity found no statistically significant difference between the mean ranks of participants between the second and third evaluation. In light of these findings, the researcher recommends that the necessary services and funds are provided to develop the talents of gifted children with ASD. Specialized programs should be pursued in the fields of the talents discovered in these children. Research in the field of giftedness and ASD should be strengthened and gifted children with ASD must participate and be included in various relevant programs and events.

Developing a Theory of Two Latent Soft Skills Progress Variables using the BEAR Assessment System: Validity Evidence for the Internal Structure of the Social Evaluative in the Workplace Instrument

In this article, we report on the development of two latent soft skills progress variables using the Berkeley Evaluation and Assessment Research (BEAR) Assessment System (BAS). The Social Evaluative Reasoning in the Workplace (SER-W) instrument uses comic strip scenarios to depict interactions between employees and customers in entry-level workplace settings. We designed items to elicit evidence of student ability to: (a) identify salient customer social cues, which we term the social cue detection (SPU) variable, and, (b) justify an evaluation on the outcome of the situation depicted in the scenarios. We refer to this as the evaluative inference (EI) variable. Research from the field of autism spectrum disorder was used to develop a theory for building social complexity into the SER-W comic strip scenarios, by manipulating the type, frequency, and co-occurrence of the social cues presented in the scenarios. A unidimensional and multidimensional extension of the Rasch partial credit model were fit to the data. Model comparisons provide empirical support for our hypothesized two-dimensional structure, in which the SPU and EI variables are modeled as separate dimensions. These results are considered in terms of the evidence for the validity of the internal structure of the SER-W dimensions they provide. The article concludes with examples of the practical implications that progress variable research can have on soft skills curriculum development and assessment in the field of special education.