Social Cognitive Skills Research Articles

Quantifying abnormal emotion processing: A novel computational assessment method and application in schizophrenia

Abnormal emotion processing is a core feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) that encompasses multiple operations. While deficits in some areas have been well-characterized, we understand less about abnormalities in the emotion processing that happens through language, which is highly relevant for social life. Here, we introduce a novel method using deep learning to estimate emotion processing rapidly from spoken language, testing this approach in male-identified patients with SSDs (n = 37) and healthy controls (n = 51). Using free responses to evocative stimuli, we derived a measure of appropriateness, or “emotional alignment” (EA). We examined psychometric characteristics of EA and its sensitivity to a single-dose challenge of oxytocin, a neuropeptide shown to enhance the salience of socioemotional information in SSDs. Patients showed impaired EA relative to controls, and impairment correlated with poorer social cognitive skill and more severe motivation and pleasure deficits. Adding EA to a logistic regression model with language-based measures of formal thought disorder (FTD) improved classification of patients versus controls. Lastly, oxytocin administration improved EA but not FTD among patients. While additional validation work is needed, these initial results suggest that an automated assay using spoken language may be a promising approach to assess emotion processing in SSDs.

The future of the labor force: higher cognition and more skills

Skills can be categorized into two types: social-cognitive and sensory-physical. Sensory-physical skills, governed by explicit rules and transparent rationales, can be effectively executed through meticulous programming, with humans spontaneously trusting machines to perform these skills. In contrast, social-cognitive skills entail open interpretations reliant on personal opinions or intuition and are contextually and problem-dependent. The inherent complexity and subjectivity of social-cognitive skills, underscored by Polanyi’s paradox and algorithm aversion, render machines less capable of replicating these skills. Thus, automation exerts differential impacts on these two skill sets. Moreover, the specialization of machines leads to expensive setup costs when switching tasks, whereas humans switch tasks with much less effort. The versatility in skills enables workers to adapt to a wide array of tasks, making them less prone to automation. Our empirical research, utilizing skill score data from O*NET and employment data from Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), validated the attributes of labor resistant to automation: the higher the scores of cognitive skills in a job, the lower its susceptibility to automation; workers endowed with a diverse array of skills experience an increase in their employment share. Conversely, jobs focusing on sensory-physical skills are more likely to be supplanted by machines. Therefore, workers can adopt two strategies to maintain a competitive edge. First, they can enhance cognitive skills, such as creativity and critical thinking. Second, they can develop diverse skills, encompassing both social-cognitive and sensory-physical skills. Specializing in a specific sensory-physical skill does not offer an advantage. Fostering a workforce proficient in cognitive skills and equipped with multifaceted skills, that is, flexible workers, becomes imperative. Our investigation represents the inaugural effort to empirically affirm the differential impact of automation on sensory-physical versus social-cognitive skills, thereby delineating the characteristics of irreplaceable labor. This analysis offers critical insights for individual career development and the strategic planning of national educational systems.

Social skills: Assertiveness, teamwork and self-control/emotional expressiveness in early childhood education

The aim of this study was to identify the level of knowledge and practice of social skills, assertiveness, teamwork and self-control/emotional expressiveness in children taking part in the "Full-Time Project" at the Valdir Gonçalves de Lima CEM, in the municipality of Votuporanga-SP. The work is characterized as exploratory of a quantitative and qualitative nature, through pre-post tests and field diaries on the play activities proposed in order to identify the children's knowledge of the chosen skills. The study showed that those surveyed already had an understanding of the social skills in question, since they already had a certain degree of knowledge in the pre-test, with no significant evolution in the post-test, but even though they had knowledge of the subject, they were unable to apply it in their daily school and family life. In this way, the objectives were achieved by creating a bond, showing practical ways of using social skills and making the participants learn about the proposed topic in a fun and entertaining way.

Visual attention patterns during a gaze following task in neurogenetic syndromes associated with unique profiles of autistic traits: Fragile X and Cornelia de Lange syndromes

BackgroundGaze following difficulties are considered an early marker of autism, thought likely to cumulatively impact the development of social cognition, language and social skills. Subtle differences in gaze following abilities may contribute to the diverse range social and communicative autistic characteristics observed across people with genetic syndromes, such as Cornelia de Lange (CdLS) and fragile X (FXS) syndromes. AimsTo compare profiles of 1) visual attention to the eye region at critical points of the attention direction process, 2) whether children follow the gaze cue to the object, and 3) participant looking time to the target object following the gaze cue between groups and conditions. Materials and methodsChildren with CdLS (N = 11) and FXS (N = 8) and autistic (N = 22) and neurotypical (N = 15) children took part in a passive viewing paradigm adapted from Senju and Csibra (2008), in which videos of a central cue (ball/cartoon face/human face) directed attention towards one of two objects. Visual attention patterns were recorded via eye tracking technology. ResultsNeurotypical children were used as a reference group against which the autistic, CdLS and FXS groups were compared. Although autistic children looked at the eye region for significantly less time, they looked at the target object as frequently and for a similar duration as neurotypical children. Children with FXS looked at the target as frequently as neurotypical children but looked at it for comparatively less time. Both neurotypical children and children with CdLS frequently looked at the eye region, but children with CdLS were less likely to look at the target than neurotypical children. ConclusionsFindings provide preliminary evidence of unique patterns of visual attention and gaze following strategies in children with CdLS, children with FXS and autistic children. These unique gaze following patterns may underpin the distinct profiles of social and communication autistic traits observed between these groups.

The Relationship between Giftedness and Sex and Children's Theory of Mind Skills and Social Behavior.

Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to recognize the mental states and emotions of others, is central to effective social relationships. Measuring higher-order ToM skills in gifted children may be a useful way to identify the tendency to experience difficulties in social behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between intelligence and sex in children using ToM and social behavior measures. Children aged 10-12 years constituted both the gifted (n = 45) and non-gifted (n = 45) groups. The participants were assessed for prosocial behaviors and peer problems using the subscales of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and in terms of ToM using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test-Child Version (RMET-C) and the Faux Pas Recognition Test-Child Version (FPRT-C). ToM test results were higher in gifted children and girls. Peer problems were lower in gifted children. Prosocial behavior was higher in girls. No relationship was determined between ToM tests and peer problems or prosocial behavior in gifted children, but such a relationship was observed in the non-gifted group. This study shows that gifted children with high cognitive skills also possess superior social cognition skills. Advanced ToM skills in gifted children may be important to supporting their social and cognitive development. The differences between boys and girls should be considered in educational interventions applied to children in the social sphere.

SIFT IT: A feasibility and preliminary efficacy randomized controlled trial of a social cognition group treatment programme for people with acquired brain injury

ABSTRACT Making sense of social situations requires social cognitive skills, which can be impaired after acquired brain injury (ABI), yet few evidence-based treatment options are available. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a multi-faceted social cognition group treatment programme, SIFT IT, for people after ABI using an RCT design. Twenty-eight participants were recruited, and 23 were randomized into either Treatment or Waitlist. SIFT IT consisted of 14 weekly 90-minute small group sessions facilitated by a Clinical Psychologist. Topics included: emotion self-awareness, emotion perception, perspective taking, and choosing adaptive social responses. Preliminary efficacy outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up. Demand for treatment was evident with 61% recruitment and 91% post-treatment retention rates, with 63% attending at least 13/14 sessions. Large between-group treatment effects (with non-zero 95% confidence intervals) were observed for emotion perception, detecting hints, and informant ratings of social cognitive deficits. Implementation challenges recruiting to groups and maintaining group allocation fidelity, with a small sample size does, however, raise questions about the appropriateness of an RCT design in a future efficacy trial. Overall, this study showed there is demand for social cognitive interventions after ABI and the SIFT IT programme was practicable and acceptable to participants. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12617000405314.

Beyond beauty: Does visual art facilitate social cognitive skills?

Engaging with art can move individuals through a myriad of emotions, provoke reflective thoughts, and lead to new ideas. Could art also influence interpersonal outcomes pertaining to the ways we interact with others and navigate the social world, that is, our suite of social cognitive skills? Here, we focus on visual art to explore the effect of art engagement on personal aesthetic experience and social cognitive skills. Across two studies, using veridical paintings and matched non-art photos, we examined the effect of art engagement on emotional (e.g., awe, being moved) and eudaimonic experiences (e.g., reflective thoughts), as well as social cognitive skills pertaining to Theory of Mind (ToM) and recognition of other's emotions. Further, we varied the depth with which participants engaged with the experiences of the characters in the artworks, to assess whether deep social information processing could boost the effect of art engagement on social cognitive skills. Our findings showed that art engagement altered personal aesthetic experience through changes in emotional and eudaimonic outcomes. However, we did not find any support for the effect of art engagement on social cognitive skills: Neither engaging with art, nor art in combination with deep social information processing, influenced performance on social cognitive skills of ToM and emotion recognition. The effect of art engagement on personal aesthetic experience and the absence of effect on social cognitive skills highlight the nuanced nature of individuals' interactions with art. We discuss these results considering the varied ways of engagement with different artforms and in relation to different operationalizations of social cognitive skills.

Validation of social cognition and interaction training's (SCIT) videos and photographs in Indian setting.

Social cognition deficit is one of the marked characteristics of schizophrenia. Accumulated evidence suggests that social cognition and interaction training (SCIT) is associated with improved performance in social cognition and social skills in patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders. The cultural influence on social cognition is quite considerable. So, studies in the area of social cognition domains need to adapt and use culturally appropriate tools and measures to see the effectiveness. This study aimed to validate the materials used in SCIT training in Indian setting. The original script of video clips was translated into Hindi and was reshot, and the images were remade. A panel of experts rated the videos and images on a 5-point Likert scale. Furthermore, the content validity and internal consistency of the materials were calculated. The content validity ratio (CVR) critical value was 0.357, and all the videos and images received more than the CVR critical value. The intraclass correlation coefficient for videos was 0.974, for SCIT photographs was 0.971, for "spotting character" was 0.975, and for "emotion shaping" was 0.965, indicating good internal consistency. The majority of the experts in the panel found the videos and images adequate and appropriate for the Indian setting. In addition, the videos and photographs both yielded good internal consistency.

Developing a Digital Game to Enhance Social Cognition Skills in Adolescents With ASD in a Multidisciplinary Context

Developing a Digital Game to Enhance Social Cognition Skills in Adolescents With ASD in a Multidisciplinary Context

The effects of an 8-week ball game intervention on the motor abilities of 6-7-year-olds

In the early childhood stages of development, ball games prove to be a crucial catalyst for improving motor abilities by actively engaging children in various physical movements that promote improved coordination, balance, and spatial awareness, while supporting important social interactions and cognitive skills essential for comprehensive growth. This study examines the effects of an 8-week ball game intervention program (tennis, football, basketball etc.) on the motor abilities of 6- to 7-year-old children (n = 47) in their regular physical education classes. The experimental group (n = 24) participated in 45-minute sessions twice weekly, while the control group (n = 23) received no additional organized physical activities. The hypotheses underlying the studysuggest that the experimental group participating in the 45-minute sessions of the structured ball game program twice a week will show statistically significant improvements in these motor abilities compared to the control group.Motor abilities were assessed using the BOT-2 subtests for fine motor integration, manual dexterity, balance, and bilateral coordination and were assessed both before and after the intervention period in both groups. The BOT-2 subtests are standardized measures developed to comprehensively assess specific motor abilities. They were selected for their proven reliability and validity in assessing the motor abilities affected by the intervention and provide a solid basis for the outcome analysis of the study. Data was subjected to repeated-measures ANOVA analysis using a 2×2 design, with partial eta squared (η) used to assess the difference between the EXP and CON groups. Results showed remarkable improvements in fine motor integration (p = 0.016), general fine motor skills (0.021), bilateral coordination (0.004), balance (0.000), and body coordination (0.000) among participants in the intervention group. This study highlights the transformative potential of just two additional weekly sessions of various ball games to improve motor abilities in 6- to 7-year-olds.

Effectiveness of telerehabilitation plus virtual reality (Tele-RV) in cognitive e social functioning: A randomized clinical study on Parkinson's disease

IntroductionTelemedicine could represent an emerging and innovative approach to support cognitive and behavioral rehabilitation reducing the overload of healthcare facilities, favoring home care therapy. The present study aimed to assess the potential efficacy of Tele-VR apps in enhancing cognitive performance and improving social skills in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). MethodsThirty-four patients with PD were included in the study. Patients were assigned to one of the following treatment groups: Experimental Group 1 (EG1) underwent a Tele-VR program using two cognitive rehabilitation applications (app) on smartphones (Neuronation-Brain Training and Train your Brain); Experimental Group 2 (EG2) received a Tele-VR program through one cognitive rehabilitation app (Neuronation-Brain Training) and one socio-cognitive rehabilitation App (The Sims) on smartphones; Active Control Group (aCG) performed a conventional training using pencil and paper exercises (Not-VR). ResultsAt the end of the study, the aCG and EG1 presented an improvement in the executive, attentional and visuospatial cognitive domains. Mood and subjective memory also improved in the EG1. Moreover, in the EG2 group, a significant improvement was found in all cognitive domains, including social cognition skills (theory of mind). The inter-group comparison showed that both EG1 and EG2 had significantly greater improvements than aCG in MoCA score. Finally, both EG1 and EG2 showed a higher improvement in the FAB score, as compared to the aCG. ConclusionRehabilitation with smartphone apps could be more useful than conventional rehabilitation in improving cognitive and social cognition skills in patients with PD. Combining cognitive and social cognition training could improve the cognitive and affective domains, also aiding in the long-term maintenance of cognitive outcomes.

Predicting child development and school readiness, at age 5, for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in Australia's Northern Territory.

Positive early development is critical in shaping children's lifelong health and wellbeing. Identifying children at risk of poor development is important in targeting early interventions to children and families most in need of support. We aimed to develop a predictive model that could inform early support for vulnerable children. We analysed linked administrative records for a birth cohort of 2,380 Northern Territory children (including 1,222 Aboriginal children) who were in their first year of school in 2015 and had a completed record from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC). The AEDC measures early child development (school readiness) across five domains of development. We fitted prediction models, for AEDC weighted summary scores, using a Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) considering four groups of factors-pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, known at birth, and child-related factors. We first assessed the models' internal validity and then the out-of-sample predictive power (external validity) using the PLSpredict procedure. We identified separate predictive models, with a good fit, for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. For Aboriginal children, a significant pre-pregnancy predictor of better outcomes was higher socioeconomic status (direct, β = 0.22 and indirect, β = 0.16). Pregnancy factors (gestational diabetes and maternal smoking (indirect, β = -0.09) and child-related factors (English as a second language and not attending preschool (direct, β = -0.28) predicted poorer outcomes. Further, pregnancy and child-related factors partially mediated the effects of pre-pregnancy factors; and child-related factors fully mediated the effects of pregnancy factors on AEDC weighted scores. For non-Aboriginal children, pre-pregnancy factors (increasing maternal age, socioeconomic status, parity, and occupation of the primary carer) directly predicted better outcomes (β = 0.29). A technical observation was that variance in AEDC weighted scores was not equally captured across all five AEDC domains; for Aboriginal children results were based on only three domains (emotional maturity; social competence, and language and cognitive skills (school-based)) and for non-Aboriginal children, on a single domain (language and cognitive skills (school-based)). The models give insight into the interplay of multiple factors at different stages of a child's development and inform service and policy responses. Recruiting children and their families for early support programs should consider both the direct effects of the predictors and their interactions. The content and application of the AEDC measurement need to be strengthened to ensure all domains of a child's development are captured equally.

Social media kindness intervention increases innovation in college students

This study investigated the impact of a kindness intervention on Instagram on innovation and empathy among 50 participants. Divided into a kindness group (N = 25), instructed to post kind comments, and a control group (N = 25) with no such instructions, participants posted comments for three weeks. The intervention's effect on innovation, defined as abstract thinking and idea generation, and empathy were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Results revealed a significant interaction effect between the intervention and innovation, with a trend towards increased innovation in the kindness group. No significant changes in empathy were observed. These findings suggest a complex relationship between social media-based kindness interventions and cognitive skills like innovation, highlighting the need for further research in this domain. This finding is the first step in investigating how to leverage social media to positively affect prosocial behavior and cognitive skills.

Digital participation in traumatic brain injury: scoping review about assessment tools for computer-mediated communication

BackgroundIndividuals with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often affected by communication disorders which might have an impact on their social participation. Due to possible cognitive and communicative disabilities, as well as impairments of social cognitive skills, individuals with TBI have been observed to exhibit difficulties in maintaining and establishing social relationships, resulting in a greater risk of social isolation. This applies to both in-person as well as computer-mediated communication (CMC), which is considered an integral part of everyday life. Research on digital participation in the TBI population has focused on the possible challenges and barriers, but also on the benefits of CMC for social interactions. Guidelines from professional societies recommend questionnaires and checklists for assessing restrictions of communicative participation (e.g., ASHA, INCOG). However, there is no overview of whether the available instruments can capture digital aspects of participation or social media use in TBI.AimIn this scoping review, following the PRISMA criteria, we aimed to provide an overview over currently available instruments that help assess CMC use as a measure of digital participation in the TBI population.MethodThe databases Web of Science Core Collection, Ovid, PsycInfo and Psyndex were screened for publications between the years 2013 and 2023 with relevant search terms referring to social participation, assessment tools, CMC and the target group, in order to find suitable tools to assess digital participation in individuals with TBI. In a multistage selection process following the PRISMA criteria, the instruments found were examined in terms of items that assess digital participation. The outcome of the review is an overview of the status quo of potentially available instruments that capture aspects of CMC.ResultsFollowing a screening on title/abstract and full-text level, a total of 10 studies could be identified that present assessment tools that evaluate CMC use as a measure of digital participation in the TBI population. Said studies were analyzed and compared in terms of content according to the selected parameters.ConclusionDigital participation is an important aspect of everyday lives for individuals with TBI. Therefore, CMC should be an integral part of rehabilitation. The existing appropriate questionnaires uncovered in the current study should therefore be applied routinely to detect impairments in CMC and digital participation. Overall, however, there is still a great need for research in the field of CMC, both regarding methods for measuring digital participation disorders as well as resources.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.germanistik.uni-muenchen.de/forschung/proj_gl/review_participation_tbi.pdf.

Differences in Social Knowledge Between Persons with Intellectual Disability and Persons with Dual Diagnoses

ABSTRACT Introduction Social knowledge is an important aspect of social cognition that pertains to broader knowledge of social concepts and norms. People with intellectual disabilities are more likely to experience mental health challenges, and it’s important to pay special attention to how comorbid conditions can affect their social cognition skills, potentially weakening these skills. Consequently, the present study seeks to compare social knowledge between two groups of adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina: those with intellectual disabilities and those diagnosed with a dual diagnosis encompassing intellectual disability and psychiatric conditions. An additional goal was to identify the factors contributing to social knowledge in these groups. Methods The study sample included 62 adults with mild intellectual disability, divided into two groups based on their comorbid psychiatric condition. We used a demographic questionnaire, Raven’s Progressive Matrices, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), MINI PAS – ADD scale, and The Social Knowledge Test to assess social knowledge and intellectual functioning. We compared the social knowledge scores between the two groups and identified the predictors of social knowledge in each group. Results The results indicated that adult participants with dual diagnoses had lower social knowledge scores than those with intellectual disabilities only, even after controlling for intellectual functioning and verbal abilities. The predictors of social knowledge differed between the two groups, with age being the only statistically significant predictor in both groups. In individuals with intellectual disabilities, age and the presence of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms were important predictors of social knowledge, while in the group of participants with dual diagnoses, age and PPVT were significant predictors of social knowledge. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of social knowledge in individuals with intellectual disabilities and dual diagnoses. The findings suggest that individuals with dual diagnoses may have a specific deficit in social knowledge that is not fully explained by their intellectual functioning or verbal abilities. Clinicians and educators should focus on identifying and addressing social knowledge deficits in individuals with dual diagnoses to improve their overall social functioning.

SOCIAL COGNITION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS AND FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES OF PATIENTS.

Misattribution of motivational salience to non-salient (neutral) stimuli could be viewed as a hallmark of psychosis in schizophrenia. Studies have recently revealed increased subjective experience of emotional arousal (EA) to neutral social stimuli in paranoid schizophrenia psychosis, suggesting a misattribution of emotional salience to them. We examined this phenomenon directly by quantifying the level of EA subjectively attributed to low-arousal, neutral-valenced faces. Patients with remitted schizophrenia (PG) (n=26), first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients (RG) (n=25), and healthy controls (HCG) (n=36) were compared in terms of oxidative stress parameters -serum Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Nitrite, Nitrate, Malondialdehyde, and Total Glutathione levels-, social cognition measured by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test and working memory measured by the N-back Task. Groups were compared, assuming that HCG had a genetically lower risk of schizophrenia compared to PG and RG. HCG performed significantly better than PG and RG, who were genetically at high risk, in terms of social cognition (respectively p=0.000, p=0.014), working memory (respectively p=0.001, p=0.003), and had statistically lower Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX) level than the PG and RG (both p:0.000). After controlling for the effect of the general intellectual abilities measured by the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices Test and working memory the differences between groups on the Eyes Test disappeared (p=0.057). However, this value tended to be significant. It was concluded that social cognition and working memory and GPx level may be used as endophenotypes and social cognition, working memory, and general intellectual skills are different but strongly related constructs. Endophenotypes guide treatment targets even after the disease has developed. The results of our study showed that in addition to psychopharmacological treatments, interventions to reduce oxidative stress and approaches to improve cognitive skills will have a positive impact on the disease's progression.

Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity: comparative analysis of executive functions between genres based on neurofeedback training

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder that presents a characteristic pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. ADHD directly affects Executive Functions (EF), responsible for regulating social behavior and cognitive skills. In the clinical context, the symptoms can present themselves in unique ways in each patient. Therefore, we can use different approaches to evaluate these symptoms. This article aims to analyze, through the evaluation of executive functions performed through psychological tests and neurofeedback, how ADHD symptoms are presented in males and females. Psychological tests Digit Span, Corsi Cubes, Verbal Fluency and Five Digit Test (FDT) were used. In addition, a neurofeedback game that adapts the Stroop test in an interactive application was applied through a Brain-Computer Interface. A tool developed was tested with 21 children, 11 with a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD and to 10 without the presence of this disorder. Through statistical analysis, we come to establish promises. The results of the neurofeedback analysis met what is expected in the literature, which demonstrate that patients with ADHD have a greater number of slow waves and less beta waves in the prefrontal cortex or, which indicate low stimulation of the central nervous system.

46 Exploring Social Cognition Deficits Characterised by Impulsive Responding in Children

Objective:Theory suggests that symptoms of Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; e.g., hyperactivity and impulsivity) may be associated with social cognition deficits characterised by fast but erroneous processing of social cues. Despite this, prior research has provided mixed evidence for (a) deficits in social cognition skills and (b) a link between such deficits and poor social outcomes among children with ADHD. We sought to clarify this ambiguity by (a) exploring variation in social cognition skills across a mixed clinical and normative population and (b) examining the demographic, clinical, and dimensional symptom profiles of children presenting with reduced social cognition skills characterised by fast but erroneous processing.Participants and Methods:Participants were children and adolescents (N = 1,097) aged 4–18 years (M = 9.02, SD = 2.72) assessed using the Paediatric Evaluation of Emotions Relationships and Socialisation (PEERS), a child-direct, ecologically sensitive measure of social cognition. Latent profile analysis of standardised social cognition scores and response times for incorrect encoding of social cues (error-response times) was used to identify social cognition profiles. Differences between each profile in terms of demographics, clinical profiles, symptom dimensions, and social outcomes were explored.Results:Four social cognition profiles were identified. Two profiles were identified as being of particular interest: one which captured typically developing children (TDC; n = 727), and another which was characterised by lower social cognition scores and faster error-response times (impulsive responding; n = 201). The remaining profiles captured the response styles of younger participants (n = 152) and children with more pervasive social cognition deficits (n = 17). Comparison of the two profiles of interest revealed a number of statistically significant differences (p < .05). Compared to the TDC group, the impulsive responding group had: higher SDQ scores for hyperactivity, conduct, emotional, and peer problems; lower IQ and prosocial scores, and; greater parent-perceived social function deficits. Children in this group were also more likely to be male and from a lower SES background. Clinically, 18% of children in the impulsive responding group had an ADHD diagnosis, and 14% had at lease one mental health diagnosis other than ADHD.Conclusions:A large minority of children (~18%) demonstrate social cognition deficits characterised by fast but erroneous processing of social cues. Although the explorative nature of this study does not allow conclusions to be made about the causes of such deficits, it is reasonable to conclude that they are not reducible to clinically significant symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity — less than 1/5 of the children in this group had an ADHD diagnosis, and 2/3 of children in this group had no mental health diagnosis at all. Child-direct tools designed to detect individual differences in social cognition skills may be beneficial in identifying individuals who will benefit from social support or interventions aimed at reducing social cognition deficits despite being missed by more traditional screening measures (e.g., clinical diagnoses). Future work should focus on understanding the causal relationships between symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity, fast but erroneous processing of social cues, social cognition skills, and social outcomes for this group of children.

Examining the feasibility and effectiveness of PEERS for adolescents via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe PEERS program is an evidence-based social skills intervention focusing on skills related to making and keeping friends as well as managing conflict and rejections. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, social skills interventions have been moving to virtual settings, including PEERS; however, limited research on the feasibility and efficacy of telehealth group therapy has been done. MethodThirty-four families were referred through an autism specialty clinic to complete the online PEERS program, and fourteen families completed measures of social skills, emotional and behavioral symptoms, and executive functioning before and after participating in the program. ResultsThe outcomes revealed significant improvements in participants' social skills knowledge, social communication, social motivation, and aspects of executive functioning. Participants also reported being satisfied with the online format, further supporting the hypothesis that the modified PEERS program, held virtually, is feasible and effective. ConclusionOur results support that the telehealth PEERS program offers a good alternative to the in-person modality and other social skills programs, especially for families who have difficulty accessing evidence-based programming for autistic adolescents due to geographical or transportation limitations as well as for families who prefer the convenience of participating in this program virtually.

54 Exploring the Impact of Stria Terminalis Connectivity and Family Income on Depressive Symptoms Throughout Development

Objective:The stria terminalis (ST) is a white matter tract with connections to limbic and autonomic brain structures that is implicated in affective functioning. Recent works suggests that ST functional integrity and connectivity is associated with faster responses to emotional cues (Dzafic et al., 2019) and may be influenced by environmental factors including socioeconomic status (SES) and childhood adversity (Banihashemi et al., 2020). The role of the ST in the experience of more daily affective experiences, such as depressive symptoms, remains unexplored. Therefore, the present study examined the role of the ST and SES, as assessed by household income, in the relationship between age and depressive symptoms in typically developing children and adolescents.Participants and Methods:Participants include 64 typically developing children and adolescents age 8-21 (Mage=13.27, SD=3.15) who participated in an ongoing study of development of neurocognitive and social-cognitive skills. Participants completed imaging on a 3Tesla MR Siemens PRISMA scanner. Tractography was executed via ENIGMA tract-based spatial statistics to quantify WM integrity and provided values for mean fractional anisotropy (mFA) of the ST. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children-Third Edition (BASC-3) parent report scale, and annual family income was obtained per parent report. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted using Process version 4.1 (Hayes, 2022) in SPSS version 28. As depression symptoms are often higher in early adolescence than later, we examined the indirect effect of age on depressive symptoms through ST mFA and evaluated this relationship at different levels of family income.Results:Age was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms (b=-.98, t=-2.18, p<.05), whereas greater right ST mFA was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms (b=42.05, t=2.50, p<.05). Right ST mFA explained significant variance in the relationship between age and parent-reported depression (ab=.13, 95% CI [.02, .29]). The conditional indirect effect of family income was significant for children with annual family incomes between 25-50k (effect=.16, 95% CI [.01, .38]) and 75-100k (effect=.13, 95% CI [.001, .31]), but not for 100k+ (effect=.11, 95% CI [-.05, .33]).Conclusions:The present study revealed a significant, positive relationship between white matter integrity in the right ST and parent-reported depressive symptoms in healthy children and young adults. Finding extend on prior work implicating the ST in threat responsivity (Dzafic et al., 2019). Moreover,results suggest the role of the ST in the relationship between age and depression depends on level of family income, such that ST mFA explains more variance at lower income levels, and is no longer significant for children from families with income greater than 100k. These findings support the notion that environmental stressors (such as lower family income) may strengthen ST pathways via activity-dependent plasticity and repeated, coordinated activation (Rinaman et al., 2011). Future studies should examine these brain-behavior associations, as they may replicate in a larger sample, with more nuanced indicators of environmental stress.