Emotional and Behavioral Adjustment in Typically Developing Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research findings describing the emotional and behavioral functioning of typically developing (TD) siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are contradictory. Methodological issues, such as small study sample sizes and reliance on parent report, may contribute to inconsistent findings. The purpose of this study was to use parent and teacher report to describe presence of internalizing and externalizing behaviors among a large sample (n = 486) of TD siblings of children with ASD. Results indicated that siblings did not exhibit a disproportionate prevalence of internalizing or externalizing symptoms in comparison to the standardization sample of the rating scale. The presence of a sibling with an ASD may not be considered a risk-factor for adjustment problems among TD siblings.     

Anxiety Disorders in Typically Developing Youth: Autism Spectrum Symptoms as a Predictor of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were assessed (Social Responsiveness Scale-Parent (SRS-P); coded in-session behavior) in typically-developing, anxiety-disordered children (N = 50) treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Study 1: children with moderate autistic symptomology (per SRS-P) were significantly more likely to improve from family CBT (FCBT) than individual CBT (ICBT; OR = 8.67). Coded behavior did not predict outcome. Study 2: CBT components were compared by treatment and ASD symptom status. At-home exposure completion was greater in FCBT and there was an interaction in child involvement for treatment and ASD status. Though both treatments reduced anxiety, FCBT outperformed ICBT for children with moderate ASD symptoms, a benefit potentially linked to more at-home exposures and greater child involvement in FCBT.     

A Comparison of the Development of Audiovisual Integration in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Typically Developing Children

This study aimed to investigate the development of audiovisual integration in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Audiovisual integration was measured using the McGurk effect in children with ASD aged 7–16 years and typically developing children (control group) matched approximately for age, sex, nonverbal ability and verbal ability. Results showed that the children with ASD were delayed in visual accuracy and audiovisual integration compared to the control group. However, in the audiovisual integration measure, children with ASD appeared to ‘catch-up’ with their typically developing peers at the older age ranges. The suggestion that children with ASD show a deficit in audiovisual integration which diminishes with age has clinical implications for those assessing and treating these children.     

Autism Spectrum Traits in Children with Anxiety Disorders

The aim of this study was to examine ASD traits in children with clinical anxiety in early development, as well as current manifestations. Parents of 42 children with an anxiety disorder (but no known diagnosis of ASD) and 42 typically developing children were interviewed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI-R). They also completed questionnaires that assessed child anxiety (SCARED-71) and children’s ASD symptoms. Results revealed that children with anxiety disorders had higher scores than typically developing children, for both ASD traits in early development as well as current ASD symptoms. A specific association was found between symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder and ASD traits early in life. Findings are considered in terms of clinical implications, and limitations are discussed.     

How Do Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Affect Motor Competence in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Typically Developing Children: A Pilot Study

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Older children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have high levels of motor impairment, however we are unsure if similar patterns exist in young...     

Exploring the Manifestations of Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study explores the manifestation and measurement of anxiety symptoms in 415 children with ASDs on a 20-item, parent-rated, DSM-IV referenced anxiety scale. In both high and low-functioning children (IQ above vs. below 70), commonly endorsed items assessed restlessness, tension and sleep difficulties. Items requiring verbal expression of worry by the child were rarely endorsed. Higher anxiety was associated with functional language, IQ above 70 and higher scores on several other behavioral measures. Four underlying factors emerged: Generalized Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Social Anxiety and Over-arousal. Our findings extend our understanding of anxiety across IQ in ASD and provide guidance for improving anxiety outcome measurement.     

Brief Report: Additive and Subtractive Counterfactual Reasoning of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

The development of additive (‘If only I had done…’) and subtractive (‘If only I had not done….’) counterfactual reasoning was examined in children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD) (n = 72) and typically developing controls (n = 71), aged 6–12 years. Children were presented four stories where they could generate counterfactuals based on a given consequent (e.g., ‘you left muddy footprints in the kitchen. How could that have been prevented?’). Children with HFASD increasingly used subtractive counterfactuals as they got older, but controls showed an increase in additive counterfactuals, which may be linked to their growing adaptive and flexible skills. Children with HFASD likely develop different strategies for their counterfactual reasoning. The role of IQ and ideational fluency will be discussed.     

Treating Anxiety Disorders in Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Controlled Trial

A family-based, cognitive behavioural treatment for anxiety in 47 children with comorbid anxiety disorders and High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFA) was evaluated. Treatment involved 12 weekly group sessions and was compared with a waiting list condition. Changes between pre- and post-treatment were examined using clinical interviews as well as child-, parent- and teacher-report measures. Following treatment, 71.4% of the treated participants no longer fulfilled diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder. Comparisons between the two conditions indicated significant reductions in anxiety symptoms as measured by self-report, parent report and teacher report. Discussion focuses on the implications for the use of cognitive behaviour therapy with HFA children, for theory of mind research and for further research on the treatment components.     

Effectiveness of a Manualized Summer Social Treatment Program for High-Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This paper presents findings from the final two years of a four-year study investigating a manualized social treatment program for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders. The study sought to (1) replicate and expand findings from years one and two; (2) compare outcomes of participants who received response-cost feedback versus non-categorical feedback; and (3) provide further evidence of program feasibility. Results indicated significant improvements in social skills and problem behaviors, however no significant differences for face emotion recognition. Measures of several socially-related behaviors yielded mixed results based on rater. While parent ratings did not appear to favor one feedback format, staff ratings appeared to favor the response-cost format on some measures. Results also provided support for program feasibility.     

Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism: An Investigation of Comorbid Anxiety and Depression

Adolescents with high-functioning autism (HFA) possess core social and pragmatic deficits, which interfere with normal relationship development. At a time when friendships are increasingly important, many adolescents with HFA realize they are different from their peers. Initial research has indicated that adolescence is the time when symptoms of anxiety and depression are most likely to develop. The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge about anxiety and depression in HFA through focusing on the adolescent development period and obtaining assessment information from multiple sources. Results indicate that adolescents reported elevated levels of social anxiety, separation panic, and anhedonia compared with normative samples. Parents and teachers reported that adolescents experienced significant overall anxiety and depressive symptomatology compared with the normative samples. Manifestations of HFA were associated with higher levels of anxiety as reported by parents. Results bring into question the validity of self-report scales for adolescents with HFA in the ability to accurately self-report and in the measures’ capacity to differentiate between internalizing symptoms and core HFA behaviors.     

A Screening Questionnaire for Asperger Syndrome and Other High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders in School Age Children

The high-functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) is a 27-item checklist for completion by lay informants when assessing symptoms characteristic of Asperger syndrome and other high-functioning autism spectrum disorders in children and adolescents with normal intelligence or mild mental retardation. Data for parent and teacher ratings in a clinical sample are presented along with various measures of reliability and validity. Optimal cutoff scores were estimated, using Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis. Findings indicate that the ASSQ is a useful brief screening device for the identification of autism spectrum disorders in clinical settings.     

Patterns and Predictors of Anxiety Among Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of anxiety among siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and determine the characteristics of the child with ASD and their parents that predicted anxiety. Data was collected from 1,755 siblings of children with ASD whose families participated in the Simons Simplex Collection; siblings ranged in age from 3 to 18 years (M = 9 years). Male siblings were at increased risk for sub-clinical anxiety problems during middle childhood. Parental history of anxiety disorders, higher maternal pragmatic language, and more proband behavior problems predicted higher anxiety. While siblings overall did not show elevated anxiety symptoms, higher rates of sub-clinical anxiety problems among males and siblings in middle childhood are cause for concern.     

Feeding and Eating Behaviors in Children with Autism and Typically Developing Children

Mothers of children aged 2–12 years completed an exhaustive questionnaire assessing feeding and eating behaviors for both themselves and their children with autism, and typically developing siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (where available), or typically developing children with no sibling with a disability. Results indicate that children with autism were only marginally more likely to exhibit picky eating behavior (overall style) than their siblings or matched typically developing children. Rates of ritualistic feeding behaviors were equivalent in all groups of children although children with autism were more likely to be currently exhibiting problematic eating and feeding behaviors. The implications of these results for the treatment of feeding difficulties exhibited by children with autism will be discussed.

Perception of Pointing from Biological Motion Point-Light Displays in Typically Developing Children and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

We examined whether the movement involved in a pointing gesture, depicted using point-light displays, is sufficient to cue attention in typically developing children (TD) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (aged 8–11 years). Using a Posner-type paradigm, a centrally located display indicated the location of a forthcoming target on 80 % of trials and the opposite location on 20 % of trials. TD children, but not children with ASD, were faster to identify a validly cued target than an invalidly cued target. A scrambled version of the point-light pointing gesture, retaining individual dot speed and direction of movement but not the configuration, produced no validity effect in either group. A video of a pointing gesture produced validity effects in both groups.     

Mathematical Word Problem Solving Ability of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Typically Developing Peers

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - This study examined the difference between children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children with typical development (TD) in mathematical...     

Discriminant and Convergent Validity of the Anxiety Construct in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Despite reports of high anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), there is controversy regarding differential diagnosis of ASD symptoms and anxiety symptoms. This study examined 88 children, aged 7–11 years, with ASD referred for concerns about anxiety. A multitrait-(social anxiety, separation anxiety, overall anxiety severity, and overall ASD severity), multimethod-(diagnostic interviews, parent-, and child-based measures) analysis was conducted. Results from structural equation modeling suggest statistical discrimination between anxiety and ASD severity and convergence among differing reports of two of the anxiety subdomains (separation anxiety and overall anxiety). These findings suggest that anxiety symptoms experienced by children with ASD are separate from ASD symptom severity and may instead reflect anxiety syndromes (e.g., separation anxiety) similar to those that occur in typically developing children.