Stress in mothers of children with autism: Trait mindfulness as a protective factor

Mindfulness-based interventions may reduce parents’ stress and improve parent–child relationships. Given the chronic nature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its influence on parents’ stress, interventions to promote mindfulness may be especially helpful for parents of children with ASD. Prior to undertaking intervention development, it is first necessary to establish the relationship between mindfulness and stress, as other factors like child behavioral difficulties may overshadow the mother's regulation strategies. In a sample of mothers of children with ASD (n = 67) and a comparison sample of mothers without ASD (n = 87), mindfulness was significantly associated with the level of maternal stress above and beyond child behavior problems (non-ASD: β = −.232; F(1, 64) = 15.749, p < .000; ASD: β = −.206; F(1, 84) = 15.576, p < .000). Results suggest that interventions to promote mindfulness may be helpful in reducing parenting stress among mothers of children with ASD, as well as mothers of typically developing children. Due to the chronic nature of ASD, such interventions may be particularly applicable.     

Students with autism spectrum disorder in college: Results from a preliminary mixed methods needs analysis

BackgroundThere is a growing call for empirically based programming to support the success of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they transition to college.AimsThe purpose of this study was to identify the needs and challenges faced by adolescents and young adults with ASD in postsecondary education.MethodsA mixed methods approach was taken to explore the needs of college-bound and college-enrolled students with ASD. Primary stakeholders (i.e., parents, educators/support staff from secondary and postsecondary institutions, and students) participated in an online survey (n = 67) and focus groups (n = 15).ResultsAcross the stakeholder groups, commonly identified areas of difficulty included limited interpersonal competence, managing competing demands in postsecondary education, and poor emotional regulation. There was a high degree of agreement across stakeholders in the identified needs and challenges.ImplicationsFindings from this preliminary needs analysis will inform the development of programming to support students with ASD.     

A comparative study of sensory processing in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder in the home and classroom environments

Sensory processing and higher integrative functions impairments are highly prevalent in children with ASD. Context should be considered in analyzing the sensory profile and higher integrative functions. The main objective of this study is to compare sensory processing, social participation and praxis in a group of 79 children (65 males and 14 females) from 5 to 8 years of age (M = 6.09) divided into two groups: ASD Group (n = 41) and Comparison Group (n = 38). The Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) was used to evaluate the sensory profile of the children: parents reported information about their children's characteristics in the home environment, and teachers reported information about the same characteristics in the classroom environment. The ASD Group obtained scores that indicate higher levels of dysfunction on all the assessed measures in both environments, with the greatest differences obtained on the social participation and praxis variables. The most affected sensory modalities in the ASD Group were hearing and touch. Only in the ASD Group were significant differences found between the information reported by parents and what was reported by teachers: specifically, the teachers reported greater dysfunction than the parents in social participation (p = .000), touch (p = .003) and praxis (p = .010). These results suggest that the context-specific qualities found in children with ASD point out the need to receive information from both parents and teachers during the sensory profile assessment process, and use context-specific assessments.     

Brief report: Parent-guided movements during play with children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate social and communication impairments from an early age. While researchers have long investigated parenting behaviors in relation to children’s social and communication development, fewer studies have examined the relevance of movement-based parenting behaviors to facilitating communication and social engagement with young children. The present study aimed to investigate: (1) parent-guided movements (PGMs) within dyads of parents and typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD; and (2) children’s ASD diagnostic and receptive language scores as predictors of PGM frequency.MethodVideo-recorded play interactions of 33 TD dyads (mean age: 20.4 months) and 31 dyads with ASD (mean age: 32.6 months) were matched on child’s expressive language. Data were obtained from a longitudinal study on developmental language trajectories in ASD and coded for PGMs.ResultsOverall, parents of children with ASD initiated PGMs more frequently than parents of TD children during play (U = 269.00, z = − 3.58, p < 0.001). PGM frequency was predicted by children’s ADOS scores (X² = 5.46, p = 0.02, OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.04, 1.54]) and receptive language (X² = 4.15, p = 0.04, OR = 5.43, 95% CI [1.10, 27.67]).ConclusionsFindings suggest that parents of children with ASD and low receptive language may utilize more movement-based strategies to compensate for their children’s impaired social engagement and verbal comprehension. This study offers insight on a particular movement-based modality characterizing ASD dyads that can be used as a measure in parent-mediated interventions.     

A pilot randomised controlled trial of a group based social skills intervention for adults with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundSocial skills training is commonly used for children and adolescents with ASD. There are few studies considering its efficacy in adults and those that exist usually compare it to standard treatment, as opposed to controlling for non-specific improvements that may result from receiving an intervention. We conducted a pilot study to investigate whether social skills training is more effective than non-specific support for adults with ASD.Methods19 adults with ASD were randomised to either social skills training or non-specific social interaction groups for 16 weeks. The Reading the Mind in the Eyes and Reading the Mind in the Voice Tasks were used to assess social cognition while the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) and the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS-S) were used to measure real-life change pre- and post-treatment.ResultsTaken together, both groups improved across the course of the study on the ‘Eyes’ task (p = 0.049), SRS-2 (p = 0.03) and WFIRS-S (p = 0.053). However, there were no significant differences between the groups. There was some trend-level evidence that the social skills group improved more on the tests of social cognition (p ≤ 0.1 for group x time interaction). This was not the case for the SRS-2 (p = 0.25) and for the WFIRS-S there was a trend for the social interaction group to show greater improvements (p = 0.07).ConclusionsThis study did not show clear evidence of benefit from social skills training compared to facilitated social interaction, although larger studies are required to draw firm conclusions about efficacy.     

Group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for social interaction anxiety in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

BackgroundGroup social skills interventions (SSI) are partially effective for addressing the communication and social interaction impairments experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Social anxiety has been found to be a moderating mechanism for SSI in young people with ASD. Comparatively few studies have investigated the effectiveness of SSI in the adult ASD population, and none so far have investigated group approaches incorporating SSI and anxiety management techniques.MethodThe present study describes the design and evaluation of a non-randomised single-arm, 11 week group interaction anxiety and social skills intervention, piloted on three occasions during routine clinical practice at an adult ASD service. The intervention was informed by a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) framework. Eighteen cognitively-able adult males with ASD attended. Outcome measures were completed pre- and post-intervention.ResultsSelf-reported social anxiety improved (p = 0.01, d = 0.65). Low mood, general anxiety and functioning did not change significantly (p > 0.05, d < 0.20). Qualitative feedback indicated that participants found the intervention to be acceptable and useful for improving social knowledge and coping strategies, and reducing avoidance behaviours. Attrition was low (n = 2).ConclusionsThese results suggest that integrating SSI and anxiety management techniques in a group format is acceptable to adults with ASD, and can reduce symptoms of social anxiety. Whether SSI enhance social skills in adults requires further investigation. In clinical practice, consideration should be given to augmenting SSI with CBT techniques designed to target concurrent symptoms of social anxiety.     

Evaluation of Recruitment Strategies for Home-Living Vulnerable Older Adults With Depression: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Psychotherapy Trial

ObjectiveVulnerable older adults, such as physically impaired or care-dependent individuals, are vastly underrepresented in psychotherapy research. Improving their inclusion in randomized controlled trials is necessary to determine the effectiveness of psychotherapy in this population. This study is the first to systematically evaluate strategies to recruit home-living vulnerable older adults with clinically significant depression into a large randomized controlled psychotherapy trial. Potential participants were approached directly (self-referral) or via cooperation with gatekeepers (gatekeeper-referral).MethodsSuccessful recruitment strategies and the person initiating the first contact with the study team were recorded. Recruitment strategies were compared with respect to the number of inquiries and inclusion rates, study personnel's time investment, and participant characteristics (sociodemographics, functional and cognitive status, depression and anxiety scores).ResultsMost of the N = 197 participants were included via gatekeeper-referral (80.5%, 95% confidence interval = [74.9, 86.1]), but time investment for gatekeeper-referrals was five times higher than for self-referral by media reports. Clinical psychologists and medical practitioners referred the largest proportion of participants (32.3% each) and referral by medical practitioners led to highest inclusion rates (55.6%; χ²(3) = 8.964, p <0.05). Most participants were referred from a hospital setting (50.3%), whereas referral numbers by medical practices were low (15.9%). Participants who initiated the first contact themselves had higher inclusion rates and were less functionally impaired.ConclusionIncluding home-living vulnerable older adults into psychotherapy trials requires simultaneous implementation of diverse recruitment strategies. Medical practitioners and psychologists, especially in hospitals, are the most effective recruitment strategy, but self-referral via media is most cost-efficient in terms of time investment.     

Modulation of motor cortical excitability by continuous theta-burst stimulation in adults with autism spectrum disorder

ObjectiveTo test whether change in motor evoked potential (ΔMEP) induced by continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) of motor cortex (M1) distinguishes adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from neurotypicals, and to explore the contribution of two common polymorphisms related to neuroplasticity.Methods44 adult neurotypical (NT) participants (age 21–65, 34 males) and 19 adults with ASD (age 21–58, 17 males) prospectively underwent M1 cTBS. Their data were combined with previously obtained results from 35 NT and 35 ASD adults.ResultsΔMEP at 15 minutes post-cTBS (T15) was a significant predictor of diagnosis (p = 0.04) in the present sample (n=63). T15 remained a significant predictor in a larger sample (n=91) and when partially imputed based on T10–T20 from a yet-greater sample (N=133). T15 also remained a significant predictor of diagnosis among brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Met+ and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4− subjects (p’s < 0.05), but not among Met− or ε4+ subjects (p’s > 0.19).ConclusionsΔMEP at T15 post-cTBS is a significant biomarker for adults with ASD, and its utility is modulated by BDNF and APOE polymorphisms.SignificanceM1 cTBS response is a physiologic biomarker for adults with ASD in large samples, and controlling for BDNF and APOE polymorphisms can improve its diagnostic utility.     

Autistic characteristics in adults with epilepsy

IntroductionThe reported prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in people with epilepsy ranges from 15% to 47%. Despite the high comorbidity, there has been a lack of systematic studies of autistic characteristics in epilepsy. Little is known about the relationship of epilepsy to the core characteristics of autism. The aim of this research was to measure autistic traits and characteristics in adults with epilepsy who do not have a diagnosis of any autism disorder.MethodWe investigated autistic characteristics in adults with epilepsy and those without epilepsy employing the Autism Spectrum Quotient (group with epilepsy, n = 40; control group, n = 38) and systemizing and empathizing abilities employing the Intuitive Physics test and the Adult Eyes Task—Revised (group with epilepsy, n = 19; control group, n = 23).ResultsSignificantly more autistic behavioral traits, as measured by the AQ, were related to having epilepsy, but intact systemizing and empathizing abilities in these adults suggest that, in adults with epilepsy, autism-like symptoms may be present in the absence of wider cognitive profiles characteristic of autism.ConclusionIncreased autistic characteristics found in adults with epilepsy without an ASD diagnosis suggest that epilepsy syndromes may incorporate behavioral aspects of autism in the absence of some of its core cognitive features.     

Pragmatic Inferences in High-Functioning Adults with Autism and Asperger Syndrome

Although people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have severe problems with pragmatic aspects of language, little is known about their pragmatic reasoning. We carried out a behavioral study on high-functioning adults with autistic disorder (n = 11) and Asperger syndrome (n = 17) and matched controls (n = 28) to investigate whether they are capable of deriving scalar implicatures, which are generally considered to be pragmatic inferences. Participants were presented with underinformative sentences like “Some sparrows are birds”. This sentence is logically true, but pragmatically inappropriate if the scalar implicature “Not all sparrows are birds” is derived. The present findings indicate that the combined ASD group was just as likely as controls to derive scalar implicatures, yet there was a difference between participants with autistic disorder and Asperger syndrome, suggesting a potential differentiation between these disorders in pragmatic reasoning. Moreover, our results suggest that verbal intelligence is a constraint for task performance in autistic disorder but not in Asperger syndrome.

Increased intra-subject variability of neural activity during speech production in people with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundCommunication difficulties are a core deficit in many people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study evaluated neural activation in participants with ASD and neurotypical (NT) controls during a speech production task.MethodsNeural activities of participants with ASD (N = 15, M = 16.7 years, language abilities ranged from low verbal abilities to verbally fluent) and NT controls (N = 12, M = 17.1 years) was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging with a sparse-sampling paradigm.ResultsThere were no differences between the ASD and NT groups in average speech activation or inter-subject run-to-run variability in speech activation. Intra-subject run-to-run neural variability was greater in the ASD group and was positively correlated with autism severity in cortical areas associated with speech.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of understanding intra-subject neural variability in participants with ASD.     

Psychometric properties of the French Version of the Social Responsiveness Scale in autism spectrum disorder with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

ObjectivesThe Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) is an instrument that is commonly used to screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) frequently occurs with ASD and both disorders share some phenotypic similarities. In the present study, we aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the French version of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and its 5 subscales (social awareness, social cognition, social communication, social motivation, and autistic mannerisms) to discriminate between children with ADHD and those with ASD (differential diagnosis) and children with ADHD from those with a dual diagnosis of ADHD and ASD (comorbid diagnosis).MethodSRS total scores and the 5 subscores of the SRS were compared between 4 groups of children: ADHD (n = 32), ASD + ADHD (n = 30), ASD (n = 31) and typical neurodevelopment (TD; n = 30) children. The discriminant validity was estimated using the Area Under the ROC Curves (AUC).ResultsSRS Social cognition (AUC = 0.73) and Autistic mannerisms (AUC = 0.70) subscores were the most discriminating for differential diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. SRS total scores (AUC = 0.70), and Social communication (AUC = 0.66) and Autistic mannerisms (AUC = 0.75) subscores were the most discriminating for comorbid diagnosis of ASD among ADHD children.ConclusionThe SRS autistic mannerisms subscore was found to be clinically relevant for both differential diagnosis of ASD and ADHD and comorbid diagnoses of ASD among ADHD children but with a modest discriminant power.     

Treatment of Executive Function Deficits in autism spectrum disorder with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: A double-blind,sham-controlled,pilot trial

BackgroundIn youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), executive function (EF) deficits may be a promising treatment target with potential impact on everyday functioning.ObjectiveTo conduct a pilot randomized, double-blind, parallel, controlled trial evaluating repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for EF deficits in ASD.MethodIn Toronto, Ontario (November 2014 to June 2017), a 20-session, 4-week course of 20 Hz rTMS targeting dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (90%RMT) was compared to sham stimulation in 16–35 year-olds with ASD (28 male/12 female), without intellectual disability, who had impaired everyday EF performance (n = 20 active/n = 20 sham). Outcome measures evaluated protocol feasibility and clinical effects of active vs. sham rTMS on EF performance. The moderating effect of baseline functioning was explored.ResultsOf eligible participants, 95% were enrolled and 95% of randomized participants completed the protocol. Adverse events across treatment arms were mild-to-moderate. There was no significant difference between active vs. sham rTMS on EF performance. Baseline adaptive functioning moderated the effect of rTMS, such that participants with lower baseline functioning experienced significant EF improvement in the active vs. sham group.ConclusionsOur pilot RCT demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of using high frequency rTMS targeting DLPFC in youth and young adults with autism. No evidence for efficacy of active versus sham rTMS on EF performance was found. However, we found promising preliminary evidence of EF performance improvement following active versus sham rTMS in participants with ASD with more severe adaptive functioning deficits. Future work could focus on examining efficacy of rTMS in this higher-need population.Clinical trial registrationRepetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for Executive Function Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Effects on Brain Structure: A Pilot Study; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02311751?term = ameis&rank = 1; NCT02311751. The trial was funded by: an American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Pilot Research Award, the Innovation Fund from the Alternate Funding Plan of the Academic Health Sciences Centres of Ontario, and an Ontario Mental Health Foundation (OMHF) Project A Grant and New Investigator Fellowship.     

Autism spectrum disorder among first-visit depressed adult patients: diagnostic clues from backgrounds and past history

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to extract discriminating indicators for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from personal backgrounds and past history among depressed adult outpatients.MethodsSubjects were 430 depressed adults, consisting of patients with ASD (n= 70) and those without ASD (n= 360). Group comparison and discriminant analysis was conducted with regard to backgrounds (age, gender, education, marriage, living alone, physical diseases and family history of mood disorders) and past history (school non-attendance, bullied experience, psychotic-like experiences, conduct problems, suicide-related behaviors and interpersonal friction).ResultsSix discriminating indicators (interpersonal friction, bullied experience, psychotic-like experiences, age under 32 years, school non-attendance and university educational level) were identified by stepwise discriminant analysis (P< .001). Absence of the first 4 indicators almost excluded ASD diagnosis with the highest negative predictive value (98%) and the least negative likelihood ratio (0.11) whereas one or more out of these 4 indicators showed low positive predictive value (32%) despite high sensitivity (93%).ConclusionsThe abovementioned 4 indicators may be useful clues to cover possible ASD subjects among depressed adults although further detailed ASD focused diagnostic procedure is absolutely necessary to specify true ASD subjects. Meanwhile, absence of these 4 indicators is probably helpful to rule out ASD diagnosis.     

Reading enhancements for students with autism spectrum disorder: A matched randomized pilot experimental study

BackgroundFor students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), improving reading comprehension is critical for increasing both their opportunities for successful postsecondary experiences including attending college and obtaining meaningful employment. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of a multicomponent reading intervention on the vocabulary and reading outcomes of middle grade students with ASD.MethodWe conducted a matched randomized pilot experimental study for students with ASD in grades 3–8 (N = 28) identified by their district personnel as having reading difficulties (i.e., not passing state reading test). An independent researcher matched participants according to symptom severity and reading fluency and then randomly assigned a member of each pair to treatment or comparison condition. Participants in treatment condition were provided 1:1 instruction for 23–30 sessions (M = 27) of 30 min each four to five days per week. Instructional components included (a) vocabulary instruction; (b) fluency with text, and (c) reading comprehension. In this pilot study, data were analyzed using repeated measures multilevel models in HLM 7. Due to the associated low statistical power to detect effects, the small sample size, and the exploratory nature of the study, we selected an alpha level of 0.10. Data were modeled as student-level variables classifying students based on their ASD symptomology from mild (level 1) to severe (level 3).ResultsThe multicomponent intervention was associated with significant gains in WJ-PC scores of 22.62 (se = 8.19, df = 3, p = .070) for students at GARS severity level 1. Significant gains favoring the intervention were also detected on vocabulary score of 10.19 (se = 2.78, df = 3, p = .035) and for students rated at GARS severity level 1 and for students rated at GARS severity level 2 [vocabulary score 5.46 (se = 1.60, df = 3, p = .042)]. Significant effects were not detected for scores on a standardized measure of reading and fluency (TOSREC), and a researcher-developed measure of reading comprehension.ConclusionsThis pilot study shows enough promise to warrant future studies employing larger sample sizes and fully powered randomized control trial (RCT) studies. Although growth is modest and appears to be limited to participants who are in the mid to higher range of the autism spectrum, considering the large percentage of students with ASD in the mid to higher range, this study contributes to the development of evidence-based practices. We interpret the findings as having implications for future research with larger sample sizes and in providing initial guidance on instruction for consideration by practitioners.     

Death concerns and psychological well-being in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder

PurposeUtilizing a terror management theory perspective, the present research examined whether having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with underlying cognitions and explicit worries about death, and their roles in psychological well-being.Method147 mothers of children with ASD (n = 74) and typically developing children (n = 73) completed a fear of death scale, as well as measures of death-thought accessibility, positive and negative affect, depression, and anxiety.ResultsFollowing previous research, mothers of children with ASD reported worse psychological health. Additionally, they evidenced greater death-thought accessibility compared to mothers of typically developing children, but did not differ in explicit worries about mortality. Greater death-thought accessibility, in turn, mediated the influence of ASD diagnosis on negative affect, depression, and anxiety.ConclusionThe current study offers an initial understanding of the association between mortality concerns and psychological health for mothers of children with ASD. Further, it underscores the importance of health care providers’ efforts to attend to, and educate parents about, their thoughts of mortality, even if the parent does not acknowledge such concerns.What this paper addsThe present study examined the impact of both implicit and explicit worries about death in parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Specifically, we were able to demonstrate that increased death-thought accessibility among mothers of children with ASD was associated with worse psychological health. While it is possible for parents of children with ASD to report conscious worries about death, there were no observed differences on this measure. As far as we know, this work is the first to empirically examine the prevalence of mortality-related concerns in this population and the subsequent effects of death-thought accessibility on psychological health. This is an important avenue of research as parents of children with ASD may experience greater worries about leaving their children upon death with no one to care for them, or to leave their children in the care of individuals who may not understand their son or daughter's unique needs. Additionally, the current findings highlight the importance of addressing mortality-related concerns, even when they may not be explicitly recognized, among parents of children with ASD. Given the effectiveness of parent education programs for children with ASD, a primary avenue for intervention may be education. Training care providers in ways to better discuss thoughts of death may help to alleviate stress and foster greater psychological well-being.     

Web-based therapist-assisted cognitive behavioral treatment of panic symptoms: A randomized controlled trial with a three-year follow-up

BackgroundInternet-delivered treatment may reduce barriers to care in those unwilling or unable to access traditional forms of treatment.ObjectiveTo assesses the efficacy of web-based therapist-assisted cognitive behavioral treatment (web-CBT) of panic symptoms.DesignA randomized waiting-list controlled trial with an uncontrolled three-year follow-up.ParticipantsA community sample of 58 participants with chronic panic symptoms of varying severity (immediate treatment: n = 27, waiting-list control: n = 31).Outcome measuresThe primary outcome measures were a one-week Panic Diary and the Panic Disorder Severity Scale – Self-Report (PDSS-SR); secondary measures were the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), the Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ), the Mobility Inventory – Alone subscale (MI-AAL), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42).ResultsIn the RCT, 54 participants (93%) completed posttest measurements. With regard to the primary outcome measures, intention-to-treat ANCOVAs revealed that participants in the treatment condition improved more than the participants in the waiting-list control condition (p < .03), with a pooled between-group effect size of d = .7. After three years (n = 47; 81% study compliance), effects were more pronounced.ConclusionThe results demonstrate the efficacy of therapist-assisted web-CBT in the treatment of panic symptoms.     

Atypical autonomic nervous system complexity accompanies social cognition task performance in ASD

BackgroundEmerging evidence suggests that autonomic nervous system (ANS) function is affected in ASD. Existing literature has focused on quantifying the activity of ANS components (i.e. sympathetic/parasympathetic systems) individually. To this end, measures such as respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and high- and low-frequency spectral components of heart rate variability have been employed. Recent findings indicate that these methods employ assumptions that do not fully consider the complexity of the ANS system and the interaction of its components. To this end, we propose a new method for examining ANS function in ASD.MethodsA sample of typically developing (TD) children (n = 34) and children with ASD (n = 45) performed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (RMET), preceded and followed by periods of baseline movie-watching. Multiscale Entropy (MSE) was employed as a new tool to examine the complexity of the cardiac signal.ResultsSignificant group differences in MSE emerged to suggest atypicality in the regularity of the autonomic signal at short and long time scales in the ASD group during the RMET task.ConclusionsFor the RMET task, our results may suggest atypical activation of parasympathetic influences on the heart, which contributes to short-term patterns in the heartbeat signal, as well as atypicalities in the slower acting processes. Results also suggest that the coupling between the fast-acting and slow-acting influences may be atypical in ASD during the examined social cognition task.     

A comparison of family financial and employment impacts of fragile X syndrome,autism spectrum disorders,and intellectual disability

This study compares the family financial and employment impacts of having a child with fragile X syndrome (FXS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or intellectual disabilities (ID). Data from a 2011 national survey of families of children with FXS were matched with data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs 2009–2010 to form four analytic groups: children with FXS (n = 189), children with special health care needs with ASD only (n = 185), ID only (n = 177), or both ASD and ID (n = 178). Comparable percentages of parents of children with FXS (60%) and parents of children with both ASD and ID (52%) reported that their families experienced a financial burden as a result of the condition, both of which were higher than the percentages of parents of children with ASD only (39%) or ID only (29%). Comparable percentages of parents of children with FXS (40%) and parents of children with both ASD and ID (46%) reported quitting employment because of the condition, both of which were higher than the percentages of parents of children with ID only (25%) or ASD only (25%). In multivariate analyses controlling for co-occurring conditions and functional difficulties and stratified by age, adjusted odds ratios for the FXS group aged 12–17 years were significantly elevated for financial burden (2.73, 95% CI 1.29–5.77), quitting employment (2.58, 95% CI 1.18–5.65) and reduced hours of work (4.34, 95% CI 2.08–9.06) relative to children with ASD only. Among children aged 5–11 years, the adjusted odds ratios for the FXS group were elevated but statistically insignificant for financial burden (1.63, 95% CI 0.85–3.14) and reducing hours of work (1.34, 95% CI 0.68–2.63) relative to children with ASD only. Regardless of condition, co-occurring anxiety or seizures, limits in thinking, reasoning, or learning ability, and more irritability were significantly associated with more caregiver financial and employment impacts. Proper management of anxiety or seizures and functional difficulties of children with FXS or other developmental disabilities may be important in alleviating adverse family caregiver impacts.     

Social perception in people with eating disorders

ObjectiveSocial perception is a key aspect of social cognition which has so far not been investigated in eating disorders (ED). This study aimed to investigate social perception in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN).MethodsOutpatients with AN (restricting subtype [AN-R]: n = 51; binge-purge subtype [AN-BP]: n = 26) or BN (n = 57) and 50 healthy control (HC) participants completed the Interpersonal Perception Task (IPT-15). This is an ecologically valid task, which consists of 15 video clips, depicting complex social situations relating to intimacy, status, kinship, competition and deception. The participants have to assess relationships between protagonists’ based on non-verbal cues.ResultsOverall, there was no difference between groups on the IPT total score and subscale scores. Group differences on the Intimacy subscale approached significance so post hoc comparisons were carried out. HCs performed significantly better than AN-R participants in determining the degree of intimacy between others.ConclusionsSocial perception is largely preserved in ED patients. Individuals with AN-R show impairments in identifying intimacy in social situations, this may be due to the lack of relationship experience. Further research into different aspects of social cognition is required to establish the link between interpersonal difficulties and ED psychopathology.