Expressive and receptive fast-mapping in children with autism spectrum disorders and typical development: The influence of orienting cues

Typically developing toddlers accurately follow an adult's gaze learn object labels. However, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) mis-map new words to their own focus of attention. Children with ASD and typical development participated in three word learning conditions. In the follow-in condition, the adult labeled an object which was the focus of the child's attention. In the redirecting condition, the adult labeled an object which was the focus of their own attention. In the orienting cue condition, the adult used a verbal cue to attract the child's attention, then labeled an object which was the focus of their own attention. Typically developing children learned receptive labels in all conditions. Children with ASD mis-mapped words to their own focus of attention during redirecting trials, but showed a trend toward correct receptive mapping during orienting cue trials. During expressive trials, both groups were most likely to map successfully during follow-in trials and least likely to map successfully during redirecting trials. Using a verbal orienting cue may help children with ASD learn new words. Following a child's focus of attention may confer vocabulary learning benefits for both children with ASD and children with typical development during expressive vocabulary learning tasks.     

Broader Autism Phenotype and Nonverbal Sensitivity: Evidence for an Association in the General Population

This study examined the relationship between characteristics of the Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP) and nonverbal sensitivity, the ability to interpret nonverbal aspects of communication, in a non-clinical sample of college students. One hundred and two participants completed a self-report measure of the BAP, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), and two tests of nonverbal sensitivity, the Test of Nonverbal Cue Knowledge (TONCK), and the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy 2 (DANVA2). AQ score was correlated with TONCK performance and number of errors on the adult faces subtest of the DANVA2, but not adult paralanguage or postures. These findings suggest that characteristics of ASD in the general population are associated with differences in both explicit and implicit knowledge of nonverbal cues.     

The Broader Autism Phenotype and Friendships in Non-clinical Dyads

The broader autism phenotype (BAP) is a set of subclinical traits qualitatively similar to those observed in autism spectrum disorders. The current study sought to elucidate the association between self- and informant-reports of the BAP and friendships, in a non-clinical sample of college student dyads. Self-informant agreement of the BAP and friendship similarity was evaluated, and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to test how both friends’ BAP characteristics jointly and uniquely contribute to the experiences of friendships. Results suggest self-informant agreement about the BAP, friendship closeness, quality, and conflict. Actor effects were observed for the BAP and friendship values, quality, conflict, and loneliness. Findings suggest that the BAP relates in meaningful ways to self-perceptions of friendship variables in the general population.     

Development of an instrument to measure patient perception of the quality of nursing care.

Although patient satisfaction has been given considerable attention in health care, analysis of the conceptual and measurement limitations of existing measures indicates that a more elemental approach to obtaining patients' perspectives is warranted. In this investigation we developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to measure patients' perceptions of the degree to which their needs were met while hospitalized. This 15-item instrument, Patient Perception of Hospital Experience with Nursing (PPHEN), based on Swanson-Kauffman's framework of caring, is internally consistent and represents a single construct best described as feeling cared for. The relationship of PPHEN to other measures demonstrates concurrent validity; moreover, the scale is responsive to differences in care provided, as shown by differences in means for different hospitals. PPHEN offers a brief, theoretically oriented, internally consistent, and valid patient self-report measure of nursing care. It does not require patients to compare their expectations of care with the care received but only to evaluate whether their needs were met. It promises to be useful to clinical and health services researchers.     

Treatment of a female collegiate rower with costochondritis: a case report

Rib injuries are common in collegiate rowing. The purpose of this case report is to provide insight into examination, evaluation, and treatment of persistent costochondritis in an elite athlete as well as propose an explanation for chronic dysfunction. The case involved a 21 year old female collegiate rower with multiple episodes of costochondritis over a 1-year period of time. Symptoms were localized to the left third costosternal junction and bilaterally at the fourth costosternal junction with moderate swelling. Initial interventions were directed at the costosternal joint, but only mild, temporary relief of symptoms was attained. Reexamination findings included hypomobility of the upper thoracic spine, costovertebral joints, and lateral ribs. Interventions included postural exercises and manual therapies directed at the lateral and posterior rib structures to improve rib and thoracic spine mobility. Over a 3-week time period pain experienced throughout the day had subsided (visual analog scale – VAS 0/10). She was able to resume running and elliptical aerobic training with minimal discomfort (VAS 2/10) and began to reintegrate into collegiate rowing. Examination of the lateral ribs, cervical and thoracic spine should be part of the comprehensive evaluation of costochondritis. Addressing posterior hypomobility may have allowed for a more thorough recovery in this case study.