Article
Pediatrics
N. Sunil Kumar, Prahbhjot Malhi, Bhavneet Bharti, Lokesh Saini
Summary: This study compared the frequency of repetitive behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorder, developmentally delayed children, and typically developing children. Results showed that children with ASD had significantly higher total scores and number of endorsed items on the Repetitive Behaviors Scale-Revised (RBS-R).
INDIAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Huilin Dai, Xiaowei He, Lijun Chen, Chan Yin
Summary: This study investigated the similarities and differences in the production of Chinese negative sentences by children with DLD and children with HFA-LI. The results showed that both groups faced similar difficulties in language expression, particularly in feature agreement. However, slight differences were also detected between the two groups.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anna L. Farmer, Mark H. Lewis
Summary: Restricted repetitive behaviors (RRB) are common in clinical populations, including autism spectrum disorder. Animal studies have shown that these behaviors can be reduced by rearing in enriched environments (EE). This review summarizes the current knowledge of the relationship between EE and RRB, discusses potential mechanisms for EE's attenuation of RRB, and highlights gaps in the literature and future directions.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Hannah Edwards, Sarah Wright, Cora Sargeant, Samuele Cortese, Henry Wood-Downie
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses to investigate sex differences in narrow construct measures of restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBIs) in autistic individuals. The findings showed significant differences in stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests between autistic males and females, but no significant differences in sensory experiences and insistence on sameness.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anjana N. Bhat
Summary: The study found a high prevalence of motor impairment risk in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which increased with severity of social communication, repetitive behavior, cognitive, and functional impairments. Recognizing motor impairments as part of the diagnostic criteria for ASD is crucial, and appropriate screening, assessment, and interventions for motor function in children with ASD are necessary.
Article
Psychiatry
Sara Jasim, Adrienne Perry
Summary: This study aimed to explore the presence of specific RRBI subtypes in autistic individuals and examine their association with symptoms of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The results revealed differences in RRBI subtypes based on age and cognitive level, and these subtypes were significantly related to internalizing and externalizing behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of considering specific RRBI subtypes and co-occurring mental health problems when assessing for ASD and designing individualized interventions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander C. Wilson, Dorothy V. M. Bishop
Summary: Social communication difficulties are a key feature of autism, and this study aimed to explore the hypothesis that autistic adults have reduced confidence in making inferences. However, the results did not support this hypothesis, as both accuracy and confidence were reduced to a similar extent in the autistic group compared to the control group. Moreover, these differences were specific to inference-making and not observed in the grammar test. The study also found a relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, performance on the test of implied meaning, and self-reported social communication challenges, suggesting that discomfort with uncertainty plays a role in pragmatic language and communication difficulties in autism.
Article
Education, Special
Victoria Perry, Katherine Ellis, Jo Moss, Sarah R. Beck, Gursharan Singla, Hayley Crawford, Jane Waite, Caroline Richards, Chris Oliver
Summary: This study describes the behavioral profiles of individuals with Cornelia de Lange (CdLS), fragile X (FXS), Rubinstein-Taybi syndromes (RTS), and autism (AUT), and explores the relationship between executive function behaviors and autistic traits. The results show impairments in executive function behaviors in all groups, with differences in the manifestation of repetitive behaviors and restricted interests between syndrome groups and the AUT group.
RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Emily Spackman, Luke Smillie, Thomas W. Frazier, Antonio Y. Hardan, Gail A. Alvares, Andrew Whitehouse, Mirko Uljarevic
Summary: The study explores the characteristics of restricted interests (RI) and unusual interests (UI) in autistic children and adolescents, and their associations with age, sex, IQ, and social motivation. The findings suggest that RI and UI have distinct patterns of association and should be studied independently in future research.
Article
Education, Special
E. Collis, J. Gavin, A. Russell, M. Brosnan
Summary: This study investigates the restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) in autistic adults. The findings suggest that the distinction between higher-order and lower-order RRB is not reflected in lived experiences. RRB expression is partly under voluntary control, and it can have both positive and negative impacts. Negative evaluations from others can lead to strategies to minimize RRB, but this can be stressful for individuals.
RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Wanyun Lin, Yiong Huak Chan, Jennifer S. H. Kiing, Tammy S. H. Lim, Shang Chee Chong, Ying Qi Kang, Ramkumar Aishworiya, Kalyani Vijayakumar Mulay, Mae Yue Tan
Summary: The study examined the relationship between restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (RRBs) and cognition and adaptive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in an Asian setting. The findings showed that the severity of RRBs was negatively correlated with cognition and adaptive functioning measures in children with ASD.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yu-Chiao Wang, Chin-Hao Chen, Cheng-Yi Yang, Pin Ling, Kuei-Sen Hsu
Summary: This study found that a high-fat diet (HFD) worsened the autistic-like phenotypes of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), resulting in increased restricted repetitive behaviors and impaired preference for social novelty. HFD also caused an increase in reactive microglia and astrocytes, as well as exacerbated reductions in dendritic complexity and spine density of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Chronic treatment with minocycline showed potential in rescuing these behavioral and morphological deficits.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Sara Lago, Francesca Bevilacqua, Maria Rosaria Stabile, Cristina Scarpazza, Valentina Bambini, Giorgio Arcara
Summary: Pragmatics, the ability to integrate language and context for effective communication, may be impaired in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This article presents the case of an active secondary progressive MS patient whose pragmatic abilities declined markedly after receiving corticosteroid treatment.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Emmanuel Peng Kiat Pua, Tarishi Desai, Cherie Green, Krysta Trevis, Natasha Brown, Martin Delatycki, Ingrid Scheffer, Sarah Wilson
Summary: Relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder may display milder social traits known as the broader autism phenotype, indicating potential genetic risk for ASD. This study found an inherited pattern of graded difficulties in social cognition in families with ASD and the BAP, with atypical faux pas detection being a potential endophenotype for ASD. Objective measures of social skills can help identify genetic risk for ASD and facilitate research on the genetic causes of ASD in this population.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sofie Boterberg, Arianna Zanatta, Floor Moerman, Sarah Schaubroeck, Jasmine Siew, Maarten De Schryver, Herbert Roeyers
Summary: COVID-19 restrictive measures have had a significant impact on families of children with autism, leading to an increase in restrictive and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). The presence of comorbid conditions and the home environment were found to have no effect on RRBs. However, there was an association between inattentive behavior and ritualistic and stereotypic behavior, as well as restricted interests.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
David Ariel Sher, Jenny L. Gibson
Summary: Sukhareva was the first to publish a clinical description of autistic traits before Kanner and Asperger, but her contribution is little known outside of Russia. She made pioneering efforts in conceptualizing both schizophrenia and autism, but her role has been belatedly and incompletely recognized. Her work was ahead of its time, reflecting modern criteria for autism diagnoses and focusing on female case studies.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Jennifer McAnuff, Jenny L. Gibson, Rob Webster, Kulwinder Kaur-Bola, Sarah Crombie, Aimee Grayston, Lindsay Pennington
Summary: This study systematically assessed the available evidence for school-based interventions led by allied health professionals. The results showed that these interventions targeted a wide range of outcomes and were implemented in different populations. Future research should focus on school-based health interventions and prioritize the development of implementation models and proper preparation and deployment of education workforce.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Yiran Vicky Zhao, Jenny Louise Gibson
Summary: This study suggests that early peer play ability may serve as a protective factor against later mental health difficulties in children. The findings show that better peer play ability at age 3 predicts a lower risk of mental health problems at age 7, providing empirical evidence for the hypothesis.
CHILD PSYCHIATRY & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Dinah Murray, Damian Milton, Jonathan Green, Jo Bervoets
Summary: This study conducted a shared phenomenological self-investigation of autism, revealing both commonalities and differences between autism and non-autism. By describing and recording participants' lived experiences, the results provided hypotheses for a new understanding of autism and suggested implications for further research, developmental theory, and intervention practice.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jodie Smith, Lacey Chetcuti, Lyndel Kennedy, Kandice J. Varcin, Vicky Slonims, Catherine A. Bent, Jonathan Green, Teresa Iacono, Sarah Pillar, Carol Taylor, Ming Wai Wan, Andrew J. O. Whitehouse, Kristelle Hudry
Summary: This study found bidirectional effects between caregiver sensitivity and language use, as well as infant language acquisition, with a focus on the unidirectional path explored in previous research. In infants showing early signs of autism, the researchers investigated the associations between caregiver sensitivity/language input and infant language. The findings support the idea that caregiver input can be supportive of and influenced by infant capacities, especially in cases of social-communication differences or communication/language delays suggestive of emerging autism.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Lacey Chetcuti, Mirko Uljarevic, Kandice J. J. Varcin, Maryam Boutrus, Stefanie Dimov, Sarah Pillar, Josephine Barbaro, Cheryl Dissanayake, Jonathan Green, Andrew J. O. Whitehouse, Kristelle Hudry
Summary: A longitudinal study investigates the continuity of temperament subgroup classifications and their associations with behavioral/clinical phenotypic features from infancy to toddlerhood, finding that temperament subgroup classifications might represent a reliable indicator of autism characteristics and social-emotional functioning in infants/toddlers with autism traits.
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Michelle C. St Clair, Jasmine Horsham, Vanessa Lloyd-Esenkaya, Emily Jackson, Jenny Gibson, Suze Leitao, Nicola Botting
Summary: Public awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is low, leading to difficulties in recruiting participants for DLD research. Engage with Developmental Language Disorder (E-DLD) is the first international participant database of individuals with DLD, aiming to facilitate research and improve clinical treatment. The preliminary report on the linguistic and psychosocial profile of individuals in the E-DLD database contributes to current understanding of DLD.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Priscilla Brandi Gomes Godoy, Lorna McWilliams, Leticia Rodrigues da Silveira, Mirian de Cesaro Revers Biasao, Fernanda Speggiorin Pereira Alarcao, Leonardo Seda, Renata Generoso Campoli, Holan Liang, Gauri Divan, Kathy Leadbitter, Jonathan Green, Elizabeth Shephard
Summary: Effective support for autistic individuals is lacking in Brazil. Few centres offer services and those that do are limited in therapeutic options and geographical location. Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy is a low-intensity, evidence-based parent-mediated social-communication intervention that may be useful for this scenario.
Article
Education, Special
Lenka Janik Blaskova, Jenny L. Gibson
Summary: This article explores the perspectives of peers on their friendship quality with children with language disorder (LD). The study found that peers in the enhanced provision showed an inclusive mindset and shared their own strategies for overcoming potential communication barriers. In contrast, peers in full-time mainstream classrooms did not report experiencing communication difficulties when interacting with a peer with LD.
CHILD LANGUAGE TEACHING & THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Kristelle Hudry, Jodie Smith, Sarah Pillar, Kandice J. Varcin, Catherine A. Bent, Maryam Boutrus, Lacey Chetcuti, Alena Clark, Cheryl Dissanayake, Teresa Iacono, Lyndel Kennedy, Alicia Lant, Jemima Robinson Lake, Leonie Segal, Vicky Slonims, Carol Taylor, Ming Wai Wan, Jonathan Green, Andrew J. O. Whitehouse
Summary: Natural Language Sampling (NLS) has the potential for communication and language assessment when other data is difficult to interpret. We used NLS to examine the reliability and validity of measures coded from video of child language, parent linguistic input, and communicative interaction in 18-month-olds showing signs of autism. The results showed good agreement among coders and strong validity of NLS for quantifying emerging skills.
RESEARCH ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Sophie Carruthers, Andrew Pickles, Tony Charman, Helen McConachie, Ann Le Couteur, Vicky Slonims, Patricia Howlin, Rachel Collum, Erica Salomone, Hannah Tobin, Isobel Gammer, Jessica Maxwell, Catherine Aldred, Jeremy Parr, Kathy Leadbitter, Jonathan Green
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism by which the parent-mediated Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) intervention achieves sustained effects on autistic child outcomes. It finds that increased communication initiation between the autistic child and their caregiver is largely responsible for the long-term effects on behavior and adaptive outcomes.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Samantha Friedman, Roan Noble, Stephanie Archer, Jenny Gibson, Claire Hughes
Summary: The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns provided opportunities for people to engage with nature and this has been found to benefit their well-being. However, there is limited research on how autistic individuals used nature to support their well-being during this time. A qualitative survey study of 127 autistic adults in the UK revealed two themes: finding respite in nature and connecting with others amid widespread disconnection. For some autistic adults, nature provided a physical escape from crowded spaces and helped to alleviate their stress. Additionally, nature served as a means of connection during a potentially isolating time. These findings highlight the importance of nature-based activities for autistic individuals and their families post-pandemic.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Gill Althia Francis, Jenny Louise Gibson
Summary: The cognitive processes of pretend play (PP) and counterfactual reasoning (CFR) are similar, as both involve thinking about alternatives to reality. This study examined the relationship between PP and CFR using data from 189 children and found that they share similar patterns of associations and are both related to executive functions. These findings contribute to our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms of PP and CFR and their interconnections.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Emily J. Goodacre, Elian Fink, Paul Ramchandani, Jenny L. Gibson
Summary: Effective reciprocal communication is crucial for social relationships and peer social play is an important context for communication skill development. The study explores how speakers coordinate ideas in peer social play to build a shared play experience. The results show that connectedness is influenced by dyadic effects rather than individual socio-cognitive measures.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Jonathan Green
Summary: We are currently experiencing significant changes in our understanding of autism and how to respond to it, particularly in terms of clinical services. Clinicians in child development and child mental health services often face overwhelming demand and confusion, as referrals for neurodevelopmental conditions, especially autism, have increased in recent years. This has led to longer wait times, sometimes spanning a child's entire life. The lack of effective interventions further complicates efforts to develop response strategies to meet user frustration, resulting in a multitude of local approaches and initiatives. This article addresses these clinical and related issues by discussing different uses of the term autism, its relationship to intellectual disability, and proposing a new conceptualization of autism as emergent and transactional. The author suggests that this perspective can bridge the gap between neurodiversity and clinical perspectives and provides a rational and evidence-based care pathway.
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
