Article
Psychology, Developmental
Emily J. Roemer, Elizabeth H. Kushner, Jana M. Iverson
Summary: The study found that parents of EL-ASD infants increased the rate of labels provided in coordinated joint engagement, which had a negative impact on language development for EL-ASD infants. Although infants in different outcome groups spent similar amounts of time in parent-child interactions, they showed different trends in language development.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Paul J. Yoder, Wendy L. Stone, Sarah R. Edmunds
Summary: The study found that the efficacy of the intervention "Improving Parents As Communication Teachers" for younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders may be moderated by a combined risk score for the younger siblings.
Article
Neurosciences
Valentina Riva, Elena Maria Riboldi, Barbara Urbani, Massimo Molteni, Laura Villa
Summary: This study aimed to examine the effect of early intervention in 18-month-old high-risk siblings of children with ASD. The results showed significant improvements in communication, social interaction, and language in the group that received early intervention.
Article
Microbiology
Maude M. David, Christine Tataru, Jena Daniels, Jessey Schwartz, Jessica Keating, Jarrad Hampton-Marcell, Neil Gottel, Jack A. Gilbert, Dennis P. Wall
Summary: This study identified 21 taxa with significant enrichment or depletion in the microbiome of children with ASD compared to their matched sibling controls. These taxonomic biomarkers may affect amino acid conversion pathways, potentially altering the availability of neurotransmitters like glutamate and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Lucie Jurek, Kathy Leadbitter, Bruno Falissard, Cyrille Colin, Sandrine Touzet, Marie-Maude Geoffray
Summary: While the effectiveness of parent-mediated interventions in the field of autism spectrum disorder is well established, there is limited information on the experiences of parents involved in these interventions. This systematic review synthesizes qualitative evidence and explores the experiences of parents participating in parent-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. The findings highlight the balanced nature of parents' experiences, including positive outcomes, emotional struggles, and implementation difficulties. Based on the results, the study proposes ways to improve the implementation of parent-mediated interventions and future research in the field.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yu-Shu Huang, Ting-Hsuan Fang, Belle Kung, Chia-Hsiang Chen
Summary: In this study, the genetic deficits in two siblings affected with ID and ASD were investigated. A microdeletion at 22q13.3 resulting in the haploinsufficiency of SHANK3 and several nearby genes was found in the younger sister, leading to the diagnosis of Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Whole-genome sequencing analysis in the family identified several rare, likely pathogenic variants in seven genes implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders in the elder brother. These variants have only moderate clinical effects and were transmitted from unaffected parents. The results suggest that the combination of multiple genes with moderate effects is part of the genetic mechanism of neurodevelopmental disorders.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Mirko Uljarevic, Nicholas T. Bott, Robin A. Libove, Jennifer M. Phillips, Karen J. Parker, Antonio Y. Hardan
Summary: Emotion recognition skills and understanding of others' mental states are crucial for social functioning. Autistic children show poorer performance in emotion recognition and theory of mind compared to typically developing children, while unaffected siblings do not differ significantly from typically developing children in these abilities.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Tobi Graucher, Yana Sinai-Gavrilov, Yaniv Mor, Shay Netzer, Eyal Y. Cohen, Linoy Levi, Tzlil Birenboim Avtalion, Judah Koller
Summary: Disruptive behaviors are common in children with autism, and they have a negative impact on the quality of life for both children and their families. Parent-mediated interventions provide a cost-effective and accessible way to reduce these behaviors. This study examined the effects of a group-based intervention called RUBI, delivered both face-to-face and virtually in Israel. The results showed a reduction in disruptive behaviors across both intervention groups, with over 50% of treatment-responders showing reliable change. This study is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of RUBI outside the US among a sociodemographically diverse population in both in-person and virtual contexts.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Antonio Narzisi, Yurena Alonso-Esteban, Gabriele Masi, Francisco Alcantud-Marin
Summary: The increasing prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) requires more effective interventions. However, current research methods may not adequately address the question of what works and for whom. Improving the methodology of clinical trials is crucial for the future of autism research.
Article
Education, Special
Robyn Garnett, Bronwyn Davidson, Patricia Eadie
Summary: The study investigated the effects of a telepractice-delivered communication intervention program for groups of parents, showing improved parental responsiveness and increased child social communication behavior. These changes were maintained during the post-intervention phase, supporting the application of telepractice for delivering group-based early intervention programs.
RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Yael G. Dai, Rebecca P. Thomas, Lynn Brennan, Molly S. Helt, Marianne L. Barton, Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, Deborah A. Fein
Summary: Early intervention with parent participation is crucial for children with ASD. A novel online program for caregivers, based on behavioral, naturalistic, and developmental principles, has shown effectiveness in teaching interventions and improving children's skills and behavior. The program was well-received by parents, with most finding it clear, enjoyable, and useful.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Psychology
Emily J. Roemer
Summary: Communication is a core challenge for individuals on the autism spectrum, and studies have shown that siblings of children with autism are more likely to have language delays compared to their peers without a familial history of autism. Meta-analysis revealed that siblings of children with autism over 48 months of age perform lower than comparison groups in language and communication abilities, particularly in expressive language and linguistic processing speed.
PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN
(2021)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Mei L. Law, Jatinder Singh, Mathilde Mastroianni, Paramala Santosh
Summary: Parent-mediated interventions for infants at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have shown inconsistent effects on reducing the risk of later ASD diagnosis, with significant heterogeneity in recruitment and outcome measures. There is a moderate level of evidence for intervention effects on parental interaction skills, but the small number of randomized controlled trials and significant limitations restrict the generalizability across studies.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Education, Special
Kate Tsiplova, Jathishinie Jegathisawaran, Pat Mirenda, Karen Kalynchuk, Paola Colozzo, Veronica Smith, Wendy J. Ungar
Summary: This study aimed to compare the costs between parent coaching and enhanced community treatment for treating young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The results showed that families in the parent coaching group used fewer services, resulting in lower costs. These findings have important implications for improving treatment options for young children awaiting an ASD diagnosis.
RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kamrun Nahar Koly, Susanne P. Martin-Herz, Md Saimul Islam, Nusrat Sharmin, Hannah Blencowe, Aliya Naheed
Summary: The systematic review of 23 studies showed improvements in parent and child skills following parent-mediated intervention in South Asia. Additional evaluations and development of locally customized parent-mediated programmes are needed to support the development of feasible interventions for South Asian countries.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Melanie Palmer, Joanne Tarver, Virginia Carter Leno, Juan Paris Perez, Margot Frayne, Vicky Slonims, Andrew Pickles, Stephen Scott, Tony Charman, Emily Simonoff
Summary: Emotional and behavioral problems are common in young autistic children. There are discrepancies between parents and teachers in reporting these problems. Parenting stress and verbal ability are associated with more parent-reported problems. Autistic children with minimal verbal ability display more challenging behaviors.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Koyeli Sengupta, Henal Shah, Subharati Ghosh, Disha Sanghvi, Sanchita Mahadik, Allauki Dani, Oshin Deshmukh, Laura Pacione, Pamela Dixon, Erica Salomone, Chiara Servili
Summary: This study evaluated the feasibility and effects of the World Health Organization-Caregiver Skills Training Program in urban India. The program showed promising results in improving caregiver skills and knowledge, reducing stress, and enhancing child developmental outcomes.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Matthew J. Hollocks, Virginia Carter Leno, Susie Chandler, Pippa White, Isabel Yorke, Tony Charman, Andrew Pickles, Gillian Baird, Emily Simonoff
Summary: Autistic individuals have high rates of co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses, particularly emotional and behavioral disorders, which show significant stability from childhood to adolescence. ADHD, on the other hand, has more variability in diagnostic outcomes, with many adolescents transitioning across diagnostic thresholds.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Anna C. Morris, Zina Ibrahim, Margaret Heslin, Omer S. Moghraby, Argyris Stringaris, Ian M. Grant, Lukasz Zalewski, Megan Pritchard, Robert Stewart, Matthew Hotopf, Andrew Pickles, Richard J. B. Dobson, Emily Simonoff, Johnny Downs
Summary: This study assesses the potential of the MHE system in improving the completion of PROMs. The results indicate that the use of MHE significantly increases the completion rates of questionnaires compared to paper-based methods. Caregivers express satisfaction with the MHE system and highlight its numerous benefits.
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Dorothea L. Floris, Han Peng, Varun Warrier, Michael V. Lombardo, Charlotte M. Pretzsch, Clara Moreau, Alex Tsompanidis, Weikang Gong, Maarten Mennes, Alberto Llera, Daan van Rooij, Marianne Oldehinkel, Natalie J. Forde, Tony Charman, Julian Tillmann, Tobias Banaschewski, Carolin Moessnang, Sarah Durston, Rosemary J. Holt, Christine Ecker, Flavio Dell'Acqua, Eva Loth, Thomas Bourgeron, Declan G. M. Murphy, Andre F. Marquand, Meng-Chuan Lai, Jan K. Buitelaar, Simon Baron-Cohen, Christian F. Beckmann
Summary: Using deep learning on brain images, the authors found that both autistic males and females tend to have neuroanatomy more similar to males, as well as social cognitive features and gene expression patterns associated with male characteristics. These neurophenotypes provide important insights into the biological mechanisms underlying autism.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Gordon Forbes, Rachel Kent, Tony Charman, Gillian Baird, Andrew Pickles, Emily Simonoff
Summary: This study examines the outcomes of social, mental health, and quality of life in early adulthood for autistic individuals and identifies childhood predictors for these outcomes. The findings suggest that young autistic adults face challenges in various areas of life, but may fare relatively well in terms of mental health or quality of life.
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
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
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
Jannath K. Begum-Ali, Louisa Gosse, Luke Mason, Greg Pasco, Tony H. Charman, Mark Johnson, Emily J. H. Jones
Summary: Children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ASD and ADHD, frequently experience sleep disturbances. A study conducted on infants with family history of ASD and/or ADHD revealed that infants with first-degree relatives with ASD showed poorer night sleep quality at 14 months. Poor infant sleep quality was associated with later ASD diagnosis, decreased cognitive ability, increased ASD symptoms, and developing social attention.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Antonina Loncarevic, Murray T. Maybery, Josephine Barbaro, Cheryl Dissanayake, Jonathan Green, Kristelle Hudry, Teresa Iacono, Vicky Slonims, Kandice J. Varcin, Ming Wai Wan, John Wray, Andrew J. O. Whitehouse
Summary: This study found that in families with infants showing early signs of autism, the associations between parent characteristics (psychological distress; aloofness) and child autistic behaviors may be mediated by the child's inattentiveness or negative affect during interactions. These findings have important implications for developing and implementing interventions targeting the synchrony of parent-child interaction to support children's social communication development.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Linn Andersson Konke, Terje Falck-Ytter, Emily J. H. Jones, Amy Goodwin, Karin Brocki
Summary: The current study used the infant sibling design to investigate whether proband traits of autism and ADHD can provide information about their infant siblings' temperament. Parent ratings of autistic traits and ADHD traits were used in older siblings diagnosed with autism, and their infant siblings' temperament traits at 9 months of age were examined. Specific associations were found across siblings, with proband autistic traits related to low levels of approach in infant siblings, and proband ADHD traits related to high levels of infant activity. These findings suggest that inherited liability may influence early emerging behaviors in infant siblings.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Melanie Palmer, Susie Chandler, Virginia Carter Leno, Farah Mgaieth, Isabel Yorke, Matthew Hollocks, Andrew Pickles, Vicky Slonims, Stephen Scott, Tony Charman, Emily Simonoff
Summary: This study investigates the role of pre-existing and pandemic-related factors in the mental health symptoms of autistic youth and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that more engagement and enjoyment in education and outdoor activities are associated with better mental health for both children and parents during the pandemic. Pre-existing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children are linked to more behavioral and ADHD symptoms during the pandemic, while pre-existing parental mental health problems are associated with more mental health symptoms in parents during the pandemic.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Alaa T. Ibrahim, Afiqah Yusuf, Hannah Pickard, Pamela Dixon, Andy Shih, Stephanie Shire, Andrew Pickles, Mayada Elsabbagh
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant barriers to training by limiting in-person professional activities, resulting in the emergence of remote training. In this study, a remote training approach was developed and evaluated for master trainers of the Caregiver Skills Training Program. Despite the pandemic preventing practice with children, participants were able to reliably identify program strategies through video recordings. These findings highlight the feasibility and value of remote training approaches in implementing interventions.
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)
