Spartan Daily April 3, 2013

Volume 140, Issue 31https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/1398/thumbnail.jp

Eyewitness identification in child witnesses on the autism spectrum

Background. Although there is increasing interest in the capabilities of children with autism at different stages of the criminal justice process, there is little research into how well this group perform when asked to identify perpetrators from identification lineups. This is despite theoretical and empirical literature suggesting that autistic children experience face recognition memory difficulties. Method. As part of a broader study into eyewitness memory skills, 50 children with autism and 162 children with typical development (TD) (all with IQs > 69) watched a mock crime event (either live or on a video) involving two male perpetrators. One week later, their eyewitness identification skills were compared, with children asked to identify the perpetrators from two ecologically valid video lineups. The children were also assessed on a standardised face memory task. Results. When asked to identify perpetrators in the video lineups, in many respects the autistic children performed at an equivalent level to the TD children. This was despite the TD children outperforming the autistic children on the standardized face memory task. Conclusions. These preliminary findings suggest that group differences between autistic and TD children may not always emerge on an ecologically valid, real world eyewitness identification lineup task, despite autistic children showing poorer performance on a standardized face memory task. However, as identification performance in both groups was low, it remains important for future research to identify how to scaffold eyewitness identification performance in both children with and without an autism diagnosis

Validating the Developmental and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) in a clinical population with high-functioning autism [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Background: With increasing numbers of referrals to health services for assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the Developmental and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) has been suggested as a useful screening instrument to assist in prioritising patients for review. It is an online interview for parents that has been previously validated for ASD in a non-clinical community sample of twins. Our study aimed to evaluate its predictive validity in a complex clinically-referred sample of children with suspected high-functioning autism. / Methods: The sample comprised 136 children (females = 53; males = 83) who were referred for ASD assessment at the Social Communication Disorder Clinic (SCDC) at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Parents completed the DAWBA online prior to undergoing a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) assessment. This included completing the Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview (3di) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Two clinicians independently rated the DAWBA using DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and compared results to the MDT outcome, which was considered gold standard. / Results: Compared with an MDT assessment, the DAWBA interview demonstrated good sensitivity (0.91) but poor specificity (0.12). Overall, 64% of cases were accurately assigned as case/non-case. Estimates of positive (0.66) and negative (0.43) predictive validity were influenced by the relatively high prevalence of ASD in the study sample (65%). / Conclusion: The DAWBA online interview has excellent sensitivity in a clinical population of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, containing a high prevalence of ASD, but specificity was poor. As the SCDC offers tertiary opinions on disputed cases of suspected ASD, the population cohort limits the generalisability of these results. Further evaluation is required in community child mental health or paediatric services

The Use of Clinical Judgment in Differentiating Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder from Those of Other Childhood Conditions: A Delphi Study

More and more, due to long waiting lists at diagnostic clinics and access barriers for certain segments of the population, schools are often the first environment in which children are evaluated for ASD (Sullivan, 2013). And while accurate identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is essential for proper treatment and service provision, large percentages of school and community-based identifications of ASD are overturned when children are re-evaluated with strict clinical criteria (Wiggins et al., 2015). In part, challenges faced in accurately differentiating ASD from other conditions may be contributed to the diagnostic complexities of the condition itself. Clinical expertise is one of, if not the most important factors in accurate diagnostic decision-making during evaluations of ASD. However, there exists little insight into what comprises this expert judgment. Using the Delphi methodology, a panel of clinical and school psychology experts in ASD identification were surveyed until consensus was reached about their use of clinical judgment in differentiating ASD from other conditions. The results of these rounds of questioning were compiled into a decision-making guideline entitled Beyond Test Results: Developing Clinical Judgment to Differentiate Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders from Those of Other Childhood Conditions. Implications of this guide include incorporation into school psychology training courses and guidance for school-based evaluation teams

Early identification of children with Asperger Syndrome: Communication characteristics

Diagnosis of children within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) category varies significantly but children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) are typically diagnosed at a much older age than those with Autism (AD). The late childhood diagnosis of AS means a possible lapse in years that the child receives appropriate intervention and support. The purpose of this retrospective study was to gain further insight into what early communication and behavior characteristics can be identified in children from birth to three years who are later diagnosed with AS. Parents of ten children with AS and under nineteen-years old were identified to participate in the study. The subjects\u27 parents answered The Rossetti Parent Questionnaire and participated in face-to-face, open ended question interviews regarding their children from birth to age three. Parents were encouraged to share early memories about their child\u27s communication and behavior. The results of this investigation indicate that evaluating behavioral and communication characteristics of infants and toddlers may constitute a viable screening tool for AS. In particular, assessment of communication characteristics, (e.g., speech and language development, interaction/communication and comprehension/understanding) as well as behavioral characteristics, (e.g., anxiety/energy levels, sensory issues, transitions, and fine/gross motor skills) are important areas to evaluate. Earlier screening tools could result in earlier diagnosis and the provision of needed appropriate services at a far earlier age than has typically been the case for children with Asperger Syndrome

The impact on the self of growing up with a sibling with autism spectrum : an exploratory study

This study explores the structure of the self in people who grew up with a sibling with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research utilized a quantitative survey to assess their representations of self. D.W. Winnicott\u27s theory of True and Self guided this investigation. The study utilized self-report to explore participants\u27 identification with True and Self characteristics. Questions were phrased in past and present tense as a means of assessing how participants\u27 representations of self have changed over time. At the end of the survey, participants were asked two open-ended questions which generated qualitative data and resulted in a mixed-method study. The sample (N=33) was gathered from an online group called SibNet, defined as the internet\u27s first listserv for adult brothers and sisters of people with special health, developmental, and emotional needs. Inclusion criteria for research participants were that they must be 18 years of age or older and have at least one brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Findings showed higher scores on Self measures than True Self measures. The change in responses from past to present in both the True and Self measures was statistically significant—suggesting that siblings\u27 representations of self have an evolving quality about them. Furthermore, the change was larger for True Self than Self. Participants\u27 narratives contained strong associations with Self characteristics, as well as themes such as gaining an improved ability to relate to others, and choosing a career in a helping profession

Experiences of Receiving a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Survey of Adults in the United Kingdom

A total of 128 adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders were surveyed concerning the process they went through to obtain their diagnosis and the subsequent support they received. Results suggested that routes to diagnosis were quite heterogeneous and overall levels of satisfaction with the diagnostic process were mixed; 40 % of respondents were ‘very/quite’ dissatisfied, whilst 47 % were ‘very/quite’ satisfied. The extent of delays, number of professionals seen, quality of information given at diagnosis and levels of post-diagnostic support predicted overall satisfaction with the diagnostic process. Important areas and suggestions for improvement were noted for all stages of the diagnostic pathway. Respondents also displayed above average levels of depressed mood and anxiety, with greater support being requested in this area

International eLearning Approach on Teaching Strategies for Inclusion of Students with Autism.

The project International eLearning Approach on Teaching Strategies for Inclusion of Students with Autism (SUCCESS-TEASD) aiming at a multilateral transfer of knowledge can promote inclusive school development and inclusive teacher training in the light of the UN Convention and the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. SUCCESS-TEASD promoted an action learning and sharing of challenges and good practices in the field of educational intervention programs for children with ASD. Through the cooperative work the participating Universities provided a support for all participating students considering their national contexts to plan and develop an action research in order to actively learn to understand the perspectives of different groups: Families and children’s with ASD; lecturers in the teachers training and teachers in service (schools). The results of the cooperative, action research and learning of the students, future teachers from both involved Universities are the be found in this publication

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with autism : a survey study across three countries

Background Previous studies have reported a negative psychological and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact is likely to be stronger for people with autism as they are at heightened risk of mental health problems and because the pandemic directly affects social functioning and everyday routines. We therefore examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in mental health, the impact of the pandemic on their social life and routines, satisfaction with pandemic-related information and tips, and participants' wishes for guidance. Methods We used a mixed-method approach, collecting quantitative and qualitative survey data from adults with and without autism across three European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK (N = 1044). Results We found an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in response to the pandemic for both the non-autism and the autism group, which was greater for adults with autism. Furthermore, adults with autism showed a greater increase in worries about their pets, work, getting medication and food, and their own safety/security. They felt more relieved from social stress, yet experienced the loss of social contact as difficult. Adults with autism also felt more stressed about the loss of routines. Pleasant changes noted by adults with autism were the increase in solidarity and reduced sensory and social overload. Adults with autism frequently reported problems with cancellation of guidance due to the pandemic and expressed their wish for (more) autism-specific information and advice. Limitations Our sample is likely to reflect some degree of selection bias, and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects. Conclusions Results highlight the psychological burden of the pandemic on adults with autism and shed light on how to support them during this COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially important now that the pandemic is likely to have a prolonged course. There is a need for accessible, affordable (continued) support from health services. Guidance may focus on the maintenance of a social network, and adjusting routines to the rapid ongoing changes. Finally, we may learn from the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes experienced as pleasant by adults with autism to build a more autism-friendly society post-pandemic