HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ‘FEMALE CAMOUFLAGE EFFECT’ IN YOUNG AUTISTIC FEMALES

Evidence suggests that ASD females “camouflage”, or mask, social difficulties in order to successfully navigate social situations. However, as ASD diagnostic tools account for social difficulties, camouflaging may prevent females from receiving an ASD diagnosis. Little research has examined early evidence of camouflaging, particularly in young children. In a study of 78 ASD boys and girls matched linguistically, diagnostically, and by chronological and developmental age, we completed a microanalysis of social communication. We hypothesized that while boys and girls demonstrated social difficulties on matched scores, girls would exhibit more joint attention, consistent with camouflaging. MANOVA analyses demonstrated that compared to boys, girls utilized more joint attention, with results driven largely by chronological and developmental age. This research demonstrates that young ASD girls appear to engage in emerging camouflaging behaviors to mask social difficulties, which has important implications for diagnostic tools that may not capture girls during the diagnostic process.Master of Art

THE TODDLER REMOTE ASSESSMENT OF VIRTUAL EYE TRACKING AND LANGUAGE (TRAVEL) STUDY: AN EYE TRACKING AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT OF JOINT ATTENTION AT HOME

The current study tested the feasibility, utility, and validity of the Toddler Remote Assessment of Virtual Eye Tracking and Language (TRAVEL) Study, a remote study bringing portable eye tracking and behavioral measures of joint attention (JA) home to families. Joint Attention (JA) is the ability to coordinate the attention of others to an object, entity, or event and difficulties with JA can be seen in clinical populations, most commonly autism. Developing home-based, research-grade measures of JA with high clinical utility could serve as a supplement to diagnostic and intervention tools for autism and substantially diversify research populations. Fifty children (25 who were autistic and 25, non-autistic) and their caregivers completed a battery of experiential eye tracking, behavioral, and caregiver-reported tasks of JA at home in addition to a feasibility survey. Logistic regression was leveraged to estimate children’s gaze trajectories of JA (TRAVEL trajectories) in response to specific events while exploratory factor analysis was used to create global estimates of children’s JA (Total TRAVEL scores) on eye tracking and behavioral measures. We hypothesized that (1) TRAVEL would be a feasible means of remote assessment and that TRAVEL outcomes would (2) discriminate between groups and (3) exhibit construct validity in comparison to caregiver-reported child JA, language, and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Caregivers reported that TRAVEL was a largely feasible means of remote assessment with a few areas of improvement noted. Several TRAVEL outcomes significantly discriminated between groups and Total TRAVEL scores had good clinical utility. TRAVEL outcomes did not exhibit adequate construct validity with caregiver-reported measures of JA, language, or RRBs but more research is needed with changes to some survey and paradigm measures. Overall, the TRAVEL Study has important implications for future pediatric research by bringing research-grade eye tracking tools home to families.Doctor of Philosoph

Occupational Disruption: The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Behavioral Inflexibility and Anxiety of Autistic Children

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented changes to the lives of many. The aim of this paper was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted behavioral inflexibility (BI) and anxiety among autistic children and how autistic children and their families have adapted to COVID-19-related routine changes. Methods: This sequential mixed-method study included two phases. During the first phase, parents of autistic children (N = 48) completed an online survey consisting of the Behavioral Inflexibility Scale (BIS) and the Parent-Rated Anxiety Scale – Autism Spectrum Disorder (PRAS-ASD). During the second phase, a subset of parents (parents of adolescents, N = 11) was invited to participate in a virtual focus-group. Results: The parents reported a wide range of BI during the pandemic (BIS M = 2.03, SD = 1.02, range = 0.21 – 3.86). Child BI was a significant predictor of anxiety (t[40] = 5.56, p \u3c .0001). From the focus groups, 155 codes were organized into four themes, two of which are discussed in this paper: child client factors that have changed during the pandemic and changes to family routines. Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the parents identified problematic BI and anxiety among their autistic children. The outcomes of this small-scale study indicate that some of the changes to routines brought about by the pandemic may be helpful for autistic children after the pandemic restrictions have ended. We provide a unique perspective on how to leverage occupational changes that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic to aid autistics during non-pandemic times

Occupational Disruption: The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Behavioral Inflexibility and Anxiety of Autistic Children

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented changes to the lives of many. The aim of this paper was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted behavioral inflexibility (BI) and anxiety among autistic children and how autistic children and their families have adapted to COVID-19-related routine changes. Methods: This sequential mixed-method study included two phases. During the first phase, parents of autistic children (N = 48) completed an online survey consisting of the Behavioral Inflexibility Scale (BIS) and the Parent-Rated Anxiety Scale – Autism Spectrum Disorder (PRAS-ASD). During the second phase, a subset of parents (parents of adolescents, N = 11) was invited to participate in a virtual focus-group. Results: The parents reported a wide range of BI during the pandemic (BIS M = 2.03, SD = 1.02, range = 0.21 – 3.86). Child BI was a significant predictor of anxiety (t[40] = 5.56, p < .0001). From the focus groups, 155 codes were organized into four themes, two of which are discussed in this paper: child client factors that have changed during the pandemic and changes to family routines. Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the parents identified problematic BI and anxiety among their autistic children. The outcomes of this small-scale study indicate that some of the changes to routines brought about by the pandemic may be helpful for autistic children after the pandemic restrictions have ended. We provide a unique perspective on how to leverage occupational changes that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic to aid autistics during non-pandemic times

How autistic adults’ priorities for autism research differ by gender identity: A mixed-methods study

Background: Recent studies suggest that the funding breakdown of autism research in the United States may not align with stakeholder priorities. Furthermore, the majority of stakeholder-engaged research involves parents of autistic individuals rather than autistic adults themselves, who may have differing perspectives on research and funding priorities. Women and non-binary adults have been historically underrepresented in autism research. Objectives: The goal of the current study was to examine the autism research priorities of a group of autistic adults, with a particular focus on how these priorities are influenced by one’s gender identity. Design: A concurrent mixed-methods design was used for this study. Methods: Seventy-one autistic adults ( n   =  18 men, n  = 29 women, n  = 24 non-binary adults) completed an online survey regarding the current funding landscape for autism research. Participants ranked the main research topics of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) and identified top-priority research areas through free-text responses. Response themes were analyzed using content analysis and compared with the existing topic rankings. Results: Overall rankings of IACC research areas had a near inverse relationship with the amount of funding per research area. Main themes of stakeholder-generated research topics included “Characterization,” “Societal Change,” “Well-Being & Trauma,” “Diagnosis & Healthcare,” and “Accessibility & Services.” There was a relatively high overlap between topics identified by the IACC and by the stakeholder-generated topics. Subtle but important differences in topics arose based on gender, with women and non-binary adults identifying topics that were not identified by autistic men. Conclusion: Unique priorities generated by those typically excluded from autism research development underscore the importance of co-creating research with underrepresented stakeholders impacted by this work. The current study echoes the growing movement in the field of autism research to center autistic perspectives at every stage of research, including the establishment of funding priorities

sj-docx-2-whe-10.1177_17455057231160342 – Supplemental material for How autistic adults’ priorities for autism research differ by gender identity: A mixed-methods study

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-whe-10.1177_17455057231160342 for How autistic adults’ priorities for autism research differ by gender identity: A mixed-methods study by Orla C Putnam, Genessa Eddy, Jessica Goldblum, Madison Swisher and Clare Harrop in Women’s Health</p

sj-docx-1-whe-10.1177_17455057231160342 – Supplemental material for How autistic adults’ priorities for autism research differ by gender identity: A mixed-methods study

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-whe-10.1177_17455057231160342 for How autistic adults’ priorities for autism research differ by gender identity: A mixed-methods study by Orla C Putnam, Genessa Eddy, Jessica Goldblum, Madison Swisher and Clare Harrop in Women’s Health</p

Expression profile and molecular genetic regulation of cyclin D1 expression in epithelioid sarcoma

Epithelioid sarcoma is a distinctive, aggressive soft tissue tumor typically presenting as a subcutaneous or deep dermal mass in the distal extremities of young adults. Molecular genetic data of well-characterized cases of epithelioid sarcoma are sparse. A recent cytogenetic study of epithelioid sarcoma by conventional metaphase comparative genomic hybridization reported recurrent gains at chromosome 11q13, a region containing many genes, including the cyclin D1 gene. Cyclin D1 is a positive cell cycle regulator that is overexpressed in a variety of neoplasms, including mantle cell lymphoma and breast carcinoma. The objective of this study was to examine cyclin D1 expression in epithelioid sarcoma. Of 24 cases evaluated, 23 (96%) displayed cyclin D1 nuclear expression using immunohistochemical evaluation. Eight cases, which expressed cyclin D1 by immunohistochemistry, were evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and RNA in situ hybridization (RISH) for amplification of the cyclin D1 gene and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression, respectively. Seven of eight cases showed a typical eusomic state. One case showed pseudoamplification due to aneusomy/polysomy. There was no evidence of cyclin D1 gene amplification or messenger RNA overexpression detected by FISH or RNA in situ hybridization analyses, respectively. Our data clearly demonstrate that cyclin D1 protein is upregulated in epithelioid sarcoma, suggesting a role for this cell cycle regulator in the pathogenesis of epithelioid sarcoma. The high level of cyclin D1 protein expression in epithelioid sarcoma appears to be regulated by translational and/or post-translational mechanisms