Local Information Processing in Adults with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Usefulness of Neuropsychological Tests and Self-Reports

Local information processing in 42 adults with high functioning autism, 41 adults with Asperger syndrome and 41 neurotypical adults was examined. Contrary to our expectations, the disorder groups did not outperform the neurotypical group in the neuropsychological measures of local information processing. In line with our hypotheses, the self-reports did show higher levels of local information processing and a stronger tendency to use systemizing strategies in the two disorder groups. Absent and weak correlations were found between the self-reports and the two neuropsychological tasks in the three groups. The neuropsychological tests and the self-reports seem to measure different underlying constructs. The self-reports were most predictive of the presence of an autism spectrum diagnosis

Novel Insights into Autism Knowledge and Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Mental Illness in Dutch Youth and Family Center Physicians

Education and Child Studie

The role of food selectivity in the association between child autistic traits and constipation

Objective: This study examines the association between child autistic traits and constipation symptoms, and explores whether this association is mediated by food selectivity. Method: The sample included participants (N = 2,818) from the population-based birth cohort, Generation R (Rotterdam, the Netherlands). Parents reported their child's autistic traits at 6 years (using the Social Responsiveness Scale), food selectivity at 10 years (using the Stanford Feeding Questionnaire) and the frequency and severity of constipation symptoms they experienced at 10 years (using the ROME III functional constipation diagnostic criteria). Mediation analyses tested mediation through food selectivity in t

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Gender Dysphoric Children and Adolescents

Only case reports have described the co-occurrence of gender identity disorder (GID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study examined this co-occurrence using a systematic approach. Children and adolescents (115 boys and 89 girls, mean age 10.8, SD = 3.58) referred to a gender identity clinic received a standardized assessment during which a GID diagnosis was made and ASD suspected cases were identified. The Dutch version of the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (10th rev., DISCO-10) was administered to ascertain ASD classifications. The incidence of ASD in this sample of children and adolescents was 7.8% (n = 16). Clinicians should be aware of co-occurring ASD and GID and the challenges it generates in clinical management

Brief Report: The Use of WAIS-III in Adults with HFA and Asperger Syndrome

The WAIS III was administered to 16 adults with high functioning autism (HFA) and 27 adults with Asperger syndrome. Differences between Verbal Intelligence (VIQ) and Performance Intelligence (PIQ) were not found. Processing Speed problems in people with HFA appeared. At the subtest level, the Asperger syndrome group performed weak on Digit Span. Comprehension and Block Design were relative strengths. In the HFA group, performance on Digit-Symbol Coding and Symbol Search was relatively poor. Strengths were found on Information and Matrix Reasoning. The results suggest that the VIQ-PIQ difference cannot distinguish between HFA and Asperger syndrome. WAIS III Factor Scale and Subtest patterning provides a more valid indicator

Parenting Stress in CHARGE Syndrome and the Relationship with Child Characteristics

This study investigates the parental perception of stress related to the upbringing of children with CHARGE syndrome and its association with behavioral and physical child characteristics. Parents of 22 children completed the Nijmegen Parenting Stress Index-Short, Developmental Behavior Checklist, and Dutch Vineland Screener 0-12 and reported their child’s problems with hearing, vision and ability to speak. Parenting stress was high in 59% of the subjects. Behavioral problems on the depression, autism, self-absorbed and disruptive behavior scales correlated positively with parenting stress. A non-significant trend was found, namely higher stress among the parents of non-speaking children. No associations were found with other child characteristics, i.e. level of adaptive functioning and intellectual disability, auditory and visual problems, deafblindness, gender, and age. Raising a child with CHARGE syndrome is stressful; professional support is therefore essential for this population. More research into other possible influencing characteristics is needed to improve family-oriented interventions. Since CHARGE is a rare syndrome, closer international collaboration is needed, not only to expand the group of study subjects to increase statistical power, but also to harmonize research designs and measurement methods to improve the validity, the reliability, and the generalization of the findings

Do early-life eating habits predict later autistic traits? Results from a population-based study

Eating problems are common among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but it is unknown to what extent infant eating behavior is associated with later autistic traits. As eating behavior is currently not included in ASD screening instruments, it is important to evaluate whether infant eating behavior predicts later autistic traits and might therefore be used to enhance the early detection of ASD. We investigated the association of breast-feeding and eating behavior during infancy with later autistic traits in the population-based Generation R cohort. We included 3546 mother-child dyads with maternal reports on feeding and eating at age two months and autistic traits at six years. Eating behavior was assessed with seven items on specific eating habits and the Social Responsiveness Scale was used to evaluate autistic traits. Covariates included child sex, and maternal psychopathology and autistic traits. Linear regression analyses showed that being formula fed at two months was associated with a higher autistic trait score at six years (adjusted B = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.00-0.14). Children who were drinking only small quantities (adjusted B = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.04-0.30) and were hungry/not satisfied (adjusted B = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.08-0.39) at age two months also had a higher autistic traits score at age six years. We found no interactions with sex or breastfeeding. This study shows that eating behavior during infancy is related with autistic traits in childhood. Although the associations were fairly small, these findings suggest that early-life eating problems might be relevant for early detection of ASD and a potential addition to ASD-specific screening instruments