Relations among detection of syllable stress, speech abnormalities, and communicative ability in adults with autism spectrum disorders

Purpose: To date, the literature on perception of affective, pragmatic, and grammatical prosody abilities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been sparse and contradictory. It is interesting to note that the primary perception of syllable stress within the word structure, which is crucial for all prosody functions, remains relatively unexplored in ASD. Thus, in the current study, we explored syllable stress perception sensitivity and its relationship to speech production abnormalities and communicative ability in adults with ASD. Method: A same–different syllable stress perception task using pairs of identical 4-syllable words was delivered to 42 adults with/without high-functioning ASD, matched for age, to investigate primary speech perception ability in ASD. Speech production and communicative ability in ASD was measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Lord et al., 2000). Results: As predicted, the results showed that adults with ASD were less sensitive in making judgments about syllable stress relative to controls. Also, partial correlations revealed a key association of speech production abnormalities with stress perception sensitivity, rather than communicative ability. Conclusions: Our findings provide empirical evidence for deficits on primary syllable stress perception in ASD and its role on sociocommunicative difficulties. This information could facilitate the development of effective interventions for speech and language therapy and social communication

The relationship between auditory processing and restricted, repetitive behaviors in adults with autism spectrum disorders

Current views suggest that autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterised by enhanced low-level auditory discrimination abilities. Little is known, however, about whether enhanced abilities are universal in ASD and how they relate to symptomatology. We tested auditory discrimination for intensity, frequency and duration in 21 adults with ASD and 21 IQ and age-matched controls. Contrary to predictions, there were significant deficits in ASD on all acoustic parameters. The findings suggest that low-level auditory discrimination ability varies widely within ASD and this variability relates to IQ level, and influences the severity of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs). We suggest that it is essential to further our understanding of the potential contributing role of sensory perception ability on the emergence of RRBs

Potential Psychosocial Explanations for the Impact of Pet Ownership on Human Well-Being: Evaluating and Expanding Current Hypotheses

There is a set of hypotheses commonly used in the literature to explain how pets affect human well-being (e.g., pets as social catalysts). Many studies are reported as giving results consistent with one or more of these, but they may not appear to be sufficient to explain the impacts of several pet-related activities on owner well-being. Confirmation bias may also overshadow the consideration of alternative mechanisms. This report aims to review and evaluate a range of psychosocial hypotheses that might help to explain how pets affect the well-being of their owners. This included a theoretical testing of the hypotheses against the recurring themes which emerged from four previously published qualitative frameworks relating to pet-related activities and their well-being outcomes. Twelve psychosocial hypotheses were generated and evaluated using this process: (1) social catalyst-repellent, (2) emotional contagion and empathy, (3) social support, (4) biophilia, (5) attributed fault, (6) social norms, (7) annoyance by noises, (8) routine, (9) caring, (10) exercise, (11) learning, and (12) affective touch. Only three presented potentially contradictory evidence (i.e., social catalyst-repellent, routine, and caring hypotheses), but closer examination revealed that these could not be rejected. These twelve hypotheses are a source of reference for a broader consideration of how pets might affect human well-being. Researchers are encouraged to use, test and/or challenge these hypotheses using established methods of scientific falsification in order to identify which are of the most important in relation to specific owner well-being outcomes

Understanding the impact of dog ownership on autistic adults: implications for mental health and suicide prevention

Mental health problems and suicide are more frequent in autistic adults than general population. Dog ownership can improve human well-being. This study aimed to generate a framework of well-being outcomes for dog-related activities in autistic adults and compare it to the framework generated for a general adult population. Thirty-six autistic dog owners (18-74 years old, 18 males) from diverse UK regions were interviewed and transcripts thematically analysed. 16.7% reported that their dogs prevented them from taking their own lives, mainly due to the dog's affection and the need to care for the animal. Close dog-owner interactions (e.g., cuddling, walking, dog's presence) were the most frequent activities improving emotions/moods and life functioning, whereas routine-like activities (e.g., feeding the animal) particularly enhanced life functioning. Well-being worsening was mainly linked to dog behaviour problems, dog poor health/death and obligations to the dog. Despite some negatives associated with ownership, having a dog could improve the well-being of many autistic adults and assist suicide prevention strategies in this high-risk group. The framework was consistent with that generated previously, indicating its robustness and the potential opportunity to focus on dog-related activities rather than the vague concept of “ownership” when considering the impact of ownership on well-being

The Impact of Audio-Visual, Visual and Auditory Cues on Multiple Object Tracking Performance in Children with Autism

Previous studies have documented differences in processing multisensory information by children with autism compared to typically developing children. Furthermore, children with autism have been found to track fewer multiple objects on a screen than those without autism, suggesting reduced attentional control. In the present study, we investigated whether children with autism (n = 33) and children without autism (n = 33) were able to track four target objects moving amongst four indistinguishable distractor objects while sensory cues were presented. During tracking, we presented various types of cues - auditory, visual, or audio-visual or no cues while target objects bounced off the inner boundary of a centralized circle. We found that children with autism tracked fewer targets than children without autism. Furthermore, children without autism showed improved tracking performance in the presence of visual cues, whereas children with autism did not benefit from sensory cues. Whereas multiple object tracking performance improved with increasing age in children without autism, especially when using audio-visual cues, children with autism did not show age-related improvement in tracking. These results are in line with the hypothesis that attention and the ability to integrate sensory cues during tracking are reduced in children with autism. Our findings could contribute valuable insights for designing interventions that incorporate multisensory information

Child-display interaction: exploring avatar-based touchless gestural interfaces

During the last decade, touchless gestural interfaces have been widely studied as one of the most promising interaction paradigms in the context of pervasive displays. In particular, avatars and sil- houettes have been proved to be effective in communicating the touchless gestural interactivity supported by displays. In the paper, we take a child-display interaction perspective by exploring avatar- based touchless gestural interfaces. We believe that large displays offer an opportunity to stimulate child experience and engagement, for instance when learning about art, as well as bringing a number of challenges. The purpose of this study is twofold: 1) identifying the relevant aspects of children’s interactions with a large display based on a touchless avatar-based interface, and 2) understanding the impact on recalling the content that arises from the interaction. We engaged 107 children over a period of five days during a public event at the university premises. Collected data were analyzed, and the outcomes transformed into three lessons learnt for informing the future design

A framework for understanding how activities associated with dog ownership relate to human well-being

There is notorious inconsistency regarding mental health benefits of dog ownership, partially due to repeated cross-sectional studies comparing dog owners and non-owners, without taking into account the heterogeneity of dog-owner dyads, especially the activities with which the owners are involved. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive framework of the most important dog human related activities and their impact on owner well-being. Six focus groups with 35 dog owners were conducted, and their audio transcripts thematically analysed. Dog human related activities and themes of activities were linked to their reported changes in well-being through matrix coding. A framework of 58 dog human related activities linked with their specific hedonic well-being, life satisfaction and eudaimonic well-being outcomes was generated. Most activities were reported to improve owner’s well-being, (e.g. human–dog tactile interaction increases owner’s self-esteem), and a minority was mainly associated with negative outcomes. The richness of the framework presented in this study reinforces the importance of assessing dog ownership well-being outcomes based on specific dog human related activities with which dog owners are involved. This new and systematic investigative approach should decrease inconsistencies in the field and facilitate mental health interventions and study designs of a higher level of evidence. Introduction Mental health problems are one of the main disease burdens of society and are growing worldwide1. In the United Kingdom, mental health problems represent the largest single cause of disability, with estimated costs of £105 billion a year; one in four adults in the country suffers at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any given year2. Psychological changes led by pet ownership may have an important impact on mental health, with associated economic savings (£2.5 billion/year—UK)3. However, studies in this field are inconsistent, and how pet ownership might impact on human well-being has not been explored systematically. Heterogeneity within important aspects of pet ownership (e.g. amount of exercise undertaken, level of disclosure of personal emotional information with their dogs) may explain why some individuals may benefit while others do not4,5,6. It is therefore not surprising that investigations on depression have shown pet ownership improves7,8,9, as well as makes no difference10,11,12 and even worsens the condition13,14. Similar contradictions extend to other aspects of well-being, such as loneliness8,15, stress13,16, anxiety13,17, human functioning11,18 and life satisfaction19,20

Animal-Assisted Interventions: Relationship Between Standards and Qualifications

Ethical practice of animal- assisted interventions (AAI) requires appropriate qualifications and experience for all parties involved. Recently introduced and updated Standards of Practice emphasize the importance of AAI- specific training and qualification for different types of AAI, which should only be delivered within the scope of one’s professional competence. The purpose of this study was (1) to explore how a self- selected group of practitioners delivering AAI describe their work in relation to recent attempts to develop a terminological consensus (IAHAIO, 2014, 2018), and (2) to describe how AAI best practice recommendations (AAII, 2018) are implemented into professional practice among these AAI professionals working with dogs. The study employed an online survey that identified the participants’ qualification level, AAI specific training background, level of AAI experience, and their compliance with recommended guidelines on the documentation and measurement of clients’ progress. Data was collected from an international sample of 239 AAI professionals. A high proportion of respondents who were practitioners in a given field reported holding the necessary basic academic qualification for delivering animal- assisted education (AAE) (82.1%) or animal- assisted therapy (AAT) (91.4%). A substantial proportion delivered specific types of AAI that were beyond their scope of professional practice. A large proportion of respondent practitioners reported that they do not document (27.5%) or measure (28.5%) their clients’ progress as recommended by the professional standards. Experience in AAI was not a significant predictor of compliance with the recommended guidelines on documentation and measurement of clients’ progress; however, professional experience was related to their AAI experience. It is suggested that limitations in the provision of AAI- specific training and awareness of recently updated best practice recommendations influence the quality of AAI across practitioners. Overcoming these issues is essential to further professionalize AAI practice and enhance the quality of intervention programs

Rogers, Jim, Kargas, Niko, Smith, Lauren, Mason, Rachael, Kusyk, Izabella and Hogue, Todd (2022) Services for Autistic Adults and Adults with a Learning Disability in Prisons: A Rapid Evidence Review. Project Report. University of Lincoln, University of Lincoln.

Overview: A rapid review of evidence was completed in relation to assessments and screening tools for autistic individuals and individuals with learning disabilities within the criminal justice system. The review considers 8 academic papers alongside 8 additional documents from relevant organisations for the purpose of analysis. Screening and Assessment: While much of literature speaks on the need for screening and assessment of autism and learning disability, there exists no consensus on the specific tool to be used. Furthermore, though there are screening tools and assessments available, they lack validity and reliability within the criminal justice system as they were constructed and standardised for community setting. Additionally, there subsists practical difficulties in administration of certain tools within CJS. Although some assessments have been constructed for the CJS, there is simply a dearth in empirical evidence to support the use of these tools. Conclusion: The review indicates that there is a significant lack of empirical evidence and consensus regarding assessment and screening of autism and learning disability within the criminal justice system. Nevertheless, the review has afforded an opportunity to understand existing discourse in academic literature and public reports. Moreover, it identifies gaps in literature, providing direction for future research

Animal-Assisted Intervention: Relationship Between Standards and Qualifications

Ethical practice of animal- assisted interventions (AAI) requires appropriate qualifications and experience for all parties involved. Recently introduced and updated Standards of Practice emphasize the importance of AAI- specific training and qualification for different types of AAI, which should only be delivered within the scope of one’s professional competence. The purpose of this study was (1) to explore how a self- selected group of practitioners delivering AAI describe their work in relation to recent attempts to develop a terminological consensus (IAHAIO, 2014, 2018), and (2) to describe how AAI best practice recommendations (AAII, 2018) are implemented into professional practice among these AAI professionals working with dogs. The study employed an online survey that identified the participants’ qualification level, AAI specific training background, level of AAI experience, and their compliance with recommended guidelines on the documentation and measurement of clients’ progress. Data was collected from an international sample of 239 AAI professionals. A high proportion of respondents who were practitioners in a given field reported holding the necessary basic academic qualification for delivering animal- assisted education (AAE) (82.1%) or animal- assisted therapy (AAT) (91.4%). A substantial proportion delivered specific types of AAI that were beyond their scope of professional practice. A large proportion of respondent practitioners reported that they do not document (27.5%) or measure (28.5%) their clients’ progress as recommended by the professional standards. Experience in AAI was not a significant predictor of compliance with the recommended guidelines on documentation and measurement of clients’ progress; however, professional experience was related to their AAI experience. It is suggested that limitations in the provision of AAI- specific training and awareness of recently updated best practice recommendations influence the quality of AAI across practitioners. Overcoming these issues is essential to further professionalize AAI practice and enhance the quality of intervention programs