Salivary cortisol and stereotypy in minimally verbal children with autism : a pilot study

Several studies have reported conflicting results when assessing associations between stress and repetitive behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some factors that may have caused these discrepant results include the monitoring of a single broad category for repetitive behaviors, the heterogeneity of the participants, and the use of indirect measures. To address the prior issues, our study explored the relationship between salivary cortisol and direct observation measures of stereotypy in four minimally verbal children with ASD. To this end, we combined an alternating-treatment design with multiple regression analyses to examine the interaction between the two variables. The analyses indicated that the mean value of cortisol was negatively associated with global and motor stereotypy. No significant relation was found between mean value of cortisol and vocal stereotypy. These results highlight the complex relationship between stress and stereotypy and emphasize the relevance of conducting research on a larger scale, which would have a direct impact on our understanding of a core feature of ASD

La synergologie, une lecture pseudoscientifique du langage corporel

L’objectif du présent article est d’évaluer si la synergologie fait partie du domaine de la science ou si elle n’est qu’une pseudoscience du décodage du non-verbal. Le texte comprend cinq parties. Dans la première partie, nous décrivons des éléments importants de la démarche scientifique. Dans les deuxième et troisième parties, nous présentons brièvement la synergologie et nous vérifions si celle-ci respecte les critères de la science. La quatrième partie fait état d’une mise en demeure adressée à Patrick Lagacé et à La Presse pour une série de textes qui présentait une vision très critique de cette approche. Enfin, l’utilisation d’arguments non pertinents d’un point de vue scientifique, une tentative inappropriée de donner de la crédibilité à la synergologie par une mise en demeure et un recours injustifié à l’argument éthique nous amènent à conclure que la synergologie est une pseudoscience du décodage du non-verbal.The objective of this paper is to assess whether synergology is part of science or whether it is merely a nonverbal behavior decoding pseudoscience. The text consists of five sections. In the first section, we describe important elements of the scientific approach. In the second and third sections, we briefly present synergology and we examine if it meets scientific criteria. The fourth section reports a demand letter addressed to Patrick Lagacé and La Presse for a series of texts which presented a very critical view of this approach. Finally, the use of irrelevant arguments from a scientific point of view, an unwarranted attempt to give credibility to synergology by a demand letter and an unjustified use of the ethical argument lead us to conclude that synergology is a nonverbal behavior decoding pseudoscience

L’égalité des sexes n’a rien à voir avec la science!

Cet article critique un livre récemment écrit dont l’objectif est de défendre l’égalité des sexes en niant l’existence de différences entre les femmes et les hommes. La première partie de l’article affirme que l’égalité des sexes est une valeur sociale qui ne se réduit pas au fait que les femmes et les hommes se distinguent à certains égards. Les chercheurs qui défendent leurs valeurs ou croyances personnelles à partir des recherches font un abus de pouvoir qui affecte à la fois leur crédibilité et celle de la science. La seconde partie démontre que les différences sexuelles mises à jour jusqu’à maintenant, parfois petites parfois grandes, méritent d’être mieux comprises, même si les hommes et les femmes ont davantage de points communs qu’ils ne présentent de différences. Les chercheurs tiennent rarement compte du contexte lorsqu’ils mesurent les différents traits et comparent des scores plutôt que de comparer les processus développementaux impliqués dans l’adaptation des femmes et des hommes à leur environnement. Les processus développementaux qu’il nous faut découvrir impliquent nécessairement une interaction entre l’environnement et les prédispositions biologiques.This article is a critique of a recent book that was written with the objective of defending sex equality by denying the existence of differences between women and men. The first part of the article argues that sex equality is a social value independent of the fact that men and women differ in certain ways. When researchers use scientific data to defend personal values and beliefs, it is an abuse of power that affects both their own credibility and that of science itself. The second part demonstrates the importance of developing a better understanding of those sex differences, both large and small, even if men and women have more points in common than differences. Researchers rarely take context into account when they measure different traits and compare scores instead of comparing the developmental processes involved in women and men’s adaptation to their environment. The interaction between environment and biological predispositions is inherent in the developmental processes requiring further investigation

Cross-Country Differences in Basal and Stress-Induced Cortisol Secretion in Older Adults

Objectives: Several studies have emphasized the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and inadequate response of the biological stress system. However, other factors related to SES are rarely considered, such as cultural values, social norms, organization, language and communication skills, which raises the need to investigate cross-country differences in stress response. Although some studies have shown differences in cortisol levels between immigrants and natives, there is no cross-country evidence regarding cortisol levels in country-native elders. This is particularly important given the high prevalence of stress-related disorders across nations during aging. the current study examined basal diurnal and reactive cortisol levels in healthy older adults living in two different countries.Methods: Salivary cortisol of 260 older adults from Canada and Brazil were nalyzed. Diurnal cortisol was measured in saliva samples collected at home throughout two working days at awakening, 30 min after waking, 1400 h, 1600 h and before bedtime. Cortisol reactivity was assessed in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in both populations.Results: Our results showed that even under similar health status, psychological and cognitive characteristics, Brazilian elders exhibited higher basal and stress-induced cortisol secretion compared to the Canadian participants.Conclusion: These findings suggest that country context may modulate cortisol secretion and could impact the population health.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CIHRAlzheimer's Society of CanadaUniv São Paulo, Dept Med Surg Nursing, Sch Nursing, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Montreal, Sch Psychoeduc, Montreal, PQ, CanadaUniv Montreal, Dept Psychiat, Ctr Studies Human Stress, Mental Hlth Inst,Montreal Res Ctr, Montreal, PQ H3C 3J7, CanadaRyerson Univ, Dept Psychol, Toronto, ON, CanadaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2009/13911-6CIHR: 165618CIHR: 232974Web of Scienc

A transdisciplinary perspective of chronic stress in relation to psychopathology throughout life span development

The allostatic load (AL) model represents an interdisciplinary approach to comprehensively conceptualize and quantify chronic stress in relation to pathologies throughout the life cycle. This article first reviews the AL model, followed by interactions among early adversity, genetics, environmental toxins, as well as distinctions among sex, gender, and sex hormones as integral antecedents of AL. We next explore perspectives on severe mental illness, dementia, and caregiving as unique human models of AL that merit future investigations in the field of developmental psychopathology. A complimenting transdisciplinary perspective is applied throughout, whereby we argue that the AL model goes beyond traditional stress–disease theories toward the advancement of person-centered research and practice that promote not only physical health but also mental healt

Influence d'une sélection pour la combativité et l'aptitude à la dominance sur le comportement social et la réactivité émotionnelle des bovins domestiques femelles de la race d'Hérens

Diplôme : Dr. d'UniversitéThe Hérens breed is a dairy breed, whose 'belligerent' temperament is exploited in popular public events when cows fight each other to establish a social hierarchy. Animals of this breed have been selected for many generations for their ability to dominate and aptitude for fighting. The Hérens breed thus provides an interesting model for the study of social behaviour in domestic female cattle. An initial study of the Hérens herd-book has revealed the influence of the sires on the expression of dominance, and the compatibility of empirical selection for ability to dominate and aptitude for fighting with farming qualities and economic goals of the breed. The second study is uses information..from a sample of breeders. The criteria they use to select young calves as future combatants are essentially based on physical characteristics. ln order to assess the responses to selection, the third part of this thesis is a comparative study of the Hérens (H) and another breed, Brune des Alpes (BA), not subjected to selection for dominance and aptitude for fighting, but reared under the same management techniques. Irrespective of age (6, 10-12, 18 months or more than 4 years old), the superior dominance of H animaIs is clearly evident. This validates the chosen experimental model. At 6 months of age, H calves were more aggressive, less tolerant, and more reactive to fear-eliciting situations than BA animaIs. On the other hand, this situation is reversed in adult cows. Possible explanations are the influence of a prenatal stress in H calves, hormonal factors, or a different role of social experience in the two breeds. ln the final study, we have attempted to identify early predictors of the ability to dominate through a longitudinal study of 28 H calves from 6 to 30 months. Calves which were unreactive to fear-eliciting tests (novel objects or surprise effects) at 6 months of age became dominant heifers in encounter situations with unfamiliar animals at 30 months of age. This result confirmed the vital role of emotional reactivity in the development of the ability to dominate in domestic female cattle.La race d'Hérens est une race laitière, dont le caractère " belliqueux" est à l'origine de manifestations populaires, aux cours desquelles, les vaches luttent pour établir une hiérarchie. Les animaux de cette race ont été sélectionnés empiriquement depuis des générations pour leur combativité et leur aptitude à la dominance, constituant ainsi un modèle original pour l'étude du comportement social chez les bovins domestiques. La première partie de ce travail, consacrée à l'étude du livre généalogique de la race d'Hérens, nous a permis de mettre en évidence l'influence de l'ascendance sur l'aptitude à la dominance, et la compatibilité de la sélection avec les objectifs zootechniques de la race. Dans une seconde partie, grâce à l'étude d'un échantillon d'éleveurs, les critères de choix pour la sélection des jeunes veaux femelles en tant que futures combattantes ont été mis à jour : ils sont essentiellement liés au physique de l'animal. Pour tenter de déterminer les réponses à la sélection, la troisième partie de ce travail a été consacrée à une étude comparative des femelles de la race d'Hérens avec celles d'une race non sélectionnée pour la combativité et l'aptitude à la dominance, soumises à la même conduite d'élevage, la race Brune des Alpes (BA). Quel que soit l'âge (6, 10-12, 18 mois ou plus de 4 ans), une aptitude à la dominance supérieure des Hérens a été observée, ce qui valide l'intérêt porté à ce modèle. A 6 mois, les veaux H se sont montrés plus agressifs, moins tolérants, et plus réactifs dans des situations anxiogènes que les animaux BA. Au contraire, à l'âge adulte, ces différences s'inversent entre les deux races. Parmi les explications possibles de ces différences, on peut citer l'influence d'un stress prénatal important que subiraient les H, l'influence des facteurs endocriniens, ou encore un rôle différent de l'expérience sociale pour les deux races. Enfin, dans une quatrième partie, nous avons tenté, par l'étude longitudinale de 28 veaux Hérens de 6 à 30 mois, de déterminer des indicateurs précoces de la dominance. Les veaux peu réactifs à des situations de néophobie ou d'effet de surprise à 6 mois, deviennent des génisses dominantes dans une situation de rencontre avec des animaux non familiers à 30 mois. Ce résultat met en évidence le rôle primordial de la réactivité émotionnelle dans le développement de l'aptitude à la dominance chez les bovins domestiques femelles

Characterization of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder's Interactions with a Service Dog during Their First Encounter

International audienceReports reveal various benefits of animals - especially dogs - for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, not all children with ASD display the same interest in animals. Dogs are the most common pets in households that have children with ASD and they are the only species to be used as service animals for these children. They are also the most commonly used species in animal-assisted interventions. Despite the key role that both the interest and behaviors displayed toward dogs might play in their benefits to children with ASD, no studies have yet investigated this aspect using direct observation. Applying an ethological approach, this study aimed to explore and characterize how children with ASD interact with a service dog during a first encounter. Video recordings of 20 children with ASD in free interactions during their first encounter with a service dog were analyzed. Our results indicate that children with ASD are attracted to service dogs, but we found important individual differences. We distinguished two main behavioral interaction profiles (one more distal with the service dog and the other more proximal and attracted to the service dog). Our results show that the children with ASD's interaction strategies vary according to their age and ASD severity: younger children made fewer physical contacts with the service dog, gazed less at it, and displayed less care behaviors, while children with severer ASD seemed to rely on a smaller behavioral repertoire when interacting with a service dog. This study is the first to characterize how children with ASD interact with a service dog during their first encounter. These findings open onto future research concerning the importance of a child with ASD's attraction to and behavior in the presence of an animal, as well as of the impacts of a child's characteristics (i.e., age, ASD severity, and sensory processing disorder) to be able to improve programs for animal-assisted interventions

Évolution de la santé psychologique d’étudiantes en psychoéducation pendant la pandémie liée à la COVID-19 : le rôle du soutien social et des stratégies d’adaptation

L’objectif de cette étude est de documenter l’évolution de la santé psychologique d’étudiantes en psychoéducation durant la crise liée à la COVID-19. Cent cinquante-neuf étudiantes de psychoéducation (90 % de femmes), sélectionnées à partir d’un échantillon plus vaste de 876 étudiantes, ont rempli des questionnaires à deux temps de mesure : avant la COVID-19 en octobre 2019 (Temps 1) et durant la COVID-19 en janvier 2021 (Temps 2). Les questionnaires portaient notamment sur la dépression, l’anxiété, le stress, le soutien social, les stratégies d’adaptation, la connaissance et l’utilisation des services de soutien psychologique sur le campus et les événements de vie stressants. Les données montrent que la pandémie liée à la COVID-19 n’a pas affecté toutes les étudiantes de la même façon. Les étudiantes de premier cycle et celles qui utilisaient davantage des stratégies d’adaptation comme l’évitement ou les attributions auto-accusatrices avant cette crise ont vu une détérioration de leur santé psychologique pendant la crise. Les étudiantes de maîtrise, celles qui utilisaient des stratégies d’adaptation centrées sur le problème et celles qui bénéficiaient d’un bon soutien de la part des membres de leurs familles avant la crise ont plutôt vu une amélioration de leur santé psychologique. Des pistes de solution sont présentées pour améliorer le bien-être étudiant.The aim of this study was to examine the evolution of psychological health among psychoeducation students during the crisis associated with COVID-19. One hundred and fifthy-nine students (90 % of women), selected from a sample of 876 students, completed a series of questionnaires at two times: before COVID-19 in October 2019 (Time 1), and during the COVID-19 in January 2021 (Time 2). Questionnaires assessed depression, anxiety, stress, social support, coping strategies, knowledge and use of psychological services on the campus, as well as stressful life events. The results showed that the crisis associated with COVID-19 pandemic did not affect all the students on de same way. Undergraduate students and students who used coping strategies such as avoidance and self-blame attributions before the pandemic showed a deterioration of their psychological well-being. On the other hand, graduate students, those who used coping strategies focused on the problem and those who benefit from a good social support from their families before the pandemic showed an improvement of their psychological well-being. The discussion presents solutions to improve psychological well-being among students