PURPOSE: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to exhibit lower quantities of pretend play than do typically-developing children, which could be related to their symptom ...severity. However, how symptom severity is associated with pretend play in children with ASD is unknown. Therefore, we applied an elaborate pretend play assessment to characterize the pretend play of children with ASD with different symptom severity levels. DESIGN: This study used a quasi-experimental design. Children were included if they were at a chronological age of 4-12 years old and had received a formal diagnosis of ASD. Children were excluded if they (1) had symptoms associated with organic brain dysfunction or chromosomal abnormality, (2) had uncorrected hearing or visual impairments, and (3) were unable to follow orders or complete the procedures. METHOD: Children's pretend play performance, autistic behaviors, and verbal comprehension were respectively assessed with the Child-Initiated Pretend Play Assessment (ChIPPA), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Verbal Comprehension Index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. The ChIPPA includes three types of raw scores: number of imitated actions (NIA), number of object substitutions (NOS), and percentage of elaborate pretend play actions (PEPA). The three types of scores combined with two contexts of conventional and symbolic play generate 6 raw scores. Children were categorized according to their CARS cut point scores into 3 severity levels: non-ASD, mild/moderate, and severe. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey Post hoc analysis were applied to examine if the three severities were associated with differences in performance in pretend play. RESULTS: A total of 72 children with ASD aged 70-141 months were enrolled. The ANOVA analysis revealed that the 3 severity groups had significant differences symbolic PEPA (F.sub.(2,65) = 3.8, p < 0.05), symbolic NOS (F.sub.(2,65) = 3.2, p < 0.05), and total PEPA scores (F.sub.(2,65) = 3.6, p < 0.05). The post hoc results indicated significant differences between non-ASD and severe ASD groups in symbolic PEPA (group difference = 15.7, p < 0.05), symbolic NOS (group difference = 3.9, p < 0.05), and total PEPA scores (group difference = 27.9, p < 0.05). The results demonstrate that children without ASD display higher frequencies of symbolic object substitution and higher percentages of elaborate pretend play actions than do children with severe ASD during pretend play. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that symptom severity is a significant variable of elaborateness and frequency in symbolic play. Children with very mild autistic traits have more complexity, creativity, and flexibility in symbolic play than do children with severe autistic traits. This study provides evidence on the association of symptom severity with pretend play performance in children with ASD for both clinical and research settings.
Abstract
Date Presented 03/28/20
The results of this study indicate the need to develop interventions targeting EFP abilities for ASD. Children with ASD showed decreased valence, but not accuracy, of ...their positive-valence facial expressions. In ASD, there was a negative correlation between EFP accuracy and ASD symptoms related to social functioning. There were no relationships found between affect recognition accuracy and EFP accuracy.
Primary Author and Speaker: Sharada Krishnan
Additional Authors and Speakers: Emily Kilroy
Contributing Authors: Christiana Butera, Laura Harrison, Aditya Jayashankar, Anusha Hossain, Alexis Nalbach, Lisa Aziz-Zadeh
Evaluer des eleves ayant un trouble du spectre de l'autisme (TSA) represente un defi pour les enseignants, ce qui peut affecter leur sentiment d'efficacite personnelle (SEP). Les eleves ayant un TSA ...presentent des specificites multiples pour lesquelles s'imposent souvent des amenagements dans les pratiques pedagogiques, plus specifiquement dans les pratiques evaluatives. Selon la litterature consultee, le SEP des enseignants a un effet direct sur les pratiques enseignantes et leur sante mentale. Les resultats de notre etude proposent que l'appropriation de pratiques puisse devenir un levier dans l'evolution du SEP des enseignants lorsque ces derniers sont impliques dans un processus de developpement professionnel pour lequel des ressources adaptees et de l'accompagnement sont offerts. Mots-cles : sentiment d'efficacite personnelle, appropriation, pratiques evaluatives, developpement professionnel, trouble du spectre de l'autisme Assessing students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a constant challenge. It impacts the sense of personal effectiveness of teachers working with these learners who can have multiple specificities and for whom adjustments to pedagogical practices, and specifically assessment practices, are often essential. According to the literature, teachers' self-efficacy has a direct effect on teaching practices and their mental health. The results of our study suggest that the appropriation of practices can improve teachers' self-efficacy when they are involved in a professional development process providing suitable material and support. Keywords: teachers' self-efficacy, appropriation, assessment practices, autism spectrum disorder, professional development
The number of cases identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is showing a rapid upward trend. while ASD may accompany sufferers for a lifetime, it does not mean that they cannot live a normal ...life, let alone that they have lost the possibility of holistic development. A social organization named Golden Wings that, based on the idea of holistic development, adopts a specific approach to support the development of a group of children for a long period of time. At this point in time, these children identified with ASD have shown their wonderful lives. This is a 13-year exploration, and it is still ongoing. By tracing and exploring their growth histories, the study aims to identify key elements supporting their realization of personal traits and attempt to establish a theoretical path for supporting systems needed for the development of autistic children. This study has randomly selected 10 members and their parents from the painting classes at Golden Wings, a rehabilitation center for disabled children
Personality traits play a crucial role in studying mental disorders because they offer insights into the individual differences and vulnerabilities that influence the onset, course, and treatment of ...these disorders. Recognizing the significance of personality in mental health research and clinical practice contributes to a more holistic and personalized approach to understanding and managing mental health conditions. Studying the relationship between personality traits and mental disorders can shed light on the underlying mechanisms and etiology of these disorders. It can help researchers identify common genetic, neural, and environmental factors that contribute to both personality traits and mental health conditions. Zebrafish are increasingly used as models for studying various mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. The existence of zebrafish personality traits can help elucidate how different individuals within a population may be more or less susceptible to these conditions. By examining the genetic underpinnings of zebrafish personality traits and their link to mental disorders, researchers can identify potential genetic markers and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of these conditions. Zebrafish research allows for in-depth exploration of the neural and neurochemical mechanisms underpinning personality traits and how these relate to mental disorders. Insights from zebrafish studies can inform our understanding of these mechanisms in more complex organisms. KEYWORDS: Schizophrenia, personality, zebrafish, animal models.
Keeping an open mind about autism Bonsu, Angela
Lancet neurology,
December 2017, 2017-12-00, 20171201, Volume:
16, Issue:
12
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Heasman's project is very much a response to the inherent bias of representation generated when cultural, and even scientific, explorations of autism come solely from an outsider's perspective. The ...exhibition centres on an autistic man named Cambell, his family, and the members of Matthew's Hub-a support service for people with high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome. The exhibition also takes on a very personal tone, for example, when Cambell's mother, Sally, recalls finding out that Cambell has autism, learning how his use of language and his understanding of situations differed from his elder sister Meredith, and her coming to accept that her son would be different from a neurotypical person.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by impaired communication, reciprocal social interactions, restricted sociability deficits, and stereotyped behavioral ...patterns. Environmental factors and genetic susceptibility have been implicated in an increased risk of ASD. Aflatoxin Bsub.1 (AFBsub.1) is a typical contaminant of food and feed that causes severe immune dysfunction in humans and animals. Nevertheless, the impact of ASD on behavioral and immunological responses has not been thoroughly examined. To investigate this phenomenon, we subjected BTBR Tsup.+Itpr3sup.tf/J (BTBR) mice to AFBsub.1 and evaluated their marble-burying and self-grooming behaviors and their sociability. The exposure to AFBsub.1 resulted in a notable escalation in marble-burying and self-grooming activities while concurrently leading to a decline in social contacts. In addition, we investigated the potential molecular mechanisms that underlie the impact of AFBsub.1 on the production of Th1 (IFN-γ, STAT1, and T-bet), Th9 (IL-9 and IRF4), Th17 (IL-17A, IL-21, RORγT, and STAT3), Th22 (IL-22, AhR, and TNF-α), and T regulatory (Treg) (IL-10, TGF-β1, and FoxP3) cells in the spleen. This was achieved using RT-PCR and Western blot analyses to assess mRNA and protein expression in brain tissue. The exposure to AFBsub.1 resulted in a significant upregulation of various immune-related factors, including IFN-γ, STAT1, T-bet, IL-9, IRF4, IL-17A, IL-21, RORγ, STAT3, IL-22, AhR, and TNF-α in BTBR mice. Conversely, the production of IL-10, TGF-β1, and FoxP3 by CD4sup.+ T cells was observed to be downregulated. Exposure to AFBsub.1 demonstrated a notable rise in Th1/Th9/Th22/Th17 levels and a decrease in mRNA and protein expression of Treg. The results above underscore the significance of AFBsub.1 exposure in intensifying neurobehavioral and immunological abnormalities in BTBR mice, hence indicating the necessity for a more comprehensive investigation into the contribution of AFBsub.1 to the development of ASD.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
PDF
![Aflatoxin B[sub.1] Exposure...](http://api.summon.serialssolutions.com/2.0.0/image/issn/XR4PS5YY4K/2076-3425/small "Aflatoxin B[sub.1] Exposure Aggravates Neurobehavioral Deficits and Immune Dysfunctions of Th1, Th9, Th17, Th22, and T Regulatory Cell-Related Transcription Factor Signaling in the BTBR T[sup.+]Itpr3[sup.tf]/J Mouse Model of Autism")