Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder. Living with ASD requires that individuals and parents develop skills in order to cope with daily life. Education interventions ...are recommended to support them. This study aims to get an overview of education and training interventions in ASD.
A scoping review of international literature was conducted.
43 articles were analyzed. Four main types of intervention stand out: support groups, parental training; psychoeducation; therapeutic patient education. However, the majority of publications is focused on the parents rather than on individuals living with ASD, and the needs assessments identified focused on general needs rather than educational needs.
While educational interventions for parents and individuals with ASD are now encouraged, considerable heterogeneity is observed. But this variety is not based on a reasoned approach to matching supply and needs. Future studies could focus more on the educational needs of individuals with ASD.
Overview of education and training interventions in ASD help health care providers to better understand the strengths and limitations of their interventions.
•Support and counseling, parental training, psychoeducation and therapeutic patient education are the four main types of intervention.•Studies are mainly focused on parents.•There is a lack of knowledge on educational needs.
IntroductionThe elevated rates of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) among siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) raise concerns about their developmental monitoring and ...development. The main aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a standardised screening process on a large sample of siblings.Methods and analysisThis prospective study will assess the feasibility of a selective and multi-stage screening process for NDD performed on 384 siblings of children with confirmed ASD. Stage 1 will consist of the screening of NDD performed using online parental questionnaires (Social Responsiveness Scale, IdentiDys scale, DCDQ, parental concerns) through a web platform. In cases of a positive result, the second stage, consisting of a clinical semi-structured interview with a psychologist, will be proposed to the sibling before referral for diagnosis and treatment, if necessary. Approximately 12 months after stage 2, parents will be contacted by telephone to collect the diagnosis established following the referrals and their level of satisfaction concerning the screening process. Based on an expected participation rate of 50%, to estimate this rate with an accuracy of 5%, it is necessary to screen 384 subjects.Ethics and disseminationThe Ethics Committee on the Research of Human Subjects of Paris (Ile de France VII) approved this study in March 2022 (number: 2021-A02241-40). Express consent is required from all participants. Findings from the cohort study will be disseminated by publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts, presentations at scientific meetings and conferences with associated teams.Trial registration numberNCT05512637.
This study focused on parents’ satisfaction with the special education and care services proposed to their child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Data were collected in three regions of France, ...using a questionnaire designed for the purpose of this study. Among the 530 families contacted, 212 filled in the questionnaire (response rate = 40.8%). Results showed that parents were globally satisfied with providers’ involvement and motivation, but they felt they were not involved enough in their child’s individualized program, that communication with providers was insufficient and that the services lacked ASD’s specific tools and interventions. Among all families interviewed, parents of adolescents were the most unsatisfied and we hypothesized that this could be due to the specific issues regarding developmental changes and concern about the future at this period of life. Congruently with the literature, variables related to parental overall satisfaction were a regular communication with professionals, a specific, regularly updated individual program in which parents are associated, and specialized tools and interventions. The implications of these findings are discussed as well as future directions for clinicians to improve service delivery and allow the persons with ASD and their families to be more involved in the services.
•Four patterns of AB were identified in adolescents with ASD based on the ABC scores.•We examine the association between patterns of AB and adaptive behavior trajectories.•A high adaptive behavior ...trajectory is associated to a low level of AB.•A low adaptive behavior trajectory is not necessarily associated to a high level of AB.
This study aims to identify Aberrant Behavioral (AB) patterns in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and to examine if these patterns are associated to their adaptive behavior trajectories. The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) was used to assess problems behaviors in a sample of 152 adolescents with ASD, whose adaptive behavior trajectories were described based on the Vineland communication and socialization scores. Clustering analyses were performed to identify AB patterns and univariate analyses to evaluate the association between AB patterns and adaptive behavior trajectories. We identified four clusters or AB patterns: (1) low scores in the ABC four domains, (2) high scores in irritability and hyperactivity, (3) medium scores in the four domains, and (4) medium level of irritability and high scores in stereotypy, lethargy and hyperactivity. These patterns were significantly linked to the adolescents’ adaptive behavior trajectories. Most adolescents with a high trajectory (87%) were found in clusters 1 and 3, whereas adolescents with a low trajectory were equally distributed in the four clusters. Results suggest that while a high trajectory seems associated with a low level of AB, low trajectory is not necessarily associated with a high level of AB. Study limitations and clinical implications are discussed.
We assessed the effectiveness of an odor (familiar or unfamiliar) in soothing healthy full-term newborns undergoing a routine heel stick. Forty-four breast-fed newborns were randomly assigned to one ...of four groups: Before the heel stick, Group 1 was naturally familiarized with their mother's milk odor, Group 2 was familiarized with a vanilla smell, and Groups 3 and 4 did not receive any familiarization. During and after the heel stick, Group 1 was presented with their mother's milk odor, Group 2 was presented with the familiar vanilla, Group 3 was presented with an unfamiliar odor, and Group 4 was a control group. Infants' crying, grimacing, and head movements were analyzed before, during, and after the heel stick. Results show that infants who smelled a familiar odor (their mother's milk or vanilla) cried and grimaced significantly less during the recovery phase compared with the heel stick phase. Infants who were presented with an unfamiliar odor or no odor showed no significant changes during recovery. Moreover, infants who smelled their mother's milk exhibited significantly less motor agitation during the heel stick compared with the other groups. These findings indicate that smelling a familiar odor reduces agitation during the heel stick and diminishes distress after the procedure.
We examined the occurrence and timing of separation of parents raising children with Autism Spectrum Disorders followed over a 10-year period (
n
= 119). We also compared the clinical ...characteristics of children and sociodemographic variables between parents who remained as a couple versus parents who separated. The results showed that after 10 years of follow-up 74.8 % of the couples remained together (
n
= 89), representing a separation rate of 25.2 %. This rate remained stable over the study period. There was no significant difference in any of the clinical and sociodemographic variables between comparison groups. Our results suggest that raising a child with autism does not often lead to the dissolution of the parents’ relationship, as is commonly believed. The occurrence of parental separation in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders does not appear to vary according to their stage of life (childhood or adolescence). Lastly, the clinical profile of children and sociodemographic variables do not seem to influence the relationship status of parents.
Purpose
To compare mothers and fathers perceptions of the impact of autism spectrum disorder on their Quality of Life (QoL), we used the Parental-Developmental Disorders-Quality of Life scale ...(Par-DD-QoL).
Method
The perception of QoL of mothers and fathers was compared for 130 pairs of parents of children with ASD and the associated variables were investigated.
Results
Mothers perceived a significantly greater impact of ASD on their QoL than fathers. Parents perceived a higher impact of ASD on global QoL when their child’s adaptive skills were low and when the level of aberrant behaviors was high. More precisely, the perception of QoL by the mothers was negatively associated with their child’s internalized disorders, whereas the perception of QoL by the fathers was negatively associated with their child’s externalized disorders. Neither the mothers’ nor the fathers’ perception of the impact on QoL was associated with their children’s age or the severity of their autistic symptoms. Some parental factors, such as being members of a family association, having benefited from training in ASD and having experienced a disruption in professional activity were associated with a greater impact on their QoL.
Conclusion
Our finding that the perceived impact of ASD on QoL differed between mothers and fathers argues for individualized psychosocial support. Moreover, the strong correlation between the child’s clinical characteristics and the perception by parents of a higher impact of ASD on QoL should be seen as red flag concerning the needs of the parents in terms of social and educational support.
Trial registration number
: NCT02625116 (October 2015).
Children and adolescents with ASD are increasingly included in regular school settings, however little is known about how placement decisions are made. In the present study, we examined the types and ...duration of school attendance among children and adolescents in the ELENA Cohort, a multi-center study of children and adolescents with ASD, ages 2–16 years, in France. Results showed that 88% of subjects were attending school and that children and adolescents with more severe adaptive and cognitive deficits were less likely to attend school. The results provide a topography on school inclusion and ASD in France. Challenging behaviors and sensory processing difficulties were associated with partial-inclusion; and co-occurring anxiety symptoms were associated with inclusion on a full-time basis.
Background: Containment, involving separation and restriction of movement of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and mitigation, also referred to as lockdown, involving closure of schools, ...universities and public venues, has had a profound impact on people's lives globally. The study focuses on the effects of containment and mitigation measures, on the behavior of children and youth (CaY) with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The study primary aim was to examine the impact of these urgent measures on the behaviors, communication, sleep, and nutritional status of the CaY. A secondary aim was to explore risk and protective factors on behavior change including sociodemographic variables, living conditions, ASD symptom severity and continuity of interventions. Methods: The study sample consisted of 239 ASD subjects, 2–21 years of age, enrolled in the ELENA cohort in France at Stage 3 confinement and mitigation measures announced on March 16, 2020. A parent informant completed the COVID-19 questionnaire. Results: Of the domains examined, challenging behaviors, communicative skills and sleep had the greatest impact; in terms of risk and protective factors, subject age, ASD severity, single parenthood, daily living skills, and intervention continuity were most likely to impact behaviors; living conditions were not linked to behavior change. Conclusions: The findings highlight the topography of behavioral change in CaY with ASD following institution of containment and mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and help identify risk and protective factors to help better address needs and tailor interventions in the future.
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