Supporting Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research studies have shown the importance of early intervention services for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. However, most attention has been given to the effectiveness of treatments solely for children with ASDs. Because the family centered practice has been emphasized and supported by many researchers and legislation, involving family members other than children with ASDs and their parents in the assessing, planning, and implementing interventions is seen as crucial. The purpose of this article is to review what sibling relationships look like for a typically developing sibling of a child with an ASD and what resources are available for parents and specialists to support siblings of children with ASDs.     

Imitation and Pantomime in High-Functioning Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

A study was designed to test 2 alternative hypotheses—a symbolic hypothesis and an executive function hypothesis—for the imitation and pantomime deficits found in previous studies of autism. The subjects were 17 adolescent high-functioning subjects with autism spectrum disorders and 15 clinical comparison subjects who were matched on chronological age and verbal IQ. Meaning and sequence were manipulated in facial and manual imitation tasks. Sequence was manipulated in the pantomime and control tasks. Recognition memory and motor control tasks were matched to the experimental tasks. The results provided no support for the symbolic deficit hypothesis; meaning aided rather than hindered the performance of the group with autism. Partial support for the executive deficit hypothesis was found. There were no group differences on motor control tasks, and few on the memory control tasks, arguing against deficits in motor initiation, basic motor coordination, or visual recognition memory.     

自闭症谱系障碍的"碎镜假说"述评

文章利用文献法整合当前自闭症认知研究、镜像神经元系统研究领域中的相关理论、实证研究,进行归纳总结,旨在介绍自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)成因的一种新的假设:自闭症镜像神经元功能障碍(AMND)理论.自闭症患者在动作观察、情绪认知等过程中镜像神经元系统激活明显缺乏.研究镜像神经元系统有助于揭示自闭症的成因,同时也有助于研究者形成新的诊断和治疗方式.     

Strategies for Transitioning Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders to Kindergarten

In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), worldwide. Since children with ASD have limited social interaction and communication skills, they tend to lag behind their peers without disabilities in many areas. In particular, they are unable to easily transition smoothly from one stage of their life to another. Transitions from preschool settings to kindergarten and beyond should be a critical issue of concern for educators and parents of young children with ASD. The results of a survey completed by 65 preschool teachers from Ghana and 210 of their counterparts in the United States of America, about characteristics of effective transition programs for children with ASD, are presented. Implications for preschool teacher preparation and transition planning are discussed.     

A spectrum of support: current and best practices for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at community colleges

More than 50% of all college students with a disability enroll in public 2-year institutions. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a type of disability that affects a growing number of students in postsecondary education. Currently, over 70% of 2-year public institutions enroll students with ASD. In spite of increased awareness, the vast majority of existing ASD research focused on primary and secondary education. Research on practices that support students with disabilities in the community college environment is imperative for promoting student success. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore current and best practices that support students with ASD at 2-year public, postsecondary institutions. A web-based tool was used to survey a nationally representative sample of disability service professionals from 367 2-year, public institutions (35.4% response rate). Our results show reasonable accommodations with an academic focus (e.g., extended exam time) were provided more frequently than sensory accommodations. General support services that focused on the transition to college were offered by 42% of the institutions surveyed, and 26% of institutions supplied ASD-specific services. These results indicated that many institutions provide students with a baseline level of academic accommodations; however, accommodations and support services that specifically target the functional limitations of ASD are offered less frequently. Best practices for supporting students with ASD were synthesized and implications for practice were discussed.     

Evidence-Based Methods for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Stakeholder Issues and Perspectives

Despite variable interpretations of the meaning and nature of specific effective practice methods and research-supported strategies, such approaches are generally considered essential for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Indeed, there is general consensus that only by qualified professionals using effective methods in an approved fashion will optimal student outcomes be achieved. Related to this need, this article presents perspectives of stakeholders connected to use of effective practices with children and youth diagnosed with ASD. A parent, educational practitioner, and program administrator each share their unique perspectives on the subject of effective practice methods for learners with ASD.     

Classroom Structuring Methods and Strategies for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism experts and individuals with high-functioning autism contend that many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) respond most favorably to information that is presented visually. Accordingly, strategies capitalizing on this visual preference have received significant recent attention in both ASD research and practitioner-related literature. This article provides a review of visually based strategies for organizing classrooms for children and youth with ASD. Classroom structuring methods, visual schedules, and visually based organizational strategies are described and discussed. For each of the above, a justification, a brief review of the research literature, implementation guidelines, recommendations for effective use, and suggested resources for practitioners are provided. Tables and figures that provide examples of methods are also provided.     

Classroom Needs of Community College Students with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Community college students with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders can experience significant challenges from the social aspect of classroom learning and college life in comparison to their peers. This article explains unique challenges of postsecondary learners with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders. It also presents several classroom practices than can be beneficial to college students with these disorders. Practices discussed include those related to helping students get started and make the transition into a new course, organizing learning space, following class routines, and directly addressing individual social concerns.     

自闭症谱系障碍儿童共情过程中能力缺陷量化研究

共情缺陷是导致自闭症儿童社交障碍的重要因素。研究选取了28名3-7岁的自闭症和正常发展儿童,通过生理信号、面部表情和认知绩效等多模态数据的分析,探讨自闭症儿童共情过程中各阶段的特点,分析自闭症儿童共情缺陷的具体表现。研究发现,自闭症儿童的共情能力缺陷主要体现在较差的认知共情能力和较差的面部表情模仿能力;自闭症儿童的共情过程存在正常的自下而上的情绪分享过程和异常的自上而下的认知调节过程。因此,自闭症儿童共情能力的干预重点应聚焦认知调节过程中认知共情能力的提升和表情模仿能力的训练。     

上海市自闭谱系障碍儿童早期干预现状调查

研究者选取上海市6所开展自闭谱系障碍儿童早期干预工作的专业教育机构,对其中的46位教师及69位儿童家长进行调查。结果表明,自闭谱系障碍儿童从早期发现到早期评估再到接受早期干预需要经历相当长的时间,仅有27.5%的儿童在3岁前接受了早期干预;教师队伍有待优化;家长虽然对早期干预态度积极,但参与程度有限;儿童每周接受有效干预的时间偏少,干预效果有进一步提高的空间。建议尽快建立并完善自闭谱系障碍儿童早期教育支持体系,配备足量教师并推动教师专业发展,延长儿童接受有效干预的时间,鼓励家长积极参与,以提高干预效果。     

Impact of intervening learning on resurgence in humans with Autism Spectrum Disorders

In the present study, we investigated the degree to which responding would resurge in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) following an intervening training period comprising different schedules of reinforcement. Twenty-four children of the ages 7–15, with a diagnosis of an ASD, were taught a play a sequence on a variable ratio- (VR) 3 schedule of reinforcement, during a 30-min session. The play sequence was then extinguished before the participants were taught a second play sequence, using a VR-4 schedule for 30 min, a VR-4 schedule for 60 min, or a VR-2 schedule for 30 min. A 5-min extinction session was then conducted to determine the impact that the intervening schedules had on the resurgence of the original behavior. The original sequence resurged to a greater extent for Group VR-4 30 min than it did for the other two groups. The results provide evidence that the length of time between initial training and testing is not a prime determinant of the level of resurgence, but that the amount of conditioning may play a stronger role: The greater the number of reinforcers received, the smaller the resurgence effect.     

Introduction to the Special Issue: Effective Practices for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This article focuses on the development and use of alternative reading measures that are performance based (authentic and direct), technically adequate, and help teachers make instructional decisions. Although performance assessments are promulgated as better than many traditional, published measures of achievement, few studies on technical adequacy have been conducted. We present 2 studies that focus on concurrent criterion validity and instructional decision making; the studies are framed as examples of reading measurement within the debate on whole language programs. The first study focuses on the relation of the performance measure of oral reading with several other reading measures; the second study focuses on teacher decision making, using quantitative and qualitative outcomes reflecting individual student change in performance (in reading fluency and prosody) over time. In this article, both studies are described briefly, and the emphasis of discussion is placed on appropriately evaluating programs so that the measures match the interventions (are systemically valid) and support their effec- tiveness for use with individual students.     

Developmental Trajectories in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorders: The First 3 Years

Retrospective studies indicate 2 major classes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) onset: early and later, after a period of relatively healthy development. This prospective, longitudinal study examined social, language, and motor trajectories in 235 children with and without a sibling with autism, ages 6–36 months. Children were grouped as: ASD identified by 14 months, ASD identified after 14 months, and no ASD. Despite groups' initial similar developmental level at 6 months, ASD groups exhibited atypical trajectories thereafter. Impairment from 14 to 24 months was greater in the Early‐ASD than the Later‐ASD group, but comparable at 36 months. Developmental plateau and regression occurred in some children with ASD, regardless of timing of ASD diagnosis. Findings indicate a preclinical phase of varying duration for ASD.     

英国自闭谱系障碍儿童的早期家庭干预

自闭谱系障碍通常被描述为一种起病于3岁之前,以明显的社会交往障碍、言语沟通异常以及刻板的兴趣、奇特的行为方式为特征的谱系障碍。尽早发现、评估、干预,才能最大程度地开发这类儿童的潜能。英国目前已经拥有较为完善的法律保障体系,以保障自闭谱系障碍儿童的权利及其家庭的参与权利。"不只是语言""早起的鸟"等早期家庭干预模式均重视家长的参与,旨在形成由专业人员指导、家长执行并合作解决问题的干预体系,促进自闭谱系障碍儿童发展。英国的经验值得借鉴。     

孤独症谱系障碍儿童心理理论的影响因素研究进展

心理理论是社会认知的重要研究领域,对社会能力的发展有着深刻影响.孤独症谱系障碍是一种广泛性发育障碍,学者采用不同的心理理论任务证实,孤独症儿童心理理论严重缺损.文章重点分析了语言、执行功能、家庭环境、同伴关系、干预等内外在因素对孤独症谱系障碍儿童心理理论的影响.未来的研究应不断改进现有的研究方法,扩展研究对象的年龄和范围,更加注重开展系统的干预研究.     

A Review of Recommended Social Competency Programs for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Social competency deficits are a core feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). During the past several decades, a number of social skill interventions for students with ASD have emerged. However, over the past five years, three converging issues have brought increased attention to the need for social competence programming: (1) increased ASD incidence rates, (2) inclusion and integration trends, and (3) recent No Child Left Behind Act requirement regarding use of evidence-based practices. This article discusses current best practices in enhancing the social competence of learners with ASD. To this end, a review of the literature was conducted to: (1) define key behaviors related to social competence targeted by common interventions and (2) identify the core components and targets that are essential for effective social competence interventions. Searches done by hand and electronically were conducted to identify empirical reviews or summaries of effective social competence interventions from preschool to early adulthood. Eight reviews that encompass typically developing as well as those that specifically target ASD were chosen. Results of the review identified eight primary behavior categories most frequently targeted by social interventions across preschool, elementary, and secondary age groups. Additional analysis identified 11 core components consistently identified in the reviews. Explanation of categories as well as implications for future research and practice are explored.     

Pragmatic Assessment in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Comparison of a Standard Measure With Parent Report

The purpose of this study was to investigate the concurrent validity of subtests on the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL) by comparing them with the assessment of communication and social skills on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Vineland). The participants were 35 children and adolescents with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who had received both the CASL and the Vineland. Results of the study suggest that the Pragmatic Judgment and Inferences subtests of the CASL appeared to document the difficulties that individuals with ASD had in adaptive use of language for communication.