Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders最新文献

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted greatly the mental health of children. We performed a systematic review to better understand the impact of the pandemic on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across different SEND categories. Following PRISMA guidelines, of 1699 search results, 66 studies were included in our analysis as they met our inclusion criteria concerning: a) children with SEND; b) focus on COVID-19; c) longitudinal or cross-sectional design; d) quantitative or qualitative measures; and e) mental health or well-being outcomes. Our review suggests that there was a typically negative impact on mental health and well-being for children with SEND, yet experiences varied on the basis of individual differences, rather than category of SEND. Findings highlight the need for interventions and policy implementations to improve the everyday mental well-being of this population.

Sensory processing atypicalities have been demonstrated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thermoception, a component of the somatosensory system crucial for survival, can benefit from an overview of the state-of-art in ASD. In this work, a PROSPERO registered (CRD42023412663) systematic review on thermoception in ASD is presented, following PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Our search encompassed databases including Pubmed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar (n = 1261). Included articles (n = 9) were written in English, experimental, peer-reviewed documents on thermoception in autism. As the ASD group shows hypo- (n = 3) or hypersensitivity (n = 2) or no discernible difference at times (n = 8) to either warm and/or cold innocuous stimuli, definitive conclusions are difficult to draw. Nevertheless, these aggregated results build cumulative knowledge and guide future research regarding the evaluation of thermoception in autistic individuals which could further increase their quality of life.

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents lifelong neurodevelopmental challenges and is diagnosed in early childhood. ASD is complex, has multiple causes, and is characterized by communication difficulties, impaired social interaction, and repetitive behaviors. Unfortunately, there are no specific biomarkers for diagnosis or effective treatments yet. However, nanomedicine offers promise for treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders conditions, including ASD. Nanomaterials can cross the blood–brain barrier, target specific cells, disseminate in brain tissue, and serve as carriers for therapeutics. This review emphasizes the importance and potential of nanomedicine, current pharmacological treatments for ASD, challenges in drug development, and recent medical approaches based on nanotechnology to overcome the blood brain barrier and deliver CNS therapeutics. Neurobiological research for future nanomedicine applications will also be highlighted.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) integrated approach to primary care differs from the traditional patient-centered approach to primary care, resulting in a gap that needs to be addressed. Recently, the Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) model has emerged as an alternative research approach to the traditional model, and has gained considerable attention in the field of autism research.The aim of this scoping review was to explore the pattern and effectiveness of CBPR in the ASD population. The findings suggest that CBPR is a promising and effective research model for skills enhancement and healthcare for autistic people. This review highlights the importance of using the CBPR model in ASD research which can help researchers build multi-partnerships with communities and other stakeholders to facilitate the design and implementation of health promotion programs.

Background and Aims

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represent two of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions, with prevalence rates of 5–7% and 0.6–1%, respectively. Despite their conceptually distinct phenotypes, ADHD and ASD are highly comorbid. This review is aimed at examining and synthesising the prevalence and profile of ASD-like symptoms in individuals with a primary diagnosis of ADHD across the lifespan in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; APA, 2013) diagnostic criteria.

Methods

This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, as discussed by (Moher et al. in PLOS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097, 2009; Page et al. in Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 89, 2021). Studies were identified through a systematic literature search of the databases: PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Scopus (N = 12,633). Articles were critically appraised according to established quality methodology criteria, and findings were summarised using narrative synthesis.

Results and Conclusion

A total of nine studies (ADHD individuals n = 548) were identified and included in the review. Of these studies, three were classified as having ‘good’ methodological quality, five as ‘fair’, and one as ‘poor’. These studies varied considerably in their methodological approach and assessment procedures. Overall, higher levels of ASD symptoms were found in individuals with ADHD compared to the general population. There was considerable variation in the reported prevalence of clinically significant ASD symptoms in individuals with ADHD, ranging from 15 to 64.3%. Clinical implications and considerations for further research are discussed.

Abstract

The picture exchange communication system (PECS) is an evidence-based intervention used to improve communication for people on the autism spectrum. Little is known, however, about the extent to which PECS is currently used with Chinese-speaking persons. Our systematic review identified 13 single-case design studies reporting on PECS interventions with a total of 22 participants. The results indicated that PECS increased non-vocal communication behavior for 19 participants, increased speech for six participants, and decreased problem behavior for five participants. Five studies reported social validity, three studies programmed for generalization, and nine studies reported maintenance effects. According to Reichow’s (2011) evaluation standards, thirteen studies met only weak criteria indicating that they did not provide good evidence for the effectiveness of PECS in Chinese-speaking persons on the autism spectrum. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

This review examines methods used to report on the QoL and/or well-being of autistic people. A search of four databases (June 2023) identified 256 studies that reported on the Qol and/or well-being of at least one autistic person. The quality of studies varied. Results were synthesised on who reported, who was reported on, how information was obtained including accommodations and community involvement. One-third used proxy informants, over 80% used generic measures of QoL and/or well-being, autistic people with intellectual impairment and communication disorders were underrepresented, one quarter included accommodations, and few studies included community involvement. Despite the growing research on QoL and well-being of autistic people, more accessible and inclusive research is required to understand autistic people’s experience.

Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) are a class of supports that may lend themselves to a parent-mediated approach. This systematic literature review synthesizes single-case research evaluations of parent-mediated NDBIs for young autistic children. Of the 353 articles screened, 17 were eligible for inclusion. Child outcome measures included engagement, joint attention, language/communication, imitation, and ‘compliance’/avoidance. Most studies found positive effects for at least some children on at least one measure. However, there were no consistently positive effects across studies. Most parents increased their NDBI fidelity, but many did not reach specified fidelity criteria. Only three studies met all Council of Exceptional Children quality indicators. These results suggest that parent-mediated NDBIs are a promising approach to supporting young autistic children, but more high-quality research is needed.

This review aimed to (a) identify gaze metrics and behavioral assessments used in eye-tracking studies investigating social communication skills of young autistic children and (b) examine the reported correlation between gaze behaviors and social communication skills. We conducted a systematic search process following the PRISMA statement. A total of 19 studies were included in this review. Collectively, six gaze metrics were quantified to describe gaze behaviors, and 10 behavioral assessments of social communication skills or autism characteristics were identified, which were subsequently analyzed by respective stimulus categories. The overall findings from studies that employed semi-naturalistic stimuli suggested that increased social attention, as well as fixating closer to fixation of neurotypical children, is related to better social communication skills of young autistic children. In addition, the overall findings from studies that employed non-semi-naturalistic or live-interaction stimuli suggested that more engagement in gaze movements between shared interests is related to better social communication skills of young autistic children. Findings have implications for early identification and intervention in autism and highlight the need for further research examining factors that may have contributed to some mixed findings on the relation between gaze behaviors and social communication skills.