Autism最新文献

Lay abstract: What is already known about the topic?Autistic children frequently often have accompanying physical health problems. However, this has been much less studied in autistic men and women during adulthood.What does this article add?This is one of the first studies to investigate the associations between autistic and somatic problems in adults from the general population. Using a continuous measure of autistic symptom scores and a categorical definition of autism (referred to below as probable autism) which considered symptom severity, childhood age of onset, and functional impairment, we found that autistic problems and irritable bowel syndrome, food allergy, pain, and fatigue were associated in adults. Sex differences were present for pain and fatigue, for which the associations with autistic symptom scores were somewhat stronger in females than males. Regarding age differences, the associations with fatigue and having food allergy were more pronounced in younger adults. Conversely, older individuals had a higher risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome or experiencing pain if they met the criteria for probable autism.Implications for practice, research, or policyThere is a need for providing routine programs of screening, assessment, and treatment of autism-related somatic problems and developing evidence-based interventions for autistic individuals. These could be tailored to the needs of specific autistic populations. For example, autistic females could be given extra attention about the potential presence of pain and fatigue, younger adults about the potential presence of food allergy and fatigue, and older adults concerning the potential presence of irritable bowel syndrome and pain.

Lay abstract: This study explores the experiences and identities of nonbinary autistic people. The relationship between autistic and nonbinary identities has not been researched in detail. Few studies focus specifically on nonbinary autistic adults. We interviewed 44 nonbinary individuals for this study. Participants had thought-out opinions on gender identity and emphasized identifying with fluidity rather than traditional gender roles. Participants discussed the connection of their autistic and nonbinary identities and how it affected how people saw them and how they saw themselves. We have recommendations for programming, policy, and research from these findings.

Lay abstract: What is already known?Moving the body in 'stereotyped', 'repetitive', 'ritualised' or 'unusual' ways is part of the criteria for receiving a diagnosis of autism. However, the reasons for these movements and their personal value are not well understood. Certain ways of moving have become part of a disorder, and have received negative judgements, whereas other movements have not.What this paper adds?We searched online blogs for descriptions of movement written by autistic adults, using their preferred language and definitions. The blog authors said that many types of movement attracted negative judgement, including mis-coordination shown during sports, dancing in unusual places or moving repetitively, such as when stimming. However, movement provided personal benefits, and could enhance thinking and focus, provide meaningful routine, contribute to sensory regulation, release energy, increase body awareness, emotion regulation and strengthen self-identity.Implications for practice and policyMovement could be a well-being resource, used to reduce distraction, overwhelm, confusion and distress for autistic people. This should be considered within personal coping strategies and psychological therapies. The examples provided in this study could inform autism assessments, to ensure that the meanings of movements are considered alongside the appearances of movement. Some movements such as stimming have the same functions as many other ways of moving, including dancing and exercising, which could help to reduce stigma around being autistic if reflected in policy and practice. Improving understanding is important for informing how autism is assessed, and how personal experiences of being autistic are heard.

Lay abstract: Autistic people often experience other mental health challenges, which makes it particularly important to understand factors that may contribute to the development of these conditions. Emotion dysregulation, or difficulties in effectively regulating one's own emotions in response to a changing environment, is one factor that is experienced frequently by autistic and non-autistic people and is commonly related to a wide range of mental health conditions. This article represents a quantitative synthesis of the current state of the literature on emotion dysregulation, with a specific focus on how the severity of emotion dysregulation differs across autistic and non-autistic people across the lifespan. The findings suggest elevated emotion dysregulation in autistic individuals compared to both neurotypical and other clinical populations and provide insights into the experiences of emotion dysregulation in autistic people. Overall, this article underscores the importance of more research into emotion dysregulation in autistic people to inform areas of challenges related to emotion dysregulation that can be used to better inform treatment targets.

Lay abstract: Research has increasingly focused on the intersection between gender diversity and autism. To better understand this literature, this scoping review systematically searched five databases for peer-reviewed literature on gender diversity and autism published between 2018 and 2023. Included studies (N = 84) were of English language, featured original qualitative or quantitative findings, and examined a psychosocial connection between autism and gender spectra variables. Most studies focused on measuring prevalence of autism among gender-diverse individuals. While the overall study rigor was acceptable, weaknesses in measurement, sample selection, and definition of key terms were noted. Promisingly, studies in this area appear to be shifting away from a pathologizing lens and towards research methods that engage in meaningful collaboration with the autistic, gender-diverse community to investigate how to best enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of this population.

Lay abstract: Finding a job can be hard for autistic adults. No studies have been completed that look into whether having difficulties learning and troubles finding a job are related in this population. The current study did so by evaluating the Learning Needs Screening Tool, a measure of learning challenges used in vocational rehabilitation settings, or places meant to help people find work. A total of 401 autistic adults completed this study online. Specifically, the study evaluated (a) the characteristics of the Learning Needs Screening Tool, including the relationships between questions that ask about similar learning challenges, and (b) the ability of the measure to relate to real-world outcomes that are associated with learning difficulties, namely prior special education receipt and difficulties finding a job. Evaluation of the questions asked on the Learning Needs Screening Tool revealed that they were highly related and that learning difficulties fell into different categories. Fifty-six percent of the people in the study showed learning challenges on the measure. People who were identified as having learning difficulties on the Learning Needs Screening Tool had higher rates of receiving special education services in the past and lower rates of current employment. These results suggest that the Learning Needs Screening Tool may help to identify autistic job seekers who have learning difficulties and may have more challenges finding a job.

Lay abstract: Autistic youth are more likely to experience maltreatment, victimization, and other traumatic events. However, it can be difficult to identify trauma-related symptoms in autistic youth, especially in those with limited verbal communication. In this study, we compared the prevalence of trauma-related diagnoses given to youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to those given to youth without ASD who presented to a specialized pediatric psychiatric emergency department. We found that youth with ASD were 42% less likely to receive trauma-related diagnoses than youth without ASD. As there is evidence that youth with ASD are no less likely to experience traumatic events compared with youth without ASD, one possible explanation for this result is that trauma-related symptoms are missed during emergency psychiatric evaluations. Developing trauma screening instruments specifically designed for the needs of youth with ASD is an outstanding need.

Lay abstract: Timely identification of autism spectrum conditions is a necessity to enable children to receive the most benefit from early interventions. Emerging technological advancements provide avenues for detecting subtle, early indicators of autism from routinely collected health information. This study tested a model that provides a likelihood score for autism diagnosis from baby wellness visit records collected during the first 2 years of life. It included records of 591,989 non-autistic children and 12,846 children with autism. The model identified two-thirds of the autism spectrum condition group (boys 63% and girls 66%). Sex-specific models had several predictive features in common. These included language development, fine motor skills, and social milestones from visits at 12-24 months, mother's age, and lower initial growth but higher last growth measurements. Parental concerns about development or hearing impairment were other predictors. The models differed in other growth measurements and birth parameters. These models can support the detection of early signs of autism in girls and boys by using information routinely recorded during the first 2 years of life.

Lay abstract: Equine-assisted services use various aspects of horses, like their movement, warmth, and size, to enhance individuals' overall well-being. Many studies have underscored the positive impact of equine-assisted services on autistic children, affecting areas such as social interaction, communication, engagement, stereotypical behaviors, and motor functions. Given the growing recognition of motor functions as clinical specifiers in autism, it is imperative to specifically investigate how equine-assisted services influence these outcomes. To address this, we conducted a systematic review to synthesize existing literature on the effects of equine-assisted services on motor outcomes of autistic children. Our review encompassed study characteristics, features of equine-assisted service interventions, and major motor outcomes. We also evaluated the methodological quality of the equine-assisted service studies to offer insights for future research directions. Through thorough database searches and the use of the standardized procedure of conducting a systematic review (The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses), 12 research studies were identified and included. These studies reported the effects of various equine-assisted service types (such as therapy, horsemanship, or learning) on motor outcomes of autistic children. Significant enhancements in coordination, strength, balance, posture, and overall motor skills indicate the effectiveness of equine-assisted services in improving motor outcomes of autistic children. Building on these findings, we provide recommendations for future research endeavors aimed at enhancing the reliability and validity of using equine-assisted services to improve motor outcomes of autistic children. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of how equine-assisted services can benefit this population and guides the development of more effective equine-assisted service interventions.

Lay abstract: Our study examined how babies develop their ability to talk to help identify early signs of autism. We looked at babies' production of babbling with mature syllables across the first year of life. Babies usually start producing mature babbling at 7 months of age before they say their first words. Some studies have suggested that babies who are later diagnosed with autism produce this kind of babbling less frequently in their first year of life, but other studies have shown complicated outcomes. In this new study, we followed 44 autistic babies and compared them to 127 typically developing babies. We recorded the babies once every month, all day long, from the time that they were born until they were around 13 months old. Then, we studied their mature babbling from segments of these recordings. We found that the rate at which babies used mature babbling was lower in boys with autism, and higher in girls with autism, compared to babies without autism. This research helps us understand how babies with autism learn to talk. It also raises important questions about differences between boys and girls with autism. Our study can help us improve how scientists and clinicians can identify autism earlier, which could lead to better communication supports for autistic children and their families.