Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Autism spectrum disorders – Psychological aspects'

Background Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been reported to show socio-communicative impairments which are associated with impaired face perception and atypical gaze behaviour. Attending to faces and interpreting the important socio-communicative cues presented allows us to understand other’s cognitive states, emotions, wants and desires. This information enables successful social encounters and interactions to take place. Children with ASD not attending to these important social cues on the face may cause some of the socio-communicative impairments observed within this population. Examining how children with ASD attend to faces will enhance our understanding of their communicative impairments. Aim The present thesis therefore aimed to use eye-tracking methodology to examine attention allocation to faces for communicative cues in children with ASD. Method The first line of enquiry examined how children with ASD (n = 21; age = 13y7m) attended to faces presented within their picture communication systems compared to typically developing children matched on chronological age, verbal ability age and visuo-spatial ability age. The next investigation was conducted on the same group of children and examined how children with ASD attended to faces of different familiarity including, familiar, unfamiliar and the child’s own face. These faces were also presented with direct gaze or averted gaze to investigate how this would impact on the children’s allocation of attention. The final exploration highlighted how children with ASD (n = 20; age = 12y3m) attended to socially salient information (faces) and non-socially salient information (objects) presented within social scenes of varying complexity, compared to typically developing controls. Again groups were matched based on chronological age, verbal ability age, and visuo-spatial ability age. Results Children with ASD were shown to allocate attention to faces presented within their picture communication symbols similarly compared to their typically developing counterparts. All children were shown to fixate significantly longer on the face images compared to the object images. The children with ASD fixated for similar amounts of time to the eye and mouth regions regardless of familiarity and gaze direction compared to their controlled matches. All groups looked significantly longer at the eye areas compared to the mouth areas of the faces across all familiarity types. The children also fixated longer on the eye and mouth regions of direct gazing faces compared to the regions presented on the averted gazing faces. The children with ASD fixated on the faces and objects presented within social scenes similar to their typically developing counterparts across all complexity conditions. The children were shown to fixate significantly longer on the objects compared to the faces. Conclusions Children with ASD showed typical allocation of attention to faces. This suggests that faces are not aversive to them and they are able to attend to the relevant areas such as eye and mouth regions. This may have been influenced by the inclusion of high functioning children with ASD. However these results may also suggest that attention allocation and gaze behaviour are not the only factors which contribute to the socio-communicative impairments observed in ASD.

Doctor of Philosophy
Aim. This study aims to investigate self-understanding in young males with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to determine whether self-understanding is related to social functioning and theory of mind (ToM). In addition, this study aims to examine the characteristics and abilities of young males with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s disorder (AD) to determine whether there are significant differences in selfunderstanding and whether self-understanding is related to social functioning and ToM between these two groups. The results have important implications for social skills interventions for young people with ASD. Method. Forty three young males diagnosed with one of the ASD (25 diagnosed with HFA and 18 diagnosed with AD) were compared with 38 TD males. Participants were assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview- Revised (ADI-R), the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT), the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test- Third Edition (PPVT-III), Damon and Hart’s Self-understanding Interview, and two false-belief ToM tasks. Results. Children with ASD had difficulties recognising and attributing their own mental states and failed to integrate various aspects of the self. Specifically, the ASD group produced fewer self-statements that reflected agency (the awareness and understanding that one is in control of their actions), social aspects of self (such as personality characteristics and group membership) and psychological aspects of self (such as emotions, thoughts and cognitive processes). Instead, children with ASD produced more concrete physical self-statements (such as body characteristics and material possessions). A significant positive relationship was found between selfunderstanding and social functioning for the ASD group. Within the ASD group, the relationship held for the HFA group only. In terms of ToM, children with ASD were less able to correctly answer the second-order false-belief ToM question compared to the TD group. For the ASD group, there was a significant positive correlation between self-understanding and ToM. Within the ASD group, the relationship held for the HFA group only. Conclusions. The results show young males with high-functioning ASD are less aware of their own and others’ mental states perhaps reflecting a general delay in the development of self-understanding and ToM. Furthermore, a more developed self-understanding may translate to improved social functioning and ToM ability for young males with high-functioning ASD. For young males with HFA, self-understanding and ToM may stem from a common underlying cognitive framework. Consequently, treatments aimed at improving self-understanding may simultaneously improve ToM, or vice versa. For individuals with AD there may be a separate cognitive mechanism responsible for self-understanding and another for ToM. Therefore, different interventions may be required; one to improve self-understanding and another to improve the understanding of others’ minds. Overall, these results may assist in the development of practice parameters for social skills training for those with ASD.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurological syndrome observed even in childhood stages. Children with autism have a certain range of deficits on social interaction, communication and coordination. Exercise program has been commonly adopted as an intervention for ASD children on developing both of their motor and social skills, as well as maintaining a certain fitness level. This project is a systematic review and meta-analysis study which summarizes the recent fifteen years (2000-2015) of control-trial exercise-based interventions for ASD children and evaluates their effectiveness from three aspects (according to the outcome measures): 1) Exercise Performance & Sport/Skill-related Fitness (EXE); 2) Physiological & Biometric Indicator (PHY); and 3) Social Cognition & Psychological Well-being (SOC). The results showed a positive effect in all three aspects: .763, .412, and .505 respectively. Further studies were recommended on investigating the mechanism explaining the psycho-social and physiological effects of exercise programs on ASD children.

Overview This thesis reviewed forensic aspects of Intellectual Disabilities (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Chapter two was a case study where an individual with ID and ASD who exhibited forensic/Challenging Behaviour (CB) was assessed and intervention offered. Chapter three then focussed on the assessment of people with ID and ASD by critiquing the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), version 3 and 4 (WAIS-III & WAIS-IV) (Wechsler, 1997; Wechsler, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c) and discussed application issues for people with ID and ASD. Chapter 4 and 5 examined intervention in more depth. Chapter 4 applied Weiner’s (1985, 1993) theory of achievement, motivation and emotion as a way of understanding contextual intervention and Chapter 5 examined the effect of psychotherapeutic interventions on CB. Chapter Two The case study discussed in chapter two examined explanations of violence and diagnoses. ASD and an ID were identified as useful neurodevelopmental diagnoses that could be used as a framework to understand the individual’s needs. Some explanations of violence were related to features of these diagnoses. Social factors were also identified as increasing risk. Violence was modelled by a key male figure during childhood development which appeared to have been retained as a template of acceptable behaviour, supporting the work of Bandura on social learning (1973). This, and the experience of being a victim of this violence, also supported the work of Douglas, Hart, Webster and Belfrage (2013) who indicated that social factors can increase the risk of violence. In turn this affected attachment supporting the work of Bowlby (1980). The behavioural approach (Cipani & Schock, 2010) was also applied to identify functions of violence. A psychotherapeutic intervention was offered to improve one aspect of emotional recognition, face perception, with the aim of enabling him to comprehend visual feedback from the environment, make interpretations about the emotions experienced by others, and modify his behaviour accordingly. There was little difference to his level of skills following the intervention. It was concluded that particular skills development may be difficult for someone with a neurodevelopmental difficulty if the biological structures are not there to support that skill, or skills may take a long time to develop. In this case it was concluded that the best intervention was to consider a placement for him in an appropriate environment that would cater for his ASD and ID related needs. Comments were made about the quality of assessments and for improvements to be considered to formulation and intervention. Chapter Three Chapter three was a critique of the WAIS, a tool widely used as part of the process to identify whether someone has an ID. This may determine if an individual may be unfit to plead in court or to determine the services appropriate for that individual’s needs. The review focussed on the most recent version, WAIS-IV (Wechsler, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c) but also referred to other versions in particular the WAIS-III (Wechsler, 1997). The conclusion was there were some flaws to the assessments that required further research and also some omissions in the epistemology. The critique examined different aspects of validity and reliability. The examination of convergent validity yielded mixed results with some positive correlations with other tests and some weak correlations. This difference could be caused by some tests measuring different aspects of ‘g’. The consequences of differences can be significant, for example the scores of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, version 4 (WISC-IV) (Wechsler, 2003) and the WAIS-IV scores could differ by up to 10 points and could mean individuals moving from a children’s to an adult service could become ineligible for the same levels of support. The results for test-retest reliability were good in the short term but more research was recommended to determine if the latest version of the WAIS would be reliable in the long term. The ‘Flynn effect’ (Flynn, 2007) indicated that levels of intelligence were rising so the WAIS-IV compensated for this and currently measures intelligence at around 3 points lower than the WAIS-III. The stability of this effect was unclear. The results for internal reliability were good although more research independent of the WAIS was recommended. The application of the WAIS for individuals with an ASD and ID was considered with the WAIS being found to be a limited tool for discriminating between categories of ASD, although what can be expected is an uneven profile. It was also unclear how useful the WAIS was to discriminate between individuals with a substance misuse/abuse disorder and normal controls. There were also difficulties with the application of the WAIS to individuals with ID. Difficulties measuring intelligence at lower levels were identified as scores can be unstable. Research was also recommended to provide a comprehensive view of the effect upon results of variables such as nationality, gender and age. Chapter Four Chapter four was an empirical research project investigating Weiner’s (1985, 1993) theory of achievement, motivation and emotion as a means of understanding the responses of unqualified nursing staff to clients with ASD exhibiting CB. One hundred and twenty seven unqualified nursing staff responded to an Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) (Dagnan & Cairns, 2004) and questions based on a vignette. The quantitative results found weak support for Weiner’s model. There was weak evidence for the effect of demographic variables and the type of client (ASD or ID) and the type of service (ASD or Mental Health/ID) did not affect the results. Qualitative data was themed and coded according to Braun and Clarke (2006) and Boyatzis (1998) and provided an insight into the psychological processes influencing staff responses to CB. The results suggested that intervention was influenced by staff, patient and contextual variables. A recommendation was made for a contemporary exploration of the topic and to improve the validity and reliability of the ASQ. Chapter Five Chapter five was a systematic review of psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at reducing the CB exhibited by people with ID only due to a paucity of research using people with ASD as participants. A systematic literature search was conducted using 5 databases, a search of relevant journals and contact made with experts. From this 8 papers met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and these were analysed qualitatively. Three types of psychotherapeutic intervention were used within the ten papers, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), “Soles of the Feet” meditation and Solution-Focussed Brief Therapy. All types of psychotherapeutic intervention reduced CB although the results of studies using CBT were mixed. There were shortcomings to these conclusions; these were methodological issues such as a need to ensure the consistency of outcome measures and the types of CB used to measure change. The effect of intervention may have been modified by variables such as length of treatment, the context and intrapersonal variables. Conclusions The chapters of this research thesis indicated that neurodevelopmental factors influenced forensic/CB, although social role models, attachment and trauma were also significant. Assessments were important as they may affect fitness to plead and services/treatment offered. Assessments such as the WAIS are supported by research although further research has been recommended. The use of the WAIS with people with ASD and ID was limited as people with ASD appear to exhibit uneven profiles when completing the WAIS and there were inaccuracies when using the WAIS with people with lower levels of intelligence. The difficulties people with ASD have with social communication skills can also affect performance and support is needed when administering assessments. Intervention for people with a neurodevelopmental difficulty can also be successful. Consideration is needed regarding appropriate intervention for each individual, how long before the intervention is effective, the context including the type of support offered and how that affects outcomes, intrapersonal variables such as intelligence, and whether the treatment includes one to one support. More research of an improved quality is required to determine the effectiveness of both assessment and treatment including contextual based treatment such as the interaction between staff and patients within an institutional setting. Considering these further would improve the service for this client group and contribute to a reduction of risk.

Mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and despair stemming from the challenges of raising offspring with behavioral, communicative, and socioemotional impairments. Researchers have shown that children diagnosed with ASDs exhibit symptoms within the first year of life (early-onset), while some exhibit normal development until the second year (regressive-onset), and some exhibit normal development until the second year but display abnormalities in the first year (mixed-onset). Despite the wealth of research on ASDs, there are few examinations of ASD symptom onset groups and the impact of those onset groups on parental psychological experiences: stress, impact on family, and future hopes. This research compared the retrospective parent reports of 31 mothers across ASD onset groups (early-onset, n = 16, regressive-onset, n = 8, and mixed-onset, n = 7) with psychological experiences using Impact on Family Scale, the Vicarious Futurity Scale, and the Parent Stress Inventory. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance assessed the relationship between maternal groups and psychological experiences. No significant differences were found between the groups. However, significant correlations were found between stress, family impact, and perceived hope for the future. Mothers reporting high levels of stress also reported high levels of family impact and low levels of perceived hope for the future. There is a need for increased emotional support for mothers of children diagnosed with ASDs. It should be a standard practice for clinicians, upon diagnosing children with ASDs, to refer mothers and caregivers to therapy or support groups. This may alleviate key aspects of family stressors.

Objective: To present a systematic review of existing literature that investigates biological plausibility of prenatal hazardous air pollutants’ (HAPs) exposure, in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related outcomes. Method: Electronic databases Pubmed, Biomed Central and National Database for Autism Research, and grey literature pertaining to air pollution association with ASD and related outcomes were searched using specific keywords. The search included 190 HAPs as defined by The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 [U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1994] including air pollutants CO, SO2, NOx, O3 and Particulate Matter (PM). Studies selected for systematic review were assessed on quality and causality. Result: Total of 628 articles from electronic search and 16 articles from grey literature were retrieved. 12 studies that cleared the inclusion and exclusion criteria were systematically reviewed using the PRISMA checklist. Outcomes considered included ASD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, social behavior, social interaction, child behavior, communication, cognitive development, attention problems, mental and psychomotor development, and social competence. Studies were from two countries, United States of America and Spain. Study design was case control and cohort study. Follow up duration for cases ranged from in-utero to less than 9 years. Exposure was measured in ambient air using predictive models and cord blood. Although there were discrepancies in the studies, related to strength of association, analysis and covariates adjusted, the association between air pollution and ASD related outcomes could not be dismissed. Most studies lacked information on blinding when quality was assessed and lacked consistency when assessed on causality, while scored well on temporality and biological plausibility. Discussion: Evidence suggests HAPs are capable of transplacentally affecting cognitive function, especially traffic related pollutants. Study design, sample size, response rate, exposure misclassification, failing to adjusting covariates related to lifestyle, nutrition and other chemical exposures have influenced the estimates and the strength of association. Shortcomings of this review are the English language restriction and single reviewer on study selection process and assessments. Immuno-toxic, neuro-toxic and endocrine disrupting properties of these HAPs necessitates comprehensive prospective studies especially in Hong Kong with the rising prevalence of ASD and ever high reported air pollution indexes. Conclusion: Repeated studies were carried out on the same cohorts and studies were concentrated in U.S.A. On account of a lack of consistency, it is difficult to confirm whether air pollution is a plausible candidate for prenatal exposure in ASD. (Abstract of 391 words)
published_or_final_version
Public Health
Master
Master of Public Health

Given the limited empirical evidence to guide support for romantic functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this research aims to explore how closeness is managed in romantic relationships when one member is diagnosed with ASD. 8 participants, 3 couples and 2 individuals aged between 26 and 80 took part in the study. Of these 5 (3 male and 2 female) were autistic and 3 (1 male and 2 females were non-autistic). Participants were recruited using a specialist nationwide organization and they were interviewed individually or conjointly, as well as observed during a 15- minute interaction. Constructivist grounded theory was used to analyse the data and a framework was produced to describe processes of managing closeness in ASD. The core concept to emerge from the analysis was entitled “reaching towards the unknown”. It consisted of three categories, termed “encountering the other”, “reaching for understanding” and “managing uncertainty”. The framework captured processes of joining with and adapting to someone very different, of stretching beyond familiar bounds in order to understand the other and manage uncertainty. This research offers an inter-subjective perspective of ASD. It frames socio-emotional reciprocity and adaptability within romantic relationships as relational phenomena, which are contingent upon factors outlined within the framework. The model considers pre-existing theories about romantic closeness in order to assist counselling psychologists in accommodating ASD within their couple therapy practice.

Autistic individuals experience marginalization and stigmatization, and are often not connected to mainstream services or organizations fostering peer relationships (Boundy, 2008; Jaarsma & Welin, 2012; Robertson, 2010). Therefore, the accomplishments of the online Autistic community in building a community for self-advocacy, peer-support, friendships, and identity development (Brownlow & O'Dell, 2006; Kidney, 2012) are important to recognize, empirically examine, and promote (Blume, 1997a; Davidson, 2008). Utilizing a community-based participatory research approach (CBPR; Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker, 1998) the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE; www.aaspire.org) conducted the AASPIRE Internet Use, Community, and Well-Being Study, and collected data from 151 autistic adults and 173 non-autistic adults. The current study utilized data from the AASPIRE Internet Use, Community, and Well-Being Study on involvement in the online Autistic community, communication preferences, Autistic identity, and self-determination. The aims and rationale for the study were to contribute to the small body of quantitative literature on the online Autistic community, including expanding on findings that support positive outcomes of involvement in the online Autistic community (Kidney, 2012), and whether communication preference influences the relationships. The study also sought to examine the fit of an integrated model of associations among involvement in the online Autistic community, Autistic Identity, and self-determination in autistic adults who do and do not prefer online communication. Additionally, the study aimed to promote positive Autistic research and the voices of autistic participants and CBPR partners by challenging common misperceptions about autistic individuals and community/social interactions, understand the impact of communication preference, and inform policy and education designed for autistic individuals. The study used data to develop a multi-dimensional construct of involvement in the online community as well as explore the Autistic Identity Scale. The main findings included positive relationships between involvement in the online Autistic community and Autistic identity (r=.33, p<.01), as well as between involvement and self-determination (r=.38, p<.01) in autistic adults. Exploratory analyses yielded mixed results in the cross-sectional sample that was relatively limited in demographic diversity and small considering the number and type of analyses (n=324). Main findings include no moderating impact of preference to communicate online or population type (autistic or non-autistic) on the significant relationships between (1) involvement in the online community and self-determination or (2) involvement in the online community and Autistic identity. However, exploring the relationships among the variables with structural equation modeling, analyses indicated that no significant relationship exists between involvement in the online Autistic community and self-determination in autistic adults who do not prefer online communication. Findings indicate the need for further research on the complex impact of communication preference in larger samples of autistic adults. Despite sample limitations and mixed results from exploratory analyses, the findings mostly support the associations of involvement in the online Autistic community with Autistic identity and self-determination. The discussion addresses implications of the findings for theory, research, and action. For example, findings may influence how autistic individuals are provided education about and access to new media for fostering community, or lead to the development of online interventions or techniques for the promotion of positive outcomes in autistic individuals.

Etude 1 – Cette étude de validation du CGSQ-21 en langue française a permis d’étudier les propriétés psychométriques d’une échelle évaluant le fardeau chez les parents d’enfants avec Troubles du Spectre de l’Autisme (TSA). Il est retrouvé que le modèle à trois facteurs est le plus adapté à la structure du FCGSQ-21. Le fardeau objectif ainsi que le fardeau subjectif internalisé et externalisé sont retrouvés comme les trois facteurs de cette échelle. L’homogénéité du FCGSQ-21 dans cette étude est excellente avec un alpha de Cronbach à 0,90. Etude 2 – L’objectif est d’étudier le bien-être psychologique des parents ayant un enfant avec un Trouble du Spectre de l’Autisme (TSA) en comparaison avec celui des parents ayant un enfant avec un Syndrome de Down (SD) mais aussi ayant un enfant au développement typique (DT). Il existe des différences significatives au niveau du fardeau perçu par les parents des trois échantillons de cette étude (F (2,56) = 18,34 ; p ≤ 0,001), de l’anxiété et de la dépression (F (2,56) = 5,30 ; p =0,008 ; F (2,56) = 4,72 ; p = 0,013). Il est retrouvé également des différences significatives entre le vécu des parents d’enfants avec TSA et avec SD au niveau de l’ensemble des variables de cette étude, notamment au niveau de la sous-échelle « Coordination Globale des Soins » (M SD = 6,7 ; ET = 1,82, M TSA = 5,24 ; ET = 1,67 ; t = 2,76, p = 0,009). Etude 3 – Dans un premier temps, le modèle transactionnel-intégratif-multifactoriel (TIM) adapté à la situation de parents d’enfants avec TSA a été testé et dans un second temps, des profils de parents ont été mis en lumière en lien avec leur bien-être psychologique face au handicap de leur enfant. La disposition à l’optimisme apparaît être une variable explicative du bien-être psychologique et l’anxiété et la dépression viennent se positionner en variables médiatrices entre la disposition à l’optimisme et la perception du fardeau chez les parents. Trois profils de parents ont été mis en évidence. Un profil de parents (n=63) présente un bien-être altéré. Le 2e profil (n=29), montre des parents avec un bien-être psychologique préservé. Enfin, le 3e profil (n=75) est un profil homogène.Etude 4 – Cette recherche a pour but d’explorer le vécu des parents d’enfants avec TSA selon le genre : mères et pères face au TSA. Les comparaisons de moyennes des pères et des mères aux différents questionnaires montrent un score de satisfaction de la coordination des soins et du soutien respect des soins plus élevé chez les mères. Aussi elles obtiennent un score de coping dyadique délégué (partenaire) et de coping dyadique commun plus élevé que celui des pères. L’analyse qualitative a révélé que les pères et les mères n’occupent pas, le plus souvent, la même place auprès de l’enfant
Study 1 – This validation study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the French version of the 21-item Caregiving Strain Questionnaire (FCGSQ-21), which evaluates caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder’s burden. A three-factor model was found to best fit the structure of this scale. Those factors include the objective burden as well as the internalized and externalized subjective burdens. In the present study, the FCGSQ-21’s homogeneity is excellent with a Cronbach’s alpha of .90. Study 2 –This study aims at investigating the psychological well-being of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while comparing it to that of parents of children with Down Syndrome (SD) as well as that of parents of typically developing children (DT). Significant differences appear between parents of those different groups for perceived burden (F (2,56) = 18,34 ; p ≤ 0,001), and anxiety and depression (F (2,56) = 5,30 ; p =0,008 ; F (2,56) = 4,72 ; p = 0,013). Other significant differences are observed between parents of children with ASD and SD on all variables in this study, most notably for the sub-scale “Global Coordination of Care” (M SD = 6,7 ; ET = 1,82, M TSA = 5,24 ; ET = 1,67 ; t = 2,76, p = 0,009).Study 3 – First, the transactional integrative and multifactorial Model (TIM) adapted to parents of children with ASD was tested. Then, different profiles of parents linked to their psychological well-being in face of their child’s disorder were highlighted. It appears that dispositional optimism is an explicative variable of psychological well-being and anxiety and depression appear as mediating variables between dispositional optimism and burden perception. Three profiles of parents were highlighted. One profile of parents (n=63) displays reduced psychological well-being. The second profile (n=29) includes parents who maintained high psychological well-being. The last profile (n=75) is homogenous. Study 4 – This study aims to explore how mothers and fathers of children with ASD live with their child’s disorder. The mean comparisons between fathers and mothers highlight a higher care satisfaction, coordination and respect for mothers. Mothers also have a higher delegated dyadic coping (partner) and common dyadic coping than fathers do. The qualitative analysis revealed that fathers and mothers often do not have the same role with their child

O Distúrbio do Espectro do Autismo caracteriza-se como uma síndrome comportamental complexa, que compromete o processo do desenvolvimento ao longo da vida, ocorrendo uma grande variabilidade na intensidade e forma de expressão da sintomatologia, nas áreas que definem o seu diagnóstico. Pessoas com autismo necessitam de atenção especial durante toda a vida e é necessário voltar a atenção também para cuidador. O estresse parental da família de uma criança com autismo é significantemente maior do que o observado em famílias de crianças com desenvolvimento típico ou outras deficiências. A comunicação é um aspecto especialmente afetado nos quadros de autismo e pode ser potencializadora do estresse, sendo uma das primeiras preocupações dos pais. Assim foi indagado se, com relação à comunicação, o fato do filho com autismo não usar alguma fala para se comunicar teria relação com o aumento do nível de estresse dos pais. O Objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o nível de estresse de pais de crianças com autismo, verificando sua associação com a ausência de oralidade na comunicação de seus filhos. Participaram dessa pesquisa os pais de 75 crianças com autismo e pais de 100 crianças sem nenhuma queixa quanto ao desenvolvimento, que foram divididos em três grupos, sendo o grupo 1 formado por pais de crianças autistas que não apresentam comunicação oral; o grupo 2 por pais de crianças autistas que apresentam comunicação oral e o grupo 3, por pais de crianças sem nenhuma queixa. Todos os participantes responderam ao questionário sócio-demográfico, ao questionário de nível de estresse (formulado pela própria autora) e ao questionário de qualidade de vida. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos pais dos três grupos apresentaram médio nível de estresse e que não houve diferença significativa entre os pais de crianças com autismo, com e sem comunicação verbal. Quando os pais de crianças com autismo foram comparados aos pais do grupo controle, foi verificada diferença significativa, sendo que mais pais de crianças com autismo apresentaram alto nível de estresse. Foi constatada existência de associações entre o nível de estresse identificado e a qualidade de vida relatada pelos pais, mostrando que quanto maior o estresse apresentado pelos pais, menor é a qualidade de vida. Conclui-se, portanto, que o nível de estresse de pais de crianças com autismo não é influenciado pela ausência de oralidade na comunicação de seus filhos
Autism spectrum disorders are described as a complex behavioral syndrome. It impairs the development throughout life and has great variability in symptoms and intensity in the various areas that define the diagnosis. Persons with autism need special care during all life and therefore the caretakers need attention too. Parental stress in families with children with autism is significantly higher than the observed in families with children with other disorders or with typical development. Communication is specially affected in autism, is one of parent\'s first concerns and may increase stress. This study asked if parents of non-verbal children with autism have higher levels of stress than parents of verbal children with autism. The purpose of this study was to assess the stress levels of parents of children with autism and to verify its association with the abscess of verbal communication. Participants were parents of 75 children with autism and 100 parents with no complaints about their children development. They were divided in 3 groups: Group 1 comprised by parents by children with autism and no verbal communication; Group 2 comprised by parents by verbal children with autism and Group 3 with parents with no complaints about their children development. All participants responded to a socio-demographic questionnaire, to a stress level questionnaire (proposed by the author) and the questionnaire about quality of life. Results show that most parents from the three groups presented medium level of stress and that there was no significant difference between parents of children with autism with and without verbal communication. When parents of children with autism were compared with parents from the control group a significant difference was observed, with more parents of children with autism with high levels of stress. Associations between the stress level and the quality of life were also observed, showing that when higher stress levels were reported, lower quality of life was verified. It can be concluded that the stress level of parents of children with autism not influenced by their lack of verbal communication

The values of the disability rights movement and community psychology promote research that focuses on improving the lives of individuals with disabilities (Dowrick & Keys, 2001). Using the Internet for social interactions has been shown to contribute to an individual's identity development, sense of community, and well-being (Obst, Zinkiewicz, & Smith, 2002a; Turkle, 1995). While challenges in typical social interactions have traditionally been considered a defining feature of autism spectrum disorder, autistic individuals have taken advantage of the Internet to develop social interactions (Blume, 1997a). The present study focused on the online Autistic community and how the importance and value of involvement in it is related to Autistic identity, sense of community, and psychological well-being. The Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) partnered with the Gernsbacher Lab to form the Gateway Project. Using the Gateway Project, AASPIRE conducted the Internet Use, Community, and Well-Being Study and collected data from 72 autistic adults online. It was hypothesized that the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community would be positively related to Autistic identity and sense of community, Autistic identity and sense of community would be positively related, and Autistic identity and sense of community would be positively related to psychological well-being. It was also hypothesized that the positive relationship between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and psychological well-being would be mediated by Autistic identity and sense of community. Correlations were examined among the hypothesized relationships, and a mediated regression model (Baron & Kenny, 1986) was used to explore the relationship between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and psychological well-being with Autistic identity and sense of community as mediators. Significant relationships were found between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and Autistic identity, between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and sense of community, and between autistic identity and sense of community. As a first step to test the mediated regression models, psychological well-being was regressed on the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community. The regression was not significant; therefore the hypothesized model was not significant. Despite non-significant mediated regression model results, significant relationships among the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and Autistic identity and sense of community offer important results. These finding illuminate the potential positive impact of the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community, including evidence counter to the myth that autistic individuals lack skills necessary for social relationships. These findings support the positive utility of involvement in the online Autistic community for autistic adults. Further research with a larger sample size is recommended, due to low power coefficients in the analyses. Additional research may also further illuminate the findings of the current study. Possible topics may include sense of community and Autistic identity in individuals that do not use the Internet, differences in the way the Internet is used in autistic individuals, and different measures of involvement in the online Autistic community and well-being.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
The empathizing-systemizing (E-S) theory states that individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) can be identified by a deficit in empathy (social skills, communication skills, and theory of mind) and a propensity for systemizing (islets of ability, obsessions with systems, and repetitive behavior). This theory has been tested in various contexts, but never with adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16. The EQ-A (Empathizing Quotient for Adolescents) and the SQ-A (Systemizing Quotient for Adolescents) were administered to 47 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16 who had been diagnosed with ASC and 97 adolescents with no reported physical or mental disorders to discover differences in empathizing and systemizing. To test the specific elements and predictions of the E-S theory, the EQ-A was divided into a set of three subscales derived by conceptually mapping items to factors corresponding to the concepts theoretically underlying the scale. The SQ-A was divided into subscales using factor analysis. It was found that all four subscales resulting from the factor analysis on the SQ-A were associated with obsessions with systems. A weak positive correlation was found between the SQ-A and the EQ-A. Although the EQ-A was able to differentiate significantly between individuals with an ASC and those without, the SQ-A was not. In addition, although the EQ-A and EQ-A subscales scores correlated with similar subscales scores of the GARS-2 (a well-validated existing autism screening test), the SQ-A and its subscales did not. Implications for the E-S Theory are discussed.

This qualitative study explored the experiences of individuals living with a sibling diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how these individuals make meaning of this experience. The data for this study was collected from five (5) individuals between the ages of 12 and 19, who shared their experience of living with siblings diagnosed with ASD. The data was analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis method (IPA). I conclude that although living with a sibling diagnosed with ASD is a challenging experience, the way one makes meaning from the experience contributes greatly to their interpretation of their experience thereof; and therefore, making it a positive experience. The participants in this study showed great maturity and resilience. The findings of this study will be useful to parents, professionals and those who engage with individuals living with a sibling diagnosed with ASD.
Psychology
M.A. (Psychology in Research Consultation)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Little is known regarding the psychosocial outcomes of adult siblings of adults with autism. Accordingly, the current study sought to: (1) illuminate factors that predict health-related quality of life, caregiver burden, and reported benefits in adult siblings of adults with autism, using a stress and coping framework and (2) compare outcomes of siblings of adults with autism (n = 31) to siblings of adults with Down syndrome (DS) (n = 54). For the within subject hypotheses, analyses were repeated within the DS group and an overall Disability group (n = 97). The Disability group consisted of participants in the Autism and Down syndrome groups plus twelve individuals in a mixed group of adult siblings of adults with DS who presented with co-morbid symptoms of autism. Variables were organized using The Adult Sibling Caregiver Conceptual Model (ASCCM) into three categories: antecedents (e.g., sibling relationship quality, problem behaviors of the disabled sibling), mediators (e.g., coping strategies, cognitive appraisal types), and psychosocial outcome variables (i.e., mental and physical health-related quality of life, caregiver burden, and reported benefits). For the within subject primary hypotheses, I posited a series of relationships between the antecedents and outcomes based on prior literature on demographic and individual difference predictors (e.g., siblings of adults with autism with fewer problem behaviors would have increased health-related quality of life [HRQOL], decreased caregiver burden, and increased reported benefits) and on stress and coping factors related to the burden of providing care for an individual with autism (e.g., greater use of avoidant coping strategies would be related to lower HRQOL, increased caregiver burden, and decreased reports of benefits). Exploratory hypotheses also were examined (e.g., being married would be associated with increased HRQOL, decreased burden, and increased reported benefits). The within-subject results indicated support for eight of the ten primary hypotheses and five of the six exploratory hypotheses when examined within at least one of the study groups: Autism, DS, or Disability. Overall, sibling caregivers, regardless of their sibling’s disability, reported more favorable psychosocial outcomes when demands were lower (e.g., less severe levels of problem behaviors, fewer autism symptoms exhibited by their disabled sibling, decreased additional pile-up stress), when resources were available to cope with stress (e.g., social support, respite care), and when healthy responses to stress were reported (e.g., use of emotion focused vs. avoidant coping strategies, use of challenge vs. threat appraisal types). Of note, reported benefits, which have rarely been examined in the autism literature, were strongly related to the quality of a sibling relationship across all study groups, and with the helpfulness of received services and perceived social support within the Autism group. The between subject hypotheses also were largely supported. As expected, compared to siblings of those with Down syndrome, siblings of those with autism demonstrated greater levels of caregiver burden and lower mental HRQOL. Moreover, there was a rank ordering in levels of caregiver burden across disability groups; siblings of adults with DS reported the lowest burden, siblings of adults with DS with symptoms of autism reported significantly higher levels of burden, and siblings of those with autism reported the most burden. The results imply that autism, either alone or co-morbid with another diagnosis, presents an increased risk of stress and caregiver burden, not only in parent caregivers, but also in sibling caregivers. Interestingly, there was also evidence for higher levels of stress related growth within the Autism group compared to the DS group. Future research will be needed to generalize the results of this study to broader samples of adult siblings while taking a life course perspective to assess changes in non-disabled siblings’ outcomes over time.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of related neurodevelopmental diseases displaying significant genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Despite recent progress in ASD genetics, the nature of phenotypic heterogeneity across probands is not well understood. Notably, likely gene-disrupting (LGD) de novo mutations affecting the same gene often result in substantially different ASD phenotypes. We find that truncating mutations in a gene can result in a range of relatively mild decreases (15-30%) in gene expression due to nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), and show that more severe autism phenotypes are associated with greater decreases in expression. We also find that each gene with recurrent ASD mutations can be described by a parameter, phenotype dosage sensitivity (PDS), which characterizes the relationship between changes in a gene’s dosage and changes in a given phenotype. Using simple linear models, we show that changes in gene dosage account for a substantial fraction of phenotypic variability in ASD. We further observe that LGD mutations affecting the same exon frequently lead to strikingly similar phenotypes in unrelated ASD probands. These patterns are observed for two independent proband cohorts and multiple important ASD-associated phenotypes. The observed phenotypic similarities are likely mediated by similar changes in gene dosage and similar perturbations to the relative expression of splicing isoforms. We also identify patterns of developmental and cell type-specific expression that additionally contribute to the variability of several autism phenotypes.

The thesis concerns the topic of parental care for children with autism spectrum disorder. In the theoretical part there are described the main areas in which the autistic spectrum disorders manifest and the description of particular disorders. Next chapter describes this issue from point of view of parental care, it describes the difficulty of the situation, the impact on the lives of parents and whole families, factors affecting the adaptation to the situation and its overall management. The qualitative study was chosen for the research. The sample is composed of 11 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Data for study was collected by half-structured interviews and supplemented by Logo-test. The results of study describe the impact of care for a child with autism spectrum disorder to the lives of parents, emotions in different situations, stressing and supporting aspects of the situation, scarce factors and external factors which the most affect the situation of parents. It seems that the situation causes numerous of changes in the lives of parents and affects their values and attitude to life. Difficulty of the situation is perceived in the area of time managment, psychological, physical and financial area. In the same time there are strong supporting factors, mainly family and...

Documentation of neurological complications and neuropathological findings arising in most AIDS patients has stimulated the need for an investigation of the brain-behaviour relationship associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This study aimed to verify the hypothesis that a chronic subclinical AIDS dementia exists in view of the neurotropic quality of HIV. Participants were 59 male homosexuals distributed as follows: 17 healthy HIV seronegative, 14 healthy HIV seropositive, 14 AIDS-Related Complex, and 14 AIDS. They were administered a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests, including measures of attention, cognition, memory, language, executive, and sensorimotor functions. An examination of the emotional and psychological concomitants was performed using questionnaires of personality (MMPI), anxiety (STAI), and health-related behavioural dysfunction (SIP). Group comparisons were conducted on the basis of Health Status (Healthy vs Nonhealthy) and Medical Diagnosis (HIV-, HIV+, ARC, & AIDS). Results revealed a significant Health Status effect overall, as well as evidence for a deterioration of higher mental abilities occuring with progression of HIV infection. These findings appear to be independent of the emotional and psychological factors, which are felt to be an integrative part of the AIDS-Dementia Complex (ADC).
Graduate

Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Given the heterogeneity of ASD it is important to understand individual differences within the disorder that are related to cognitive and language development, and how such differences may be related to differences in caregiver behavior or aspects of the social environment. Joint attention is an important component of early social communication and is considered to be a “core deficit” of ASD (Kasari, Freeman, Paparella, Wong, Kwon, & Gulsrud, 2005). Individual differences in joint attention during infancy have been shown to relate to language and cognitive development (Mundy, Block, Delgado, Pomares, Van Hecke, & Parlade, 2007; Nichols, Martin, & Fox, 2005). Therefore, joint attention serves an essential role in the study of child behavior within ASD across development. The present study consists of two manuscripts that explored how joint attention in children with ASD related to sensory responsiveness and social competence (Study 1), and how child joint attention related to mother attention and contextual factors (Study 2). Specifically, Study 1 investigated relations among children's sensory responses, dyadic orienting, joint attention, and their subsequent social competence with peers. Participants were 38 children (18 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 20 developmentally matched children with typical development) between the ages of 2.75 and 6.5 years. Observational coding was conducted to assess children's joint attention and dyadic orienting in a structured social communication task. Children's sensory responses and social competence were measured with parent report. Group differences were observed in children's joint attention, sensory responses, multisensory dyadic orienting, and social competence, with the ASD group showing significantly greater social impairment and sensory responses compared with their typical peers. Atypical sensory responses were negatively associated with individual differences on social competence subscales. Interaction effects were observed between diagnostic group and sensory responses with diagnostic group moderating the relation between sensory responses and both joint attention and social competence abilities. Study 2 investigated relations between child joint attention and mother attention during three social contexts (competing demands, teaching, and free play) among 44 children with ASD between the ages of 2.5 and 5.6 years, and their mothers. Observational coding was conducted to assess children’s joint attention and mother’s dyadic orienting. Children’s expressive and receptive language was measured by teacher report. The rate of children’s joint attention, and mothers’ dyadic orienting differed depending on the context of their interaction. Children’s joint attention, expressive and receptive language, age, and ASD severity, and mother dyadic orienting were related, and these relations differed by context. Child initiating joint attention (IJA) was also related to mother attention, and this relation was moderated by the child’s expressive and receptive language. A temporal contingency was revealed for the association between child IJA and mother attention with a bi-directional association such that child IJA predicted subsequent mother attention, and mother attention predicted subsequent child IJA. When the sample was split by children’s language ability (i.e., minimally-verbal and verbal groups) there was a group by receptive language, and a group by expressive language interaction on the contingency between child IJA and subsequent mother attention. Conclusion. The results from study 1 and study 2 suggest that individual differences in children with ASD, including their sensory responses and social competence, as well as mother attention and contextual factors are related to children’s joint attention. When addressing theory and interventions for children with ASD, it is important to consider children’s language and sensory sensitivities, the demands of the interactive context, and factors related to mother attention and approach to her child.

Chan, Yuet Ning Janice.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-136).
Abstracts in English and Chinese; some appendixes also in Chinese.
Abstract --- p.i
Acknowledgements --- p.iv
Contents --- p.vi
"List of Figures, Tables, and Appendices" --- p.vii
INTRODUCTION --- p.1
Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- The Nature of Autism --- p.5
Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- Literature Review on Psychological Adjustment of Siblings of Autistic Probands and Associating Factors --- p.16
Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- Purpose of the Study and Hypotheses --- p.59
Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- Methodology --- p.66
Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- Results --- p.75
Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- Discussion --- p.100
CONCLUSION --- p.124
References --- p.126
Appendices --- p.137

碩士
國防醫學院
公共衛生學研究所
103
Abstract: Background: Recent epidemiological studies have shown increasing numbers of children diagnosed as autism. The growing prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is considered as an emerging global health risk. Common factors which influence the Autism functioning development, such as family atmosphere, parental raising attitudes, family social-economic status, and the peer-relationship, have been discussed intensively. However, studies on the improvement of autism psychological symptoms were limited. Based on the data from Special Needs Education Longitudinal Study (SNELs), this study explored individual and environmental factors affecting the psychological symptoms of high school students with autism, and the impact of these factors on the psychological symptoms. Aim: The purpose of this study is to investigate the gender difference in the individual characteristics, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scores, psychological symptom scores, family and school related factors of the high school students with autism. Furthermore, factors influencing on the psychological symptoms were identified and studied closely. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional study design. Based on the data from Special Needs Education Longitudinal Study (SNELs), this study investigated the influence of school and family related factors on the psychological symptoms of high school students with autism. Results: The instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scores of students with autism improved with age. The psychological symptom scores were higher among the first-year junior and first-year senior high school male students than female students. However, the psychological symptom scores were higher of female students than male students in the third year of senior high school. Students under medication also had higher psychological symptom scores. Among the family factors, students from family with parents having preference of comparison, family discord, or less family activities had higher psychological symptom scores. Furthermore, students with difficulties in peer relationship and school learning also showed higher psychological symptoms. Conclusion: Based on the finding of this study, different methods should be adopted for easing and unblocking the psychological symptoms of students with autism considering the gender difference. The psychological symptoms of students under medications should be monitored regularly. In the aspect of family education, developingof positive parent-child interaction, such as reducing confrontation and arranging family field trips, can have positive influence on the psychological symptoms. In the school, the school counselors should monitor if students have difficulties in the peer relationship and in the learning through questionnaire or counselling, and provide the necessary help for the development of social skill and school learning in time.

博士
國防醫學院
醫學科學研究所
105
Background: According to government statistics in 2016, the increased percentage of school-aged children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) receiving special education services were 36.0% and 97.8%. Adolescents with ID and ASD have been observed to have a higher risk for bullying victimization compared with typically developing peers. Young people with ID and ASD have been observed to be more vulnerable to poorer mental health than their peers. Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of various types of bullying victimization among adolescents with ID and ASD, examine the effects of victimization on the psychological distress (PD) of adolescents with ID and ASD, and explore the factors associated with PD among adolescents with ID and ASD. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The sample was collected from the Special Needs Education Longitudinal Study database released in 2011. Variables comprising 7 psychological distress (PD) items and 4 types of bullying victimization and family-, school-, and peer-related factors were included in a multivariate regression analysis. Results: The percentages of being bullied among participants with ID and ASD were 68.8% and 82.6%, respectively. Exclusion and verbal bullying were found to be significantly associated with PD in these two groups. In addition, delayed bedtime, and conflicts with parents significantly increased PD. By contrast, good relationships with parents and friends and liking school environments relieved PD symptoms. Conclusions: Our results indicated that bullying victimization among adolescents with ID and ASD was a risk factor for their psychological well-being. Nevertheless, good parent–adolescent and interpeer relationships improved their mental health. Our results can serve as a reference in implementing strategies for motivating parents and teachers to pay more attention to the needs of adolescents with ID and ASD.

Identifying disease risk genes is a central topic of human genetics. Cost-effective exome and whole genome sequencing enabled large-scale discovery of genetic variations. However, the statistical power of finding new risk genes through rare genetic variation is fundamentally limited by sample sizes. As a result, we have an incomplete understanding of genetic architecture and molecular etiology of most of human conditions and diseases. In this thesis, I developed new computational methods that integrate functional genomics data sets, such as epigenomic profiles and single-cell transcriptomics, to improve power for identifying genetic risks and gain more insights on etiology of developmental disorders. The overall hypothesis that disease risk genes contributing to developmental disorders are bottleneck genes under normal development and subject to precise transcriptional regulations to maintain spatiotemporal specific expression during development. In this thesis I describe two major research projects. The first project, Episcore, predicts haploinsufficient genes based on a large integrated epigenomic profiles from multiple tissues and cell lines by supervised machine learning methods. The second one, A-risk, predicts plausibility of being risk genes of autism spectrum disorder based on single-cell RNA-seq data collected in human fetal midbrain and prefrontal cortex. Both methods were shown to be able to improve gene discovery in analysis of de novo mutations in developmental disorders. Overall, my thesis represents an effort to integrate functional genomics data by machine learning to facilitate both discovery and interpretation of genetic studies of human diseases. We believe that such integrative analysis can help us better understand genetic variants and disease etiology.

Purpose: The field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) intervention research is in need of treatment response measures that are sensitive to change and flexible enough to be used across studies. The Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC) was developed to address this need. The purpose of this work is to examine the initial reliability and validity of the BOSCC in two samples of children with ASD. Method: In a sample of 56 children participating in ongoing early intervention, the primary objectives of Study 1 were to 1) determine items for inclusion in the BOSCC coding scheme, 2) explore the relationships among items using factor analysis, 3) assess inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and 4) explore change over time. Using a sample of school-age, minimally-verbal children, the primary objectives of Study 2 were to extend the results of Study 1 to a new sample to 1) assess BOSCC changes over time, 2) compare changes in BOSCC to clinician determinations of improvement, 3) examine the relationship between change in BOSCC scores with changes in baseline cognitive skills, adaptive functioning, and ASD severity, and 4) compare changes in BOSCC scores in children who did and did not change on other standard measures. Results: Study 1 revealed that the BOSCC has high to excellent inter-rater and test-retest reliability and shows convergent validity with measures of language and communication skills. The BOSCC Core total demonstrated statistically significant amounts of change over time while the ADOS Calibrated Severity Score over the same period did not. Results of Study 2 confirmed excellent inter-rater reliability but the BOSCC did not change significantly over time. Most children were identified by clinicians as improving in response to treatment. However, only 15% of children changed significantly on the BOSCC over 16 weeks of intervention. Limitations: Both studies had small samples of predominantly male, Caucasian children. When interpreting the results of these studies, it is important to consider the differences between samples, including the shorter time of treatment and more cognitively and language impaired children in Study 2. Conclusions: These studies are a first step in the development of a novel outcome measure for social-communication behaviors with applications to clinical trials and longitudinal studies. Future work should continue to explore the benefits and limitations of the BOSCC in larger independent samples.

У результаті ґрунтовного аналізу досліджуваної проблеми у загальній та спеціальній науковій, методичній, психолого-педагогічній літературі було з’ясовано, що однією з важливих проблем сучасної системи освіти є проблема розвитку адаптаційних можливостей особистості й профілактика дезадаптації. Особлива увага звертається на дітей молодшого дошкільного віку, оскільки процес звикання до умов дошкільного закладу освіти є досить складним. Психолого-педагогічне вивчення дітей з РСА переважно зосереджується на особливостях їхньої унікальної психічної організації: специфіці сприймання довкілля; незвичність системи сигналів для комунікації з іншими, власне мовлення; схоплення інформації від людини без прямого погляду на неї завдяки периферійному зору; тонке відчуття емоційного стану іншої людини, розуміння того, з ким і як можна поводитися; кмітливість, переважання невербального інтелекту; прагнення до чіткої визначеності, порядку й завершеності, здатність зрозуміти чітко визначені алгоритми, правила і постійно дотримуватися їх; високорозвинена механічна пам’ять; уміння орієнтуватися за візуальними стимулами – малюнками, піктограмами, графіками тощо; здатність зацікавитися чимось незвичним; розвинений музичний слух; уміння чітко орієнтуватись у просторі й часі. У ході проведеного дослідження були визначені та експериментально встановлені особливості процесу адаптації до нових умов перебування дітей з розладами спектру аутизму молодшого дошкільного віку. Дослідження особливостей процесу адаптації дітей молодшого дошкільного віку з розладами аутистичного спектру до закладу дошкільної освіти здійснювалося за двома напрямами: організація анкетування батьків на етапі вступу дитини в дитячий садок та спостереження за дитиною в період її адаптації. Додатково ми проводили опитування працівників закладів дошкільної освіти щодо з’ясування актуального рівня професійної обізнаності про специфіку проявів та особливості роботи з дітьми з розладами спектру аутизму. На констатувальному етапі дослідження нами було визначено, обґрунтовано критерії та показники психолого-педагогічної адаптації дошкільників з РАС. Було визначено рівні адаптації: високий, вище середнього, середній, нижче середнього, низький. У межах нашого дослідження було обґрунтовано, розроблено та експериментально перевірено психолого-педагогічні умови адаптації дітей молодшого дошкільного віку з розладами спектру аутизму до умов дошкільного закладу освіти.
As a result of a thorough analysis of the problem in the general and special scientific, methodological, psychological and pedagogical literature, it was found that one of the important problems of the modern education system is the problem of development adaptive capabilities of the individual and prevention of maladaptation. Particular attention is paid to children of primary school age, as the process of getting used to the conditions of preschool education is quite complex. Psychological and pedagogical study of children with ASD mainly focuses on the features of their unique mental organization: the specifics of perception of the environment; unusual signal system for communication with others, own speech; grasping information from a person without looking directly at him due to peripheral vision; a subtle sense of the emotional state of another person, an understanding of who and how to behave; intelligence, the predominance of nonverbal intelligence; striving for clear definition, order and completeness, the ability to understand clearly defined algorithms, rules and constantly to follow them; highly developed mechanical memory; ability to navigate visual stimuli - drawings, icons, graphics, etc .; the ability to take an interest in something unusual; developed musical hearing; ability to navigate clearly in space and time. In the course of the research, the peculiarities of the process of adaptation to the new living conditions of children with autism spectrum disorders of early preschool age were identified and experimentally established. The study of the peculiarities of the process of adaptation of young preschool children with autism spectrum disorders to preschool education was carried out in two directions: the organization of a survey of parents at the stage of admission to kindergarten and observation of the child during its adaptation. In addition, we conducted a survey of employees of preschool education to find out the current level of professional awareness of the specifics of the manifestations and features of working with children with autism spectrum disorders. At the ascertaining stage of the research we determined, substantiated the criteria and indicators of psychological and pedagogical adaptation of preschoolers with ASD. The levels of adaptation were determined: high, above average, average, below average, low. Within the framework of our research, the psychological and pedagogical conditions of young preschool children with autism spectrum disorders adaptation to the conditions of a preschool educational institution were substantiated, developed and experimentally tested.