Using the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) database of the Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine of The University of Hong Kong, a retrospective cohort study was carried out exploring the relationship between prematurity and symptom severity by using Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). The premature group was found to have no significant difference in total CARS score as compared to the full term group, and no significant correlation was found between CARS score and gestational age [GA] (for children diagnosed or with suspected ASDs). Significantly higher numbers of the premature group (GA 37 weeks, N = 130) had multiple births, family history of ASDs or related disorders, pre/perinatal complications, as well as a significantly lower mean birth weight as compared to the full term group (GA > 37 weeks, N = 683). Mean total CARS score of very premature cases (M = 32.20, SD = 6.29) was found to be 2 points lower than mean total CARS score of those that were full term (GA > 37 weeks [M = 34.08, SD = 6.53]). However, the result was not statistically significant by unpaired t-test analysis. Therefore, results in this cohort show no relationship between prematurity and CARS score of children with ASDs, however further studies should be carried out in order to better validate existing findings. / published_or_final_version / Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

Föreliggande arbete är en experimentell studie som genomfördes vid Spädbarnslabbet, Uppsala Universitet. Undersökningsgruppen bestod av 10-månader gamla barn (n=33) och deras föräldrar. På en dataskärm fick barnen titta på stimuli i form av ljuspunktsanimering av mänsklig rörelse. Barnens titt-tid och pupilldilation registrerades. Det finns i tidigare forskningsresultat belägg för att normalutvecklade barn har en känslighet för biologisk rörelse men detta är inte tidigare studerat med hjälp av pupillometri. I studien ingick också att föräldrarna till barnen i undersökningsgruppen fyllde i ett självskattningsformulär för symtom inom autismspektrum. Syftet med studien var att undersöka om små barns känslighet för biologisk rörelse går att mäta med pupillometri samt att kartlägga om individuella skillnader i känslighet för biologisk rörelse var relaterat till graden av symtom inom autismspektrum hos föräldrarna. Hypoteserna som testades var dels att barnen i undersökningsgruppen var känsliga för biologisk rörelse och att detta skulle visa sig i termer av pupilldilation dels att det skulle finnas ett negativt samband mellan föräldrars självskattning av symtom inom autismspektrum och deras barns känslighet för biologisk rörelse. Resultaten visade att barngruppen som helhet var känslig för biologisk rörelse och att pupillometri var ett användbart mätinstrument för att mäta detta. Resultaten visade inte något samband mellan barnens känslighet för biologisk rörelse och föräldrarnas självskattade symtom inom autismspektrumområdet. Vi fann däremot ett oväntat negativt samband mellan barnens känslighet för biologisk rörelse och familjens socioekonomiska status.   Slutsatsen av denna studie är att pupillometri är en användbar datainsamlingsmetod för att studera små barns känslighet för biologisk rörelse. Något negativt samband mellan barnens känslighet för biologisk rörelse och föräldrarnas symtom inom autismspektrum framkom inte denna studie.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-81).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 184-193). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed November 10, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 166-195).

Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--Rhodes University, 2005. / A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Text in English and Afrikaans.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Amy Wetherby, Florida State University, College of Communications, Dept. of Communication Disorders. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 13, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 93 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Background: There is presently a lack of consistency in research designed to measure executive functioning (EF) in autism that may be attributable to lack of homogeneity or comorbid conditions (i.e. learning disability or additional diagnosis) in test samples. Aim: A systematic review focused on a subset of EF (verbal fluency: VF) was conducted, using only studies of high-functioning individuals with autism (HFA) without an additional diagnosis or learning disability. An empirical study was conducted comparing the executive functioning profile of individuals with HFA and typically developed (TD) individuals. Method: For the systematic review, 16 studies met the specified inclusion criteria, depicting 15 semantic (category), 14 phonological (letter), and 6 switching (categories) VF tasks. In order to assess potential bias, the available VF information of the included papers was scrutinised by the author and an independent clinical practitioner. For the empirical paper, 22 HFA and 22 TD participants (mean age = 28, range = 17-73, 52% male) without a comorbid condition, learning disability or brain injury completed three subtests from the WAIS-IV (vocabulary, block design and digit span) and all subtests of the Delis–Kaplan Executive Functioning System (D-KEFS). Results: For the systematic review, a minority of semantic and phonological VF studies reported a significant difference between typically developed and HFA populations. Five of the six semantic switching studies reported a significant difference between groups. All papers included were of good or adequate quality and inter-rater reliability was high. For the empirical paper, the HFA group performed significantly poorer on the switching condition of the design fluency task, semantic conditions of the verbal fluency task and on the word context task overall. No other significant differences were observed. Summary: Although the systematic review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support that disfluency can be attributed to autistic symptomology, the empirical study found that the HFA group performed poorer than TD in semantic VF and other subtests designed to measure generating novel ‘imaginative’ ideas, without visual cues to aid performance. The deficit on these subtests was increased when there was the added condition requiring the participant to switch between newly formed concepts. Conclusions: Although in VF, results are mixed, the empirical study demonstrates that even in a group of high-functioning individuals there are still measurable differences in EF between TD and HFA samples that may not be apparent through more general cognitive testing. Implications for using a neuropsychological profile for adults with HFA are discussed.

Little is known about the factors involved in parents’ with a child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) decisions to visit a community outing with their family. The purpose of this research is to describe the factors that families consider when making a decision to visit a museum of science with their child with ASD. Data were analyzed based on data from a previous study in which observations and interviews were completed in order to describe the experiences of nine children and their families visiting a science museum. The findings indicated that families considered their child and his/her age and abilities, the community environment, and the features of the activities in the community space as a family when deciding whether their child was ready to visit the museum. Additionally, parents appeared to consider their available strategies for use while in the community when making readiness decisions. The information learned in this study may aid families who are trying to appraise whether their child is ready for a family community outing. Additionally, findings from this research may benefit museums interested in creating inclusive experiences for families with a child with ASD. Recommendations are provided for future research in the area of readiness for community outings for families with a child with ASD.