Autism Spectrum Disorders Flashcards
Developmental Psychopathology
field of psychology that focuses on determining what is abnormal at any one point in the developmental process by comparing and contrasting it with normal and expected changes that occur
Risk and Protective Factors
factors that make negative or positive outcomes more likely
Equifinality vs. Multifinality
Equifinality: individuals can arrive at the same outcome from diverse beginnings
Multifinality: a particular risk factor can lead to many different outcomes
Resilience
one’s ability to develop optimally despite exposure to conditions of considerable risk or adversity
Spectrum of disorders
autism is not just one thing; there’s great heterogeneity across the spectrum, children can be affected to very different degrees
Dyad of impairments
impairment in social COMMUNICATION and INTERACTION; restricted, repetitive and stereotyped PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR and interest
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
ASDs: Autism disorder (AD), Asperger syndrome (AS), PDD-NOS
Rett’s disorder: females only, rare, genetic mutation on X chromosome.
Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD): chioldren develop typically for first few years and then regress backwards; very rare
AD vs AS
AD: differences apparent early on
AS: do not show language impairment until later on; cognitive skills are average/above average; main difficulty is social skills – tend to become experts or focused on a specific topic
Prevalence of ASD
has been increasing - but may be because of new diagnostic techniques and criteria
currently about 1/110-150, as high as 1/88 (0.6-0.9%)
lower than mental retardation, higher than cerebal palsy
males are 4x more likely to have ASD diagnosis
Prevalence of ASDs by subtype
36/10,000 for PDD-NOS, 22/10,000 for AD, 10/10,000 for AS
Spotting the early signs of ASD: 3 things
communication; actions; play
Warning signs: Communication
delay in understanding words/phrases; not understanding own name; not using pointing/waving gestures; reduced social babbling; reduced expression of positive emotions
Warning signs: Actions
fixation on objects; difficulty shifting attention; delay in motor skills; repetitive/unusual motor behaviors
Warning signs: Play
reduced imitation of actions; reduced interest in toys; repetitive actions with toys; examining toys for a long time; insistence on certain toys; reduced interest in social play
Is autism genetic?
Yes, but not straightforward - not due to one gene. The result of an INTERACTION between genetics and the environment.
Concordance rates of ASD in twins
Monozygotic: 70-90%
Dizygotic: 0-25%
Possible autism candidate gene?
PTCHD1
- deleted/mutated in some boys with autism
- only 1% of boys with autism have this gene mutated
What vaccines still contain thimerosal?
- influenza
- hepatitis B
Potential risk factors for ASD
- parental age (particularly paternal age; paternal age only contributes when mother is young?)
- prenatal infections (e.g. rubella)
- some medications
- premature birth (rates 2-4x higher in preterm kids)
Non-replicated factors
- agricultural pesticides
- pet pesticides
- hazardous air pollutants
- endocrine disruptors
- NEW: time between births (closer siblings are born together, higher rate of autism?)
Two main types of interventions
- educational
- behavioural
- NO CURE
Early Intervention
established treatment targeted to child’s specific goals and needs; intensive (20-40 hrs/wk); family-centered
**ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis - most common
Instruction Treatment for ASD
children with ASD have difficulty with unexpected events; instruction such as “story-based interventions” reduce the chance than an unexpected event will happen
Behaviour regulation treatments for ASD
- Antecedent package: change environment to decrease challenging behaviors
- Behavioural package: reduce challenging behavior or teach new behavior
- Self-management: teach individuals strategies to independently monitor/reward own behavior
Language/Communication - Augmentative & Alternative Communication Device
emerging treatment - technological device to help communication
Language/Communication - Language Training
emerging treatment - goal is to increase speech and how language is understood
Language/Communication - Picture Exchange Communication System
emerging treatment - an aid to teach functional communication for everyday life
Behavior Regulation - Antecedent Exercise
emerging treatment - physical activity to reduce problem behaviors (e.g. yoga)
Behavior Regulation - Exposure Package
emerging treatment - prevent poor strategies in situations that increase anxiety
Behavior Regulation - Multi-Component Package
emerging treatment - a variety of coordinated treatments from different fields
Behavior Regulation - Reductive package
emerging treatment - decrease problem behaviors without alternative approach
Unestablished treatments
academic interventions; auditory integration training; facilitated communication; gluten/casein-free diets; sensory integrative package
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment
claims to improve functioning by increasing oxygen to the brain but evidence is weak; possible safety concerns
Chelation
claims to remove heavy metal from blood but lack of strong evidence and potential harm (i.e. death)
