L2 Autism Spectrum Disorder

Question 1

What is ASD and how is it caused?

Answer 1

an ND based on a group of behavioural symptoms has many genetic components however no one gene has been implicated as a root cause.

Question 2

How is ASD diagnosed?

Answer 2

Autism Diagnosis Observation Scale (ADOS) is a semi-structured interview and is the only way to get a diagnosis of ASD. Based on the criteria set in the DSM-IV.

Diagnosis using ADOS needs deficits in two domains:

1) Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction (Need 3/3):
- deficits in non-verbal communicative behaviours
- deficits in development and maintenance of relationships
- deficits in social-emotional reciprocity

2) Restrictive, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities (Need 2/4):
- excessive adherence to routine
- hyper/hyporeactivity to sensory
- restricted interests
- repetitive movement, speech or use of objects

Question 3

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the ADOS diagnostic tool

Answer 3

Strengths:
-standardised measure based on the theoretical framework

Limitations:
-Fails at early diagnosis due to it relying on an interview

Question 4

Discuss the cognitive and behavioural characteristics of ASD

Answer 4

Cognitive:

• poor performance on tasks involving Executive functions (eg. Theory of Mind task)
• weak central coherence, perception is very specific, fail to see the wider picture (eg. good with local processing, bad at global processing)

Behavioural

• easily overwhelmed by sensory information
• tend to have deep and specific interests and hobbies
• tend to have repetitive speech, motor or use of objects
• can be very imaginative
• poor non-verbal communicators
• take things very literally
• poor at making and maintaining relationships

Question 5

Discuss brain differences in those with ASD

Answer 5

Research has found ASD children have high short distance connectivity and low long-distance connectivity. This has been shown with greater grey matter (local connectivity) but lower white matter (distance connectivity). Leads to more specific and isolated processing. Thought to underlie savant-like characteristics in those with ASD.

Question 6

Discuss 3 pieces of research which could possibly lead to earlier diagnosis of ASD.

Answer 6

Jones + Atkin:

• looked at gaze shift in infants across the ages of 2-24 months
• infants would look at face stimuli and their eyes were tracked
• found neurotypical infants looked at eyes of the face 50% of the time
• infants with ADHD (who were diagnosed when they were older) looked at eyes less than normal children, and this steadily declined with age
• differences only statistically clear by 6 months

Peirce:

• looked at the preference for two video stimuli presented side by side ( 1. geometric shape and 2. social stimuli) to infants aged 14-24 months
• eyes were tracked to assess their preference
• found that neurotypical infants showed a preference for the social stimuli
• found infants who later got ASD diagnosis showed a preference for geometric shapes
• found that if an infant looked at the geometric video 69% that it was a 100% accurate predictor of whether they would later get an ASD diagnosis
• strong predictive power, however, didn’t capture those who got ASD but didn’t prefer the geometric video

Elsabbagh:

• looked at sensitivity to gaze shift in infants aged 6-10 months
• infants would see a picture of a woman with changing gazes, whilst undergoing an EEG analysis
• found response in neurotypical children but less/no response in those who later received an ASD diagnosis
• suggests a lack of sensitivity to others eye movements is a hallmark of ASD