Problem 3

Question 1

ASD in the DSM-V

Answer 1

1. deficits in social communication and interactions
2. restricted repetitive patterns of behaviour
   - the DSM also has specifiers to denote whether the disorder is accompanied with/without intellectual impairment or language impairment

Question 2

Prevalence and Course

Answer 2

• more males than females diagnosed
• onset is around 2 years but some symptoms only manifest later in those with mild variations and vice versa
• highly heritable
• higher levels of serotonin have been implicated

Question 3

Gilliam Autism Rating Scale

Answer 3

1. stereotyped behaviours
2. social interaction
3. communication
4. developmental disturbance

Question 4

Childhood Autism Rating Scale

Answer 4

• classifies severity of autism

Question 5

Common Denominators of Interventions with Successful Treatment Outcomes

Answer 5

1. Program intensity (15-40hrs/week)
2. Early intervention (5 years and below)
3. use of behavioural methods (i.e. modeling)
4. target specific deficits (attention, compliance, appropriate play, etc.)
5. use of a highly structured and predictable program with a low teacher-student ratio
6. integration of programs across situations
7. engagement of parents as co-therapists
8. careful monitoring of transitions between progra,s

Question 6

UCLA Applied Behavioural Analysis Program

Answer 6

• intensive (40hrs/week for 2 years) and pervasive (home and clinic) program that relied on behavioural methods
• avg age 2.5
• first year: appropriate behaviour (i.e. reducing disruptive behaviour, increasing compliance)
• second year: language training (i.e. increased use of appropriate expressive language) and social play
• third year: fine tuning skills and integration into the school system
• 47% in intense group increased IQ scores and were promoted to the regular 2nd grade
• children in less intensive group demonstrated minimal gains
• gains maintained at 6 year follow up

Question 7

Treatment and Education for Autistic and Related Communication and Handicapped Children Program

Answer 7

• based on the idea that children are motivated to learn a language based on intentional communication (i.e. means-end association)
• language becomes contextualized and integrated into ongoing daily activities
• teaches abstract concepts into visually meaningful alternatives ( helps children track and predict event orders which alleviates anxiety generated by preoccupation for sameness and routines
• close collaboration between parents and professionals
• successful in reducing self-injurious behaviours and enhancing skills in those with high-functioning ASD

Question 8

ToM Deficit Hypothesis

Answer 8

• failure in the ability to (meta) represent mental states in oneself and others is the cognitive cause of characteristic autistic behavioural difficulties in social interaction and reciprocal information
• this allowed for two areas of progress:
  1. neuroimaging investigations of neural underpinnings of key social processing differences in autism
  2. delineation of intact social abilities in autism

Question 9

Female protective effect

Answer 9

• women are more rarely affected by autism but are hit harder
• there has been evidence in support of this
• but it may be the case that underdiagnosis is actually a reflection of poor recognition of autism in women
• women are also generally diagnosed later and require higher symptom recognition for diagnosis

Question 10

Diagnostic Overshadowing in women

Answer 10

• research has generally excluded women and thus research disproportionately reflects male autism
• research forms the basis for diagnostic criteria which further excludes women
• there is also a general bias to view autism as a male condition

Question 11

Age and Autism

Answer 11

• autism in adults in under researched and late life diagnoses are common

Question 12

Fractionated triad hypothesis

Answer 12

• proposes that components of autism may have distinct genetic, neural and cognitive underpinnings
• social and non social autism traits correlate only modestly and distinct genetic influences are observed on different symptom domains

Question 13

Co occurrence of mental health difficulties and autism

Answer 13

1. may be due to selection bias, where additional problems increase the likelihood of seeking clinical services
2. factors like social exclusion or bullying as a result of exhibiting autistic traits could lead to anxiety, depression or PTSD
3. shared aetiology (environmental or genetic) might contribute to co-occurring conditions

Question 14

Comorbidity with autism

Answer 14

• ADHD
• anxiety disorders
• sleep wake disorders
• depression
• OCD
• alexithymia (difficulty identifying and talking about your own feelings) is an important co-occurring trait that is seen in half of adults with autism

Question 15

Studying comorbidity

Answer 15

• studies of autism must include participants with the same comorbidity and perhaps compare them to pure autism and typically developing groups
• need for population based samples to explore resilience factors in those without co-occurring conditions to explore how individuals can live a fulfilling and positive life with autism

Question 16

Neurodivergence

Answer 16

• autism is now seen as a more social model of disability
• it is considered simply a difference that constitutes a disability in the context of the demands of the neurotypical world
• curing autism is no longer acceptable or applicable