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This paper investigated the characteristics of mothers of children with a disability who registered for a mental health and wellbeing workshop. The questionnaire measured mental health, health-related behaviours, empowerment, family cohesion, wellbeing and child-related variables. Regression analysis identified factors associated with depressive symptoms and positive wellbeing. Fifty-seven percent of participants (N = 171) had depressive symptoms within the clinical range. Higher symptoms were associated with reduced: empowerment (r = −.39, p <.01); positive-wellbeing (r = −.66, p <.05); and healthy activity (r = −.41, p <.001). Low positive wellbeing (β =.55, p <.001) was the strongest predictor of depressive symptoms. Family cohesion (β =.25, p <.001), was the strongest predictor of positive-wellbeing. Future health and wellbeing interventions that support mothers with high care responsibilities should include psycho-education and strategies to address healthy maternal and family-related behaviour changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recruiting adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) into research poses particular difficulties; longitudinal studies face additional challenges. This paper reports on a mixed methods study to identify factors influencing the participation in longitudinal autism research of adults with ASD, including those with an intellectual disability, and their carers. Common and differentiating factors influencing the research participation of participants are identified and discussed. Factors influencing participation were found to differ both between and within participant categories. We propose a dichotomy whereby factors influencing research participation can be classified as those arising from a participant's values, which act as either a motivator or a deterrent; and those based on convenience, which act as either an enabler or inhibitor. These findings are applicable to research studies that seek to recruit adults with ASD as participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregivers of children with neurodiverse needs are known to experience challenges and hardship due to the increased needs of the child and the lack of support available. This study aimed to explore the support needs and well-being of caregivers of children with neurodiverse needs in Australia. Sixty-six caregivers participated in an online survey asking questions about support needs. The results highlighted five main themes that caregivers commonly experienced including: barriers to community engagement, impact on close relationships, negative impact on mental health and identity, financial hardship, and identified support needs. Findings identified multiple unmet needs existing amongst caregivers and further emphasises the importance of addressing these needs to improve the quality of life of caregivers of children with neurodiverse needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social difficulties of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically explained as a disruption in the Shared Attention Mechanism (SAM) sub-component of the theory of mind (ToM) system. In the current paper, we explore the hypothesis that SAM's capacity to construct the self-other-object relations necessary for shared-attention arises from a self-categorization process, which is weaker among those with more autistic-like traits. We present participants with self-categorization and shared-attention tasks, and measure their autism-spectrum quotient (AQ). Results reveal a negative relationship between AQ and shared-attention, via self-categorization, suggesting a role for self-categorization in the disruption in SAM seen in ASD. Implications for intervention, and for a ToM model in which weak central coherence plays a role are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper charted the cognitive and behavioural profiles from toddlerhood to middle childhood in 48 children diagnosed with ASD at 24-months. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) was administered at 24- and 48-months and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) at school age. Autism severity was derived using The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Results: Developmental Disability/Intellectual Disability (DD/ID; Developmental Quotient <70) reduced from 64% at 24-months to 8% at outcome. Seventy-three percent of children continued to meet ADOS cut-off at school age. Conclusion: Diagnoses at 24-months, appear to be reliable and stable. Further research is needed to investigate whether early identification, which provides more opportunity to access early intervention, may in turn facilitate cognitive development over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the nature of the social interaction profiles observed among youth with intellectual disabilities (ID), defined while considering their relationships with their parents, peers, and teachers, as well as the implication of these profiles for self-esteem, aggressive behaviors, and prosocial behaviors. A sample of 393 youth with mild (48.2%) to moderate (51.8%) levels of ID, aged between 11 and 22 (M = 15.70), was recruited in Canada (n = 141) and Australia (n = 253). Our results revealed four profiles, corresponding to Socially Isolated (23.24%), Socially Integrated (39.83%), Socially Rejected (28.37%) and Socially Connected (8.57%) youth with ID. The socially integrated and connected profiles both presented higher self-esteem, more prosocial behaviors, and less aggressive behaviors than the socially isolated and rejected profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the upper-limb movement kinematics of young children (3-7 years) with high-functioning autism using a point-to-point movement paradigm. Consistent with prior findings in older children, a difference in movement preparation was found in the autism group (n = 11) relative to typically developing children. In contrast to typically developing children, the presence of a visual distractor in the movement task did not appear to impact on early movement planning or execution in children with autism, suggesting that this group were not considering all available environmental cues to modulate movement. The findings from this study are consistent with the possibility that autism is associated with a difficulty using visual information to prime alternative movements in a responsive way to environmental demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first study to investigate instrumental activities of daily living in older autistic adults. We conducted interviews with fifteen adults (mean age = 60.1, SD = 7.4, range = 50–73) from Australia with no intellectual disability. Analysis included both deductive and inductive steps, to categorise responses using the Occupational Performance Model Australia and identify themes across participants' experiences. Strengths and challenges were unique to the individual, as were the methods they had developed to manage tasks. Challenges occurred mostly at the interaction between aspects of the environment (sensory, cognitive, social and cultural) and personal factors such as health conditions and sensory sensitivities. Enhanced person-environment fit is needed, as is a shift in wider sociocultural attitudes to enable comfort and autonomy in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A succession of interconnected environmental factors is believed to contribute substantially to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This exploratory study therefore aims to identify potential risk factors for ASD that are associated with pregnancy, birth and infant feeding. Demographic and health-related data on children aged 3–13 years (N = 4306) was collected through an online survey completed by biological mothers. A fitted logistic regression model identified advanced maternal age, prenatal bleeding, pre-eclampsia, perinatal pethidine usage, foetal distress before birth and male sex of child as associated with an increased risk of ASD, whereas longer gestational duration demonstrated a protective effect. These findings highlight potential risk factors and predictor interrelationships which may contribute to overall ASD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) has been widely used for measuring autistic traits however its factor structure has been primarily determined from nonclinic populations. This study aimed to establish an internally coherent and reliable factor structure for the AQ using a sample of 455 Australian adults of whom 141 had autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses. Principal component analysis revealed a 39-item questionnaire with five-factors: Sociability, Social Cognition, Interest in Patterns, Narrow Focus and Resistance to Change. The revised AQ-39 had sound goodness-of-fit indices, good-to-excellent internal consistency and test–retest reliability, and scores for ASD and non-ASD participants were significantly different. The AQ-39 may be useful in screening and for guiding the focus of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of being bullied is widespread among autistic youth. Relatively little empirical work has been done on the relationship between the bullying of these youth and school refusal (SR). This study of 67 school-age autistic boys (M = 11.7 years, SD = 2.3 years) examined several factors that may contribute to SR. Data regarding boys' age, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), key ASD diagnostic criteria, and frequency of being bullied were collected. Results indicated that, while boys displaying emerging SR also had significantly higher GAD and MDD than boys without emerging SR, only the frequency of being bullied made a significant contribution to emerging SR. Implications for prevention and treatment of SR among autistic youth are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to describe the experiences of autistic people who had interacted with police in Australia in the previous 5 years. Fifty autistic adults and 61 parent/carers completed a questionnaire and 30 participants took part in an interview. Participants were most commonly interacting with police in the context of seeking assistance or as victims of crime. Autistic adults were largely unsatisfied with their interactions and reluctant to disclose their autism. Parent/carers reported significantly higher satisfaction than autistic adults and incidents involving children were rated more highly than those involving adults. Suggestions for improved interactions included increased autism awareness amongst police and use of appropriate accommodations. Areas for future research in relation to the evaluation of police training is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous data have suggested that parents of boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may rate their sons' generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) more severely than the boys do themselves. However, no reports have been published to date which examine this issue in a girls-only sample. This study investigated the extent and nature of mother–daughter agreement on ratings of GAD in a sample of 53 girls with an ASD with mild impairment, aged 6 to 17 years. Mothers rated their daughters' GAD more severely than the girls did themselves, despite confounding effects from the girls' medication and menarche status. Suggestions are made for the valid assessment of GAD in girls with an ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism research funding across the world has disproportionately been invested in biological and genetic research, despite evidence that these topics are not prioritized by community members. We sought to determine whether a similar pattern was evident in Australia's autism research funding landscape between 2008 and 2017, by analysing the nation's portfolio of autism research investments. We also examined whether there was any change in this pattern of funding since the establishment in 2013 of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC). Overall, Australian autism research funding during 2008–2017 followed a similar pattern to other countries, but shifted in the past 5 years. Further progress is required to bring research funding into line with community priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high percentage of school-age students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reading comprehension difficulties leading to academic disadvantage. These difficulties may be related to differences in children's emergent literacy development in the preschool years. In this study, we examined the relationship between emergent literacy skills, broader cognitive and language ability, autism severity, and home literacy environment factors in 57 preschoolers with ASD. The children showed strengths in code-related emergent literacy skills such as alphabet knowledge, but significant difficulties with meaning-related emergent literacy skills. There was a significant relationship between meaning-related skills, autism severity, general oral language skills, and nonverbal cognition. Identification of these meaning-related precursors will guide the targets for early intervention to help ensure reading success for students with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared levels of state affect, dysphoric mood, and parenting sense of competence in Australian parents of children with or without autism. The effects of personality and location on the parents' experience were also examined, while controlling for current affect. Possible relationships among personality, location factors and help-seeking behavior were also explored in parents of children with autism. Prior findings of higher dysphoric mood levels in parents of children with autism were supported, as was the positive correlation between dysphoric moods and Neuroticism levels. Parenting Sense of Competence did not differ across locations, and there were no parent type by location interactions. Access to services among parents of a child with autism did not moderate dysphoria levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been limited research exploring the similarity of perception of friendship quality between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their friends. In this study, 45 children with ASD participated together with their friends. Two levels of friendship quality congruency were investigated: reciprocity and mutuality. A high proportion of the friendships were reciprocated for both the mixed and non-mixed friendship groups. Nevertheless, students with ASD reported substantial differences in perceptions of their friendship quality as compared to their nominated friends. The findings of the present study mirrored those of previous research with typically developing children. Further study is required to systematically investigate the differences in friendship quality perceptions within friendship dyads for both typically developing children and those with ASD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the everyday life experiences of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fourteen Australians and 16 Taiwanese (aged 16-45 years) with Asperger syndrome/high functioning autism recorded what they were doing, level of interest/involvement, emotional reactions and preference for being alone 7 times/day for 7 days. Multilevel analyses showed that 'solitary/parallel leisure' and 'social activities' were positively associated with interest and involvement. Engaging in these two activities and interacting with friends were positively associated with enjoyment. However, engaging in 'social activities' and having less severe ASD symptoms were associated with in-the-moment anxiety. Severity of ASD and social anxiety moderated experience in social situations. The findings highlight the importance of considering the in-the-moment experience of people with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to other mothers, mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability (ID) have higher rates of treatment episodes for psychiatric disorders. We aimed to estimate the maternal burden of care by comparing the length of hospitalisations for psychiatric disorders and the treatment rates for psychiatric disorders after the birth in mothers of children with ASD/ID and no psychiatric history to that of other mothers with no psychiatric history. Mothers of children with ID of known cause (not Down syndrome) and mothers of children ASD without ID emerged as particularly vulnerable. Mothers of children with Down syndrome were resilient. The development of specialised organisations to provide support to mothers of children with ID of known cause (not Down syndrome) and mothers of children with ASD without ID could assist them to maintain their mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive behaviour is a crucial area of assessment for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study examined the adaptive behaviour profile of 77 young children with ASD using the Vineland-II, and analysed factors associated with adaptive functioning. Consistent with previous research with the original Vineland a distinct autism profile of Vineland-II age equivalent scores, but not standard scores, was found. Highe st scores were in motor skills and lowest scores were in socialisation. The addition of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule calibrated severity score did not contribute significant variance to Vineland-II scores beyond that accounted for by age and nonverbal ability. Limitations, future directions, and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two studies we developed and tested a new self-report measure of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) suitable for adults. In Study 1, The Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-2 for adults (RBQ-2A) was completed by a sample of 163 neurotypical adults. Principal components analysis revealed two components: Repetitive Motor Behaviours and Insistence on Sameness. In Study 2, the mean RBQ-2A scores of a group of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N = 29) were compared to an adult neurotypical group ( N = 37). The ASD sample had significantly higher total and subscale scores. These results indicate that the RBQ-2A has utility as a self-report questionnaire measure of RRBs suitable for adults, with potential clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often described as visual learners. We tested this assumption in an experiment in which 25 children with ASD, 19 children with global developmental delay (GDD), and 17 typically developing (TD) children were presented a series of videos via an eye tracker in which an actor instructed them to manipulate objects in speech-only and speech + pictures conditions. We found no group differences in visual attention to the stimuli. The GDD and TD groups performed better when pictures were available, whereas the ASD group did not. Performance of children with ASD and GDD was positively correlated with visual attention and receptive language. We found no evidence of a prominent visual learning style in the ASD group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal research has demonstrated that social outcomes for adults with autism are restricted, particularly in terms of employment and living arrangements. However, understanding of individual and environmental factors that influence these outcomes is far from complete. This longitudinal study followed a community sample of children and adolescents with autism into adulthood. Social outcomes in relation to community inclusion and living skills were examined, including the predictive role of a range of individual factors and the environment (socio-economic disadvantage). Overall, the degree of community inclusion and living skills was restricted for the majority, and while childhood IQ was an important determinant of these outcomes, it was not the sole predictor. The implications of these findings in relation to interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of an eight-session female higher-functioning autism anti-stigma program on the knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of adolescent girls. Participants were seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade students ( N = 273) in a mainstream school. Two-eighth-grade classes were randomly allocated to the intervention condition. The remaining students were either allocated to the no-intervention peer or no-intervention non-peer condition. The anti-stigma program positively influenced knowledge, attitudes and to a lesser extent behavioural intentions towards peers with higher-functioning autism within the intervention condition. Some degree of attitudinal improvement occurred across all conditions following the program suggesting some spill over effects. Overall, findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the efficacy of an anti-stigma program tailored to support females with higher-functioning autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and Williams syndrome (WS) are both genetic disorders which present with similar cognitive-behavioral problems, but distinct social phenotypes. Despite these social differences both syndromes display poor social relations which may result from abnormal social processing. This study aimed to manipulate the location of socially salient information within scenes to investigate the visual attentional mechanisms of: capture, disengagement, and/or general engagement. Findings revealed that individuals with FXS avoid social information presented centrally, at least initially. The WS findings, on the other hand, provided some evidence that difficulties with attentional disengagement, rather than attentional capture, may play a role in the WS social phenotype. These findings are discussed in relation to the distinct social phenotypes of these two disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated emotion recognition abilities and visual scanning of emotional faces in 16 Fragile X syndrome (FXS) individuals compared to 16 chronological-age and 16 mental-age matched controls. The relationships between emotion recognition, visual scan-paths and symptoms of social anxiety, schizotypy and autism were also explored. Results indicated that, compared to both control groups, the FXS group displayed specific emotion recognition deficits for angry and neutral (but not happy or fearful) facial expressions. Despite these evident emotion recognition deficits, the visual scanning of emotional faces was found to be at developmentally appropriate levels in the FXS group. Significant relationships were also observed between visual scan-paths, emotion recognition performance and symptomology in the FXS group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective, longitudinal, study charted the developmental profiles of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) identified through routine developmental surveillance. 109 children with Autistic Disorder (AD), 'broader' ASD, and developmental and/or language delays (DD/LD) were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) at 12-months ( n = 10 assessments), 18-months ( n = 45 assessments), and 24-months ( n = 99 assessments). The children with AD performed most poorly, overall, than the ASD and DD/LD groups on the MSEL. Furthermore, the children with AD/ASD displayed an uneven cognitive profile, with poorer performance on verbal (particularly receptive language) relative to nonverbal skills. There was also evidence of developmental slowing in verbal skills from 18- to 24-months for children on the spectrum, especially those with AD. Given that the poor receptive, relative to expressive, language profile emerges very early in life for children with AD/ASD, this cognitive profile may serve as an additional red flag to social attention and communication deficits. Receptive language should therefore be stringently monitored in any developmental surveillance program for autism spectrum disorders in the second year of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have difficulties recognising emotions from facial expressions. Since eye contact is important for accurate emotion recognition, and individuals with ASD tend to avoid eye contact, this tendency for gaze aversion has been proposed as an explanation for the emotion recognition deficit. This explanation was investigated using a newly developed emotion and mental state recognition task. Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome were less accurate at recognising emotions and mental states, but did not show evidence of gaze avoidance compared to individuals without Asperger's Syndrome. This suggests that the way individuals with Asperger's Syndrome look at faces cannot account for the difficulty they have recognising expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]