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The Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions (Q-ASC; Attwood, Garnett & Rynkiewicz, 2011) is one of the few screening instruments that includes items designed to assess female-specific ASD-Level 1 traits. This study examined the ability of a modified version of the Q-ASC (Q-ASC-M; Ormond et al., 2018) to differentiate children with and without ASD-Level 1. Participants included 111 parents of autistic children and 212 parents of neurotypical children (5-12 years). Results suggested that the gendered behaviour, sensory sensitivity, compliant behaviours, imagination, and imitation subscales differentiated autistic females from neurotypical females. Compared to autistic males, autistic females had higher scores on gendered behaviour, sensory sensitivity, social masking, and imitation. Results are discussed in relation to early detection of autistic female children.

Parents of children with ASD who had attended an Australian emergency department (ED; n = 421) completed a questionnaire relating to their experiences in the ED, including (1) child's reason for presentation and existing comorbidities, (2) quality of care during the visit (3) child's behaviour during visit, e.g. sensory responses to the ED environment, and disruptive behaviours. Children with comorbid ASD and intellectual disability were more likely to present with gastrointestinal issues and seizures, while those with comorbid ASD and oppositional defiant disorder were more likely to present with self-injury. ED staff awareness of ASD-related issues, including communication and expression of pain, were common difficulties for parents. The ED environment (e.g. lights, sounds, waiting areas), exacerbated child anxiety and led to disruptive behaviour.

Comorbid anxiety disorders are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but only a minority receives adequate treatment for anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders. The objectives of the present pilot study were to test the feasibility of the CBT program “Less stress” for comorbid anxiety disorders in children with ASD and explore whether an improvement in diagnostic outcomes for anxiety disorders and symptoms of anxiety was found after treatment.

The Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions (Q-ASC) was developed by Attwood et al. (2011) to identify gender-sensitive profiles of autism symptomatology; prioritise and adjust the direction of clinical interventions; and support positive psychosocial outcomes and prognosis into adulthood. The current research piloted the Q-ASC with parents of 238 children with a clinical diagnosis of ASD-Level 1 (without intellectual or language impairment). Data analysis revealed eight interpretable and reliable components of the Q-ASC using Principle components analysis. Comparisons across age and gender groups found statistically significant mean differences of parent-reported characteristics. The findings from this study aim to identify improvements in the Q-ASC towards the future assessment of the sensitivity and diversity of presentations of autism among female children and adolescents.

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) is a valid and reliable instrument to assist the diagnosis of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The 80-question scale was administered to 779 subjects (201 ASD and 578 comparisons). All ASD subjects met inclusion criteria: DSM-IV-TR, ADI/ADOS diagnoses and standardized IQ testing. Mean scores for each of the questions and total mean ASD vs. the comparison groups' scores were significantly different (p

BACKGROUND: Autistic adults continue to experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment. OBJECTIVE: A scoping review was undertaken to: a) synthesise key findings in the literature regarding autism and employment from the employers' perspective; b) examine trends in employer attitudes, theoretical frameworks and interventions; c) highlight gaps in the literature; and d) propose avenues for further research. METHODS: Literature published between January 1, 2009 and January 1, 2023 was examined using the following databases: CINAHL via Ebsco, Cochrane Library, EMBASE via Ovid SP, ERIC via Ebsco, Medline, PsycINFO via Ebsco, Scopus, Web of Science and ProQuest for dissertations and theses. RESULTS: The search identified 55 studies that met inclusion criteria. Selected articles were organised into the following themes: theoretical frameworks from the employer perspective, autism employment supports from the employer perspective and employer-specific interventions. CONCLUSION: This scoping review suggests that minimal research has been conducted on employer interventions that specifically target work environmental factors. The promotion of diversity in the workplace is an encouraging trend but this has not necessarily included the promotion of neurodiversity. Future research should include interventions to improve current and prospective employer knowledge and attitudes in not just hiring but supporting autistic persons in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions (Q-ASC) was developed by Attwood et al. (2011) to identify gender-sensitive profiles of autism symptomatology; prioritise and adjust the direction of clinical interventions; and support positive psychosocial outcomes and prognosis into adulthood. The current research piloted the Q-ASC with parents of 238 children with a clinical diagnosis of ASD-Level 1 (without intellectual or language impairment). Data analysis revealed eight interpretable and reliable components of the Q-ASC using Principle components analysis. Comparisons across age and gender groups found statistically significant mean differences of parent-reported characteristics. The findings from this study aim to identify improvements in the Q-ASC towards the future assessment of the sensitivity and diversity of presentations of autism among female children and adolescents., Author(s): Sarah Mae Simcoe [sup.1] [sup.2] , Charlotte Brownlow [sup.1] , Michelle Sarah Garnett [sup.2] , Agnieszka Rynkiewicz [sup.3] [sup.4] [sup.5] , Tony Attwood [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0004 [...]

This study examines the potential impact of family conflict and cohesion, and peer support/bullying on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While such impacts have been established for a range of non-ASD childhood disorders, these findings may not generalize to children with ASD because of unique problems in perspective-taking, understanding others' emotion, cognitive rigidity, and social reasoning. A structural model-building approach was used to test the extent to which family and peer variables directly or indirectly affected ASD via child anxiety/depression. The sample (N = 322) consisted of parents of children with ASD referred to two specialist clinics. The sample contained parents of children with Autistic Disorder (n = 76), Asperger Disorder (n = 188), Pervasive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (n = 21), and children with a non-ASD or no diagnosis (n = 37). Parents completed questionnaires on-line via a secure website. The key findings were that anxiety/depression and ASD symptomatology were significantly related, and family conflict was more predictive of ASD symptomatology than positive family/peer influences. The results point to the utility of expanding interventions to include conflict management for couples, even when conflict and family distress is low. Further research is needed on the potentially different meanings of family cohesion and conflict for children with ASD relative to children without ASD.

The purpose of the study described was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention for anger management with children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Forty-five children and their parents were randomly assigned to either intervention or wait-list control conditions. Children in the intervention participated in six 2-h weekly sessions while parents participated in a larger parent group. Parent reports indicated a significant decrease in episodes of anger following intervention and a significant increase in their own confidence in managing anger in their child. Qualitative information gathered from parents and teachers indicated some generalization of strategies learned in the clinic setting to both home and school settings. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief CBT intervention for anxiety with children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS). A second interest was to evaluate whether more intensive parent involvement would increase the child's ability to manage anxiety outside of the clinic setting. Methods: Seventy-one children aged ten to twelve years were recruited to participate in the anxiety programme. All children were diagnosed with AS and the presence of anxiety symptoms was accepted on parent report via brief interview. Children were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: intervention for child only, intervention for child and parent, wait-list control. Results: The two intervention groups demonstrated significant decreases in parent-reported anxiety symptoms at follow-up and a significant increase in the child's ability to generate positive strategies in an anxiety-provoking situation. There were a number of significant differences between the two interventions to suggest parent involvement as beneficial. Conclusions: The sample of children with AS in this study presented with a profile of anxiety similar to a sample of clinically diagnosed anxious children. The intervention was endorsed by parents as a useful programme for children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and exhibiting anxiety symptoms, and active parent involvement enhanced the usefulness of the programme. Limitations of the study and future research are discussed.

Bullying can start in a child's early school years, and this paper initially explains the distinct profile of behaviour and abilities of young children with Asperger Syndrome and why they can be more vulnerable than their peers to being the target of bullying. The paper subsequently describes a range of strategies designed to reduce the frequency and consequences of bullying on young children with Asperger Syndrome.

Autistic adults face alarmingly high rates of unemployment and underemployment. There is limited research regarding employers' capacity to support autistic persons, how to better understand employers' needs and their key role in employment processes. In this employer‐focused qualitative study, 14 Australian employers and nine professional experts were interviewed in depth. The identified themes were 1) Employer awareness and knowledge of autism; 2) Autism is a strength rather than a deficit, disorder or disability; 3) Employer empowerment is a key facilitator of change and 4) Autism tools for the employer. These findings highlight the need for ongoing education of employers to strengthen knowledge in the workplace about autism and addressing workplace environmental variables directly. Novel findings were the critical importance of employer self‐care and treating all employees the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]