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Social impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been linked to Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits. However, little research has investigated the relationship between ToM and moral decision-making in children with ASD. This study compared moral decision-making and ToM between aggregate-matched ASD and neurotypical boys (n = 38 per group; aged 6-12). In a third-party resource allocation task manipulating recipient merit, wealth, and health, neurotypical children allocated significantly more resources to the morally deserving recipient, suggesting equitable allocation. A comparatively larger portion of the ASD group allocated equally. ToM emerged as a predictor of moral decision-making. We suggest that ToM (cognitive empathy) deficits may underly atypical moral decision-making in ASD by limiting the integration of empathic arousal (affective empathy) with moral information.

Social impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been linked to Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits. However, little research has investigated the relationship between ToM and moral decision-making in children with ASD. This study compared moral decision-making and ToM between aggregate-matched ASD and neurotypical boys (n = 38 per group; aged 6-12). In a third-party resource allocation task manipulating recipient merit, wealth, and health, neurotypical children allocated significantly more resources to the morally deserving recipient, suggesting equitable allocation. A comparatively larger portion of the ASD group allocated equally. ToM emerged as a predictor of moral decision-making. We suggest that ToM (cognitive empathy) deficits may underly atypical moral decision-making in ASD by limiting the integration of empathic arousal (affective empathy) with moral information., Author(s): Jessica E. Ringshaw [sup.1] [sup.2] , Katie Hamilton [sup.2] , Susan Malcolm-Smith [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.7836.a, 0000 0004 1937 1151, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross [...]

Maternal responses to infant facial expressions were examined in two socioeconomically diverse samples of South African mothers (Study I, N = 111; and Study II, N = 214; age: 17-44 years) using pupil and gaze tracking. Study I showed increased pupil response to infant distress expressions in groups recruited from private as compared to public maternity clinics, possibly reflecting underlying differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across the groups. Study II, sampling uniformly low-SES neighborhoods, found increased pupil dilation and faster orientation to expressions of infant distress, but only in the highest income group. These results are consistent with maternal physiological and attentional sensitivity to infant distress cues but challenge the universality of this sensitivity across socioeconomic diversity.

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 is the "gold standard" autism spectrum disorder observational assessment, and it is increasingly used in South Africa. However, its use is limited to English speakers, as it has not been translated into the country's other 10 official languages. Moreover, the cultural appropriateness of this tool has not been explored in South Africa. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 was translated into Afrikaans and assessed for cultural appropriateness to the "coloured" population from low-middle socioeconomic status backgrounds in the Western Cape Province. Using a mixed-methods approach, three components associated with method bias in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 were investigated: language used, social interactions and activities, and materials. An ethnographic investigation of play, social interaction and social activities was conducted in a community sample (n = 40), and the Afrikaans Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 was pre-piloted in a clinical sample (n = 7). Results highlighted unique aspects of the language ("Kaaps") that need to be considered during Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 administration. The social interaction demands of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 appeared appropriate, and sufficient familiarity with Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 materials and activities was found to support the use of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2. Guidelines for administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 to this population were generated to improve cultural sensitivity and cultural appropriateness and to reduce method bias.

Morality is an evolved aspect of human nature, yet is heavily influenced by cultural environment. This developmental study adopted an integrative approach by combining measures of socioeconomic status (SES), executive function, affective sharing, empathic concern, theory of mind, and moral judgment in predicting sharing behavior in children (N = 999) from the age of 5 to 12 in five large-scale societies: Canada, China, Turkey, South Africa, and the USA. Results demonstrate that age, gender, SES, culture, and social cognitive mechanisms explain over 20% of the variance worldwide in children's resource allocation. These findings are discussed in reference to standard cultural comparisons (individualist/collectivist), as well as the degree of market integration, and highlight continuities and discontinuities in children's generosity across urban contexts.

We investigated whether theory of mind skills can indicate autism spectrum disorder severity. In all, 62 children with autism spectrum disorder completed a developmentally sensitive theory of mind battery. We used intelligence quotient, "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (4th ed.) diagnosis and level of support needed as indicators of severity level. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, we found three distinct clusters of theory of mind ability: early-developing theory of mind (Cluster 1), false-belief reasoning (Cluster 2) and sophisticated theory of mind understanding (Cluster 3). The clusters corresponded to severe, moderate and mild autism spectrum disorder. As an indicator of level of support needed, cluster grouping predicted the type of school children attended. All Cluster 1 children attended autism-specific schools; Cluster 2 was divided between autism-specific and special needs schools and nearly all Cluster 3 children attended general special needs and mainstream schools. Assessing theory of mind skills can reliably discriminate severity levels within autism spectrum disorder.

Many children growing up in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are at a particular risk for poor developmental outcomes and can face many adverse circumstances growing up. Generally, the psychosocial risk factors affecting the development of these vulnerable children are well-described but research on protective factors that can buffer these risks and boost their psychological resilience seems to be lacking in LMICs. This scoping review examined resilience and protective factors that bolster resilience in LMICs in children under the age of 11 years and the extent to which these factors have been investigated in LMICs at all, and whether specific protective factors emerge. Studies were identified by searching the EBSCOHOST (Africa-Wide Information, CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, and APA PsycARTICLES), Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, and were included if they mentioned resilience in children (<11 years) from LMICs. A total of 26 studies met the inclusion criteria, with only four studies using a longitudinal design. Social support, emotion regulation, and caregiver mental health are important protective factors specific to children in LMICs. Common protective factors found in Western research have not yet been investigated for their role in boosting resilience in children in LMICs – for example, peer support, having a future outlook, and religion. Adversities were often only assumed, with the vast majority of studies not including a direct measurement of adversity. Only 16 studies employed direct measurement of resilience. There is still a paucity in data for protective factors that boost resilience in children under 11 years from LMICs, and especially when it comes to longitudinal studies. Longitudinal observations over time are needed to uncover pathways that influence resilience in young children from LMICs, with clear definitions of adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health problems often begin in early childhood. However, the associations of various individual and contextual risk factors with mental health in the preschool period are incompletely understood, particularly in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) where multiple risk factors co-exist. To address this gap, we prospectively followed 981 children in a South African birth cohort, the Drakenstein Child Health Study, assessing pre-and postnatal exposures and risk factors. The predictive value of these factors for child mental health (assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist) was modeled using structural equation modeling. We identified two key pathways to greater externalizing behavior: (1) prenatal exposure to substances (alcohol and smoking) directly predicted increased externalizing behavior (β = 0.24, p < 0.001); this relationship was partially mediated by an aspect of infant temperament (negative emotionality; β = 0.05, p = 0.016); (2) lower socioeconomic status and associated maternal prenatal depression predicted more coercive parenting, which in turn predicted increased externalizing behavior (β = 0.18, p = 0.001). Findings in this high-risk LMIC cohort cohere with research from higher income contexts, and indicate the need to introduce integrated screening and intervention strategies for maternal prenatal substance use and depression, and promoting positive parenting across the preschool period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal responses to infant facial expressions were examined in two socioeconomically diverse samples of South African mothers (Study I, N = 111; and Study II, N = 214; age: 17–44 years) using pupil and gaze tracking. Study I showed increased pupil response to infant distress expressions in groups recruited from private as compared to public maternity clinics, possibly reflecting underlying differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across the groups. Study II, sampling uniformly low‐SES neighborhoods, found increased pupil dilation and faster orientation to expressions of infant distress, but only in the highest income group. These results are consistent with maternal physiological and attentional sensitivity to infant distress cues but challenge the universality of this sensitivity across socioeconomic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]