Search

J. K. Rowling uses the large, public platform she has attained as the author of the popular Harry Potter series to make public statements attacking trans people, framing them as a threat to the safety of women and girls. She views her continued relevancy as a public figure as support for her positions and functions as a primary figure in spreading anti-trans discourse. Her rhetoric is populist in nature; she views herself as speaking up for "the people" (women and girls) to combat an "enemy" (trans activists and trans people) and defy a system (acceptance of trans people and recognition of their rights) that put "the people" at risk. Continued financial support and attention allows Rowling's antagonism of trans people to continue and inspire others to adopt anti-trans beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensory irregularities are commonly seen across developmental and intellectual disability groups. Identifying patterns of dysfunction within these clinical groups facilitates the development of appropriate intervention strategies. Thus, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the new Sensory Processing (SP) Scale Inventory rating scale. Method: Parents of children 4-18 years with and without sensory challenges completed the SP Scale Inventory. Item, domain, and subscale analyses were conducted to evaluate internal reliability, discriminant validity, and construct validity of the scale. Results: Items with adequate reliability and discriminant validity, a high frequency of endorsement by the clinical sample, and clear factor representation were retained. Reduced subscales demonstrated strong reliability and validity. Factor analysis verified the previously proposed sensory modulation subtypes. Conclusions: The new SP Scale Inventory appears to be a clinically useful parent rating scale to characterise patterns of sensory modulation in children with an intellectual or developmental disability.

This pilot study explored the effects of Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) Focus Series on individualized parent goals for children with sensory processing impairments. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline, repeated measure across participants, single-case study design was employed (n = 7). The 40-session intervention was delivered at home and in the clinic. Individualized family goals served as the repeated measure. Exploratory analyses included the evaluation of physiological arousal. Participants showed improvement in home and education-related goals. Changes in physiologic arousal were noted in five of seven participants. Standardized scales demonstrated sensitivity to change. Thus, the iLs program may be beneficial for school- or clinic-based intervention.

Migraine headaches are associated with sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety in the general population, but it is unknown whether this is also the case in autism spectrum disorders. This pilot study asked parents of 81 children (aged 7-17 years) with autism spectrum disorders to report their child's migraine occurrence, sensory hyperreactivity (Sensory Over-Responsivity Inventory), and anxiety symptoms (Spence Child Anxiety Scale). Children with autism spectrum disorders who experienced migraine headaches showed greater sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety symptomatology (p < 0.01; medium effect size for both) than those without migraines. Sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety symptomatology were additionally correlated (? = 0.31, p = 0.005). This study provides preliminary evidence for a link between migraine headaches, sensory hyperreactivity, and anxiety symptomatology in autism spectrum disorders, which may suggest strategies for subtyping and exploring a common pathogenesis.

Anecdotal reports and empirical evidence suggest that sensory processing issues are a key feature of autism spectrum conditions. This study set out to investigate whether adults with autism spectrum conditions report more sensory over-responsivity than adults without autism spectrum conditions. Another goal of the study was to identify whether autistic traits in adults with and without autism spectrum conditions were associated with sensory over-responsivity. Adults with (n = 221) and without (n = 181) autism spectrum conditions participated in an online survey. The Autism Spectrum Quotient, the Raven Matrices and the Sensory Processing Scale were used to characterize the sample. Adults with autism spectrum conditions reported more sensory over-responsivity than control participants across various sensory domains (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory and proprioceptive). Sensory over-responsivity correlated positively with autistic traits (Autism Spectrum Quotient) at a significant level across groups and within groups. Adults with autism spectrum conditions experience sensory over-responsivity to daily sensory stimuli to a high degree. A positive relationship exists between sensory over-responsivity and autistic traits. Understanding sensory over-responsivity and ways of measuring it in adults with autism spectrum conditions has implications for research and clinical settings.

Identification can be read in a film text through the implied author and audience. Since most transgender films are created by cisgender authors for a cisgender audience, the point of identification is cisgender. Using the 19S3 cult horror film Sleepaway Camp as a case study, I analyze how this point of identification leads to the film being constructed narratively and visually in line with a cisnormative ideology. The emotional response of fear prompted by the film is also in fine with this ideology and contributes to negative attitudes and actions toward transgender people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's insights on topics related to transgender studies. Topics mentioned include the importance of transgender studies, the development of transgender scholars, and the importance of gender identity. Also mentioned are the murder to transgender Brandon Teena, the marginality of transgender people, and the book "Living a Feminist Life," by Sara Ahmed.

This study examined the predictive validity of the newly developed Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) for age-graded groups. A 4-year prediction interval was used, and criterion measures were the WISC-R and the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery. Stepwise multiple regressions were used to assess the value of individual MAP subscales as predictor variables. In addition, correlations between the MAP Total Score and criterion measures were calculated for all six age categories specified for the MAP. Results are discussed in terms of the instability of developmental status among young children and the need to assess skill domains that are relatively stable at an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A high incidence of sensory processing difficulties exists in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and children with Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD). This is the first study to directly compare and contrast these clinical disorders. Sympathetic nervous system markers of arousal and reactivity were utilized in a laboratory paradigm that administered a series of sensory challenges across five sensory domains. The Short Sensory Profile, a standardized parent-report measure, provided a measure of sensory-related behaviors. Physiological arousal and sensory reactivity were lower in children with ASD whereas reactivity after each sensory stimulus was higher in SMD, particularly to the first stimulus in each sensory domain. Both clinical groups had significantly more sensory-related behaviors than typically developing children, with contrasting profiles. The ASD group had more taste/smell sensitivity and sensory under-responsivity while the SMD group had more atypical sensory seeking behavior. This study provides preliminary evidence distinguishing sympathetic nervous system functions and sensory-related behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Modulation Disorder. Differentiating the physiology and sensory symptoms in clinical groups is essential to the provision of appropriate interventions.

THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE CONVERGENCE OF TWO FIELDS, WHICH HAVE SIMILAR THEORETICAL ORIGINS: a clinical field originally known as sensory integration and a branch of neuroscience that conducts research in an area also called sensory integration. Clinically, the term was used to identify a pattern of dysfunction in children and adults, as well as a related theory, assessment, and treatment method for children who have atypical responses to ordinary sensory stimulation. Currently the term for the disorder is sensory processing disorder (SPD). In neuroscience, the term sensory integration refers to converging information in the brain from one or more sensory domains. A recent subspecialty in neuroscience labeled multisensory integration (MSI) refers to the neural process that occurs when sensory input from two or more different sensory modalities converge. Understanding the specific meanings of the term sensory integration intended by the clinical and neuroscience fields and the term MSI in neuroscience is critical. A translational research approach would improve exploration of crucial research questions in both the basic science and clinical science. Refinement of the conceptual model of the disorder and the related treatment approach would help prioritize which specific hypotheses should be studied in both the clinical and neuroscience fields. The issue is how we can facilitate a translational approach between researchers in the two fields. Multidisciplinary, collaborative studies would increase knowledge of brain function and could make a significant contribution to alleviating the impairments of individuals with SPD and their families.