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This article assesses nutritional intake and adequacy in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), subdiagnostic autistic symptoms and children with typical development (TD). In total, 77 children diagnosed with ASD, 40 with subdiagnostic autistic symptoms and 333 children with TD were assessed. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used. Very few nutritional differences were found between ASD and TD groups. Preschool children with ASD and subdiagnostic autistic symptoms had slightly lower intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), vitamin D and vitamin B12, and primary school children with ASD and subdiagnostic autistic symptoms had slightly higher intake of protein, cholesterol, thiamine and niacin, and a higher percentage of obesity than children with TD. All samples had an unbalanced energy intake (high in added sugars, fats and saturated fatty acids (SFAs); extremely inadequate intake (80%--100%) of vitamins D and E; high intake (50%-80%) of fibre, b-carotene (except preschool children with TD), calcium (except preschool children) and magnesium). The fact that differences between diagnoses are scarce may be related to the low level of ASD severity in this school sample.

Abstract Significant evidence does exist on the effectiveness of transdiagnostic interventions to improve emotional problems in clinical populations, and their application as universal and indicated prevention programs. However, no randomized controlled trials (RCT) studying selective transdiagnostic prevention intervention have been published. This is the first known RCT to evaluate the efficacy/effectiveness of an evidence-based selective prevention transdiagnostic program for emotional problems in adolescents. The impact of three different interventions was evaluated: (1) PROCARE (Preventive transdiagnostic intervention for Adolescents at Risk for Emotional disorders), which is a group-based, abbreviated version of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A), along with adding a booster session to reduce risk of onset of anxiety and depression, (2) PROCARE + , which includes the PROCARE protocol along with personalized add-on modules tailored to match adolescents’ risk factors, and (3) an active control condition (ACC) based on emotional psychoeducation. In total, 208 adolescents (48.5% girls) evidencing high risk and low protective factors were randomized and allocated to PROCARE, PROCARE + or ACC. Data from 153 adolescents who completed all assessments in the different phases of the study were analyzed. Self- and parent-reported measures were taken at baseline, as well as after the intervention, a 6 month follow-up was carried out, together with a 1 month follow-up after the booster session. Differences between conditions were significant on most of the outcome measures, with superior effect sizes for PROCARE + in the short and long term. Interventions were acceptable in terms of acceptability, with good satisfaction rates. Tailored targeted selective transdiagnostic interventions focused on mitigating risk factors and promoting protective factors in vulnerable adolescents are promising.

Food consumption in children with ASD, subclinical ASD and with typical development (TD), and their adequacy to dietary recommendations was studied. A school population sample of 77 children with ASD, 40 with subclinical ASD, and 333 with TD participated. Compared to children with TD, pre-schoolers with ASD consumed fewer raw vegetables and less fish and eggs, while primary school children consumed fewer legumes, raw vegetables, citrus fruits, cheese/yogurt and olive oil, and more meat. All groups consumed an excess of sugar but those with ASD consumed even a greater amount than their peers. The higher prevalence of obesity found in primary school children with ASD may be the consequence of a less healthy eating pattern sustained over time.

Currently, the production of radioactive waste from nuclear industries is increasing, leading to the development of reliable containment strategies. The deep geological repository (DGR) concept has emerged as a suitable storage solution, involving the underground emplacement of nuclear waste within stable geological formations. Bentonite clay, known for its exceptional properties, serves as a critical artificial barrier in the DGR system. Recent studies have suggested the stability of bentonite within DGR relevant conditions, indicating its potential to enhance the long-term safety performance of the repository. On the other hand, due to its high resistance to corrosion, copper is one of the most studied reference materials for canisters. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the influence of nuclear waste conditions on the characteristics and properties of DGR engineered barriers. This paper outlines how evolving physico-chemical parameters (e.g., temperature, radiation) in a nuclear repository may impact these barriers over the lifespan of a repository and emphasizes the significance of understanding the impact of microbial processes, especially in the event of radionuclide leakage (e.g., U, Se) or canister corrosion. Therefore, this review aims to address the long-term safety of future DGRs, which is critical given the complexity of such future systems.

Abstract Significant evidence does exist on the effectiveness of transdiagnostic interventions to improve emotional problems in clinical populations, and their application as universal and indicated prevention programs. However, no randomized controlled trials (RCT) studying selective transdiagnostic prevention intervention have been published. This is the first known RCT to evaluate the efficacy/effectiveness of an evidence-based selective prevention transdiagnostic program for emotional problems in adolescents. The impact of three different interventions was evaluated: (1) PROCARE (Preventive transdiagnostic intervention for Adolescents at Risk for Emotional disorders), which is a group-based, online-delivered, abbreviated version of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A), along with adding a booster session, to reduce risk of onset of anxiety and depression, (2) PROCARE + , which includes the PROCARE protocol along with personalized add-on modules tailored to match adolescents’ risk factors, and (3) an active control condition (ACC) based on emotional psychoeducation. In total, 286 adolescents (53.3% girls) evidencing high risk and low protective factors were randomized and allocated to PROCARE, PROCARE + or ACC. Self- and parent-reported measures were taken at baseline, as well as after the intervention, a 6-month follow-up was carried out, together with a 1-month follow-up after the booster session. Differences between conditions were significant on most of the outcome measures, with superior effect sizes for PROCARE +. Interventions were excellent in terms of acceptability, with good satisfaction rates. Tailored selective transdiagnostic interventions focused on mitigating risk factors and promoting protective factors in vulnerable adolescents are promising.

The autism spectrum disorder prevalence data for southern Europe seem to be lower than international reports. The objective of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Epidemiological Research Project was to estimate the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in a representative school sample of Tarragona, Spain. Screening was performed through parents (N = 3727) and teachers (N = 6894), and 781 children were individually assessed. The overall estimated prevalence was 1.53% (1.78% in preschoolers; 1.30% in primary school children), being significantly higher than the 0.83% previously registered (0.92% and 0.74%, respectively). Respectively, 4.23% and 2.85% of the children showed subclinical autism spectrum disorder. Girls showed a significantly lower prevalence in all the conditions. Severity profiles were distributed as 46% mild, 47% moderate and 7% severe. A high ratio of males (90%) and children from Eastern Europe (16%) was found among severe autism spectrum disorder. Language therapy (51%) and psychological (65%) and educational supports (65%) were given to children with autism spectrum disorder. Pharmacological treatment was only found among school-aged children (37.5%). Public schools provided more educational support (72%) than private schools (36%). The heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder makes it difficult to determine specific associated sociodemographic factors. The results confirmed a high prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in this province, suggesting a current under-diagnosis by public health services.

Overweight and obesity have been reported to be more prevalent in populations with autism spectrum disorder than in children with typical development. The aim of this study was to compare the anthropometric status of children with autism spectrum disorder (diagnosed and subclinical) and children with typical development and analyse which variables can affect the anthropometric and health status of children with autism spectrum disorder. We present a two-phase epidemiological study in a school population of two age groups which assesses autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, anthropometric data and bioelectrical impedance analysis. From an initial sample of 3,713 children, 79 with autism spectrum disorder, 42 with subclinical autism spectrum disorder and 350 with typical development participated in the study. Pre-schoolers with autism spectrum disorder were taller than pre-schoolers with typical development. School-age children with autism spectrum disorder showed a significantly higher body mass index and rate of overweight/obesity than children with typical development (63.4% vs 46.3%). No significant differences were found for bioelectrical impedance analysis, but school-age children with autism spectrum disorder showed a significantly higher waist circumference, waist/height ratio and cardiovascular risk than children with typical development. The quality of the diet was lower in children with autism spectrum disorder than in children with typical development. Multiple regression analyses showed that having autism spectrum disorder and internalizing psychological problems were associated with waist/height ratio and high cardiovascular risk in school-age children.

To date, the increasing production of radioactive waste due to the extensive use of nuclear power is becoming a global environmental concern for society. For this reason, many countries have been considering the use of deep geological repositories (DGRs) for the safe disposal of this waste in the near future. Several DGR designs have been chemically, physically, and geologically well characterized. However, less is known about the influence of microbial processes for the safety of these disposal systems. The existence of microorganisms in many materials selected for their use as barriers for DGRs, including clay, cementitious materials, or crystalline rocks (e.g., granites), has previously been reported. The role that microbial processes could play in the metal corrosion of canisters containing radioactive waste, the transformation of clay minerals, gas production, and the mobility of the radionuclides characteristic of such residues is well known. Among the radionuclides present in radioactive waste, selenium (Se), uranium (U), and curium (Cm) are of great interest. Se and Cm are common components of the spent nuclear fuel residues, mainly as 79Se isotope (half-life 3.27 × 105 years), 247Cm (half-life: 1.6 × 107 years) and 248Cm (half-life: 3.5 × 106 years) isotopes, respectively. This review presents an up-to-date overview about how microbes occurring in the surroundings of a DGR may influence their safety, with a particular focus on the radionuclide-microbial interactions. Consequently, this paper will provide an exhaustive understanding about the influence of microorganisms in the safety of planned radioactive waste repositories, which in turn might improve their implementation and efficiency.

Abstract Background Natural climate solutions (NCS)—actions to conserve, restore, and modify natural and modified ecosystems to increase carbon storage or avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—are increasingly regarded as important pathways for climate change mitigation, while contributing to our global conservation efforts, overall planetary resilience, and sustainable development goals. Recently, projections posit that terrestrial-based NCS can potentially capture or avoid the emission of at least 11 Gt (gigatons) of carbon dioxide equivalent a year, or roughly encompassing one third of the emissions reductions needed to meet the Paris Climate Agreement goals by 2030. NCS interventions also purport to provide co-benefits such as improved productivity and livelihoods from sustainable natural resource management, protection of locally and culturally important natural areas, and downstream climate adaptation benefits. Attention on implementing NCS to address climate change across global and national agendas has grown—however, clear understanding of which types of NCS interventions have undergone substantial study versus those that require additional evidence is still lacking. This study aims to conduct a systematic map to collate and describe the current state, distribution, and methods used for evidence on the links between NCS interventions and climate change mitigation outcomes within tropical and sub-tropical terrestrial ecosystems. Results of this study can be used to inform program and policy design and highlight critical knowledge gaps where future evaluation, research, and syntheses are needed. Methods To develop this systematic map, we will search two bibliographic databases (including 11 indices) and 67 organization websites, backward citation chase from 39 existing evidence syntheses, and solicit information from key informants. All searches will be conducted in English and encompass subtropical and tropical terrestrial ecosystems (forests, grasslands, mangroves, agricultural areas). Search results will be screened at title and abstract, and full text levels, recording both the number of excluded articles and reasons for exclusion. Key meta-data from included articles will be coded and reported in a narrative review that will summarize trends in the evidence base, assess gaps in knowledge, and provide insights for policy, practice, and research. The data from this systematic map will be made open access.

The present study aims to assess the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in preschool and school-age children following a two-phase procedure. The screening phase was performed on a sample of 5555 children taking into account parent and teacher information. The individual assessment included the ADI-R, ADOS-2 and Wechsler scales. The estimated prevalence was 1.55% in preschoolers and 1.00% in school-age children. Between 1.84 and 2.59% of the children exhibited subclinical diagnosis. The male-to-female ratio was around 4:1. Most of the children exhibited mild and moderate nuclear symptoms, and the girls showed less severe communication problems. Previous diagnosis was found in 62-71% of the children. Prevalence estimates are close to the 1% international ratings and much higher than previous national reports suggested.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. A current area of interest is the association between ADHD and food consumption. The aim of this study was to determine the food consumption and dietary patterns of children with and without ADHD in relation to their age and ADHD presentation. The study involved 259 preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years old (57 with ADHD and 202 controls) and 475 elementary-school-age children, aged 10 to 12 years old (213 with ADHD and 262 controls) from Spain. ADHD was diagnosed in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) from Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children interviews. Eating data were collected using a food consumption frequency questionnaire, and principal component analysis was carried out to analyze dietary patterns. Western-like, sweet, and healthy patterns were identified. The ADHD group was negatively associated with the healthy pattern (p < 0.001) and positively associated with the Western-like diet (p = 0.004). Children with inattentive presentation showed lower adherence (12.2%) to a healthy pattern than that of the control group (39.9%) (p < 0.001). There is an association between ADHD and dietary habits; children with inattentive presentation may particularly be at risk of unhealthy eating habits.

Antecedentes/Objetivo: Analizar las propiedades psicométricas del Conners 3 ADHD Index (Conners 3 AI) y del Conners Early Children Global Index (Conners ECGI), en sus formas para padres (PF) y maestros (TF), en escolares españoles. Método: Estudio transversal en doble fase. En la primera fase, se recogió información de maestros (n=1.796) y padres (n=882) de niños de 4-5 y 10-11 años. En la segunda fase (n=196), se evaluaron individualmente niños a riesgo de TDAH y controles. Resultados: Se confirmó la estructura bifactorial del Conners 3 AI, que agrupa síntomas de hiperactividad-impulsividad e inatención, y del Conners ECGI PF, que agrupa síntomas labilidad emocional e inquietudimpulsividad. A diferencia de la versión original, el Conners ECGI TF presentó un factor adicional de inatención. La evidencia de validez convergente con el Child Behavior Checklist y la Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders y Schizophrenia, y de validez con criterios externos (rendimiento académico) fueron entre moderadas y altas. Se encontraron puntuaciones significativamente más altas en los niños que en las niñas para ambos índices. Las puntuaciones directas correspondientes a puntuaciones T clínicas fueron más elevadas que en la versión original. Conclusiones: Los índices de Conners pueden considerarse instrumentos válidos y fiables para detectar sintomatología de TDAH en población española. © 2017 Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY−NC−ND license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by−nc−nd/4.0/).

Antecedentes/objetivo: La informaci n que ofrecen los maestros sobre los problemas psicol gi- cos suele ser frecuentemente muy til dado que stos pueden comparar el desarrollo del ni ? no con su grupo de iguales. El cuestionario EDUTEA se cre para proporcionar a profesionales del mbito cl nico y de la investigaci n una herramienta para la detecci n de los trastornos del espectro del autismo y de la comunicaci n social pragm tica en el entorno escolar. M todo : Fue dise ado en base a criterios DSM-5 y validado en una muestra de 2.660 escolares espa ? noles. Resultados : Present una estructura bifactorial con una elevada fiabilidad interna, comprendi- endo los factores de Alteraciones de la comunicaci n social ( =0,95) y Patrones restrictivos de comportamiento ( =0,93). El an lisis de curvas ROC indic una elevada predictibilidad del rea bajo la curva (0,90). Se propone utilizar la puntuaci n total de 10 como punto de corte, ya que proporcion altos valores de sensibilidad (87%), especificidad (91,2%) y valor predictivo positivo (0,87). El cuestionario mostr correlaciones moderadas con la puntuaci n de severidad de la Escala de Observaci n para el Diagn stico del Autismo (ADOS-2) y la competencia pragm tica evaluada en los ni os. Conclusiones : Consideramos que el EDUTEA puede ser una herramienta til para la detecci n de TEA en las escuelas.

El problema del conocimiento es uno de los temas fundamentales de la reflexión filosófica contemporánea, ha dejado al descubierto la grave crisis epistemológica de la investigación científica por sus vacíos ontológicos y antropológicos a la hora de comprender la realidad. Las experiencias de los investigadores educativos revelan que las categorías de pensamiento cartesianas y positivistas del discurso moderno mantienen minados los procesos de producción del conocimiento que se generan en y a través de la investigación educativa. El propósito de la disertación es encontrar en las experiencias sustantivas de pensadores e investigadores educativos nuevas claves de reflexión que promuevan un tipo de discurso y una praxis científica más vivencial y significativamente humana. El método utilizado es la sistematización de experiencias (Barrera, 2010). De las experiencias recogidas emergieron dos claves teóricas fundamentales para la reflexión del problema del conocimiento en el contexto de la educación universitaria, las cuales son: (a) pensamiento científico renovado; (b) de la metodolatría a la metodología científica. El fenómeno del conocimiento emerge desde las experiencias como una idea cuestionadora que nos introduce de manera nueva en la trama de la reflexión epistemológica de la praxis científica, desde nuevas perspectivas que proyectan el camino hacia una investigación científica con carácter conciencial, es decir, que toma en cuenta las dimensiones fundamentales de la condición humana, que dentro de la investigación objetiva no tendrían razón para la validación científica.

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During the 23rd session of the FAO-Committee on Forestry (COFO 23) held in July 2016, the voluntary guidelines on national forest monitoring were approved. These guidelines were generated to support FAO member countries on the starting-up and the implementation of their national forest monitoring systems (NFMS). Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the decision 1/CP.16 encouraged to developing country Parties to undertake actions for REDD+, and requested, inter alia: i) to develop a forest reference emission level and/of forest reference level (FREL/REL) as a baseline for the emission reductions report, and ii) a transparent and robust NFMS. This paper examines the technical assessments from UNFCCC of the FREL/REL submitted by six countries in relation to technical needs for the NFMS setting up. The analysis suggests the need to improve the procurement of ground-base data, to comply the quality of the estimations on forest emission changes, to complete the carbon stocks estimations, and to estimate the associated uncertainties. The strategic and technical planning of the NFMS is also needed, to be able to reach the acceptable preparation level for measuring, reporting and verification system of REDD+, and the FAO voluntary guidelines are a helpful tool for the step-wise approach development.

The deep geological repository (DGR) concept consists of storing radioactive waste in metal canisters, surrounded by compacted bentonite, and placed deeply into a geological formation. Here, bentonite slurry microcosms with copper canisters, inoculated with bacterial consortium and amended with acetate, lactate and sulfate were set up to investigate their geochemical evolution over a year under anoxic conditions. The impact of microbial communities on the corrosion of the copper canisters in an early-stage (45 days) was also assessed. The amended bacterial consortium and electron donors/acceptor accelerated the microbial activity, while the heat-shocked process had a retarding effect. The microbial communities partially oxidize lactate to acetate, which is subsequently consumed when the lactate is depleted. Early-stage microbial communities showed that the bacterial consortium reduced microbial diversity with Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas dominating the community. However, sulfate-reducing bacteria such as Desulfocurvibacter , Anaerosolibacter , and Desulfosporosinus were enriched coupling oxidation of lactate/acetate with reduction of sulfates. The generated biogenic sulfides, which could mediate the conversion of copper oxides (possibly formed by trapped oxygen molecules on the bentonite or driven by the reduction of H 2 O) to copper sulfide (Cu 2 S), were identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Overall, these findings shed light on the ideal geochemical conditions that would affect the stability of DGR barriers, emphasizing the impact of the SRB on the corrosion of the metal canisters, the gas generation, and the interaction with components of the bentonite. [Display omitted] • Microbial-influenced processes were enhanced by nutrient and bacterial consortium addition. • Pre-sterilization of bentonite delays bacterial activity within the microcosms. • Microbes from bentonite partially oxidize lactate to acetate, coupled with sulfate reduction. • Electron donors/acceptor stimulate sulfate-reducing bacteria (e.g., Desulfocurvibacter). • Sulfide generation results in the formation of Cu 2 S on the copper-material surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global community has recognized the importance of forests for biodiversity, and has prioritized the preservation of forest biodiversity and ecosystem functions through multiple multilateral agreements and processes such as the Convention on Biodiversity’s Aichi Targets and the Millennium Development Goals. The Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) provides one mechanism for tracking progress toward such goals in three particular areas: primary forest area, protected forest areas, and areas designated for the conservation of biodiversity. In this paper, we quantify current area and trends in forest areas designated for the conservation of biodiversity, protected forest areas, and primary forests by country and biome; and examine the association between total forest area and measures of protection, per-capita income, and population. The overall findings suggest that countries are increasingly protecting forests of ecological significance at the global scale (7.7% of forests were protected in 1990 rising to 16.3% in 2015), with a strong upward trend in protected areas in the tropical domain (from 12% in 1990 to 26.3% in 2015). However, primary forest area has declined by 2.5% globally and by 10% in the tropics over the period 1990–2015 (using data for countries that reported in all years). Given that many species in the tropics are endemic to primary forests, losses in that climatic domain continue to be of concern, although the rate of decline appears to be slowing. Using multiple regression analysis, we find that a 1% increase in protected area or area designated for biodiversity conservation within a country is associated with an increase in total forest area in that country of about 0.03% ( p < 0.05). A 1% within-country increase in population density and per capita GDP are associated with a decrease in forest area of about 0.2% ( p < 0.01) and an increase in forest area of about 0.08% ( p < 0.05) respectively. Our findings also indicate that, since FRA is used as one mechanism for tracking progress toward goals like the AICHI Biodiversity Targets, country correspondents may require additional assistance toward reporting on primary forest, protected forest, and biodiversity conservation statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lay Abstract: Autistic individuals face a higher risk of various forms of victimization throughout their lives, with bullying being especially prevalent during their school years. Previous studies indicate that autistic children are 2.4 times more likely to be bullied than their typically developing peers and twice as vulnerable as those with other disabilities. However, the extent of this issue among Spanish schoolchildren with autism remains unexplored. In addition, there is no information regarding the presence of bullying victimization in children with marked but undiagnosed autistic traits (i.e. subthreshold autistic traits). This study examines the self-reported prevalence of bullying victimization in autistic pre-adolescents and those with subthreshold autistic traits, comparing them with peers without neurodevelopmental conditions. The study involved 323 participants (11 and 12 years old; 45 with autism or subthreshold autistic traits) from Spanish general education schools. The results revealed a higher rate of bullying victimization among autistic participants (58%; 3.1 times higher risk) and those with subthreshold autistic traits (27%; 1.5 times higher risk) compared with their peers without neurodevelopmental conditions (18.3%). Victimization was linked to more intense restrictive behaviours and increased behavioural and emotional problems. No significant associations were found with other individual or family factors. Our findings underscore the heightened risk of bullying faced by autistic pre-adolescents and those with subthreshold autistic traits at school, emphasizing the need to identify and implement preventive measures to mitigate bullying and its detrimental impact on their mental well-being and overall quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidity in the school population have been understudied. This study estimates its prevalence considering both parents' and teachers' reports and clinical diagnosis. Sociodemographic, clinical, and cognitive data were compared by diagnostic groups: autism, ADHD, autism and ADHD, subthreshold autism spectrum disorder (ASD), subthreshold ADHD, and children without neurodevelopmental conditions. Following a two-phase design, 3727 parents and teachers (1802 preschoolers, 1925 school-age children) participated in the first phase. Subsequently, 781 participants underwent individual assessment for DSM-5 diagnoses. The estimated prevalence of the comorbid diagnosis was 0.51% (0.28%-0.74%), with significant sex differences (0.16% girls, 0.89% boys). The cooccurrence of symptoms of autism and ADHD reported by parents or teachers was 3.2% and 2.6%, respectively. ADHD comorbidity was observed in 32.8% of autistic children and 31.4% of those with subthreshold ASD. ASD comorbidity was observed in 9.8% of children with ADHD and 5.7% of those with subthreshold ADHD. Comorbidity was reported by at least one informant in 95% of children. Only 15.8% of children with autism and ADHD had been previously diagnosed with both conditions. Early detection and accurate comorbidity diagnosis are crucial to address the clinical and socio-educational needs of these children., (© 2024 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

An early detection of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) is crucial for their prognosis; however, the clinical heterogeneity of some disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an obstacle to accurate diagnoses in children. In order to facilitate the screening process, the current study aimed to identify symptom-based clusters among a community-based sample of preschool and school-aged children, using behavioral characteristics reported by teachers. A total of 6894 children were assessed on four key variables: social communication differences, restricted behavior patterns, restless-impulsiveness, and emotional lability (pre-schoolers) or inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity (school-aged). From these behavioral profiles, four clusters were identified for each age group. A cluster of ASD + ADHD and others including children with no pathology was clearly identified, whereas two other clusters were characterized by subthreshold ASD and/or ADHD symptoms. In the school-age children, the presence of ADHD was consistently observed with ASD patterns. In pre-schoolers, teachers were more proficient at identifying children who received a diagnosis for either ASD and/or ADHD from an early stage. Considering the significance of early detection and intervention of NDDs, teachers' insights are important. Therefore, promptly identifying subthreshold symptoms in children can help to minimize consequences in social and academic functioning., (© 2024 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Bullying is highly prevalent among children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study investigates self-perceived bullying victimization and related sociodemographic, psychopathological, cognitive, and academic characteristics in pre-adolescents with ADHD compared to controls., Method: The participants were 424 pre-adolescents, 138 of whom had ADHD. Self-perceived bullying victimization was assessed with the Bullying and School Violence questionnaire. This study is part of a larger double-phase epidemiologic cross-sectional study., Results: A total of 35% of the ADHD pre-adolescents self-reported bullying victimization. ADHD-combined presentation showed the highest prevalence of co-occurring self-perceived bullying victimization. After the effects of socioeconomic level, gender, place of birth, intelligence quotient and autism had been controlled, we observed that presenting ADHD increased the likelihood of self-perceived bullying victimization almost 3-fold. Having ADHD and self-perceived bullying victimization were significantly associated with higher rates of the co-occurrence of internalizing and externalizing psychological problems. Comorbidity with ASD was higher in ADHD + bullying cases. Pre-adolescents with ADHD had lower cognitive scores and worse academic outcomes regardless of whether they were being bullied or not., Conclusions: In bullying prevention and intervention, special attention should be paid to ADHD as a vulnerability factor for self-perceived victimization, with negative consequences for emotional well-being and behavior.

Up to 9.5% of the world's population is diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), making it one of the most common childhood disorders. Air pollutants could be considered an environmental risk condition for ADHD, but few studies have specifically investigated the effect of prenatal exposure. The current paper reviews the studies conducted on the association between prenatal air pollutants (PM, NO x , SO 2 , O 3 , CO and PAH) and ADHD development in children. From the 890 studies searched through PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, 15 cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. NOS and WHO guidelines were used for quality and risk of bias assessment. The accumulative sample was 589,400 of children aged 3-15 years. Most studies reported an association between ADHD symptoms and prenatal PAH and PM exposure. Data available on NO 2 and SO 2 were inconsistent, whereas the effect of CO/O 3 is barely investigated. We observed heterogeneity through an odd ratio forest plot, and discrepancies in methodologies across the studies. Eight of the fifteen studies were judged to be of moderate risk of bias in the outcome measurement. In a nutshell, future studies should aim to minimize heterogeneity and reduce bias by ensuring a more representative sample, standardizing exposure and outcome assessments.

Background: Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) are often at risk of developing emotional problems., Aims and Methods: The co-occurrence of anxiety and depression with ASD and/or ADHD was determined by exploring the association with children's clinical and neuropsychological functioning and their parent's mental health. To this end, we assessed 295 preschoolers (PRE; 4-5 years old) and 486 school-aged children (SCH; 10-11 years old) in Tarragona, Spain. NDD diagnoses were based on DSM-5. Emotional problems were assessed using Achenbach's scales., Results: Emotional problems (PRE: 36%-78%; SCH: 32%-81%) were more common and more severe in participants with NDD than in controls and children in the ASD + ADHD school-aged group were the most affected. In ADHD, emotional problems were associated with more severe symptoms of attention deficit (PRE) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (SCH). In ASD + ADHD, emotional problems showed a trend of association with more severe ASD repetitive behaviours and impaired working memory, whereas in ASD were associated with greater overall ASD severity., Conclusions and Implications: Children with NDD are vulnerable to emotional problems, which become more prevalent and interfering with age. Early detection and intervention aimed at tackling emotional problems can improve NDD prognosis., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To report the ADHD estimated prevalence in Spain, considering differences in sex, age, presentation, and severity. Method: This study has a two-phase design and forms part of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Epidemiological Research Project (EPINED). The ADHD screening was conducted through parent ( N  = 3,727) and teacher ( N  = 6,894). To perform ADHD diagnosis (DSM-5), screen positive and a subsample of the screen negative children and their parents were assessed using neuropsychological tests and a semi-structured psychiatric interview. Results: The ADHD overall estimate prevalence was 5.5% (7.7% in school-age children; 3.0% in pre-schoolers) and 3.5% for subclinical conditions. The combined presentation and mild severity were the most common, while 18.2% were highly impaired. Previous diagnoses were found in 12% of pre-schoolers and 41% school-aged. Conclusion: The prevalence found in Spain is higher than other European reports. The low ratio of prior-diagnoses indicates a need to provide resources for assessment in school and clinical settings.

The aim of the present study was to assess whether the nature of the main autistic features (i.e., social communication problems and repetitive and restrictive patterns) are better conceptualized as dimensional or categorical in a school population. The study was based on the teacher ratings of two different age groups: 2,585 children between the ages of 10 and 12 (Primary Education; PE) and 2,502 children between the ages of 3 and 5 (Nursery Education; NE) from 60 mainstream schools. The analyses were based on Factor Mixture Analysis, a novel approach that combines dimensional and categorical features and prevents spurious latent classes from appearing. The results provided evidence of the dimensionality of autism spectrum symptoms in a school age population. The distribution of the symptoms was strongly and positively skewed but continuous; and the prevalence of high-risk symptoms for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and social-pragmatic communication disorder (SCD) was 7.55% of NE children and 8.74% in PE. A categorical separation between SCD and ASD was not supported by our sample. In view of the results, it is necessary to establish clear cut points for detecting and diagnosing autism and to develop specific and reliable tools capable of assessing symptom severity and functional consequences in children with ASD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 979-988. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Lay Summary: The results of the present study suggest that the distribution of autism spectrum symptoms are continuous and dimensional among school-aged children and thus support the need to establish clear cut-off points for detecting and diagnosing autism. In our sample, the prevalence of high-risk symptoms for autism spectrum disorders and social-pragmatic communication disorder was around 8%., (© 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)