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Eye-tracking studies have shown potential in effectively discriminating between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and non-ASD groups. The main objective of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of eye-tracking studies in adults with ASD. A total of 22 studies were included for meta-analysis. Eyes and Non-Social regions proved better for discriminating between ASD and non-ASD adults, while fixation duration seems to be the outcome to choose. Active engaged tasks seem to reduce differences between ASD and non-ASD adults, regardless of the emotional content of the stimuli/task. Proportional fixation duration on eyes and non-social areas in non-active tasks (e.g. free viewing) seems to be the best eye-tracking design for increasing the sensitivity and specificity in ASD adults.

The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, frequently accompanied by medical and psychiatric pathology. One of the most commonly found problems associated with ASD is sleep disturbances, which are estimated to affect approximately 80% of the people with ASD, not only during childhood but also in the adolescence and adult stages. Nevertheless, the relationship of these sleep difficulties with autism severity, as well as other associated impairments such as executive functioning and psychiatric disorders (eg, depression), has not yet been widely studied. The main objective of the present study was to explore the relationship between sleep disturbances, subjective measures of executive function, and psychiatric pathology in the ASD population. To reach that goal, a group of 89 participants with ASD (44 children/adolescents and 45 adults) was recruited and evaluated with self-reported measures of executive function performance and psychiatric pathology tests. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association between sleep disturbances and psychiatric symptoms in both ASD groups, with greater sleep disturbances predicting more severe psychiatric pathology. No significant association was found with executive function in any group. Limitations included a small sample size and lack of objective measures. Sleep problems seem to be associated with the severity of psychiatric pathology throughout the lifespan, increasing the chance of developing psychiatric symptoms when they were present. Improving sleep quality in ASD at all ages may result in preventing and/or decreasing psychiatric pathology in this population.

While advances in intensive neonatal care have greatly improved survival rates among preterm infants, incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders in this group is still high, with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) being one of the most frequent. To this end, we conducted a social-communication intervention aimed at investigating efficacy in social-communicative skills. Eighteen children (preterm and full-term with ASD and preterm children) aged 18 through 20 months participated in the study. Our findings indicate that most participants in the intervention groups registered significant improvements in terms of socio-communicative skills, cognitive development, and language. Accordingly, these pilot data underscore the need for further research and implementation of early interventions in young preterm children with ASD.

The use of gamification tools has meant an advance towards models of analysis of active assessment and learning in a natural, complex environment with contingent responses and student exchanges and, therefore, has meant an improvement in the quality of the results obtained in the short and long term in relation to the subjects and areas of application of the proposal. The aim of this work has been to promote the development of innovative teaching techniques, processes and strategies that encourage university student participation. To this end, a gamification methodology was used with the tool kahoot! for content evaluation, where participants created questionnaires and evaluated the questionnaires of other participants. The results obtained through the different analyses provide strong evidence of the success of using the tool in the classroom. Both the survey and the statistical analyses have shown that the use of the Kahoot! quizzes together with the methods of explaining the questions with multimedia materials has not only been useful for the teachers, but also for the students.

Joint attention has been a topic of great interest for decades in understanding autism and early communicative-social development. Riviere was aware of this fact and emphasized the importance of un...

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was studied in children in the County of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain) as part of the European Union’s Autism Spectrum Disorder in Europe project (ASDEU– https://asdeu.eu ). To identify cases in a total community sample of 7- to 9-year-old pupils (N = 14,734), a multistage approach was adopted: in the first stage, a teacher nomination (TN) form was completed by school teachers; and in the second stage, all families with a child nominated by their teachers were invited to complete the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). A total of 108 (59%) schools participated fully, yielding a final sample of 9177 of 14.734 (61.9%) pupils. A total of 212 (2.3%) children were nominated via the TN form, and of these, 105 (49.5%) returned the completed SCQ. Twenty-five (23.8%) cases with SCQ scores ≥ 15 were invited to undergo a free clinical assessment, and 10 (40%) new cases of ASD were identified. The prevalence estimate included the 55 cases already being supported by the Gipuzkoa’s only ASD association, the Gipuzkoa Autism Society (Asociacion Guipuzcoana de Autismo/GAUTENA)), as well as the 10 new subjects identified by the ASDEU field diagnostic process. A sensitivity analysis was performed to estimate new potential ASD cases among the non-participant schools, leading to a final figure of 87 cases of ASD in this age-bracket at the date of the study. This global probabilistic estimate, including non-participating schools, would thus provide a population prevalence of 0.59% (95% CI 0.48–0.73), a result lower than those reported by some other studies. Attrition rates in cross-sectional studies are challenging and support the need for developing longitudinal ASD incidence surveillance study areas (ASD observatories)

[EN] This is a comparative analysis of everyday executive functioning between individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) and controls using Dysexecutive Questionnaire-Spanish (DEX-Sp), to identify patterns of difculties. Also we assessed the relationship between EF and adaptive behavior as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scale-II. Common areas of everyday executive functions were established as problematic in individuals with ASD and SSD related to Disinhibition and Apathy, while Disorganization and Impulsivity was gravely afected in ASD group only. The degree of Dysexecutive Syndrome was predictive of adaptive behavior in ASD group only. These suggest that DEX-Sp could be a useful tool in diferentiating areas of strength and weaknesses in clinical groups such as ASD and SDD., Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCLE.

Free PMC article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/33966137/ The Autism Spectrum Disorders in the European Union (ASDEU) survey investigated local services' use experiences of autistic adults, carers and professionals with interventions for autistic adults. The majority of the 697 participants experienced recommended considerations prior to deciding on intervention and during the intervention plan and implementation. Psychosocial interventions were the most commonly experienced interventions, while pharmacological interventions NOT recommended for core autistic symptoms were reported by fairly large proportions of participants. Family interventions were experienced slightly more commonly by carers than adults or professionals. Less than the 26% of autistic adult responders who had experienced challenging behaviors reported receiving an intervention to change them. These results provide insights for improving gaps in service provision of interventions among autistic adults. This study was funded by the European Parliament and managed by the European Union, DGSANCO, [Ref.: SANCO/2014/C2/035]. The Italian Ministry of Health projects "Osservatorio Italiano per il monitoraggio dei disturbi dello spettro autistico" (Fasc. 1S49) and ‘I disturbi dello spettro autistico: attività previste dal decreto min isteriale del 30.12.2016′ (Fasc. 2S57) granted the contribution of the Italian data. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Satisfaction with the detection process of autism and its determinants was investigated using data from the Autism Spectrum Disorder in the European Union (2015–2018) network. A total of 1342 family members, including 1278 parents, completed an online survey collecting information about their experience and satisfaction with the early detection of autism in their child. Overall, the level of satisfaction varied considerably from one respondent to another. Difficulty in finding information about detection services, lack of professional guidance and support in response to first concerns, finding a diagnostic service on one’s own, and a delay of more than 4 months between the confirmation of concerns and the first appointment with a specialist were all experiences individually associated with greater odds of being less satisfied. Using a dominance analysis approach, we further identified professional guidance and support in response to first concerns as the most important predictor of the level of satisfaction. These findings highlight the aspects of the process that need to be improved to enhance the experience of the detection process and are therefore relevant to guide health administrations toward actions to be implemented to this effect. Lay abstract Professional guidance and support in response to first concerns appears to be an important predictor of the level of satisfaction with the detection process of autism in young children. In this study, we analyzed the views of 1342 family members, including 1278 parents, who completed an online survey form collecting information about their experience and satisfaction with the early detection of autism in their child. Specifically, we were interested in how specific experiences with the detection process relate to the satisfaction with it and whether we could identify important predictors of satisfaction. The detection process is an emotionally charged period for parents, often described as painful, chaotic, and lengthy. A better understanding of their experiences is important to take appropriate action to improve the detection process. In our sample, the level of satisfaction with the detection process varied greatly from one respondent to another. Among the different experiences we considered, whether or not respondents received professional guidance and support in response to first concerns explained most of this variation. We also found that difficulty finding information about detection services, lack of professional guidance and support in response to first concerns, having to find a diagnostic service on one’s own, and longer delays between confirmation of concerns and first appointment with a specialist were experiences associated with a greater likelihood of being unsatisfied. The findings of this study highlight the importance of the parent–professional relationship in the detection process and have important practical implications for health administrations to improve the detection process.

[EN] As assessed by numerous neuropsychological tasks, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) have similar impairments related to executive functions (EFs). The neuropsychological profle of these two conditions was examined using the three-component EFs’ framework of Miyake and Friedman(Cogn Psychol 41(1):49-100, 2000). This approach assesses Inhibition (suppression of unwanted and irrelevant information/responses), Updating (use and control of contents of working memory), and Shifting (disengagement between activities or mental tasks) using nine diferent tasks. In line with previous research, we expected greater performance defcits in ASD in all three components compared to SSD, as well as faster responses for the SSD group. A self-paced task format allowed us to examine whether unlimited time given for a task would lead to better performance. The sample was constituted by the control group (N=25), ASD group (N=24), and SSD group (N=12). Groups did not difer on Inhibition performance. In Updating, individuals with SSD performed poorer than the other groups. As for Shifting, both groups demonstrated poorer performance compared to controls, with the SSD group presenting the greatest difculties. In terms of reaction time (RT), SSD participants’ RT were the slowest on Inhibition and Shifting tasks. There was a positive correlation between performance and time spent on Inhibition and Shifting only for the SSD group, which demonstrates that their performance improves when there are no time constraints. Our work provides a better understanding of spared and impaired EFs, which could be useful for designing strategies aimed at improving specifc EFs in each group., Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCLE.

Focused intervention practices (FIPs) are widely used to improve social communication skills, as they are specifically aimed at enhancing skills identified as being problematic in children with autism spectrum disorder ASD, such as imitation, eye contact, gestures, joint attention and play. This meta-analysis was performed to ascertain the overall effectiveness of FIPs in children with ASD 6 years of age and younger. Five electronic searches were conducted, 1828 references were retrieved, and 43 studies 59 outcome measures were included in the meta-analysis. Studies included 785 participants 41.6 months with ASD. The overall socio-communicative effect size for each specific skill imitation, joint attention, and play was calculated using the Hedges’ g (g) for group design studies, and the Nonoverlap of All Pairs (NAP) for single case design studies. Random-effects metaregression models and correlations were also used to assess whether the results were different according to population and intervention characteristics. The impact of possible publication bias was analysed. The results suggest that, whereas FIPs have medium to large positive effects (g = 0.51; NAP = 0.86), those where caregivers or teachers play an active role (g = 0.50; NAP = 0.89) have medium effect sizes. All social and communicative skills outcomes of FIPs have medium effect sizes (Imitation: g = 0.42, NAP = 0.90; Joint attention: g = 0.54, NAP = 0.86; Play: g = 0.47, NAP = 0.81). Effect sizes were greater when participants’ preintervention ages were lower and treatment dosage was higher. When it comes to achieving substantial improvements, factors to be highlighted are the role of caregivers and adaptation of the programme to the characteristics of the child. Implementation of early intervention programmes should be substantiated by a sufficient amount of information about the characteristics of each participant. Professionals should take this information into account in order to select as accurately as possible those procedures that are most effective and feasible.

Some challenges faced by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when adapting to a neurotypical environment are related with the risk of suffering a psychiatric disorder. The aim of the present study is to conduct a systematic review on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adults with ASD (PROSPERO’s reference number CRD42016041948). Four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL) were used for the electronic search, and six editorials (Science Direct, Wiley, Springer, Taylor & Francis, SAGE Publishing and BioMed Central) were manually searched for studies not previously identified. Study eligibility criteria were observational studies on psychiatric comorbidity in adults (18 years or older) with ASD, based on standard diagnostic classifications (DSM/ICD), reported in English peer-reviewed journals. A total of 1288 and 24 references were identified by electronic and manual searches, respectively. Results showed that attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in adults with ASD. Mood and anxiety disorders are also very frequent among this population. The lowest comorbidity prevalence rates of all diagnostic categories are the ones related to substance use and eating disorders. These results show a need for a greater production of studies in this field, especially follow-up studies that focus on risk and protective factors for the emergence of psychiatric problems in adults with ASD. For this reason, it is imperative to create specific diagnostic tools that allow the assessment of mental pathology, attending to the particularities of its manifestation in people with ASD.

Research providing an evidence-base for autistic adult services is sparse. The Autism Spectrum Disorders in the European Union (ASDEU) network implemented an on-line survey to determine gaps in autistic adult diagnostic evaluation and postdiagnostic support services. More than 55% in all groups experienced most of the recommended features for diagnostic evaluation for autistic adults. In contrast, < 2% of adults or carers, and < 21% of professionals experienced each of the recommended features for post-diagnostic support. In contrast to 61% of professionals, only about 30% of autistic adults and carers had knowledge of good local services models for autism diagnosis in adulthood. There are major differences between good practice guidelines for diagnostic and post-diagnostic care for autistic adults, and what is actually experienced by services users and professionals. g This study was funded by the European Parliament and managed by the European Union, DGSANCO, [Ref.: SANCO/2014/ C2/035]. The Italian Ministry of Health projects ‘Osservatorio Italiano per il monitoraggio dei disturbi dello spettro autistico’ (Fasc. 1S49) and ‘I disturbi dello spettro autistico: attività previste dal decreto ministeriale del 30.12.2016’ (Fasc. 2S57) granted the contribution of the Italian data. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The improving support services for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families in Europe requires knowledge of their epidemiological status, as well as the identification of the most effective experiences and procedures for detection, diagnosis, treatment and support that are most valued by the recipients of these services. The project "Autism Spectrum Disorder in the European Union" (ASDEU) has promoted between 2014 and 2018 a set of research strategies that have allowed the application of a public health model to ASD focused on prevalence estimation methods, early detection programs and the improvement of diagnosis and early intervention. This article presents a summary of the results obtained, as well as the main conclusions. It highlights the need to set up a comprehensive system based on ASD population registries, which provides a systematic information about the ASD prevalence in Europe; likewise, the article proposes to strengthen detection strategies to make it more systematic at a population level; to improve diagnostic processes so that they are faster, include information on the support needs of the person and incorporate families; and to promote early intervention with greater participation of families and linkage to the child's regular setting. La mejora de los servicios de apoyo para las personas con trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) y a sus familias en Europa requiere conocer su realidad epidemiológica, así como identificar las experiencias y procedimientos para la detección, diagnóstico, tratamiento y apoyo más eficaces y mejor valorados por los receptores de estos servicios. El proyecto "El Trastorno del Espectro Autista en la Unión Europea" (ASDEU) ha impulsado entre 2014 y 2018 un conjunto de estrategias de investigación que han permitido aplicar un modelo de salud pública sobre los TEA centrado en los métodos de estimación de la prevalencia, los programas de detección precoz y la mejora del diagnóstico y la intervención temprana. En este artículo se presenta un resumen de los resultados obtenidos, así como de las conclusiones principales. Se destaca la necesidad de contar con un sistema fiable de medición de la prevalencia de los TEA en la Unión Europea, siendo la versión metodológica más eficiente la basada en registros de TEA de base poblacional; así mismo se propone fortalecer las estrategias de detección para hacerla más sistemática a nivel poblacional; mejorar los procesos de diagnóstico para que sean más rápidos, incluyan información sobre las necesidades de apoyo de la persona e incorporen a las familias; y potenciar la intervención temprana con mayor participación de las familias y vinculación al entorno habitual del menor.

Since autism detection protocols rely primarily on parental accounts of early symptoms, the use by Spanish-speaking populations of screening tools developed in a different language and socio-cultural context (usually English) might hamper the success of early detection programs.A systematic search in four databases was completed, identifying 59 tools used for ASD detection. Of these, only nine tools had been applied in Spanish-speaking populations, and of those, only five can be considered specific tools for the early detection of autism.Sensitivity detecting autism was generally lower in the Spanish versions of the reviewed instruments, while specificity tended to be equal to or higher than that reported in the original screeners.Heterogeneity and poor methodological rigor of the studies conducted to date emphasize an urgent need for a concerted effort to develop reliable and valid instruments for the early detection of autism in Spanish-speaking populations worldwide.

We aimed at identifying early non-social behavioural indicators that predict later ASD. Likewise, we were interested in the moment in which non-social signs discriminate between children at elevated likelihood for ASD with a later diagnosis of ASD, and children at elevated likelihood for ASD with a typical developmental outcome. In addition, we intended to explore the developmental evolution of children's symptomatology over time. A systematic literature search was conducted for longitudinal studies on early non-social behavioural indicators among siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD. The following databases were searched: PUBMED, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL and EMBASE. The study identification process was conducted by two reviewers independently. Compared to siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD with a typical developmental outcome, siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD with later ASD show impairments in attention disengagement, in gross and fine motor development and characteristic restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours, starting at 12 months of age. Moreover, early attention disengagement exerts a predictive role towards a later ASD diagnosis, given that from 12 months siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD who will receive an independent ASD diagnosis towards 24-36 months present marked difficulties in disengaging in comparison with siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD that will not satisfy the criteria for an ASD diagnosis. The findings call for a more comprehensive vision on early indicators of ASD. Further research is needed to extend results to other behavioural domains. Open Access funding provided by Projekt DEAL. This study was funded by The Autism Spectrum Disorders in the European Union project (ASDEU). The ASDEU project has been granted by DG-SANTÉ, European Commission [Grant number SANCO/2014/C2/035]. Sí

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-revised/follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F) was developed to reduce the number of cases requiring telephone verification. The aim of this study was to validate a Spanish version of the M-CHAT-R/F in the Spanish public health system. The M-CHAT-R/F was translated, culturally adapted, and then administered to 6625 children. Of the 39 positive screening cases, 15 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 24 with non-ASD disorders or delays. The sensitivity was 0.79 and specificity of 0.99. Positive and negative predictive values were 0.39 and 0.99, respectively. These results are similar to the English equivalent, though observed prevalence was lower. This study supports Spanish National Health System policy makers to consider a universal ASD screening program.

Background Research has demonstrated that memory in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not aided by conceptual relations among words. To explore that, we used a Deese-Roediger–McDermott (DRM) false-memory paradigm, known to rely on associative relations between words. We therefore expected people with ASD in our study to be less susceptible to produce false memories. The novelty of this study was to use the externalized free-recall procedure to further explore the dynamics of correct and error responses in ASD. Method Adults with ASD and age- and IQ-matched adults in a comparison group were tested on a DRM task where 12 lists of strongly associated words were presented auditorily. At test, an externalized free-recall procedure was used, requesting participants to report presented words, and also any extra words that came to their mind (generated words). Results As expected, the clinical group produced fewer false memories than the comparison group, potentially due to abnormal relational processing. Moreover, unlike comparison participants, individuals with ASD tended to accept the critical words as belonging to the list rather than as generated, which demonstrates abnormalities in the monitoring capacity underlying an identify-to-reject process. Furthermore, analysis of questionnaires revealed that adults with ASD are less likely than typical adults to use memory strategies at both encoding and retrieval. Conclusions These findings are discussed in relation to the operation of error-inflating and error-editing mechanisms, both of which seem to be compromised in autism.

Aunque existen intervenciones psicoeducativas basadas en investigaciones para alumnado con trastornos del espectro autista (TEA) validadas empíricamente, muchos maestros y especialistas a menudo carecen de los conocimientos, capacidades y oportunidades necesarias para aplicarlos de forma correcta (Simpson, 2004; Sack-Min, 2008). El objetivo de este estudio es determinar el conocimiento y aplicación que tienen los profesionales que trabajan con alumnado con TEA sobre estos programas. En base a revisiones sistemáticas actuales sobre intervenciones en TEA se desarrolló una lista de programas basada en los diferentes niveles de evidencia empírica. En función a esta lista y al estudio de Hess et al. (2008) se creó un cuestionario para recoger datos sobre el conocimiento y aplicación de dichos programas. Los resultados muestran que los profesionales de centros de educación especial conocen y aplican programas de intervención adecuados, no encontrándose diferencias en el conocimiento de programas entre maestros de pedagogía terapéutica, pero sí en su aplicación. Un aumento de redes de colaboración entre centros, así como formación a través de asociaciones y servicios sería de esencial interés para trasladar conocimiento y experiencias a centros con menos recursos.

Although there are psychoeducational interventions based on research for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) validated empirically, many teachers and specialists often lack the knowledge, skills and necessary opportunities to apply them correctly (Simpson 2004; Sack-Min, 2008). The aim of this study is to define the knowledge and enforcement of the professionals who work in the psychoeducational interventions for students with ASD. Based on current systematic reviews of interventions in ASD, a list of programs based on different levels of empirical evidence was developed. According to this list and the study of Hess et al. (2008) a questionnaire was carried out to collect data on the knowledge and application of those programs. The results show that professionals’ knowledge is adequate as well as the use of the intervention programs in the schools of Special Educational Needs. Differences were only found in the usage of these interventions by Therapeutic Pedagogy teachers. A school’s network might be implemented to better transfer knowledge to those which have less resources.

Since their separation as independent diagnostics, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) have been conceptualized as mutually exclusive disorders. Similarities between both disorders can lead to misdiagnosis, especially when it comes to average-IQ adults who were not identified during childhood. The aim of this review was to examine the occurrence of SSD in average-IQ adults with ASD. Electronic and manual searches identified a total of 278 references, of which 10 were included in a meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of SSD in the total ASD sample was close to 6%, pointing to a high co-occurrence of the two conditions. Further research is needed to determine the factors that predispose members of this population to the emergence of psychotic disorders.

Correction: J Autism Dev Disord. 2019 Nov 28. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-04303-7. Online ahead of print. The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in one of the co-author's family name. The correct name should be María Victoria Martín-Cilleros instead of María Victoria Cilleros-Martín. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-019-04303-7 Early services for ASD need to canvas the opinions of both parents and professionals. These opinions are seldom compared in the same research study. This study aims to ascertain the views of families and professionals on early detection, diagnosis and intervention services for young children with ASD. An online survey compiled and analysed data from 2032 respondents across 14 European countries (60.9% were parents; 39.1% professionals). Using an ordinal scale from 1 to 7, parents' opinions were more negative (mean = 4.6; SD 2.2) compared to those of professionals (mean = 4.9; SD 1.5) when reporting satisfaction with services. The results suggest services should take into account child's age, delays in accessing services, and active stakeholders' participation when looking to improve services. This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [Grant PSI2016-80575-R], the European Union, DGSANCO, [Ref.: SANCO/2014/C2/035], and the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport [Ref.: BOE-B-2017-2646]. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The objective of this study was to adapt and validate the abbreviated version of the “Autism-Spectrum Quotient” (AQ-Short) in a sample of Spanish native adults. A total of 46 individuals with ASD, 41 ASD-relatives, 17 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 190 non-clinical adults were administered the Spanish version of the AQ-Short. The results of the confirmatory factorial analysis found two high-order factors (Social Behaviour and Numbers/Patterns) and four subscales (Social Skills, Routines, Switching and Imagination). The reliability analysis showed very good internal structure and test–retest reliability. The AQ-Short also showed moderate convergent validity with ADOS-2. Differences by group were found in the ASD group when compared to other groups. Gender differences were only found in the non-clinical group.

In advance of the 2019 INSAR Conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, I asked the members of the Autism Research Editorial Board and the Associate Editors to write short (approximately 300 word) mini‐commentaries on what they considered to be the current gaps in research on autism spectrum disorder. The responses and styles were diverse and reflect research gaps ranging from basic biology to treatment trials to services for transition to adulthood. They reflect thoughts from countries around the world. While each of the contributions was done entirely independently, it is interesting how the theme of heterogeneity is found in many of them. There is also increasing concern over the lack of research on socioeconomic and cultural factors related to the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder. We hope that these comments will provide food for thought.

Background This study examined memory inhibitory control in adults with autism. Our interest stemmed from the idea that malfunctioning cognitive inhibition may contribute to symptoms such as thought perseverance and inflexibility of social interactions in this disorder. Method We drew from work in retrieval-induced forgetting which shows that retrieving items from memory causes forgetting of other competing information. We tested individuals with ASD (n = 19) and without ASD (n = 20) using a task whereby engaging in episodic future thinking (EFT) reduces the subsequent retrievability of related autobiographical memories (AMs). We also looked at a sample of AM and EFT narratives using an overall-richness measure expressed by a quantitative experiential index. Results Although adults with autism showed overall lower levels of richness in their AM and EFT productions, and contrary to our prediction, they demonstrated levels of memory inhibition that were comparable to controls. Conclusions The results suggest that memory inhibition, as measured by EFT-induced forgetting, is relatively intact in ASD and are discussed in terms of how automatic and effortful inhibitory processes in autism might be differentially affected.

Research on sex-related differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been impeded by small samples. We pooled 28 datasets from 18 sites across nine European countries to examine sex differences in the ASD phenotype on the ADI-R (376 females, 1763 males) and ADOS (233 females, 1187 males). On the ADI-R, early childhood restricted and repetitive behaviours were lower in females than males, alongside comparable levels of social interaction and communication difficulties in females and males. Current ADI-R and ADOS scores showed no sex differences for ASD severity. There were lower socio-communicative symptoms in older compared to younger individuals. This large European ASD sample adds to the literature on sex and age variations of ASD symptomatology. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10803-018-3510-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Over the last several years there has been an increasing focus on early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), not only from the scientific field but also from professional associations and public health systems all across Europe. Not surprisingly, in order to offer better services and quality of life for both children with ASD and their families, different screening procedures and tools have been developed for early assessment and intervention. However, current evidence is needed for healthcare providers and policy makers to be able to implement specific measures and increase autism awareness in European communities. The general aim of this review is to address the latest and most relevant issues related to early detection and treatments. The specific objectives are (1) analyse the impact, describing advantages and drawbacks, of screening procedures based on standardized tests, surveillance programmes, or other observational measures; and (2) provide a European framework of early intervention programmes and practices and what has been learnt from implementing them in public or private settings. This analysis is then discussed and best practices are suggested to help professionals, health systems and policy makers to improve their local procedures or to develop new proposals for early detection and intervention programmes. The authors were supported by a research grant awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Grant PSI2016-80575-R) and European Union. DGSANCO. Ref.: SANCO/2014/C2/035. Sí

Background This study addresses the need for a theoretical base to develop more effective early autism spectrum disorders (ASD) detection tools. The structure that underlies early ASD detection is explored by evaluating the opinions of experts on ASD screening tools currently used in Europe. Method A process of face and content validity was performed. First, the best constructs were selected from the relevant tests: Checklist for Early Signs of Developmental Disorders (CESDD), Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT), Early Screening of Autistic Traits Questionnaire (ESAT), Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and Communication and Symbolic Behaviour Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP). The diagnostic content validity model by Fehring (1986, 1994) was adapted to make the selection. Afterwards, the items, taken from these tests, were selected to fit into each construct, using the same methodology. Results Twelve of the 18 constructs were selected by the experts and 11 items were chosen from a total of 130, reduced to eight after eliminating tautologies. Conclusions Mapping these constructs and items on to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ASD indicated good face and content validity. Results of this research will contribute to efforts to improve early ASD screening instruments and identify the key behaviours that experts in ASD see as the most relevant for early detection.

Investigation into the earliest signs of autism in infants has become a significant sub-field of autism research. This work invokes specific ethical concerns such as use of 'at-risk' language, communicating study findings to parents and the future perspective of enrolled infants when they reach adulthood. This study aimed to ground this research field in an understanding of the perspectives of members of the autism community. Following focus groups to identify topics, an online survey was distributed to autistic adults, parents of children with autism and practitioners in health and education settings across 11 European countries. Survey respondents (n = 2317) were positively disposed towards early autism research, and there was significant overlap in their priorities for the field and preferred language to describe infant research participants. However, there were also differences including overall less favourable endorsement of early autism research by autistic adults relative to other groups and a dislike of the phrase 'at-risk' to describe infant participants, in all groups except healthcare practitioners. The findings overall indicate that the autism community in Europe is supportive of early autism research. Researchers should endeavour to maintain this by continuing to take community perspectives into account. Investigation into the earliest signs of autism in infants has become a significant sub-field of autism research. This work invokes specific ethical concerns such as use of 'at-risk' language, communicating study findings to parents and the future perspective of enrolled infants when they reach adulthood. This study aimed to ground this research field in an understanding of the perspectives of members of the autism community. Following focus groups to identify topics, an online survey was distributed to autistic adults, parents of children with autism and practitioners in health and education settings across 11 European countries. Survey respondents (n = 2317) were positively disposed towards early autism research, and there was significant overlap in their priorities for the field and preferred language to describe infant research participants. However, there were also differences including overall less favourable endorsement of early autism research by autistic adults relative to other groups and a dislike of the phrase 'at-risk' to describe infant participants, in all groups except healthcare practitioners. The findings overall indicate that the autism community in Europe is supportive of early autism research. Researchers should endeavour to maintain this by continuing to take community perspectives into account

Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), once considered to be rare, are now reaching prevalence estimates of 1% and higher. Studies conducted in North America indicate large racial/ethnic disparities in the diagnosis of ASDs. Others show, that immigrant children have similar prevalence rates of ASDs as native children, although they are diagnosed later compared with native children. In relation to a EU funded network action, Enhancing the Scientific Study of Early Autism, it was considered important to review the literature on this subject. Method A comprehensive literature search was undertaken for original articles reporting on prevalence and risk for ASD in Europe among immigrants and ethnic minorities and data across studies were compared. Results Seventeen studies conducted in Europe concerning immigrants and ethnic minorities were found. Fifteen studies suggest a higher prevalence rate of ASDs among children of immigrants in comparison to native children (RR = 1.02-1.74; OR = 0.6-10.5). One study revealed higher prevalence of autism (OR = 2.2; 95% CI 1.6-3.1) and lower prevalence of Asperger syndrome in immigrants (OR = 0.6; 95% CI 0.3-0.97). One study showed a lower prevalence of Asperger syndrome in immigrants (aOR = 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.5). The majority of those analyses involved immigrants from outside Europe, e.g. from Africa and South America. Conclusion After analysing the results of studies conducted in Europe, it is unclear if higher prevalence estimates of ASDs among immigrants in this region reflect true differences, especially considering many potential confounding factors, e.g. genetic, biological, environmental and cultural. Considering the number of people migrating within Europe there is a substantial need to study further the prevalence of ASDs in immigrant groups.

Early detection and treatment have been shown to be effective in reducing disability severity caused by Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). As Spanish pediatricians have no detection tool, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) was first translated into and culturally adapted to Spanish. Validity and reliability studies were carried out in two different geographical areas of Spain, where M-CHAT was administered to two different samples, namely: 2,480 high- and low-risk children; and 2,055 low-risk children. The results obtained were similar to those yielded by the original M-CHAT studies. Differences were found in positive predictive value, due to the low ASD frequency observed in this study. M-CHAT is still being studied in a large population-based screening program in Spain.

Little is known about use of early interventions for autism spectrum disorder in Europe. Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder aged 7 years or younger (N = 1680) were recruited through parent organisations in 18 European countries and completed an online survey about the interventions their child received. There was considerable variation in use of interventions, and in some countries more than 20% of children received no intervention at all. The most frequently reported interventions were speech and language therapy (64%) and behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions (55%). In some parts of Europe, use of behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions was associated with higher parental educational level and time passed since diagnosis, rather than with child characteristics. These findings highlight the need to monitor use of intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder in Europe in order to contrast inequalities. Funding Agencies|COST Action - European Science Foundation [BM1004]; Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking [115300]; European Union; EFPIA

INTRODUCTION. The challenge of early detection can be tackled from an evolutionary perspective. Early intervention treatments have shown themselves to be effective provided that they are applied systematically as part of the strategic planning of the treatment. AIMS. The aim of this study is to provide an updated review in response to the criticism targeted towards early detection and to offer some considerations on the intervention strategy. Our research is based on a review of the early care techniques that are commonly used within the field of autism and it intends to reflect the most significant aspects that can be deduced from the experiments and studies carried out to date. CONCLUSIONS. From the findings of the review it can be concluded that early detection may be more efficient if carried out within the framework of developmental surveillance, which also offers the opportunity to provide guidance on the child's development. Early care is an effective resource for attending to the needs of children with autism. Professionals have the duty to assess the work they do on available treatments with a reflexive, judicious attitude, taking into account the values and preferences of the families. Programmes must focus on the core symptoms and apply the active ingredients of the treatment.De la deteccion precoz a la atencion temprana: estrategias de intervencion a partir del cribado prospectivo.Introduccion. El reto de la deteccion precoz puede realizarse desde una perspectiva evolutiva. Los tratamientos de intervencion temprana han demostrado su eficacia siempre y cuando se apliquen sistematicamente en el marco de una planificacion estrategica del tratamiento. Objetivos. Proporcionar una revision actualizada para responder a las criticas a la deteccion precoz y aportar una reflexion sobre la estrategia de intervencion, basada en la revision de las tecnicas de atencion temprana usuales en el campo del autismo, reflejando los aspectos mas relevantes que se deducen de las experiencias y estudios llevados a cabo hasta el momento. Conclusiones. Tras la revision realizada se concluye que la deteccion precoz puede ser mas eficiente si se lleva a cabo en el marco de la vigilancia del desarrollo, que ademas ofrece la oportunidad de proporcionar orientacion sobre el desarrollo del menor. La atencion temprana constituye un recurso eficaz para atender las necesidades del menor con autismo. Los profesionales tienen la responsabilidad de evaluar el trabajo que hacen con una actitud reflexiva y critica sobre los tratamientos disponibles tomando en consideracion los valores y las preferencias de las familias. Los programas deben centrarse en los sintomas nucleares aplicando ingredientes activos del tratamiento.

Introduccion. La prevalencia de trastornos del espectro autista (TEA) comunicada en estudios actuales en grupos de riesgo como son los recien nacidos pretermino o con bajo peso al nacer, es mas alta que en la poblacion normal. Este hecho ha supuesto el incremento en los ultimos anos de estudios de cribado que investigan posibles factores de riesgo de TEA en los recien nacidos pretermino y su trayectoria evolutiva. Objetivo. Exponer los resultados de los principales estudios de cribado de recien nacidos pretermino a fin de presentar recomendaciones de cribado en esta poblacion de riesgo. Desarrollo. Los resultados de los estudios presentados sugieren la posibilidad de que la trayectoria del desarrollo sociocomunicativo y conductual de los recien nacidos pretermino difiera de lo esperado si su nacimiento se hubiera producido a termino, lo que apoya el hecho de que se realicen programas de cribado basados en una monitorizacion evolutiva del desarrollo y se utilicen herramientas de cribado adaptadas a esta poblacion de riesgo. Conclusion. Los menores prematuros son un grupo de riesgo que muestra caracteristicas diferenciales para el cribado de TEA.

Contains fulltext : 154600.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) The current study aimed to investigate the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) algorithms for toddlers and young preschoolers (Kim and Lord, J Autism Dev Disord 42(1):82-93, 2012) in a non-US sample from ten sites in nine countries (n = 1,104). The construct validity indicated a good fit of the algorithms. The diagnostic validity was lower, with satisfactorily high specificities but moderate sensitivities. Young children with clinical ASD and lower language ability were largely in the mild-to-moderate or moderate-to-severe concern ranges of the ADI-R, nearly half of the older and phrase speech ASD-group fell into the little-to-no concern range. Although broadly the findings support the toddler algorithms, further work is required to understand why they might have different properties in different samples to further inform research and clinical use.

The need for effective methods of detection and treatment in the early stages of autism spectrum disorders is something that is currently accepted both by professional societies and by the healthcare authorities alike. Up-to-date comprehensive information about the screening procedures and early care techniques for children with autism spectrum disorders would make it easier to implement better detection devices as well as easing the job of counselling families and professionals about care and intervention at early ages in children.This study offers an updated review of the procedures for early detection and early care in autism, while reflecting the most relevant aspects that can be deduced from the experiments and studies conducted to date.The review carried out on trials involving the early detection of autism yields a group of important considerations to be taken into account in carry out critical analyses of screening programmes that are already under way, as well as a set of recommendations for future experiments. The review of the early care programmes provides a promising view because studies on the effectiveness of early care programmes are becoming increasingly more frequent, systematic and methodologically more appropriate.Programas de cribado y atencion temprana en niños con trastornos del espectro autista.Introduccion. La necesidad de la deteccion y de tratamientos eficaces de forma temprana para los trastornos del espectro autista es algo actualmente aceptado tanto por las sociedades profesionales como por la administracion sanitaria. Una informacion actualizada y sintetizada sobre los procedimientos de cribado y las tecnicas de atencion temprana para niños con trastornos del espectro autista facilitara la puesta en marcha de mejores dispositivos de deteccion y la labor de asesoramiento a familias y profesionales sobre la atencion e intervencion a edades tempranas de los niños. Desarrollo. Se proporciona una revision actualizada de los procedimientos de deteccion precoz y de atencion temprana en el autismo, reflejando los aspectos mas relevantes que se deducen de las experiencias y estudios llevados a cabo hasta el momento. Conclusiones. Tras la revision realizada sobre las experiencias de deteccion precoz de autismo, se obtiene un grupo de consideraciones importantes para realizar analisis criticos de programas de cribado en marcha, asi como recomendaciones para experiencias futuras. La revision sobre los programas de atencion temprana proporciona una vision esperanzadora porque cada vez son mas frecuentes, sistematicos y metodologicamente mas apropiados los estudios sobre la eficacia de los programas de atencion temprana.