Expanding Research on Contextual Factors in Autism Research: What Took Us So Long?

Autism Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 4, 2025

ABSTRACT Although autism is a childhood‐onset neurodevelopmental disorder, its features change across the life course due to combination of individual and contextual influences. However, influence factors on development during childhood beyond less frequently studied than such as genetic variants that increase risk, IQ, language, autistic features. Potentially important contexts include family environment socioeconomic status, social networks, school, work, services, neighborhood characteristics, environmental events, sociocultural factors. Here, we articulate benefit studying factors, offer selected examples published longitudinal studies have focused how individuals develop within context. Expanding research agenda broader context in which emerges changes can enhance understanding heterogeneity autism, support strengths resilience, or amplify disabilities. We describe challenges opportunities for future influences provide list digital resources be integrated into data sets. It conceptualize main exposures, not only descriptive variables needing statistical control.

Language: Английский

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Sex‐Differential Trajectories of Domain‐Specific Associations Between Autistic Traits and Co‐Occurring Emotional‐Behavioral Concerns in Autistic Children

Autism Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 14, 2025

ABSTRACT Assessing autistic traits alongside co‐occurring emotional/behavioral concerns (EBCs) is challenging due to their overlap in clinical presentations, which can vary by age and sex. This study aimed investigate domain‐specific associations between EBCs–including anxiety, affective, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional‐defiant problems–across childhood boys girls. We prospectively followed 389 children (84% male) diagnosed with autism at ages 2–5 years, using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) across eight timepoints until 12. Moderated nonlinear factor analysis was used identify adjust for measurement non‐invariance of SRS items age, sex, EBCs. The adjusted scores were then sex‐moderated time‐varying modeling Several domains social‐interaction difficulties repetitive mannerisms showed significant intercept bias level anxiety ADHD (effect size r > 0.20). In boys, strong observed social‐communication EBCs around 7–9, tended diminish late childhood. contrast, girls stable or intensifying associations, particularly into Results revealed after addressing item‐level biases. varying over time highlight importance continuous monitoring promptly address children's sex‐differential mental health needs. These findings emphasize benefits refining behavioral constructs adopting a nuanced developmental approach critical periods symptom coupling/decoupling informing evaluation service provision.

Language: Английский

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Associations between autistic traits, depression, social anxiety and social rejection in autistic and non-autistic adults

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: April 20, 2024

Abstract Autistic people frequently experience negative judgements from non-autistic people, often fuelled by misconceptions that autistic lack empathy. Understanding responses to social judgement among is crucial because of the potential impact on wellbeing and future interactions. We investigated role traits, anxiety, depression behavioural indices rejection in 20 (AUT; 11 males) 40 (N-AUT; 21 university students. Participants completed Social Judgement Task (SJT) where they predicted whether were liked another person, then received feedback those evaluations correct. also an Age (AJT) estimated age pictured person. The AUT group had lower positive expectation scores, meaning less tendency predict being liked. Across whole sample, higher anxiety greater anticipate others, not traits. These findings suggest early experiences might lead a self-bias emphasise importance using transdiagnostic approach showing rather than traits associated with rejection.

Language: Английский

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Integrating Positive Psychology and Autism: A Roundtable

Autism in Adulthood, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 6(4), P. 389 - 400

Published: Aug. 14, 2024

Language: Английский

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Interoception and emotional regulation in autistic children through an occupational therapy perspective: A literature review

Brazilian Journal of Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4(2), P. 1 - 14

Published: Jan. 23, 2025

Understanding the interplay between interoception and emotional regulation is critical for advancing occupational therapy practices autistic children adolescents. These individuals often experience interoceptive processing difficulties, hindering management, daily functioning, societal participation. This review examines relationship addresses relevant interventions to support these skills. To explore identify effective that can inform individuals. A comprehensive search was conducted across three central electronic databases— PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar studies examined in with autism. Studies were from 2013 2024. The combined database-specific controlled language keywords related interoception, regulation, therapy, autism spectrum disorder. total of 49 meeting inclusion criteria included. highlights intricate connections children, emphasizing challenges such as alexithymia reduced awareness. Interventions include cognitive behavioral mindfulness-based approaches, specialized programs like Aligning Dimensions Interoceptive Experience Interoception Curriculum. strategies potentially enhance well-being, self-regulation, engagement. are foundational elements clinical reasoning therapists. Tailored, neurodiversity-affirmative promote resilience improve participation activities Further research necessary develop inclusive ethically aligned meet needs both clinicians people. study underscores significance integrating interoceptive-based into therapeutic address fostering their holistic development inclusion.

Language: Английский

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Understanding Autistic Identity Contingencies: The Chain Mediation Effect of Autism Acceptance and Loneliness in Ableist Microaggressions and Social Camouflage

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 4, 2025

Ableist microaggressions—subtle forms of disability-based discrimination—serve as a key minority stressor. Amplified by autistic identity contingencies that shape how is judged and treated in social contexts, these factors drive camouflage adults, compelling them to conceal characteristics for adapting non-autistic groups, often resulting negative mental health outcomes. This study proposes novel Autistic Identity Contingencies Model explore autism acceptance loneliness mediate the relationship between ableist microaggressions camouflage. An online survey 330 adults was conducted, followed hierarchical multiple regression chain mediation analyses. Results indicated that, positively predicted three phenotypes: compensation, masking, assimilation, with also predicting assimilation. Furthermore, after controlling personal attributes, general stress conditions, less external mediated positive whereas internal showed no significant effect. Assimilation uniquely shaped threat loneliness, distinguishing it from compensation masking. These findings highlight responses stressors driven contingencies, rooted stigmatized behaviors rather than identity.

Language: Английский

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Resilience and Virtues for Health Promotion with Neurodiversity

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Health anxiety in a neurological setting

Practical Neurology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. pn - 004293

Published: Feb. 20, 2025

Health anxiety is a common issue in neurology clinics. However, it needs to be separated from normal health concerns as well the category of functional symptoms and disorders. Reassurance anxiety, which patient often seeks, ineffective can worsen problem. There are effective brief psychological treatments; however, for patients engage with treatment, they need receive accurate early diagnosis education. This article explains nature introduces rationale its treatment. We make several practical suggestions help neurologists maximise chances successfully referring their therapy.

Language: Английский

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Impact of social knowledge and skills training based on UCLA PEERS® on social communication and interaction skills of adolescents or young adults with autism: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Asian Journal of Psychiatry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 106, P. 104422 - 104422

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Examining the barriers and facilitators to mental health service provision for autistic people in Ireland: a survey of psychiatrists

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 9

Published: April 4, 2025

Abstract Background: Autistic people have high levels of mental ill-health and an increased risk suicide across the lifespan. Yet autistic report difficulties communicating with healthcare professionals accessing a range services. At same time, workers in other countries are reporting links between confidence when working patients degree autism knowledge training they can access. Methods: We sought to examine what factors helped or hindered Irish colleagues service users. An online survey using quantitative qualitative metrics was circulated among psychiatrists who members College Psychiatrists Ireland, both at consultant level, from April 2021 2022. Results: Knowledge ( n = 140), but self-efficacy scores were variable, particularly relation care pathways. Self-efficacy better caseloads children youth individuals co-occurring intellectual disabilities. Three key themes emerged relating capacity health professionals, ways improve services provision for also critical need co-creation neurodiversity affirmative care. Conclusions: The study highlighted systemic professional challenges providing Ireland. provide recommendations reducing these enabling development inclusive, evidenced-based individuals.

Language: Английский

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