Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a higher prevalence of pain compared to those without ASD. Pain is a leading cause of morbidity and disability worldwide and may contribute to adverse health outcomes in people with ASD, thus warranting further research on this special population. The present study used data from 1,423 children with ASD and 46,023 children without ASD and their mothers from the combined 2016-2017 National Survey of Children&#x2019;s Health. Mothers reported child pain and ASD status and their own mental health status. Mothers reporting a status of &#x201c;Fair or Poor&#x201d; were considered as having maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs) for the purposes of this study. Children with and without ASD who had mothers with MMHCs had higher odds of pain compared to children with mothers without MMHCs. These increased odds did not attenuate as a result of controlling for co-occurring neurological conditions, which have been associated with increased pain in children with ASD. Thus, parent mental health may alter perception and/or reports of pain on behalf of children with and without ASD. Future research should include more detailed assessments of parent mental health and clinical assessments of children in order to explore the role of parent mental health in the experiences of pain and other symptoms present in children with ASD.

Luke P. Grosvenor

Daniel G. Whitney

Heather E. Volk

M. Daniele Fallin

Exploring a Role for Parental Mental Health in Perception and Reports of Pain on Behalf of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background. Autism is a neurodevelopmental problem that is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Rearing and caring for children with autism depends upon the perception of mothers and various factors associated with it. There is a gap in the literature regarding the detailed accounts of mother&#x2019;s experiences regarding autism in Nepal. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore lived experiences of mothers raising children with autism. Materials and Methods. Qualitative phenomenological study design was used and nine mothers with autistic children were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth interview guidelines and analyzed using Colaizzi&#x2019;s steps. Results. Findings of the study revealed that mothers raising children with autism encountered numerous problems in their life. They felt physically exhausted due to the continuous supervision of their child. Emotional problems such as denial, upset/sadness, and worry were also common among them. In addition, all mothers faced social problems such as social blame, social isolation, and ignorance from their relatives and society due to the atypical behavior of their child. Furthermore, the economic problem was also acute among mothers due to job loss, costly medical treatment, and therapies. So, to deal with the stressors they faced, mothers adopted various coping strategies such as respite care, problem-focused strategies, religious coping, and positive coping in their everyday life. Conclusion. In conclusion, to the authors&#x2019; knowledge, this is the first study documenting the experiences of Nepalese mothers having autistic children. Hence, health care professionals need to pay more attention to address the problems of mothers while treating their autistic children. The Government of Nepal also needs to formulate a policy for the rehabilitation of autistic children in society.

Sabitri Acharya

Kalpana Sharma

Lived Experiences of Mothers Raising Children with Autism in Chitwan District, Nepal

Adult referrals to specialist autism spectrum disorder diagnostic services have increased in recent years, placing strain on existing services. It was proposed that the Ritvo Autism Asperger&#x2019;s Diagnostic Scale could be used as a screening tool, in order to identify and prioritise patients most likely to receive an ASD diagnosis. This study evaluates the validity of the RAADS-R as a screening tool for ASD in an adult population. Retrospective case note analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy of the RAADS-R as a screening tool to predict ASD diagnostic outcomes in 50 service users of a NHS specialist autism service. Results indicate no association between RAADS-R scores and clinical diagnostic outcome, suggesting the RAADS-R is not an effective screening tool for identifying service users most likely to receive an ASD diagnosis. In conclusion, used as a self-report measure pre-full diagnostic assessment, the RAADS-R lacks predictive validity and is not a suitable screening tool for adults awaiting autism assessments. Future research should aim to identify reliable screening tools for this purpose.

Sarah L Jones

Maria Johnson

Bronwen Alty

Marios Adamou

The Effectiveness of RAADS-R as a Screening Tool for Adult ASD Populations

Mutations affecting the synaptic-scaffold gene SHANK3 represent the most common genetic causes of autism with intellectual disability, accounting for about 1-2&#x0025; of cases. Rare variants of this gene have also been associated with schizophrenia, and its deletion results in the autistic condition known as Phelan&#x2013;McDermid syndrome. Despite the importance of SHANK3 as a paradigmatic gene mediating neurodevelopmental disorders, its psychological effects in nonclinical populations have yet to be studied. We genotyped the nonsynonymous, functional SHANK3 SNP rs9616915 in a large population of typical individuals scored for autism spectrum traits (the Autism Quotient, AQ) and schizotypy spectrum traits (the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, SPQ-BR). Males, but not females, showed significant genotypic effects for the SPQ-BR subscale associated with speech and language: Odd Speech. These findings, in conjunction with animal model studies showing vocalization and auditory effects of SHANK3 mutations, and studies indicating severe language alterations and speech-associated white matter tract abnormalities in Phelan&#x2013;McDermid syndrome, suggest that SHANK3 differentially affects the development and expression of human language and speech. Imaging genetic and speech-language studies of typical individuals carrying different genotypes of rs9616915 should provide novel insights into the neurological and psychological bases of speech and language alterations among individuals with SHANK3 mutations and Phelan&#x2013;McDermid syndrome.

Christina Manning

Peter L. Hurd

Silven Read

Bernard Crespi

SHANK3 Genotype Mediates Speech and Language Phenotypes in a Nonclinical Population

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent and impairing neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1&#x2009;:&#x2009;54 persons. Over the last several decades, the reported incidence of ASD in the US has increased potentially due to increased awareness and improved diagnostic measurement. Although ASD prevalence is increasing, the etiology of ASD remains relatively unknown. To better understand the neurological basis of ASD, rodent models of ASD have been developed for research. Currently, there is not a standardized set of behavioral tests to quantify ASD-like behavior in rodents. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the methodologies used to analyze ASD-like behaviors in rodents, focusing on the valproic acid (VPA) model, and illustrate inconsistencies between different approaches. Despite that the in utero VPA rodent model for ASD is widely used and extensively characterized, behaviors vary substantially between different researchers. Moving forward, consistency in behavioral method analytics would benefit progress in evaluating interventions for all models of ASD and help to uncover unique qualities underlying mechanisms causing ASD signs and symptoms.

Olivia Larner

Jane Roberts

Jeffery Twiss

Linnea Freeman

A Need for Consistency in Behavioral Phenotyping for ASD: Analysis of the Valproic Acid Model

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that consists of difficulties with social communication and language, as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. These deficits tend to present in early childhood and usually lead to impairments in functioning across various settings. Moreover, these deficits have been shown to negatively impact adaptive behavior and functioning. Thus, early diagnosis and intervention is vital for future success within this population. The purpose of this study was to further examine the subscales that comprise the adaptive behavior section of the Bayley&#xae;-III to determine which of the ten subscales are predictive of ASD in young children (i.e., &#x2264; three years of age). A retrospective file review of 273 children participating in Kentucky&#x2019;s early intervention program, First Steps, was completed. The children ranged in age from 18 to 35 months. A binary logistic regression was used to assess the subscales that comprise the adaptive behavior of the section of the Bayley&#xae;-III to determine which of the ten subscales are predictive of ASD in young children (i.e., &#x2264; three years of age). The results indicated that individual lower raw scores in communication, community use, functional preacademics, home living, health and safety, leisure, self-care, self-direction, and social subscales were predictive of an autism diagnosis.

Emma Feige

Rhonda Mattingly

Teresa Pitts

Alan F. Smith

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Investigating Predictive Adaptive Behavior Skill Deficits in Young Children

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Autism Research and Treatment publishes original research articles and&nbsp;review articles&nbsp;related to all aspects of autism.

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Autism Research and Treatment publishes original research articles and review articles related to all aspects of autism.

Autism Research and Treatment