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Objective: In storytelling environments, recipients' questions have mainly been described as non-affiliative. This article examines how the topicality of story-responsive questions relates to the recipients' displays of affiliation. Furthermore, we investigate whether there are differences between the practices of neurotypical participants (NT) and participants diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS) in this regard. While aiming to uncover the practices of story-responsive questions in general, we also seek to shed light on the specific interactional features associated with AS. Method: Our method is qualitative conversation analysis. Drawing on a dataset of Finnish quasi-natural conversations, we compare the interactional consequences of story-responsive questions asked by NT-and AS-participants. Results: We show how the NT-participants in our data use a specific set of practices to manage the topical relevance of their questions, while the AS-participants' production of otherwise very similar questions differs precisely with reference to these practices. Discussion: We argue that the different ways in which the NT-and AS-participants treat the topicality of their questions influence the relative affiliative import of the questions in subtle, but yet significant ways. Conclusions: The affiliative import of story-responsive questions can only really be seen in retrospect, since, in their subsequent turns, the questioner can cast their action as having prepared the ground for affiliation. Objective: In storytelling environments, recipients' questions have mainly been described as non-affiliative. This article examines how the topicality of story-responsive questions relates to the recipients' displays of affiliation. Furthermore, we investigate whether there are differences between the practices of neurotypical participants (NT) and participants diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS) in this regard. While aiming to uncover the practices of story-responsive questions in general, we also seek to shed light on the specific interactional features associated with AS. Method: Our method is qualitative conversation analysis. Drawing on a dataset of Finnish quasi-natural conversations, we compare the interactional consequences of story-responsive questions asked by NT- and AS-participants. Results: We show how the NT-participants in our data use a specific set of practices to manage the topical relevance of their questions, while the AS-participants' production of otherwise very similar questions differs precisely with reference to these practices. Discussion: We argue that the different ways in which the NT- and AS-participants treat the topicality of their questions influence the relative affiliative import of the questions in subtle, but yet significant ways. Conclusions: The affiliative import of story-responsive questions can only really be seen in retrospect, since, in their subsequent turns, the questioner can cast their action as having prepared the ground for affiliation.

Recently, we have observed an increase in the number of children diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (autism spectrum disorder), hence the importance of increasing knowledge about the disorder and the ability to work with students with Asperger’s syndrome. Children grow up, mature and move from primary schools to secondary schools, while teachers, educators, educators and school psychologists in secondary schools are not yet prepared to work with such students. If a child had little therapeutic support in childhood, it may be more difficult to cope with new situational factors such as the new school and environment. Asperger’s syndrome is characterized by qualitative disturbances in the area of social interactions. Behavior patterns are limited and stereotyped, as are behavior and activity. Intellectual development is within the normal range, and often above average, the development of expressive speech and its understanding is also normal. Social development disorders can be characterized by five symptoms: difficulties in initiating and undertaking successful peer interactions, problematic behaviors related to aggression towards others and / or oneself, social anxiety disorders, uncontrolled specific behaviors and companions, and quite specific external appearance.

Currently, many students in mainstream schools have been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome or symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ICD10). Since the term Asperger Syndrome has been adopted in both scientific and colloquial language and is associated with specific dysfunctions in specific spheres, I will use this term for the purposes of this article. Some of these students may have associated difficulties, e.g., in learning or ADHD. In schools, it is not uncommon to also find students who exhibit autism or Asperger syndrome behaviour but without a diagnosis. By participating in the standard education cycle, teaching in elementary schools become a challenge for teachers because they face many challenges themselves. The purpose of the article is to show the difficulties faced by students with Asperger syndrome at school. An indication of how teachers can organize work in the classroom to ensure optimal working conditions for students with AS and to avoid provoking unnecessary tensions and frustration that would disturb work during the lesson will be provided.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex pathology that includes impaired social interaction abilities. Insufficient attention has been paid to programs specifically devoted to improving communicative-pragmatic skills. Moreover, the majority of studies have focused on children, while programs specifically developed for the adolescents are lacking. The present study aims to test the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted version of the Cognitive Pragmatic Treatment for adolescents (A-CPT), a 15-session group training, as well as its ability to improve the communicative-pragmatic performance of adolescents with ASD. Twenty-one verbally fluent adolescents with ASD took part in the training; they were assessed in three phases, i.e., before, after and at three-month follow-up, using the equivalent forms of the Assessment Battery for Communication (ABaCo), a tool for testing a wide range of pragmatic phenomena, such as direct and indirect speech acts, irony, deceit and violation of Grice’s maxims, expressed through linguistic, non-verbal, i.e., gestures, or paralinguistic expressive means. Furthermore, Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks and tests investigating the main cognitive domains, for example, Executive Functions (planning, shifting, working memory) and long-term memory, were administered. The results showed an improvement in participants’ performance in all the four scales of the ABaCo, i.e., linguistic, extralinguistic, paralinguistic and context scale; this improvement was maintained at follow-up assessment three months after the end of the program. No improvement was observed in the cognitive and ToM domains investigated, with the only exception of expressive vocabulary task. Despite the lack of a control group, the high degree of feasibility of the CPT, highlight the importance of more work needed in this research line.

This paper proposes that one of the underlying causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder is the presence of a High-Pass Filter Effect applied to cognitive perception. Such an effect causes an enhancement of local details at the expense of global patterns. In particular, the High-Pass Filter Effect induces a disadvantage pertaining to mastering contextual fields (fields in which local features are noisy and information is distributed in adjacent perceptual pieces and in the relationship between them; for instance, interpersonal communication). Furthermore, in some cases, the High-Pass Filter Effect produces an advantage with respect to mastering detailed fields (fields in which information is intrinsic in modular, precise pieces of information; for example, computer science).In this paper, the High-Pass Filter Effect is explained, two secondary effects are described, (Peripheral Functionality Blindness and Prioritization by Specificity), and then a few examples of the way in which these effects induce the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder are reported.

This paper, written in honor of Professor Ed Zigler, focuses on some of the themes in developmental disabilities research that were so central to his work. It has now been nearly 80 years since Leo Kanner first identified the prototypic form – early infantile autism – of what is now autism spectrum disorder. In this article we summarize the development of the concept and the important accumulation of knowledge over time that has now led us to the recognition of a broader autism phenotype just as, at the same time, the current official diagnostic system in the USA has narrowed the concept. We also address current controversies regarding autism as the diagnosis is impacted by age and developmental factors, gender, and cultural issues. In parallel to the work on intellectual deficiency and development pioneered by Zigler and his colleagues, we summarize some of the challenges for the years ahead.

Leisure Opportunities for Autistic Children and Adolescents: How Satisfied are Parents and what do they Think their Children Would Like? Like all children and youth, autistic children and adolescents have the right to participate in cultural life including recreational, leisure and sporting activities. Therefore, arrangements have to be made to ensure access to these areas for these particular population (Art. 30 UN-BRK, §§76, 78 BTHG). Thus far, no research has been conducted that examines the need for leisure time facilities for autistic children and/or adolescents in Germany. Therefore, it is unclear if an equal participation in leisure time opportunities is provided. This study presents a first assessment of this topic based on an online-survey of parents of autistic children and adolescents (N = 327). The results indicate, that there is a substantial need for leisure opportunities. Parents of children with infantile and atypical autism show a greater need for more leisure opportunities than parents of children with Asperger Syndrome. In general, the findings show that an equal participation has not been achieved yet. Overall, there is a need for (small) group and sporting activities and especially younger parents asked for specific experiential environments. Possible approaches to a need-oriented organization of leisure facilities for autistic children and adolescents and for an enhancement of leisure opportunities are discussed. The paper further outlines the need for more research in order to provide an empirical basis for equal participation possibilities in public life for autistic children and adolescents.

Purpose This study aimed to examine the print knowledge of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to children who have developmental language disorder (DLD) and typically developing (TD) children as well as examine the child and family predictors of print knowledge. Method A total of 629 preschool children, including 33 children with ASD, 93 children with DLD, and 503 TD children, were the focus of the current study. Teachers completed direct assessments with the children in the fall and spring of the academic year on print knowledge using the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screener. Results Analyses of covariance were used to compare the print knowledge skills (uppercase and lowercase letter identification, print and word awareness, name writing) in the fall and spring for each of the three groups. The groups were significantly different for the Print and Word Awareness and Name Writing subtests in both the fall and spring. A Tukey's honestly significant difference further indicated that, for these subtests, the children with ASD had significantly lower scores than both the children with DLD and TD children. When examining the child and family predictors of residualized gain in print knowledge for the children with ASD, the only significant predictor for any outcome was fall scores. When examining the predictors for the full sample, fall scores, age, ASD status, and mothers' education level were significant predictors of print and word awareness and name writing scores. Conclusions None of the child and family characteristics seemed to be related to residualized gain in print knowledge for children with ASD. However, when examining predictors of residualized gain in print knowledge for the full sample, ASD status was related to lower scores for both print and word awareness and name writing.

Being in a caregiver role for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) brings a unique set of stressors and challenges to the entire family unit. This study examined a model hypothesizing that (a) parenting stress and the parenting style used by the parents of a child with ASD are correlated; (b) ASD severity, parenting stress, and parenting style uniquely explain the variance in the presentation of internalizing and externalizing symptoms among children with ASD; and (c) parenting style moderates the association between ASD severity and the presentation of internalizing and externalizing behaviors after controlling for specific demographic variables. A group of online participants were recruited through personal contacts, social media, and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. The group of subjects, made up of 70 primary caregivers of children ages 3 to 18 years diagnosed with ASD, completed a self-report measure. Statistical analyses revealed that ASD severity and parenting style contributed to externalizing behaviors but did not have a significant impact on internalizing behaviors. Parenting stress was the primary predictor of both internalizing and externalizing child behaviors. Parenting style was not related to the stress level of parents of children with ASD and was not found to moderate the relationship between ASD severity and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed, highlighting the importance of reducing parenting stress and providing parent training to promote positive parenting styles for children with ASD.

يهدف البحث الحالي إلى التعرف على تأثير اضطراب اللغة البراجماتية لدى الأطفال ذوي متلازمة إسبرجر على بعض اضطرابات التواصل غير اللفظي لديهم ( التواصل البصري – الانتباة المشترک – التواصل الانفعالي)؛ ولتحقیق أهداف الدراسة تم اختیار عينة مکونة من (22) طفلا وطفلة من الأطفال ذوي متلازمة إسبرجر، يتراوح أعمارهم بين (9–12) عاما، بمناطق ( جدة – تبوک – الحدود الشمالية). وتم تطویر مقياس اضطراب اللغة البراجماتية لدى الأطفال ذوي متلازمة إسبرجر، وتطوير استبيان التواصل غير اللفظي لدى الأطفال ذوي متلازمة إسبرجر، وتوصلت نتائج البحث إلى وجود علاقة إرتباطية سالبة دالة إحصائيا بين اضطراب اللغة البراجماتية ومهارات التواصل غير اللفظي لدى الأطفال ذوي اضطراب متلازمة إسبرجر، وعدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائيا بين درجات الأطفال ذوي متلازمة إسبرجر عينة الدراسة على مقياس اضطراب اللغة البرجماتية واستبيان التواصل غير اللفظي تبعا لمتغير النوع. The aim of this research is to identify the effect of pragmatic language disorder in children with Asperger's syndrome on their nonverbal communication disorders (eye contact - shared attention - emotional communication). To achieve the objectives of the study, a sample consisting of (22) children and girl children with Asperger's syndrome, whose ages ranged between (9-12) years, were selected in the regions of (Jeddah - Tabuk - Northern Borders). The pragmatic language disorder scale was developed in children with Asperger's syndrome, and a nonverbal communication questionnaire was developed for children with Asperger's syndrome, and the results of the research found a negative statistically significant correlation between pragmatic language disorder and non-verbal communication skills in children with Asperger's syndrome, and the absence of Statistically significant differences between the scores of children with Asperger syndrome, the study sample on the pragmatic language disorder scale and the non-verbal communication questionnaire according to the gender variable.

The transition to secondary school is an important educational milestone impacting wellbeing and academic achievement. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be vulnerable during transition however little is known about how Autism Spectrum (AS) traits influence transition outcomes. Generalised estimating equations were used to examine how AS traits were associated with four indicators of successful transition in a school-based sample of 51 students. Higher AS traits were associated with lower quality of life, school belonging and mental health, however the hypothesised decline after school transition was not supported. Characteristics of both the primary and secondary school appeared to be contributing to the wellbeing of students with high AS traits which could be clarified by further investigation with a larger sample.

This article is concerned with the protagonist of the story suffering from Asperger Syndrome. He finds difficulty in social interaction, be it appearance, language, attitude, or thinking. In addition, he has got an intelligent ability to interpret objects around him well. He has also the ability to make patterns of activities that he does every time. The whole analysis is conducted by means of qualitative research method supported by library research. The grand theory used is on autism, picturing Asperger Syndrome as an autism spectrum disorder on the high functioning end; referred to as “dash of autism”. Asperger syndrome, also known as Asperger’s, is a developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. The results show that the protagonist of the novel has got some significant features of Asperger Syndrome: Lacking of Social Activity, Ability of Interpreting Object, and Ability to Set Routine Patterns.

Friendships have a central importance in childhood and adolescence, and the friendship demands on girls with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be higher than for boys. Few previous studies have ex...

The article examines the experience of parenting a child with a diagnosis of autism with a focus on scripts and intentions in relation to the parents’ own childhood experiences of being parented. Five parents participated in a multiple case study design involving in-depth interviews, Adult Attachment Interviews and a parenting intentions scaling task. The findings revealed that all of the parents had experienced significant adverse events in their own childhoods, including trauma and losses. They also expressed intentions to offer parenting that was ‘corrective’ in terms of providing a better emotional environment for their children. Their corrective attempts and also intentions to repeat positive aspects of being parented were moderated by unconscious aspects of their early childhood experiences and also by the autistic features of their children. The interplay between early embodied experiences, theories of autism, parenting experiences and intentions is discussed along with clinical implications.

Little is known about their stability and the factors that influence their persistence or change over the life-course. To address this, we use data from 158 participants from the Special Needs and Autism Project cohort studied at three time-points from 12 to 23 years. We used latent growth models to study the role of child, family, and contextual characteristics on the conduct, emotional, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder domains of the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Symptoms decreased significantly over time for all three domains, but many participants still remained above the published cutoffs for likely disorder on at least one of the three domains. Individual trajectories showed high levels of persistence. Higher initial adaptive function and language levels predicted a greater decline in conduct and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. In contrast, increased emotional symptoms were predicted by higher language functioning, lower levels of autism symptom severity and higher parental education. Greater neighborhood deprivation was associated with more conduct problems but also a greater decline over time. Our findings highlight that it may be possible to accurately predict mental health trajectories over this time period, which could help parents and carers in planning and help professionals target resources more efficiently.Lay AbstractAlthough mental health problems are common in autism, relatively little is known about their stability and the factors that influence their persistence or change over the life-course. To address this, we use data from the Special Needs and Autism Project (SNAP) cohort studied at three time-points from 12 to 23 years. Using the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) domains of conduct, emotional, and ADHD symptoms, we evaluated the role of child, family, and contextual characteristics on these three trajectories. Symptoms decreased significantly over time for all three domains, but many participants still scored above the published disorder cutoffs. Individuals showed high levels of persistence. Higher initial adaptive function and language levels predicted a greater decline in conduct and ADHD symptoms. In contrast, higher language functioning was associated with higher levels of emotional symptoms, as was lower levels of autism symptom severity and higher parental education. Those with higher neighborhood deprivation had higher initial conduct problems but a steeper decline over time. Our findings highlight that it may be possible to accurately predict mental health trajectories over this time period, which could help parents and carers in planning and help professionals target resources more efficiently.

Social communication difficulties are part of the core difficulties experienced by individuals with autism. Speech-language pathologists provide intervention and supports for these difficulties. Little is known about the own experiences and views of adults with autism about these services. Using semi-structured ethnographic interviewing, perspectives of eight adults (six currently attending college) with autism on social communication intervention were investigated. Participants articulated strengths and weaknesses in social communication, offering frank views of interventions received. Five themes regarding social communication intervention emerged: belief that intervention was ineffective and unnecessary; preference for one-on-one intervention; need for more real-world practice; friend and peer challenges and successes; and desire for more neurotypical understanding. Participants additionally offered general views on social functioning as well as advice for communication partners and other people with autism. In designing interventions for social communication impairments, the experiences and beliefs of those receiving the interventions should be a central element.

College instructors with highly functional autism, also known as Asperger’s, can have difficulty interacting with students. To mitigate the potentially reduced teaching ratings, college instructors...

It was investigated whether different types of mental or developmental disorders (MDD) would be rated differently in terms of stereotypic perceptions and behavioral tendencies and whether these effects of stereotypes on behaviors would be mediated via emotional responses in line with the Stereotype Content Model (SCM). Furthermore, an experimental investigation sought to ascertain whether predictions about behavioral intentions of bystanders in a cyberbullying scenario towards a victim with MDD could be derived from the general behavioral tendencies as predicted by the SCM. Two-hundred-forty-eight undergraduate students (62% female) aged 18–35 (M = 22.5) were randomly allocated to one of five conditions (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, Asperger’s, or control). Stereotypes, emotional, and behavioral responses, as well as bystander intentions were assessed. Results largely confirmed the general application of the SCM to MDD; however, this was not the case for bystander intentions in cyberbullying. Implications for the application of the SCM and methodological considerations are discussed.

The aim of this work is to explore the construct of autistic traits through the lens of network analysis with recently introduced Bayesian methods. A conditional dependence network structure was estimated from a data set composed of 649 university students that completed an autistic traits questionnaire. The connectedness of the network is also explored, as well as sex differences among female and male subjects in regard to network connectivity. The strongest connections in the network are found between items that measure similar autistic traits. Traits related to social skills are the most interconnected items in the network. Sex differences are found between female and male subjects. The Bayesian network analysis offers new insight on the connectivity of autistic traits as well as confirms several findings in the autism literature., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

This preliminary study examined persons with autism’s perspective taking abilities. Participants were 28 persons with autism and 27 controls. Among the persons with autism, 15 presented the Asperger Syndrome that was described in the DSM4. Scenarios in which persons were about to buy a piece of clothing were presented to participants who assessed the extent to which these persons were going to buy it as a function of suitability and price (situational factors), and what is known about their purchasing habits (the personality factor). In the same way as controls, participants with autism were able to integrate personality information into their judgments. However, only participants presenting the Asperger Syndrome described in the DSM4 were, in the same way as controls, able to vary, as a function of personality information, the importance given to situational factors during the judgment process.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how family members co-create value and improve the well-being of patients with chronic developmental disorders, such as Asperger syndrome (AS) that undertake permanent therapy services. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative methodology is used to identify family value co-creation activities and well-being outcomes. Extensive interviews with family members and professional therapists of AS patients were conducted as the main data collection method. Findings Drawing from previous conceptualizations of value co-creation activities in health contexts, the findings of this study identify the specific value co-creation activities held by family members that influence the different dimensions of well-being for AS patients and their families: co-learning, combining therapies, changing ways of doing things, connecting, co-operation and co-production, managing daily life, motivating, protecting, regulating and establishing roles. The findings also reveal improvements in the following dimensions of patient well-being: autonomy, self-acceptance, purpose in life, positive relationships with others, control of the environment and personal growth. In addition, value co-creation activities also improve family relationships at home and the well-being of patient family members. Originality/value This study contributes to the services literature and addresses a gap in transformative service research by exploring the value co-creation activities of family members for improving well-being outcomes of patients with chronic developmental disorders. People with chronic developmental disorders engage in permanent therapy services and tend to have below-average well-being scores, which also extends to their family members.

Asperger’s syndrome is not a learning disability and it has features of autism spectrum disorder, nonverbal learning disabilities and ADHD. Asperger syndrome in the context of the domains within which some of those characteristics occur. To begin with social interaction and then move to language and then move to other “in the social interaction domain. Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome tend to have limited and sometime inappropriate kinds of behaviours in the social interaction domain. They have difficulties with nonverbal communication For example they have hard time reading gestures or facial expressions and sometimes their gesture and facial expressions, don’t communicate what it is that they’re thinking and feeling they often have difficulties understanding emotional cues so they miscue when listening to someone or watching somebody they may then say something inappropriate or they may repeat something that isn’t appropriate to the situation. Because they’re miss reading the social aspect of the situation or the emotional aspect of the situation. Individuals with Asperger’s are often seen to have low eye contact either not making good eye contact or sustaining good eye contact and in this social interaction domain. Those with Asperger’s tend also to be at risk for not having many friends, they tend to be socially isolated in the language area. Those with Asperger’s often are extremely verbal, highly verbal and their language can be very sophisticated at times what they do, when they’re talking is that they tend to discuss themselves and their interests and not focus on the interests of others. It can be a one-sided conversation and some of that prosody the flow the reciprocal flow between one person another can be awkward they tend to be literal in the ways that they understand language”.

The number of secondary-level students with high-functioning autism (HFA) served in public school settings has increased in recent years, and many of these students have difficulty with social–behavioral expectations in such settings. Instructional specialists must know which interventions have been shown to be effective, so they can make informed decisions about service delivery and instructional support (professional development) that maximize the potential for student success. The intent of the present meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of social–behavioral interventions used with adolescent students with HFA served in public school settings. Thirteen studies employing single-case research designs published in peer-reviewed journals between 1987 and 2018 were found through an extensive literature search. The analyses indicated that specific social skill and behavioral interventions had high effect sizes and, likewise, improved outcomes for students with HFA. Implications for special education practice and future research are provided.

Objective: To analyze the influence of Emotional Intelligence and Social Abilities development as interventions in an Asperger’s adolescent, to facilitate his interpersonal relationships. Materials and Method: Qualitative and ethnographic methodology with intervention in different settings like personal, family and scholar; one Asperger’s adolescent, his mother, his teachers and school authorities informed through deep semi-structured interviews, with a 5 year follow up. Participants signed an informed consent and the qualitative analysis was according to de Souza Minayo. Results: Two categories emerged: 1. Emotional impact in his parents due to lack of empathy in their son. 2. Language problems that impair his communication with peers and teachers. Conclusion: Interventions favored identification and thinking of self and others’ emotions, regulate negative behaviors, increase of assertive and better interpersonal relationships.

Although social cognitive difficulties are common following stroke, the extent to which such difficulties observed in the acute phase are related to long-term socioemotional outcomes remains poorly understood. To address this question empirically, 53 stroke patients completed a measure of Theory of Mind (The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test) and a cognitive flexibility measure that has been related to social cognitive processes (a Reversal Learning Task) at hospital bedside. These participants then completed measures of socioemotional functioning at a 6-month follow-up. Baseline difficulties on the two measures were found to predict distinct types of socioemotional difficulties. The RMET uniquely predicted self-reported depression and loneliness whereas the Reversal Learning task uniquely predicted peer-reported social behavior, specifically social inappropriateness and stereotyping and prejudice. Importantly, a measure of general cognitive function did not explain variance in these outcome measures, suggesting that social cognitive difficulties are linked to poor socioemotional outcomes. By showing for the first time that social cognitive deficits observed acutely post-stroke are related to longer term functional outcomes, these findings reinforce the importance of including brief social cognitive measures as part of routine post-stroke clinical assessment.

The purpose of this study is to investigate empathy skill levels of children with high functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome between the ages of 9 to 16 in terms of diagnosis, age and gender variables and compare the results with typically developed peers. This study was designed as a relational survey method, which is one of the descriptive methods. The subjects were 28 children with autism spectrum disorder (HFA and AS) and 42 typically developed children. Data collected via an adapted version of the “Empathy Scale for Children” and demographic forms. The results indicated a significant difference in empathy skill levels of the children with different diagnosis. The study reveals that children with high functioning autism (HFA) have lower empathic skills, whereas children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) do not differ from typically developed (TD) children in terms of empathic skill levels. Female children with HFA have a higher performance on a self-report empathy questionnaire than male children with HFA and there is no significant difference between females with HFA, AS and TD females. On the other hand, females with AS and HFA autism revealed slightly lower performances. According to the results, younger children (n

This article uses the views of student teachers and serving teachers from a post-Soviet context in order to better understand current thinking around teachers’ perceptions of children with what might be termed ‘hidden’ disabilities. Drawing on social comparison theory, and adopting a phenomenographical approach, the study explores teachers’ perspectives of autism in the Republic of Armenia, offering an insight into the impact of its social, cultural and political history. Whilst serving teachers demonstrated contrastive and downward comparisons when presented with a vignette of a young person with Asperger’s Syndrome, student teachers expressed more connective comparisons. The data suggest, then, that Armenian student teachers represent progressive attitudinal change towards individuals with disabilities. These results also shed light on how social comparison theory might be used to tease out assumptions and taken-for-granted attitudes in the global West.

The purpose of the current review is to provide an overview of research relating to the school experiences of autistic females throughout childhood and adolescence.Web and database searches were conducted between December 2017 and April 2018 to identify studies exploring school experiences of autistic females. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and the data were analysed using a framework synthesis methodology, where a conceptual framework of general autistic experiences in education was used to map study findings onto. Key themes were identified, highlighting similarities between autistic girls and boys in several areas, including sensory issues and difficulties with peer relationships. Noteworthy differences included contrasting perspectives between staff and parents in relation to the girls’ experiences, as well as the greater tendency for girls to mask their difficulties. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of professional practice and directions for further research.

The use of strategies by children with developmental disabilities in repairing their communicative breakdowns has received little attention in the research literature to date. These children may also have fewer strategies available to them. By using Tarone’s Taxonomy (1980) of communicative strategies, this current study was trying to further unravel and discuss how children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could enhance their spoken communicative intent in conversing about moral values. Audiotaped, semi-structured conversational data was collected from four children (two low functioning autism and two Asperger Syndrome) with autism ASD. They were seven to nine years old from Sekolah Kebangsaan Desaminium, Seri Kembangan, Selangor. Two social stories were told to the subjects; Visiting atuk and nenek in Kampung and Being Kind to Animals with two moral values underpinned in each social story. Findings revealed that all four ASD children were using almost all the nine communicative strategies except for word coinage. The study concluded that Tarone’s Taxonomy (1980) of communicative strategies was really helpful in unravelling the communicative intent of a group of ASD children in talking about moral values based on the social stories told to them. Having said so, future research still needs to consider how these strategies or perhaps other communicative strategies could be used as attempts to repair communicative breakdowns among ASD children. It is hoped that the impairment in understanding others’ mind hinders the development of an intent-based moral judgment in ASD children. Keywords: Tarone’s taxonomy, communicative strategies, social stories, moral values, autism .

Restricted interests of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can act as a barrier to learning important life skills. Embedding the interests of individuals into their learning environment can act to establish motivation to participate. A meta-analysis of 20 single-case studies on embedding interests of individuals with ASD was conducted to determine overall effects and potential moderating variables. Data were aggregated across domains of variables including dependent variables, participant characteristics, and learning contexts. The correlation between self-stimulatory or ritualistic behaviors and primary outcomes was evaluated. Publication bias and consistency of the Tau/Tau- U nonoverlap effect size with visual analysis were tested via moderator analyses. The literature suggests that embedding interest for learners with ASD can either be beneficial or distractible. Effects ranged from negative to strong, with several moderators identified. Practitioners should take caution when using this intervention with students who display self-stimulatory or ritualistic behaviors when their interests are present.

The preschool period is a peculiar stage of child speech and language development in terms of both quantity and quality. Children’s vocabulary increases and the semantic aspect of the words they use extends. Preschool-aged children should make utterances that are relevant to the situation and also know specific grammatical rules. This proves their maturity in this area. The quality of speech and language development shows mainly in children's ability to communicate with different people – both peers and adults. Making fluent utterances becomes noticeable in children’s school readiness. School readiness results from children’s experiences collected thanks to their own activities as well as thanks to the learning received from educational institutions (preschool, school, counseling center) and the family. According to this approach, school readiness can be understood as the preparedness of the child with Asperger syndrome for academic tasks. The literature lacks studies on school readiness in students with Asperger syndrome. School readiness is presented with reference to the developmental norm, taking into account children’s biological maturity and, at the same time, the readiness of appointed institutions and communities to support children’s capacities in individual areas. In the role of students, experiencing the world in purposely designed (academic) situations, children with Asperger syndrome may encounter difficulties. The article discusses the concept of school readiness and its components in the context of communication capacities in students with Asperger syndrome. Theoretical approaches to the elements of school readiness presented are expanded with examples of various situations in which children with Asperger syndrome showed their communication skills. The situations described in the article come from observations made as part of the authors research on support for students with autism spectrum disorders in academic situations.

The goal of this research project was to assess the effects of an intervention programme based on theatrical improvisation in three different groups of Asperger Syndrome adolescents. It was organis...

The purpose of this study was to examine Internet trends data and sentiment in tweets mentioning autism, Asperger syndrome, and Greta Thunberg during 2019. We used mixed methods in analyzing sentiment and attitudes in viral tweets and collected 1074 viral tweets on autism that were published in 2019 (tweets that got more than 100 likes). The sample from Twitter was compared with search patterns on Google. In 2019, Asperger syndrome was closely connected to Greta Thunberg, as of the tweets specifically mentioning Asperger (from the total sample of viral tweets mentioning autism), 83% also mentioned Thunberg. In the sample of tweets about Thunberg, the positive sentiment expressed that Greta Thunberg was a role model, whereas the tweets that expressed the most negativity used her diagnosis against her and could be considered as cyberbullying. The Google Trends data also showed that Thunberg was closely connected to search patterns on Asperger syndrome in 2019. The study showed that being open about health information while being an active participant in controversial debates might be used against you but also help break stigmas and stereotypes.

Social skills represent a complex area within human behavior. Children and adolescents who have difficulties in social skills and who are poorly accepted by peers are at risk of developing some negative consequences. For people that have Asperger’s syndrome (AS), social skills are the biggest life challenge. It is, therefore, important to detect AS early in order to help them to fit in society more effectively and achieve their full potential. In this paper, we present a clinical case of a teenage girl diagnosed with AS, that also presented some depressive and anxiety symptoms. We will learn more about the traits of AS, the differences expected between boys and girls with AS, the impact of AS in adolescence, but also the relation between these traits and epilepsy, since she was diagnosed with absence seizures. In the therapeutic process the principles of cognitive behavioral, narrative, and family therapy were applied. Therapy was aimed at psych educating about the AS diagnosis; developing social competencies; developing strategies to cope with stress, anxiety, and aggression; improving self-esteem and enhancing autonomy.

The present study examines how interactional competences of autistic children are co-constructed by different co-participants. In our video-ethnographic case study we follow Andy, a boy diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, across interactions with different partners and different activities in inclusive edu-cational settings. The comparative analysis of Andy's participation in a group activity with his peers and in classroom discussion demonstrates that competence ascriptions and actual competence displays vary widely. While the peers' trust in Andy's competence enabled him to meet their communicative expecta-tions, both the teacher's and the teaching assistant's behavior exhibited their limited trust in Andy's com-petence to make meaningful contributions and resulted in self-degradation and embodied disengagement. We then present our findings with regard to how trust in a group's members' interactional competencies, competence ascriptions and competence displays mutually inform each other. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pragmatic language (PL) is defined as the ability to use language effectively in communicative exchanges. Previous findings showed that deficits in PL are a core characteristic of the communicative profile of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While different lines of research have revealed a close link between PL and theory of mind (ToM), and between PL and executive functions (EFs), to our knowledge, few studies have explored the relationship between these three domains in children with ASD, and their results have been contradictory. The present study thus aimed to contribute to our understanding of PL in children with ASD and to analyze the underlying mediating role of ToM and EFs. PL is a complex and multifaceted construct. In the present study, we focused on two specific aspects, such as the comprehension of nonliteral language, and the ability to make inferences. After testing 143 participants (73 with ASD), our results confirmed that impairments in PL are a crucial feature of the ASD profile. Children with ASD were also more impaired than their typically developing peers in both ToM and EFs. When the mediating role of ToM and EFs on PL was considered, it emerged that only ToM contributed significantly to the relationship between group and PL. We discussed the potential importance of interventions not focused exclusively on PL, but also involving ToM. LAY SUMMARY: In everyday life, we use pragmatic language to interact successfully with others. Individuals with autism experience significant difficulty in pragmatic language, showing consequent impairments in communication. This study compared the comprehension of nonliteral language, and the ability to make inferences of children with autism and children with typical development, focusing on the role of social and cognitive abilities. Children with autism had difficulties in pragmatic language compared to children with typical development. In addition, the capacity to consider the perspective, intentions and beliefs of other people contributed significantly to the pragmatic language. Autism Res 2021, 14: 932-945. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Since the implementation of 'autism' as a diagnosable condition in the 1980s, the medical model has continued to dominate how we understand autism. More recently, there has been a rise in understanding autism through the neurodiversity model and the lived experiences of autistic people themselves. However, there is often misalignment between the medical model and the preferences of the autistic community. In particular, there are misalignments around the language we use in society to discuss autism and autistic people. Language misalignments are particularly important, with language playing an important role in conveying understandings of a group within society. This article highlights these nomenclature misalignments, focussing on (1) Asperger syndrome, (2) functioning labels, (3) severity assumptions, (4) the language of disorder and (5) identity-first compared to person-first language. The article discusses the difficulties that might present in healthcare settings as a result of these misalignments.

No reviews to date have summarized the views of parents on the functional challenges and/or strengths of their children with autism spectrum disorder. We set out to perform a scoping review aiming (a) to identify and collate global results to provide a broad description of parental perspective of functioning research and (b) to summarize these using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health–Child and Youth version framework. The International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health provides a language to describe the functional skills of an individual with a health condition in terms of their body structures, body functions, activities and participation, their environmental and personal factors. Given the influence that context has on functioning, and the potential impact of economic status on availability of resources, we were specifically interested to compare perspectives from high-income countries and low-/middle-income countries. Two researchers conducted a comprehensive search of English peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and June 2016. Articles were accessed and summarized using thematic analysis. Meaningful phrases were extracted from key findings and linked to second-level International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health–Child and Youth categories following international linking rules. Thirty-three studies were identified of which only six originated from low/middle-income countries ( n = 6/33, 18%). Two studies compared perspectives from low-/middle-income countries and high-income countries ( n = 2/33, 6%). Functional themes from high-income countries included a range across the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health–Child and Youth bio-psychosocial framework while functional themes from low-/middle-income countries were predominantly focused on environmental factors. We propose further research should consider a systematic comparison of high-income and low/middle-income countries across functional categories to get a more accurate impression of the impact of context on functioning. Lay abstract No paper to date has summarized parents’ views on the functional challenges and/or strengths of their children with autism spectrum disorder. In this review we set out to perform a scoping review aiming to (a) find and compare existing research from around the globe on parental perception of functioning and (b) summarize results from these papers using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health–Child and Youth version framework. Since we know that the place and circumstances we live in can have a significant influence on our functioning in daily life, we were specifically interested in comparing perceptions from high-income countries and low-/middle-income countries. Two researchers conducted a comprehensive search of English studies published between 1990 and June 2016. Papers were summarized and key findings were linked to International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health–Child and Youth categories. Thirty-three studies were identified, of which most were conducted in high-income countries ( n = 25/33, 76%) with only six studies in low/middle-income countries ( n = 6/33, 18%). Two studies compared views from low/middle-income and high-income countries ( n = 2/33, 6%). Functional themes from high-income countries included a range across the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health–Child and Youth framework while functional themes from low-/middle-income countries were mostly focused on environmental factors. It was difficult to directly compare studies from low/middle-income and high-income countries because they investigated and discussed such different parts of functioning. We suggest that future research should use an approach that will allow researchers to directly compare functional categories in order to get a more accurate impression of the impact of context on functioning.

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit challenges with reading development. Evidence-based interventions and specialized approaches to reading instruction are currently being implemented across educational contexts for learners with ASD ( Machalicek et al., 2008 ), yet there is limited understanding of how core ASD features may impact effective delivery of instruction and student participation. We begin to address this need by evaluating the reciprocity between instructional talk and student participation within a reading intervention utilizing a scripted language approach that was being piloted on students with ASD. Method This study used archival video-recorded observations from the beginning of a reading intervention to examine the interactions between 20 students (18 boys, two girls) with ASD (7–11 years old, M = 9.10, SD = 1.74) and their interventionists ( n = 7). Lag sequential analysis was used to examine the frequency of student initiations and responses following the interventionists' use of responsive, open-ended, closed-ended, and directive language. Results Findings describe the types of and illustrate the variability in interactions between students and their interventionists, as well as highlight language categories that are linked to student participation. Conclusions These data provide a snapshot of the nature and quality of interactions between students with ASD and their interventionists. Findings suggest that delivery of instruction, including the language that interventionists use, may be an important area of focus when evaluating the effectiveness of reading-based practices across educational settings for learners with ASD, even within the confines of highly structured interventions.

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association eliminated Asperger Syndrome (AS) and introduced the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic framework. This change in nosology socially implicates people who self-identify with and derive personal meaning from their AS diagnosis. The current study explored the opinions of adults with AS regarding their identity related to the diagnostic terminology of ASD. Twelve adults with AS completed a semi-structured interview that was transcribed and analyzed qualitatively using Thematic Analysis. The analysis revealed six themes: (a) Derived Meaning, (b) Knowledge and Understanding, (c) Perceptions and Labels, (d) Social Identity, (e) Opinions and Reactions to ASD, and (f) Barriers to Funding and Service Provision. Many participants socially identified and self-categorized as part of the AS community because their challenges matched those described by the DSM-IV. Importantly, many participants described the removal of AS as a threat to their identity, social status, and access to supports. Implications are discussed.

Although autistic people have difficulties with social-emotional reciprocity, most still desire intimate romantic relationships. This study sought to identify enablers and barriers to emotional and physical intimacy for Autistic (n = 31) and non-autistic (n = 26) individuals. All participants completed an online survey including demographic information, the Autism Spectrum Quotient and questions on intimacy which were subject to thematic analysis. Enablers of intimacy for both groups included communication, sharing and similarity, respect and safety for self and other, and working on the relationship. Barriers for both groups included intra- and interpersonal conflicts; autistic people specifically highlighted uncertainty about relationships and communication. These findings suggest autistic and non-autistic people have similar notions of intimacy, yet have different challenges in experiencing it.