Search

Our study examined stability of self-regulation and affective expression in children with autism or Down syndrome over a 2 year period. A behaviorally anchored rating scale was used to assess a self-regulation factor (attention, adaptability, object orientation, and persistence), negative affect factor (hostility, irritability, and compliance), and positive affect factor (positive affect, affective sharing, and dull affect) from videotapes of play sessions involving each child and his or her mother. The patterns of ratings within each group were similar from time 1 to time 2, with the autism group showing more deviant ratings on measures of self regulation and affective sharing. From time 1 to time 2, children with autism showed relatively high stability for the self-regulation factor, but less stability than children with Down syndrome for all three factors.

A study of 18 children (ages 5-12) with autism and 18 children with Down syndrome found the children with autism displayed less positive affect than children with Down syndrome when involved in a semistructured play session with their mothers. Further, children with autism showed more deficits in self-regulation. (CR)

Examines stress and adjustment in parents of three groups of families. Results, based on 54 families, indicate that parents of autistic children reported more family stress and adjustment problems than parents of children with Down's Syndrome, who in turn, reported more stress and adjustment problems than parents of developmentally normal children. (RJM)

Examined the relationship between children's self-ratings of depressive symptoms and teachers' ratings of the children's situational social competence. Results show that teachers rated those children who reported high levels of depressive symptoms as having more problems in social competence when compared to children who reported low levels of depressive symptoms. (RJM)

This study examined the relationship between adaptive functioning and intellectual functioning in 18 children with autism and mental retardation and 20 children with mental retardation. The children with autism showed significantly more impairment in adaptive behavior composite scores, verbal reasoning abilities, socialization skills, and communication skills. (CR)

A home-based contingency management program, consisting of diet modification, laxatives, correction for soiling accidents, stimulus control training, and positive reinforcement, was implemented for treatment of a 4-year-old encopretic male. The findings provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of dietary modification combined with behavior management techniques for treating retentive encopresis. (JPS)

Comparison of area and subtest scores on the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale (Fourth Edition) for 15 autistic retarded children and 15 nonautistic retarded children found that the children with autism scored substantially lower in the verbal reasoning area and on the subtests of Comprehension and Absurdities than did the nonautistic children. (DB)

Thirteen parents of autistic children, 33 parents of other disabled children, and 73 parents of nondisabled children consistently rated differential reinforcement, time-out, and overcorrection as acceptable and shock as unacceptable, but the groups differed in ratings of acceptability of other treatments. (Author/CL)

Findings from relevant research applying Piaget's theory to mental retardation, psychosis, and autism are reviewed. Many autistic individuals show an arrest in operative functions at the sensorimotor functions. The early arrest interferes with subsequent development of higher-level conceptual, symbolic, and social skills. (Author)

A review of research focuses on the autistic child's influence on the functioning and interactions of family members. Resources associated with successful family adaptation to the autistic child include degree of cohesion, expressiveness, and active recreational orientation, as well as the mother's perception of adequacy of family support. (JW)

Studied concurrent validity of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery-Children's Revision (LNNB-C) in learning disabled children categorized according to Verbal and Performance IQ differences. Found no significant differences between the three groups, thus failing to support the validity of the LNNB-C in discriminating between learning disability patterns with general intelligence controlled. (Author/KS)

Subtypes of learning disabilities based on neuropsychological, developmental, and behavioral perspectives are reviewed. A multidimensional perspective integrating aspects of all three approaches is proposed which draws a distinction between production and mediational subtypes of learning disorders and stresses an ideographic approach to assessment and treatment. (Author/DB)

Third- and sixth-grade children (N=160) were shown slides and tapes presenting target children as either physically nonhandicapped and nonretarded, physically handicapped only, mentally retarded only, or physically handicapped and mentally retarded. All children were rated more favorably by third graders than sixth graders and more favorably by boys than girls. (Author)

Data on the systematic decline in IQs and Social Quotients in 217 Down's syndrome children (3 months to 15 years old) from infancy to adolescence are presented along with an analysis of the distribution of IQs within different age ranges. (Author/CL)

A study examined 233 children's ratings of attitudes and behavioral interventions toward a peer with or without autism. Both third- and sixth-grade children showed less positive attitudes toward children with autism. Children showed no differences on behavioral intentions. Information about autism did not affect ratings. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Objective: To examine the effect of information on children's attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a peer presented as obese.Methods: Children (N = 184) were randomly assigned to observe a video of a boy or girl in one of three conditions: average-weight, obese, obese with medical information explaining the obesity. They rated stereotypical attitudes on the Adjective Checklist and behavioral intentions on the Shared Activities Questionnaire (SAQ-B).Results: Ratings were generally more favorable for the average-weight than for the obese condition. However, provision of medical information had a positive effect on attitudes toward the obese peer only for younger children and a negative effect on willingness of older children to share academic activities with the peer. Boys and girls showed more positive behavioral intentions toward the same-sex target child regardless of obesity condition.Conclusions: Information explaining obesity has a minimal positive effect on children's attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a peer presented as obese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]