Preliminary Validation and Feasibility of the Autism Detection in Early Childhood-Virtual (ADEC-V) for Autism Telehealth Evaluations in a Hospital Setting.

This study provided preliminary validation of the Autism Detection in Early Childhood-Virtual (ADEC-V) for telehealth assessment of possible autism. Participants were 121 children (24.79% female) aged 18-47 months who completed telehealth evaluations at a large pediatric hospital in the Midwestern United States between October 2020 and February 2021.

Brief report: Poor self-regulation as a predictor of individual differences in adaptive functioning in young children with autism spectrum disorder.

The present study examined the link between poor self-regulation (measured by the child behavior checklist dysregulated profile [DP]) and core autism symptoms, as well as with developmental level, in a sample of 107 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 19-46 months. We further examined the utility of DP in predicting individual differences in adaptive functioning, relative to the influence of ASD severity, chronological age (CA), and developmental level. Poor self-regulation was unrelated to CA, developmental level, and severity of ADOS-2 restricted and repetitive behaviors, but was associated with lower ADOS-2 social affect severity.

Language profiles in young children with autism spectrum disorder: A community sample using multiple assessment instruments.

This study investigated language profiles in a community-based sample of 104 children aged 1-3 years who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder using (5th ed.) diagnostic criteria. Language was assessed with the Mullen scales, Preschool Language Scale, fifth edition, and Vineland-II parent-report.

The Relationship Between Clinicians' Confidence and Accuracy, and the Influence of Child Characteristics, in the Screening of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The study examined the confidence accuracy relationship, and the influence of child characteristics on clinician confidence, when predicting a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder during screening of 125 referred children aged under 3.5 years. The diagnostic process included observation, interview, language and developmental testing.

Effect of parent training vs parent education on behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance: Disruptive behavior is common in children with autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral interventions are used to treat disruptive behavior but have not been evaluated in large-scale randomized trials.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of parent training for children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior.

Efficacy of the ADEC in Identifying Autism Spectrum Disorder in Clinically Referred Toddlers in the US.

The Autism Detection in Early Childhood (ADEC) is a brief, play-based screening tool for the assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children aged 12-36 months. We examined the psychometric properties of the ADEC in a clinical sample of toddlers (n = 114) referred to a US pediatric hospital for assessment due to concerns of developmental delay or ASD. The ADEC (cutoff = 11) returned good sensitivity (.

Histologic characteristics and KIT staining patterns of equine cutaneous mast cell tumors.

Mast cell tumors are uncommon in horses and typically have a benign clinical course, but there are occasional reports of more aggressive behavior. The objective of this study was to review histologic features and KIT expression patterns of 72 previously diagnosed equine cutaneous mast cell tumors to determine if either is associated with clinical outcomes. Biopsy specimens were reviewed using histologic criteria derived from grading schemes, and KIT antibody expression patterns used in canine tumors and surveys were sent to referring veterinarians for follow-up clinical data.

Use of a Direct Observational Measure in a Trial of Risperidone and Parent Training in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

A Structured Observational Analog Procedure (SOAP), an analogue measure of parent-child interactions, was used to assess treatment outcome in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and serious behavior problems. It served as a secondary outcome measure in a 24-week, randomized trial of risperidone (MED; =49) versus risperidone plus parent training (COMB; =75) (ages 4-13 years). At 24-weeks, there was 28 % reduction in child inappropriate behavior during a Demand Condition (=.

Comparison of the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, 5th Edition, in children with autism spectrum disorders.

A review of hospital records was conducted for children evaluated for autism spectrum disorders who completed both the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R) and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, 5th Edition (SB5). Participants were between 3 and 12 years of age. Diagnoses were autistic disorder (n  =  26, 55%) and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (n  =  21, 45%).

Effects of risperidone and parent training on adaptive functioning in children with pervasive developmental disorders and serious behavioral problems.

Objective: Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) have social interaction deficits, delayed communication, and repetitive behaviors as well as impairments in adaptive functioning. Many children actually show a decline in adaptive skills compared with age mates over time.

Method: This 24-week, three-site, controlled clinical trial randomized 124 children (4 through 13 years of age) with PDDs and serious behavioral problems to medication alone (MED; n = 49; risperidone 0.

Medication and parent training in children with pervasive developmental disorders and serious behavior problems: results from a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Many children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) have serious, functionally impairing behavioral problems. We tested whether combined treatment (COMB) with risperidone and parent training (PT) in behavior management is superior to medication alone (MED) in improving severe behavioral problems in children with PDDs.

Method: This 24-week, three-site, randomized, parallel-groups clinical trial enrolled 124 children, aged 4 through 13 years, with PDDs, accompanied by frequent tantrums, self-injury, and aggression.

Standardised Observation Analogue Procedure (SOAP) for assessing parent and child behaviours in clinical trials.

Background: Observational measures of parent and child behaviours have a long history in child psychiatric and psychological intervention research, including the field of autism and developmental disability. We describe the development of the Standardised Observational Analogue Procedure (SOAP) for the assessment of parent-child behaviour before and after a structured parent training program for children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). We report on the use of this procedure in a pilot study of 12 participants with PDD.

Trial design challenges when combining medication and parent training in children with pervasive developmental disorders.

This paper presents the rationale for a 24-week, randomized trial designed to test whether risperidone plus structured parent training would be superior to risperidone only on measures of noncompliance, irritability and adaptive functioning. In this model, medication reduces tantrums, aggression and self-injury; parent training promotes improvement in noncompliance and adaptive functioning. Thus, medication and parent training target related, but separate, outcomes.

Positive behavior support and applied behavior analysis.

This article reviews the origins and characteristics of the positive behavior support (PBS) movement and examines those features in the context of the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). We raise a number of concerns about PBS as an approach to delivery of behavioral services and its impact on how ABA is viewed by those in human services. We also consider the features of PBS that have facilitated its broad dissemination and how ABA might benefit from emulating certain practices of the PBS movement.

Sleep problems as possible predictors of intensified symptoms of autism.

Researchers have been placing an increased importance on discovering what variables contribute to better prognosis during behavioral interventions for children with autism. This article preliminarily identifies sleep problems that may exacerbate symptoms of autism; thus, possibly influencing effectiveness of daytime interventions. A data-base of parent report of sleep problems of children with autism (N=55), ranging from 5 to 12 years of age (M=8.

Early intervention critical to autism treatment.

It is still not universally accepted within the scientific community that the habilitation of autistic children is possible, or that their ability to function without supports in regular education by third, fourth, or fifth grade happens as a direct result of EIBI. However, using the outcome studies that have been reported, the rate of children reaching a best-outcome status appears to be between about 10% and 47%. There is a more global way to look at the effects of EIBI or behavioral intervention.

System and cost research issues in treatments for people with autistic disorders.

Parents of children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder and educational and clinical practitioners providing services to them regularly confront a wide range of service selection and financial decisions that are not as yet effectively addressed by applied research. Relevant systems issues span a very broad range of concerns: (a) systems delivery models and issues (e.g.

Parental report of sleep problems in children with autism.

This research evaluated parent reports of sleep behaviors of four groups of children: those with Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorders, those with General Mental Retardation alone, those attending Special Education classes (with no MR diagnosis), and a control group of similar aged children without a developmental diagnosis. Diagnostic classification and demographic information were determined through parent report, report of classroom registration, and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (Gilliam, 1995). To evaluate sleeping behavior the study used a 28-item, five-factor scale (Behavioral Evaluation of Disorders of Sleep/BEDS; Schreck, 1997/1998) constructed from the diagnostic criteria for childhood sleep disorders found in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders: Diagnostic and Coding Manual (ICSD, American Sleep Disorders Association, 1990).

Objective and subjective factors in the disproportionate referral of children for academic problems.

R. S. Drabman, K.

Influence of mental retardation severity and respondent characteristics on self-reported attitudes toward mental retardation and eugenics.

Eugenics refers to the investigation of means of social control to improve the mental or physical qualities of future generations. The present study investigated whether the self-reported attitudes toward mental retardation and eugenics of a sample of 572 respondents would vary as a function of (I) severity of the mental retardation attitude referent; and (2) respondent sociodemographic characteristics. Among the respondents, 380 were health and human service providers (66% upper division undergraduate students and 34% graduate level professionals) and 192 were upper division undergraduate students majoring in fields other than health and human services.

Nonambulatory persons with profound mental retardation: physical, developmental, and behavioral characteristics.

Although profound mental retardation is generally associated with various organic etiologies that result in substantial cognitive and behavioral deficits, little is known about specific subgroups of persons with profound mental retardation. This study presents data on the physical, developmental, and behavioral characteristics of a group of 203 nonambulatory persons with profound mental retardation residing within a specialized service setting. The results indicate that nonambulatory persons with profound mental retardation have a high prevalence of physical and medical problems along with high rates of self-injurious, stereotypic, and aggressive behavior.

Acceptability of behavioral treatments: influence of knowledge of behavioral principles.

The relation of staff knowledge of behavioral principles to ratings of treatment acceptability for interventions used in the management of self-injurious behavior (SIB) was examined with 57 direct-care staff members from an ICF/MR. Case descriptions of an adult with severe mental retardation who exhibited SIB were presented, followed by descriptions of six behavioral interventions rated on acceptability. Subjects also completed a 25-item measure of general knowledge of behavioral principles.

A scale of attitudes toward the application of eugenics to the treatment of people with mental retardation.

As part of a larger study of the attitudes of diverse samples towards the application of eugenics to the treatment of people with mental retardation, a 32-item summated rating scale was developed as a contemporary, brief, easy to administer and score, and psychometrically sound instrument. Data were collected and analysed that indicated satisfactory item characteristics and reliability, and initial support for the content and construct validities of the scale. Analyses of social desirability data revealed that scale scores were not influenced by the subjects' desire to adhere to socially desirable expectations.

Compliance and quality in residential life. Analyzing the impact of regulations on residential ecology.

Viewed from a behavior analytic perspective as a form of verbal behavior, regulatory rules affect the behavior of service providers in residential programs directly and indirectly; they can facilitate habilitative services or exert a powerful counter-habilitative influence. Because regulations are written to apply to the general case, regulatory rules tend to become decontextualized, often failing to address (a) the needs of individuals and (b) specific environmental circumstances. Ecobehavioral analysis of rule-governed behavior in residential settings can provide a means of understanding and measuring the effects of regulatory rules.