Jean-Louis Adrien

Increased perception of loudness in autism.

Clinical reports on autism describe abnormal responses to auditory stimuli such as intolerance to sounds. The present study assessed subjective perception of loudness in subjects with autism compared to healthy controls, using two psychoacoustic tests. First, the auditory dynamic range was evaluated at six different tone frequencies. Secondly, loudness growth as a function of the intensity level of a 1 kHz tone was estimated. Verbal responses from a group of 11 children and adolescents with autism were compared to responses of 11 age- and gender- matched healthy controls. Smaller auditory dynamic ranges were found in the autistic group than in the control group, as well as increased perception of loudness, indicating hyperacusis in subjects with autism.

Cortical auditory processing and communication in children with autism: electrophysiological/behavioral relations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relations between late auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) recorded at temporal sites (the N1c wave or Tb) and verbal and non-verbal abilities in children with autism. The study was performed in 26 mentally retarded children with autism (AUT) aged 4-8 years (mean age +/- S.E.M. = 71 +/- 2 months; mean verbal and non-verbal developmental quotient +/- S.E.M. = 36 +/- 4 and 48 +/- 3). The stimuli used were 750 Hz tone bursts of 200 ms duration delivered binaurally at different intensity levels (50, 60, 70, 80 dB SPL) with 3-5 s interstimulus intervals. Temporal AEPs were first compared to those of a group of 16 normal children (NOR) in the same age range (mean age +/- S.E.M. = 69 +/- 3 months). We then focused on the AUT group and considered relations between temporal AEPs and the severity of disorders of verbal and non-verbal communication assessed using a behavior rating scale. AEPs recorded on left and right temporal sites were of smaller amplitude in the AUT group than in the NOR group. Increasing intensity-related amplitude was observed on both sides in NOR and only on the right side in AUT. The lack of intensity effect on the left side resulted in a particular pattern of asymmetry at the highest level of intensity (80 dB SPL) with greater N1c amplitude on the right than on the left side (the reverse was found in the NOR group). Electro-clinical correlations indicated that the greater the amplitude of the right temporal N1c responses, the higher the verbal and non-verbal communication abilities. This suggests a developmental reorganization of left-right hemisphere functions in autism, with preferential activation of the right hemisphere for functions usually allocated to the left hemisphere, particularly those involving the secondary auditory areas situated on the lateral surface of the superior temporal gyrus where the N1c/Tb wave is generated.

Quality of life: a key variable to consider in the evaluation of adjustment in parents of children with autism spectrum disorders and in the development of relevant support and assistance programmes

PurposeOur primary objective was to identify cognitive and behavioural profiles that affect adjustment, in order to make relevant recommendations about support and assistance for parents of autistic children.MethodOne hundred and sixty French parents completed a battery of questionnaires and self-report measures developed or adapted to assess (1) the child and family situations; (2) perceived stress; (3) perceived social support; (4) perceived control; (5) coping strategies; and (6) quality of life.ResultsThe psychometric properties of the instruments we used proved to be adequate. Our results support the pre-existing data and our findings may prove to be of interest to clinicians. Our primary finding was that emotion-focused coping strategies seem to be less effective. Parents who employed emotion-focused strategies were more stressed and more disturbed in most parts of their life. They also experienced more guilt and reported more false beliefs about PDD.ConclusionsOur data underscore the need for psychoeducation programmes for parents, focused on handling stress and emotions, modifying false beliefs and solving the daily problems that arise from PDD. We propose a 5-axis intervention model for parents of children with PDD, based on cognitive–behavioural therapies and on a stress management programme.

Levels of autistic traits in anorexia nervosa: a comparative psychometric study

BackgroundA number of characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are over-represented among patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) as well as among relatives of these patients. Yet the co-occurrence of autistic traits in AN has not been fully explored and no previous study has directly compared self-reported evaluations of cognitive and socio-affective skills in AN and ASD.MethodsWe aimed to determine the degree of overlap between AN and ASD from scores on questionnaires classically used to measure ASD impairments. Fifteen AN participants, 15 ASD participants and two groups of matched controls completed a battery of self-reports measuring: autistic traits (Autism-Spectrum Quotient), empathy (Empathy Quotient-short and Interpersonal Reactivity Index), systemizing (Systemizing Quotient-short) and alexithymia (Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire-B). Univariate comparisons of mean totalled scores were performed on each measure (patients vs. controls, and AN vs. ASD), and a Principal Component Analysis was used to study subject proximities in a reduced-factor space constructed from AQ, BVAQ-B and IRI subscales.ResultsThese analyses revealed similarities in a few cognitive domains (Attention Switching, Perspective Taking and Fantasy, lack of emotional introspection) and in some nonspecific affective dimensions (depression and feelings of distress), but also marked dissimilarities in social skills (the ability to communicate emotions to others, empathizing).ConclusionThe AN and ASD participants reported similar needs for sameness, and similar difficulties understanding their emotions and taking the perspective of another, but contrasting abilities to feel concerned in interpersonal situations. Our mixed findings encourage further exploration of transdiagnostic similarities and associations between these disorders.

Dogs, Cats and Horses: Their Different Representations in the Minds of Typical and Clinical Populations of Children

ABSTRACT Programs using dogs, cats, and horses as adjuncts in educational or therapeutic activities for children are well documented, even if little is known about the distinction made by children with regard to specific animals. This study explores childrens thoughts about these three different animals. Three populations of children (84 typical children with no disabilities, 92 children with cognitive impairment, and 22 children with autism) were shown twelve pictures of animals and humans. The three groups of children were matched on mental age. Each child was asked to choose a picture in order to answer nine questions selected from existing tests and previous findings in the literature. This procedure allowed us to investigate what each animal represented to these three populations of children. The influence of morphological similarity, which can explain human preference for mammals, was also studied in a separate experiment. We found that the three mammals (dogs, cats, and horses) were perceived positively by both typical children and children with cognitive impairment (Principal component analysis Factor 1 “Positive Attributes”). Children with autism gave heterogeneous answers; therefore, it was more complicated to identify clearly what these animals meant to them. Pictures of humans were specifically associated with Factor 3 “Language-Based Relationship” of the principal component analysis. The possibility to touch the animal was an important factor of influence in the childrens choices. The morphological similarity between animals and humans could partly explain the results obtained for dogs, cats, and horses. Identifying what specific animals represent to individual children could improve the therapeutic process and allow a more appropriate choice of animal for each child.

The social cognitive evaluation battery for children with autism: a new tool for the assessment of cognitive and social development in children with autism spectrum disorders.

The Social Cognitive Evaluation Battery (SCEB) is a new instrument for the psychological evaluation of children with autism. The battery consists of 16 scales that measure different cognitive and socioemotional functions. This study reports the results of a reliability analysis and some elements of validation. Analyses are based on the observed performance of 100 children with autism and a convenience sample of 35 normal children. Validation is based on the examination of the structure of the relations between the 16 scale scores of the SCEB, their relations with other measurements, the correspondence between the theoretical developmental ages, and the observed chronological ages and the SCEBs sensitivity to specific disorders. The results show that this new instrument is useful and relevant for the psychological assessment of children with autism.

Apports des tablettes tactiles pour jeunes adultes présentant une déficience mentale ou un trouble autistique: études de cas

The emergence of touchscreen interfaces and more specifically of tablet computers raises the question of contributions of this new interface as compared to conventional interfaces. With these case studies, we looked for possible contributions of touch pads for persons with intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder, more particularly in terms of interaction and collaboration. An experiment was carried out to analyze interaction behaviors during an execution of tangram puzzles performed on a tablet computer, or in the conventional way using wooden pieces. Results suggest that the touch pad generates an increased motivation and promotes positive interaction between subjects.