Sam B. Morgan

Psychosocial adaptation of fathers of children with autism, down syndrome, and normal development

Fathers have been largely neglected in previous research of families of autistic children. We compared fathers of 20 autistic, 20 Down syndrome, and 20 developmentally normal children on several measures of psychosocial adaptation. Groups were matched on childs adaptive behavior age equivalent, gender, birth order, family size, and SES. The three groups differed significantly on measures of intrapersonal and family functioning but not on social-ecological variables. Fathers of children with autism or Down syndrome reported more frequent use of wish-fulfilling fantasy and information seeking as coping strategies as well as more financial impact and disruption of family activities than did fathers of developmentally normal children. There were few significant differences between fathers of children with autism and those of children with Down syndrome. These results suggest that fathers adapt relatively well to the demands associated with raising a child with a developmental disability.

Children's Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions toward a Peer with Autistic Behaviors: Does a Brief Educational Intervention Have an Effect?.

This study examined childrens ratings of attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a peer presented with or without autistic behaviors. The impact of information about autism on these ratings was investigated as well as age and gender effects. Third- and sixth-grade children (N = 233) were randomly assigned to view a video of the same boy in one of three conditions: No Autism, Autism, or Autism/Information. Children at both grade levels showed less positive attitudes toward the child in the two autism conditions. In rating their own behavioral intentions, children showed no differences between conditions. However, in attributing intentions to their classmates, older children and girls gave lower ratings to the child in the autism conditions. Information about autism did not affect ratings of either attitudes or behavioral intentions as ascribed to self or others.

Specific Impairment in Developmental Reading Disabilities A Working Memory Approach

Children with developmental reading disabilities (RD) frequently display impaired working memory functioning. However, research has been divergent regarding the characteristics of the deficit. Our investigation addressed this controversy by assessing Baddeleys working memory model as a whole rather than focusing on particular aspects of it, as has been done by much of the research to date. Participants included 20 children with RD and 20 typical readers between the ages of 9 and 13. The phonological loop, visual—spatial sketchpad, and central executive were assessed according to Baddeleys model. The results demonstrated that children with RD have an impaired phonological loop but intact visual—spatial sketchpad and central executive functioning as compared to controls. In terms of the phonological loop, the deficit appears to be specific to the phonological store. Furthermore, our research supports a relationship between phonological processing and phonological loop functioning.

A comparative evaluation of adaptive behavior in children and adolescents with autism, Down syndrome, and normal development

The adaptive behaviors of 20 autistic, 20 Down syndrome, and 20 developmentally normal children were compared using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Unlike previous studies, we included a comparison group of very young normally developing children and matched subjects on overall adaptive behavior as well as several pertinent demographic characteristics. Findings revealed that, relative to children with Down syndrome or normal development, autistic children displayed significant and pervasive deficits in the acquisition of adaptive social skills, and greater variability in adaptive skills. These findings underscore the need to longitudinally assess the development of socialization in autistic children and further highlight the utility of the Vineland in operationally defining the nature of social dysfunction in autistic children.

Adaptive and Intellectual Functioning in Autistic and Nonautistic Retarded Children.

This study examined the relationship between adaptive functioning on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) and intellectual functioning on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, 4th edition (SB-IV) in autistic children and nonautistic retarded children of comparable CA and SB-IV composite score (IQ). The autistic group had lower scores than the retarded group in VABS adaptive composite, Socialization domain, and Communication domain, and SB-IV Verbal Reasoning area. VABS domain scores yielded higher classification rates than the SB-IV area scores in discriminating the two groups. Correlations between the two measures were much higher for the autistic group than for the retarded group. Results support the conclusion that the cognitive impairment in autism is reflected in greater impairment in adaptive behaviors than in mental retardation without autism.

The autistic child and family functioning: A developmental-family systems perspective

Autism is a severe, long-term developmental disorder that potentially has substantial influence on different aspects of the family system. Principles from family-systems theory are considered as they relate to the autistic child within the family. A selective and critical review is presented of research findings on the influence of the autistic, child on the functioning and interactions of family members, including parents, siblings, and the family as a whole. Research findings are also reviewed on resources associated with successful family adaptation to the autistic child. Suggestions are offered for improved research to assess the relationship between certain child variables and measures of family functioning.

Self-regulation and affective expression during play in children with autism or Down Syndrome: a short-term longitudinal study.

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.

Parental ratings of treatments of self-injurious behavior

This study examined (a) how parents of autistic children, parents of other handicapped children, and parents of nonhandicapped children rate, as a whole, acceptability of timeout, differential reinforcement, overcorrection, and shock as treatments for selfinjurious behavior, and (b) whether these parents show differences, as groups, in ratings of these treatments. On the Treatment Evaluation Inventory, all groups consistently rated differential reinforcement, timeout, and overcorrection as acceptable and shock as unacceptable. Differential reinforcement was consistently rated as the most acceptable, but the groups differed in ratings of acceptability of other treatments. On the Semantic Differential, ratings of differential reinforcement, overcorrection, and timeout did not differ. However, shock was consistently rated as the most potent and active of treatments as well as the most unacceptable. The implications of these findings for treatment of autistic and other handicapped children are discussed.

Diagnostic Assessment of Autism: A Review of Objective Scales

Five objective scales for diagnosis of autism are evaluated with reference to psychometric criteria of reliability (test-retest, interrater, internal consistency) and validity (content, construct, concurrent, discriminant). The five scales are the Diagnostic Checklist for Behavior Disturbed Children (Form E-2), Behavior Observation Scale for Autism, Behavior Rating Instrument for Autistic and Atypical Children, Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning, and Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Although all scales have strengths and weaknesses, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale emerges as the strongest scale in terms of demonstrated psychometric properties.

Brief report: A comparison of patterns of cognitive functioning of autistic and nonautistic retarded children on the stanford-binet-fourth edition

The question addressed in the current study is whether autistic children and retarded children, closely matched on age and overall Stanford-Binet-fourth edition (SB-IV) composite score (IQ), show any differences in SB-IV area and subtest scores