高功能孤独症幼儿空间工作记忆的组块加工缺陷

孤独症谱系障碍者存在空间工作记忆加工缺陷,其具体受损环节尚不明确。组块是一种有效的策略性信息编码方式,是空间工作记忆的关键环节。高度结构化的刺激容易形成高水平组块,因此,刺激结构化程度对记忆效果的影响能够反映个体的组块加工能力。研究采用Sternberg空间工作记忆任务、Corsi空间广度任务,加入刺激结构化因素,考察高功能孤独症幼儿是否存在组块加工缺陷,并探讨组块加工是否直接影响到空间工作记忆容量。实验1采用Sternberg空间工作记忆任务,结果表明,ASD幼儿存在明显的组块加工缺陷。在易于组块的高结构化条件下,健康幼儿的记忆成绩明显较高,而ASD幼儿在高、低结构化条件下的记忆成绩并无显著差异。实验2采用Corsi空间广度任务,结果显示,不论高、低结构化条件,ASD幼儿的空间工作记忆容量均显著低于健康幼儿。但ASD幼儿由于存在组块加工缺陷,在高、低结构化条件下的记忆成绩差异较健康幼儿小。因此,ASD幼儿的组块能力一定程度上影响了空间工作记忆容量。此外,记忆存储器的异常可能也是ASD幼儿空间工作记忆容量不足的重要原因。研究表明,ASD幼儿的空间组块缺陷主要由于弱中央统合的认知风格,他们缺乏自上而下的组块加工动机,难以主动对刺激形成高水平组块编码,从而影响记忆效果。     

Low-level visual attention and its relation to joint attention in autism spectrum disorder

Visual attention is integral to social interaction and is a critical building block for development in other domains (e.g., language). Furthermore, atypical attention (especially joint attention) is one of the earliest markers of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study assesses low-level visual attention and its relation to social attentional processing in youth with ASD and typically developing (TD) youth, aged 7 to 18 years. The findings indicate difficulty overriding incorrect attentional cues in ASD, particularly with non-social (arrow) cues relative to social (face) cues. The findings also show reduced competition in ASD from cues that remain on-screen. Furthermore, social attention, autism severity, and age were all predictors of competing cue processing. The results suggest that individuals with ASD may be biased towards speeded rather than accurate responding, and further, that reduced engagement with visual information may impede responses to visual attentional cues. Once attention is engaged, individuals with ASD appear to interpret directional cues as meaningful. These findings from a controlled, experimental paradigm were mirrored in results from an ecologically valid measure of social attention. Attentional difficulties may be exacerbated during the complex and dynamic experience of actual social interaction. Implications for intervention are discussed.     

Parent rating of executive function in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A review of the literature and new data on Aboriginal Canadian children

Aboriginal children in Canada are at high risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) but there is little research on the cognitive impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in this population. This paper reviews the literature on parent report of executive functioning in children with FASD that used the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). New data on the BRIEF is then reported in a sample of 52 Aboriginal Canadian children with FASD for whom a primary caregiver completed the BRIEF. The children also completed a battery of neuropsychological tests. The results reveal mean scores in the impaired range for all three BRIEF index scores and seven of the eight scales, with the greatest difficulties found on the Working Memory, Inhibit and Shift scales. The majority of the children were reported as impaired on the index scores and scales, with Working Memory being most commonly impaired scale. On the performance-based tests, Trails B and Letter Fluency are most often reported as impaired, though the prevalence of impairment is greater for parent ratings than test performance. No gender difference is noted for the parent report, but the boys had slightly slower intellectual functioning and were more perseverative than the girls on testing. The presence of psychiatric comorbidity is unrelated to either BRIEF or test scores. These findings are generally consistent with prior studies indicating that parents observe considerable executive dysfunction in children with FASD, and that children with FASD may have more difficulty with executive functions in everyday life than is detected by laboratory-based tests alone.     

孤独症个体的公平决策：心理理论和自我/他人情绪识别的作用

研究通过最后通牒任务,考查孤独症儿童在公平任务中的决策,以及心理理论和识别自我/他人情绪对决策的影响。29名孤独症儿童和三组对照组儿童参加实验结果发现,孤独症儿童在任务中面对不同分配比例的接受率（2:8、3:7）与对照组之间存在显著差异。心理理论能力和自我情绪识别都与决策存在相关：当处于不公平的情况下（1:9、2:8、3:7）,通过心理理论任务的孤独症儿童才会拒绝接受不公平分配,儿童也会感觉到不高兴并且做出拒绝的决定。     

Vulnerability to loneliness among fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder: The role of interpersonal and familial resources

Fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might be at increased risk of becoming lonely. In the current study, we explored the differences in loneliness between fathers of children with and without ASD and identified interpersonal and familial resources (social support, family cohesion, and family adaptability) that might be related to levels of loneliness. Using a cross-sectional design, 348 fathers (of 114 children with ASD and 234 without) completed a series of questionnaires. Fathers of children with ASD reported higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of social support and family cohesion. A moderated mediation model indicated that the interaction between social support and family cohesion mediated the association between ASD group (i.e., ASD vs. non-ASD) and fathers' loneliness. Findings suggest the importance of interpersonal and familial resources (e.g., perceived social support and family cohesion) for family members at risk of loneliness.     

幼儿的自我投射能力对情景预见的影响:来自典型发展儿童和孤独症谱系障碍儿童的证据

情景预见是个体将自我投射到未来某个特定时间和地点预先体验可能发生的未来事件的一种能力。为了考察幼儿的自我投射能力在情景预见中的可能作用,本研究通过两个实验比较了从自己的视角和从他人视角完成情景预见任务时幼儿的表现。实验1选取236名3~5.5岁典型发展（Typically Developing,TD）幼儿,采用被试间设计发现,总体而言,幼儿为他人做预见优于为自己做预见。实验2采用被试内设计,在TD儿童身上验证了实验1的结果,同时发现,孤独症谱系障碍（Autism Spectrum Disorder,ASD）儿童为自己做预见与为他人做预见没有差异。综上,幼儿不成熟的自我投射能力会干扰其自我卷入的情景预见,而自我投射能力受损的ASD儿童则没有表现出这种影响。     

National Study of School Psychologists’ Use of Evidence-Based Assessment in Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study aimed to better understand predictors of evidence-based assessment practices for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nationwide, 402 school psychologists were surveyed for their knowledge of and training and experience with ASD on assessment practices, including reported areas of training needs. The majority of school psychologists reported that they did not engage in comprehensive assessment of ASD, which was defined as assessments that consider all areas of development in addition to the use of ASD-specific instruments. Results from logistic regression revealed that experience and training, working with young children with ASD, and geographic location predicted use of evidence-based assessment practices. Experience and training with ASD was the strongest predictor of evidence-based assessment. No differences in training needs were indicated by school psychologists whose practices were consistent with evidence-based assessment and those whose practices were not. Overall, the results identified gaps between best and current practices by school psychologists and highlight areas of need for additional training and professional development.     

言语行为的关系框架理论视角:孤独症谱系障碍的新探索

语言功能异常是孤独症谱系障碍(ASD)的典型症状之一。1957年,斯金纳从行为学角度提出"言语行为",认为人们获得表达和理解语言的能力与学会走路、跳舞等行为的原理相同。2001年,海斯等人在斯金纳的基础上提出关于人类语言和认知的新视角——关系框架理论(Relational Frame Theory,RFT),澄清了语言的推衍性实质,认为言语行为是将一个刺激与其他刺激建立关系框架的过程。研究表明基于RFT的多范例训练可以提升ASD患者的推衍关系反应水平,且推衍关系反应与语言和认知功能的发展高相关。未来RFT的研究可以探索如何通过推衍关系反应训练修复ASD患者的语言和认知功能缺陷。     

Establishing motion control in children with autism and intellectual disability: Applications for anatomical and functional MRI

Excessive motion makes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) extremely challenging among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The medical risks of sedation establish the need for behavioral interventions to promote motion control among children with ASD undergoing MRI scans. We present a series of experiments aimed at establishing both tolerance of the MRI environment and a level of motion control that would be compatible with a successful MRI. During Study 1, we evaluated the effects of prompting and contingent reinforcement on compliance with a sequence of successive approximations to an MRI using a mock MRI. During Study 2, we used prompting and progressive differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO) to promote motion control in a mock MRI for increasing periods of time. Finally, during Study 3, some of the participants underwent a real MRI scan while a detailed in‐session motion analysis informed the quality of the images captured.     

Incorporating multiple secondary targets into learning trials for individuals with autism spectrum disorder

The current study examined the outcome of presenting multiple secondary targets in learning trials for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. We compared conditions in which (a) a secondary target was presented in the antecedent and consequence of trials, (b) two secondary targets were presented in the consequence of trials, (c) one secondary target was presented in the consequence of each trial, and (d) no additional targets were presented trials. The participants acquired the majority of secondary targets. Presenting one or multiple secondary targets per trial, regardless of the location of these secondary targets, increased the efficiency of instruction in comparison to a condition with no secondary target.