Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, Dec 1, 2007
Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication diso... more Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication disorder that characterises the autism spectrum. This study sought to improve social communication for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by means of a groupwork intervention focusing on social and emotional perspective-taking, conversation skills, and friendship skills. It also aimed to address some of the limitations of previous interventions, including a lack of generalisation to other settings, so as to maximise inclusion in the community. A group of 46 high functioning children and adolescents with ASD (38 boys, 8 girls, age range 6-16 years) were allocated to one of 6 intervention groups. Each group met over a period of 12-16 weeks for a minimum of one 1(1/2)-hour weekly session aimed at promoting key areas of social interaction and understanding, supported by home-based practice. Significant gains were achieved in comparison with a normative population, and individual parent ratings showed marked and sustained changes in the key areas targeted in the group sessions. Social communication in children and adolescents with ASD can be enhanced through the use of a groupwork intervention addressing social interaction and understanding.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Feb 1, 2004
Background: Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrom... more Background: Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) includes difficulties in understanding the mental states of others, leading to difficulties in social communication and social relationships. It has also been suggested that the first‐degree relatives of those with AS can demonstrate similar difficulties, albeit to a lesser extent. This study examined ‘theory of mind’ (ToM) abilities in the siblings of children with AS relative to a matched control group.Method: 27 children who had a sibling with AS were administered the children's version of the ‘Eyes Test’ (Baron‐Cohen, Wheelwright, Stone, & Rutherford, 1999). The control group consisted of 27 children matched for age, sex, and a measure of verbal comprehension, and who did not have a family history of AS/autism.Results: A significant difference was found between the groups on the Eyes Test, the ‘siblings’ group showing a poorer performance on this measure of social cognition. The difference was more pronounced among female siblings.Discussion: These results are discussed in terms of the familial distribution of a neuro‐cognitive profile associated with AS, which confers varying degrees of social handicap amongst first‐degree relatives. The implication of this finding with regard to the autism/AS phenotype is explored, with some discussion of why this neuro‐cognitive profile (in combination with corresponding strengths) may have an evolutionary imperative.
British Journal of Occupational Therapy, Oct 1, 2006
This study investigated self-esteem in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). F... more This study investigated self-esteem in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Fifteen children between the ages of 8 and 12 years diagnosed with DCD were compared with a typically developing group comprising 30 children with average and good motor abilities, using measures of perceived competence, social support and self-esteem. The types of coping strategy generated in response to example vignettes were also compared. There was no significant difference between the groups in global self-esteem, but the children with DCD reported lower athletic and scholastic competence than their typically developing peers. No difference was found between the groups in level of perceived social support. The DCD group generated fewer coping strategies overall, but more passive and avoidant strategies than the typically developing children. The implications of the study are discussed with regard to future research directions, such as the investigation of the effects of motor skill intervention on self-esteem and the development of strategies to protect children's self-esteem.
Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication diso... more Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication disorder that characterises the autism spectrum. This study sought to improve social communication for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by means of a groupwork intervention focusing on social and emotional perspective-taking, conversation skills, and friendship skills. It also aimed to address some of the limitations of previous interventions, including a lack of generalisation to other settings, so as to maximise inclusion in the community. A group of 46 high functioning children and adolescents with ASD (38 boys, 8 girls, age range 6-16 years) were allocated to one of 6 intervention groups. Each group met over a period of 12-16 weeks for a minimum of one 1(1/2)-hour weekly session aimed at promoting key areas of social interaction and understanding, supported by home-based practice. Significant gains were achieved in comparison with a normative population, and individual parent ratings showed marked and sustained changes in the key areas targeted in the group sessions. Social communication in children and adolescents with ASD can be enhanced through the use of a groupwork intervention addressing social interaction and understanding.
ABSTRACT Dr Fiona Knott is a Clinical Psychologist working for Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NH... more ABSTRACT Dr Fiona Knott is a Clinical Psychologist working for Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust and a Lecturer at the University of Reading. She has a long interest in the field of autism and a particular interest in siblings. In this paper, she describes four Sibgroups set up in Berkshire and Scotland. These were weekly groups for brothers and sisters of children on the autism spectrum. Fiona provides details of the content of the sessions and the instruments used to measure the participants' views on autism and their relationship with their brother or sister. This is a very useful paper for anyone involved in supporting families and children to provide ideas on how to elicit their views and the areas in which they may require knowledge and support.
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, Aug 30, 2021
Accessible summary Sepsis is a very serious illness. It is a common cause of death in people with... more Accessible summary Sepsis is a very serious illness. It is a common cause of death in people with learning disabilities. We wanted to understand what it is like for people with a learning disability to have sepsis. We asked three people with a learning disability and five of their carers what it was like when they had sepsis. We asked about their health before sepsis, how their sepsis was treated and what health services could have done better. Carers often felt that people's mental health was worse after sepsis. They thought that even when people were physically better, their mood and behaviour was still affected. After sepsis, people were more worried about their physical health, and carers were careful to follow up on every health concern. BackgroundSepsis is a common cause of death within the general population and the third most common cause of death for people with a learning disability, suggesting an increased vulnerability or different trajectory within this population. Despite this, there is currently no research into the direct lived experiences of people with a learning disability who develop and recover from sepsis.MethodsSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with 3 people with a learning disability (average age of 44.7, range of age 33 to 68) who experienced sepsis and 5 carers (1 familial and 4 professional carers) (average age of 48.8, range of age 43 to 58) who had supported an individual with a learning disability while they had sepsis. Sepsis was caused by a range of physical health problems. Face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsSix main themes were identified: chronic and acute pre‐existing health conditions, experiences within the hospital setting, physical recovery, mental recovery, returning to a normal life and the implications of sepsis.The findings highlighted some of the ongoing difficulties for people with intellectual disabilities in accessing timely healthcare provision and the ongoing mental health problems, even after physically recovering from sepsis. People with a learning disability have more comorbid health conditions which may compound the longer‐term effects of sepsis.ConclusionFuture research should be conducted with people with learning disabilities about their experiences shortly after recovery from sepsis, to mitigate the effects of memory difficulties in recalling experiences.
SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Librar... more SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
Introduction About one per cent of children are estimated now to have an autism spectrum disorder... more Introduction About one per cent of children are estimated now to have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Baird et al, 2006). Of these, many have intellectual abilities in the average or above-average range and are likely to be taught within mainstream settings. While the needs of children ...
SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Librar... more SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Evidence on the effectiveness of telemedicine in coaching parents of autistic children using natu... more Evidence on the effectiveness of telemedicine in coaching parents of autistic children using naturalistic developmental early interventions is limited. This review aimed to examine the literature on the effectiveness of telemedicine on children’s social communication following parent-mediated naturalistic developmental early interventions. A total of nine studies were identified. Intervention characteristics, outcomes, and research quality were assessed. Findings suggest insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of telemedicine on child social communication. All the included studies were at high risk of bias in at least one quality indicator of the risk of bias tools. More high-quality research is required to examine the effectiveness of telemedicine applications on child social communication to support access and continuity of early intervention services.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Physical activity interventions have been shown to decrease anxiety in children with ASD. There i... more Physical activity interventions have been shown to decrease anxiety in children with ASD. There is little known regarding the effects of an exercise program on anxiety in both home and school settings and the optimal dosage to reduce anxiety. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 16-week exercise program on the anxiety levels of children with moderate to severe symptoms of ASD in home and school settings, and to compare the effects at 8 and 16 weeks. This study was a within-subject, non-controlled design, intervention study. Twenty-four children (5–18 years) with moderate to severe ASD were included. A school-based exercise program was implemented three days a week for 16 weeks. Parents and teachers completed the Anxiety Scale for Children for ASD (ASC-ASD) at baseline, week 8, and week 16. A one-way repeated-measure ANOVA with post hoc analysis using Bonferroni adjustment was used to test for a significant effect for time (p < 0.05), with Cohen’s d used...
Aim To review current evidence regarding the effectiveness of occupational therapy coaching inter... more Aim To review current evidence regarding the effectiveness of occupational therapy coaching interventions for parents of children with sensory integration difficulties, delivered to individuals or groups of parents. Method A historical scoping review was completed of empirical research records to summarize what is known and how this information can guide future research. The process was guided by PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were English language and peer-reviewed empirical studies of parent coaching intervention for children with sensory processing or sensory integration difficulties. Five databases were searched. Papers were critically reviewed using McMaster's guidelines. Results Four studies met the search criteria. Three studies took a direct coaching approach with individual parents or families. The fourth study took a mixed educational/coaching approach with groups of parents and teachers. Conclusion There is some evidence to conclude that occupational therapists...
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, Dec 1, 2007
Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication diso... more Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication disorder that characterises the autism spectrum. This study sought to improve social communication for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by means of a groupwork intervention focusing on social and emotional perspective-taking, conversation skills, and friendship skills. It also aimed to address some of the limitations of previous interventions, including a lack of generalisation to other settings, so as to maximise inclusion in the community. A group of 46 high functioning children and adolescents with ASD (38 boys, 8 girls, age range 6-16 years) were allocated to one of 6 intervention groups. Each group met over a period of 12-16 weeks for a minimum of one 1(1/2)-hour weekly session aimed at promoting key areas of social interaction and understanding, supported by home-based practice. Significant gains were achieved in comparison with a normative population, and individual parent ratings showed marked and sustained changes in the key areas targeted in the group sessions. Social communication in children and adolescents with ASD can be enhanced through the use of a groupwork intervention addressing social interaction and understanding.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Feb 1, 2004
Background: Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrom... more Background: Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) includes difficulties in understanding the mental states of others, leading to difficulties in social communication and social relationships. It has also been suggested that the first‐degree relatives of those with AS can demonstrate similar difficulties, albeit to a lesser extent. This study examined ‘theory of mind’ (ToM) abilities in the siblings of children with AS relative to a matched control group.Method: 27 children who had a sibling with AS were administered the children's version of the ‘Eyes Test’ (Baron‐Cohen, Wheelwright, Stone, &amp; Rutherford, 1999). The control group consisted of 27 children matched for age, sex, and a measure of verbal comprehension, and who did not have a family history of AS/autism.Results: A significant difference was found between the groups on the Eyes Test, the ‘siblings’ group showing a poorer performance on this measure of social cognition. The difference was more pronounced among female siblings.Discussion: These results are discussed in terms of the familial distribution of a neuro‐cognitive profile associated with AS, which confers varying degrees of social handicap amongst first‐degree relatives. The implication of this finding with regard to the autism/AS phenotype is explored, with some discussion of why this neuro‐cognitive profile (in combination with corresponding strengths) may have an evolutionary imperative.
British Journal of Occupational Therapy, Oct 1, 2006
This study investigated self-esteem in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). F... more This study investigated self-esteem in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Fifteen children between the ages of 8 and 12 years diagnosed with DCD were compared with a typically developing group comprising 30 children with average and good motor abilities, using measures of perceived competence, social support and self-esteem. The types of coping strategy generated in response to example vignettes were also compared. There was no significant difference between the groups in global self-esteem, but the children with DCD reported lower athletic and scholastic competence than their typically developing peers. No difference was found between the groups in level of perceived social support. The DCD group generated fewer coping strategies overall, but more passive and avoidant strategies than the typically developing children. The implications of the study are discussed with regard to future research directions, such as the investigation of the effects of motor skill intervention on self-esteem and the development of strategies to protect children's self-esteem.
Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication diso... more Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication disorder that characterises the autism spectrum. This study sought to improve social communication for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by means of a groupwork intervention focusing on social and emotional perspective-taking, conversation skills, and friendship skills. It also aimed to address some of the limitations of previous interventions, including a lack of generalisation to other settings, so as to maximise inclusion in the community. A group of 46 high functioning children and adolescents with ASD (38 boys, 8 girls, age range 6-16 years) were allocated to one of 6 intervention groups. Each group met over a period of 12-16 weeks for a minimum of one 1(1/2)-hour weekly session aimed at promoting key areas of social interaction and understanding, supported by home-based practice. Significant gains were achieved in comparison with a normative population, and individual parent ratings showed marked and sustained changes in the key areas targeted in the group sessions. Social communication in children and adolescents with ASD can be enhanced through the use of a groupwork intervention addressing social interaction and understanding.
ABSTRACT Dr Fiona Knott is a Clinical Psychologist working for Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NH... more ABSTRACT Dr Fiona Knott is a Clinical Psychologist working for Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust and a Lecturer at the University of Reading. She has a long interest in the field of autism and a particular interest in siblings. In this paper, she describes four Sibgroups set up in Berkshire and Scotland. These were weekly groups for brothers and sisters of children on the autism spectrum. Fiona provides details of the content of the sessions and the instruments used to measure the participants&#39; views on autism and their relationship with their brother or sister. This is a very useful paper for anyone involved in supporting families and children to provide ideas on how to elicit their views and the areas in which they may require knowledge and support.
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, Aug 30, 2021
Accessible summary Sepsis is a very serious illness. It is a common cause of death in people with... more Accessible summary Sepsis is a very serious illness. It is a common cause of death in people with learning disabilities. We wanted to understand what it is like for people with a learning disability to have sepsis. We asked three people with a learning disability and five of their carers what it was like when they had sepsis. We asked about their health before sepsis, how their sepsis was treated and what health services could have done better. Carers often felt that people's mental health was worse after sepsis. They thought that even when people were physically better, their mood and behaviour was still affected. After sepsis, people were more worried about their physical health, and carers were careful to follow up on every health concern. BackgroundSepsis is a common cause of death within the general population and the third most common cause of death for people with a learning disability, suggesting an increased vulnerability or different trajectory within this population. Despite this, there is currently no research into the direct lived experiences of people with a learning disability who develop and recover from sepsis.MethodsSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with 3 people with a learning disability (average age of 44.7, range of age 33 to 68) who experienced sepsis and 5 carers (1 familial and 4 professional carers) (average age of 48.8, range of age 43 to 58) who had supported an individual with a learning disability while they had sepsis. Sepsis was caused by a range of physical health problems. Face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsSix main themes were identified: chronic and acute pre‐existing health conditions, experiences within the hospital setting, physical recovery, mental recovery, returning to a normal life and the implications of sepsis.The findings highlighted some of the ongoing difficulties for people with intellectual disabilities in accessing timely healthcare provision and the ongoing mental health problems, even after physically recovering from sepsis. People with a learning disability have more comorbid health conditions which may compound the longer‐term effects of sepsis.ConclusionFuture research should be conducted with people with learning disabilities about their experiences shortly after recovery from sepsis, to mitigate the effects of memory difficulties in recalling experiences.
SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Librar... more SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
Introduction About one per cent of children are estimated now to have an autism spectrum disorder... more Introduction About one per cent of children are estimated now to have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Baird et al, 2006). Of these, many have intellectual abilities in the average or above-average range and are likely to be taught within mainstream settings. While the needs of children ...
SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Librar... more SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175188 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Evidence on the effectiveness of telemedicine in coaching parents of autistic children using natu... more Evidence on the effectiveness of telemedicine in coaching parents of autistic children using naturalistic developmental early interventions is limited. This review aimed to examine the literature on the effectiveness of telemedicine on children’s social communication following parent-mediated naturalistic developmental early interventions. A total of nine studies were identified. Intervention characteristics, outcomes, and research quality were assessed. Findings suggest insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of telemedicine on child social communication. All the included studies were at high risk of bias in at least one quality indicator of the risk of bias tools. More high-quality research is required to examine the effectiveness of telemedicine applications on child social communication to support access and continuity of early intervention services.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Physical activity interventions have been shown to decrease anxiety in children with ASD. There i... more Physical activity interventions have been shown to decrease anxiety in children with ASD. There is little known regarding the effects of an exercise program on anxiety in both home and school settings and the optimal dosage to reduce anxiety. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 16-week exercise program on the anxiety levels of children with moderate to severe symptoms of ASD in home and school settings, and to compare the effects at 8 and 16 weeks. This study was a within-subject, non-controlled design, intervention study. Twenty-four children (5–18 years) with moderate to severe ASD were included. A school-based exercise program was implemented three days a week for 16 weeks. Parents and teachers completed the Anxiety Scale for Children for ASD (ASC-ASD) at baseline, week 8, and week 16. A one-way repeated-measure ANOVA with post hoc analysis using Bonferroni adjustment was used to test for a significant effect for time (p < 0.05), with Cohen’s d used...
Aim To review current evidence regarding the effectiveness of occupational therapy coaching inter... more Aim To review current evidence regarding the effectiveness of occupational therapy coaching interventions for parents of children with sensory integration difficulties, delivered to individuals or groups of parents. Method A historical scoping review was completed of empirical research records to summarize what is known and how this information can guide future research. The process was guided by PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were English language and peer-reviewed empirical studies of parent coaching intervention for children with sensory processing or sensory integration difficulties. Five databases were searched. Papers were critically reviewed using McMaster's guidelines. Results Four studies met the search criteria. Three studies took a direct coaching approach with individual parents or families. The fourth study took a mixed educational/coaching approach with groups of parents and teachers. Conclusion There is some evidence to conclude that occupational therapists...
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