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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Interactive Physical And Cognitive Exercise System (Ipaces™): The Neuropsychological Effects For Youth On The Autism Spectrum, Michaela Haller
Interactive Physical And Cognitive Exercise System (Ipaces™): The Neuropsychological Effects For Youth On The Autism Spectrum, Michaela Haller
Honors Theses
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 68 children in the United States (Center for Disease Control, 2016). The disorder is characterized by deficits in social interaction, verbal communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors (DSM- V, 2013). While the apparent cause of ASD is biological, the diagnosis remains based on social deficits (Hapé & Frith, 1996). Exercise has been found to improve executive function for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, but motivation is an issue and exergames hold promise. This pilot study evaluated an interactive Physical and Cognitive Exercise System (iPACES™), wherein children pedal …
Theory Of Mind In Children And Adolescents On The Autism Spectrum: Comparison With Normative Individuals, Courtney Cross
Theory Of Mind In Children And Adolescents On The Autism Spectrum: Comparison With Normative Individuals, Courtney Cross
Honors Theses
Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to recognize mental states of oneself and that of other individuals (Parsons & Mitchell, 2002), which typically evolves with age in normative individuals (Hutchins et al., 2011). Research has shown that autistic (ASD) individuals lack a developed ToM and that this triggers social impairments (Rajendran, 2013; Mathersul et al., 2013). The developmental progress of ToM in children on the spectrum is unknown; therefore, this study analyzed normative individuals and those on the spectrum to discover how the development of ToM in these two groups may differ with age. This study hypothesized that normative …
Reducing Anxiety And Increasing Social Skills In Children With Asperger's Through Drama And Role-Playing Games, Rachel Magin
Reducing Anxiety And Increasing Social Skills In Children With Asperger's Through Drama And Role-Playing Games, Rachel Magin
Honors Theses
Children with Asperger’s syndrome have higher than typical levels of anxiety; moreover, their level of anxiety is related to their degree of social skills deficits. In non-clinical populations, role-playing and drama techniques have been used successfully to lower anxiety and increase social skills. We held seven sessions of role-playing and theater exercises, conducted in small groups, focused on specific social skills (getting to know people/introducing self, working together/trust/listening, reading emotions/nonverbal cues, self-control/assertiveness, managing stress and anxiety, detecting emotions through the voice, understanding others’ perspectives/cooperation). We examined whether participation in these sessions would lower anxiety and increase social skills in children …