Psychology Commons^™

A Pilot Study Exploring The Effectiveness And Feasibilty Of The Peers® Intervention In A Rural/Non-Metropolitan Setting, Blake Elvrum Warner

Dissertations and Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Autistic adolescents often experience a myriad of mental health difficulties which are worsened by lower overall levels of social support. Higher rates of mental health difficulties are reported in rural and non-metropolitan areas where resources are less readily available. Interventions aimed at increasing social skills in autistic adolescents have proven to be an effective way to increase levels of social interaction and support. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) intervention was developed …

Neuroticism Mediates The Association Between Autistic Traits And Choice Reaction Time Among Young Adults, Kassandra De Jesus Cintron, Xiao Yang

Psychology Faculty Publications

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that influences an individual’s cognitive functions and social interaction. While most studies have focused on children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD, elevated levels of autistic traits in subclinical populations may also influence individuals’ daily functioning. Autistic traits are also linked to the Big Five personality. In particular, neuroticism (emotion instability) has been shown to be positively associated with autistic traits, which may contribute to behavioral symptoms of autistic traits. The present study aimed to investigate the association between autistic symptoms and sensorimotor processing among a subclinical population. One hundred young adults (M …

Comparison Of Enhanced And Standard Data Sheets On Treatment Fidelity And Data Collection For Tact Training, Mary Halbur, Jessi Reidy, Tiffany Kodak, Landon Scott Cowan, Michael Harman

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Specifically designed data sheets have been recommended to assist with the fidelity of implementation of treatment procedures. The present study extended previous research (e.g., Bottini et al. Behavior Analysis: Research & Practice 21(2), 140–152, 2021; LeBlanc et al. Behavior Analysis in Practice 13(1), 53–62, 2020) by comparing an enhanced data sheet (i.e., the inclusion of randomized targets, prompts for treatment components of securing attending and reinforcement) to a standard data sheet (i.e., targets not preset, no prompts for treatment components) on the fidelity of tact training of features. Ten behavior therapists participated in each condition (n = …

Parental Evaluations And Choice Of Math Apps For Their Young Children: Exploring The Impact Of Individual Differences, Nicola Urquhart

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Well-designed math apps can have positive effects on young children’s math abilities (Bang et al., 2023; Griffith et al., 2019; Outhwaite et al., 2023), but research indicates that many commercially available math apps are not well designed (Dubé et al., 2019; Meyer et al., 2021). Studies also find that parents struggle to identify relevant features from app store descriptions (Montazami et al., 2022; Pearson et al., 2023). The purpose of the present research was to investigate how parents evaluate the apps themselves, and to test whether individual differences can affect parental app evaluations and decisions. In two parts of Study …

Early Diagnosis Methods For Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, Megan Denise Mccarthy

Doctoral Dissertations

Objective: This systematic review aimed to comprehensively synthesize existing literature on early detection methods for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children birth to 3 years, that lead to an effective and reliable early diagnosis in children 2 to 3 years of age.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO following PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting on early detection methods for ASD in infants and toddlers within ages 0 to 3 years that lead to early diagnosis of children ages 2 to 3 years were eligible for inclusion. Data extraction and quality assessment were …

The Effect Of Compression On Repetitive Behaviors And Task Participation In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer B. Grandits, Hanna W. Kent, Sarah M. Sanborn, June J. Pilcher

Publications

Compression clothes are marketed to relieve anxiety and decrease hyperactivity in children with autism. However, few studies have examined the impact of compression for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, nine children with autism were observed during Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy sessions while wearing compression clothing. The participants were randomly assigned to wear compression clothing for either their first five sessions or their last five sessions. Videos of the therapy sessions were reviewed and each child’s “off task” behavior was identified in the following domains: motor, verbal, and visual. In addition, frequency of the child’s repetitive behaviors …

Camouflaging And Identity Development Among Autistic Female And Gender Diverse Youth: A Qualitative Exploration, Krista Nicole Drapalik

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period for autistic female and gender diverse youth. Many autistic youths use camouflaging to combat social challenges, perceived differences, and stigmatization. Although adolescence is an integral time for identity development, integration of these topics remains understudied among autistic female and gender diverse youth. The present study seeks to qualitatively explore first-person, youth-perspectives on the topics of camouflaging and identity formation. Ten autistic female and gender diverse youth aged 11 to 16 years (M = 13.1, SD = 1.52) and their caregivers were enrolled in the present study. Youths completed semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. …

Services To Help Caregivers Of Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Stephanie Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a mental health disorder for which the cause is unknown and for which there is no cure. This only exacerbates the psychological distress placed on caregivers of children diagnosed with ASD. The purpose of this qualitative study, using the phenomenological approach was to describe the services and assistance that caregivers of children diagnosed with ASD identified as most beneficial to them. Twelve participants were interviewed via phone. Each interview was audio-recorded with participants reporting the services and assistance they identified as helpful or believed would be helpful, specifically to them. Interviews were transcribed and data …

Internalizing Symptoms In Autistic Young Adults: Comparing The Cognitive And Physiological Components Of Emotion Regulation, Sarah Lehman

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Autistic people experience co-occurring mental illness at a substantially greater rate compared to their neurotypical counterparts. Of these comorbid psychopathologies, internalizing disorders (anxiety and depression) are among the most prevalent. Emotion dysregulation has been identified as a contributing factor to this phenomenon and potential treatment target. The current study employed cognitive (e.g., use of suppression and use of cognitive reappraisal) and physiological (e.g., respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart period) measures to more holistically capture the multifaceted construct of emotion regulation compared to prior research. In a sample of autistic young adults (N = 63) ages 17-29 (M = 20.14), …

Sustained Attention And Object Manipulation In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alexis Federico

Theses and Dissertations

Infants interact with their environment from the moment they are born. These interactions can assist in shaping a child’s development, including the skills they gain. Object manipulation has been specifically associated with numerous important outcomes in childhood, such as cognitive skills, motor skills, and language skills. This study aims to characterize object manipulation behaviors at 9 months of age between infants who are at an elevated genetic likelihood for ASD and infants who have no family history of ASD. This study also investigates associations between object manipulation behaviors and a biological measure of attention in both participant groups. While differences …

Smart Technology In Autism Care: Is Rootines Usable, Useful, And Acceptable In Clinical Practice?, Isak Beck, Lonnie Sears

The Cardinal Edge

Smart technologies are rapidly appearing in the healthcare landscape. In this study, we evaluate Rootines, a smartphone app offering remote patient monitoring for kids with developmental and behavioral health concerns. We’re asking families served by the Norton Children’s Autism Center in Louisville, Kentucky to use Rootines together with their child’s clinician for two weeks. Following this, we will use surveys and interviews to probe for the usability (how well the technology can be used), usefulness (how valuable users find the technology), and acceptability (whether the technology can meet user needs) of the Rootines app. Trials in clinical settings are crucial …

Coaching In Differential Attention And Pride Skills During Child Directed Interactions For Siblings Of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Ava Sardoni

Dissertations, 2020-current

Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) are an increasingly-common presentation that is often associated with significant behavioral and relational challenges. NDDs can impact multiple areas of functioning including social, academic, and adaptive functioning. As NDDs are developmental disorders in nature, they are often lifelong conditions that require intensive treatments and adaptations throughout the lifespan. One of the most important predictors of success and fulfillment for a child with an NDD is the support from the family system.

Siblings of a child with an NDD are often neglected from the conversation of supports and treatments for children with NDDs. However, challenging behaviors often associated …

Teaching Peer Imitation To Preschool-Aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using A Video Modeling Treatment Package, Megan M. Harper

Theses & Dissertations

Peer imitation is a skill that serves to promote the acquisition of new play skills, problem-solving skills, and academic skills through observation of one’s peers. Although peer imitation is an important pre-requisite for learning from peers, many autistic children experience deficits in this area. In the present study, we evaluated a video model treatment package to teach autistic children to imitate their peers. Additionally, we conducted free play probes pre- and post-training to assess the transfer of training to a natural play setting. The results of the current study are mixed. One participant’s imitation skills generalized to the in-vivo sessions …

Executive Functioning In Children With Autism And Co-Occurring Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review And Quantitative Analysis, Kandice Benallie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children with autism and other NDDs experience some level of executive dysfunction including challenges with problem-solving, judgement, working memory, and flexibility. Considering autism and other NDDs including ADHD and ID have overlapping symptoms, it can be difficult to differentially diagnose the disorders. This dissertation sought to explore how co-occurring ADHD and ID impact the EF of autistic children. The first study systematically reviewed the current research examining EF of autistic children with co-occurring ADHD and ID. Findings suggest that co-occurring ADHD and ID result in increased executive dysfunction as compared to children with autism only. The systematic review also revealed …

App-Based Academic Interventions For Children With Autism, Cassity R. Haverkamp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Technology, such as tablet/phone apps, robots, video games, and virtual reality, can be used to teach skills to autistic children. Research on technology supports for autistic youth often focus on social skills, a main part of an autism diagnosis. However, autistic children may also have academic challenges, and fewer studies have looked at how technology can teach academic skills to children with autism. We created three studies to look at how academic apps may benefit autistic children. In the first study, we reviewed studies that looked at how academic apps can increase the academic skills of children with autism. We …

Autism, Comorbidities, And Adaptive Functioning: A Potential Moderator, Joshua J. Montrenes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Deficits in adaptive functioning and the presence of comorbid symptomatology are both commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous research has identified relationships between functional level (e.g., intellectual quotient [IQ], adaptive functioning [AF]) and comorbid symptomatology in ASD. However, further insight into the relationship between AF, comorbid psychopathology, and ASD is unclear. Specifically, how AF affects the relationship between ASD and comorbid conditions is not well understood. Whether AF moderates the relationship between autism symptom severity and comorbid symptom severity in toddlers with ASD was examined. ASD symptom severity positively correlated with comorbid symptom severity across domains and negatively …

Parent Facilitation Of Child Emotion Regulation In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aimee K. Rovane

Theses and Dissertations

Parents play a substantial role in their children's emotional regulation (ER) abilities, promoting both adaptive and maladaptive development. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulties regulating their emotions, manifesting in externalizing behavioral issues (Mazefsky & White 2014). Though there are many similarities to parents of typically developing (TD) children, parents of children with ASD facilitate their children's ER development (i.e., emotion socialization) in response to unique challenges, often developing resiliency but other times contributing to their children’s dysregulation and behavioral challenges. Using Morris et al.'s (2007) Tripartite Model of Family Impact of Children's Emotion Regulation and Adjustment as …

Predictors Of Sexual Victimization Among Autistic And Non-Autistic College Students, Natalie Libster, Connie Kasari, Alexandra Sturm

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Purpose. This study examined predictors of sexual victimization among autistic and non-autistic college students. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether autistic students are more likely than non-autistic students to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault, controlling for co-occurring diagnoses. We also aimed to determine whether students with other disabilities, specifically ADHD, learning disability (LD), and psychological disorders, are more likely than students without these disabilities to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Methods. Autistic students (n=270) and non-autistic students (n=270) who had participated in a nationwide survey were matched on demographic characteristics and co-occurring diagnoses. Logistic regression analyses …

Comparing Teaching Methods For Auditory-Visual Conditional Discrimination, Brady Conley, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Responding to spoken language is a skill that is typically acquired at a young age. However, responding to spoken language requires discrimination between stimuli. Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have demonstrated difficulty acquiring listener behavior involving conditional discrimination. Thus, the most efficient and effective teaching strategies should continue to be a focus in behavior-analytic research. The purpose of the current study was to compare teaching methods for conditional discrimination for three school-aged children with ASD. The results showed that one participant met criterion for the best practice condition only, one participant met criterion for both best practice and …

Twice-Exceptional Autism And Home Education: A Phenomenological Analysis, Tiffany Brook Hartman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is common for autistic and particularly twice-exceptional (2e) children to be schooled from home at a higher rate than their neurotypical peers. Much of the current research investigating this phenomenon is conducted from the perspective of the public school system. This point of view is generally critical of the curriculum taught in the home, has largely limited parental voices in the literature, and overlooks possible circumstances in the public school system that might have led families to choose to homeschool. This qualitative analysis conducted open-ended interviews of parents with twice-exceptional autistic children who have home-educated or currently educate their …

Dual Identification: Trajectories To English Proficiency For English Learners With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fernanda A. Castellón, Alexandra Sturm, Connie Kasari Kasari

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Background

There are an increasing number of English Learners (EL) served in schools, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, little is known about students who receive school-based services as EL and under autism eligibility.

Purpose & Methods

The present study aimed to examine the sociodemographic characteristics, time to English Language Proficient status by survival analysis, and predictors of English fluency utilizing a logistic regression for dually identified EL and autism eligible students in a large urban school district during the 2011–2019 academic school years.

Results

Overall, dually identified students (N = 849) educated in segregated settings (N = …

Using Video Prompting For Daily Living Skill Acquisition In Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Meghan Park Mitchell

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The current study examined the effects of video prompting on the acquisition of a daily living skill with adults who have intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). A multiple baseline across participants design was used to assess whether a video prompting procedure was able to teach adults with IDD a daily living skill with minimal socially mediated instruction. It was found that performance increased once the intervention was applied. Future directions for research and application in teaching daily living skills to adults with IDD are discussed.

The Effects Of A Self-Recording Procedure On Student’S On-Task Behavior, Maria Leventhal

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This study investigated the isolated effects of self-management on students on-task behavior through an operant analysis. Two elementary-aged students, receiving ABA services at a special education school were taught to self-record their on-task behavior using a Gymboss miniMAX timer that cued them at variable intervals. Following baseline, students were trained to self-record using Behavior Skills Training. A series of phases was then implemented to gradually increase the intervals. To isolate the effects of self-recording, feedback and reinforcement were not provided. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, a functional relation was demonstrated between self-recording and on-task behavior.

The Impact Of Music Therapy On Language Acquisition In Children With Nonverbal Autism, Alecia Bernau

Senior Honors Theses

Through an experimental method, the researcher investigated whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to develop verbal communication skills after consistent exposure to songs with lyrics. Six children with nonverbal ASD were exposed to the same song with lyrics, with the goal of increased vocalization and language acquisition. Over nine sessions, subjects were pulled to participate in the experiment. The researcher played the song for the participants, recording the responses from each trial and categorizing them as either full words, verbal approximations, or miscellaneous verbalizations. The findings of the study suggest that there is a relationship between …

Do Traits Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Typically Developing Population Relate To Early Face Processing As Measured By The N170 And N250 Neural Signals?, Anna Murdock

Honors Theses

This exploratory study used electrophysiology to examine whether traits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the typically developing population are related to early face processing. Previous literature has found mixed results about whether event-related potential (ERP) components appear differently in people with ASD, but two components that might be related to the observed deficit in face processing are the N170 component, which reflects the structural encoding of faces, and the N250 component, which reflects the individuation of faces. The present study analyzed data collected as part of the PURSUE EEG database. As part of the database, participants completed the …

Direct Support Professionals' Perspectives On Using Technology To Help Support Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Mixed Methods Study., Christina A. Simmons, Abigail E Moretti, Andrea F Lobo, Patrice D Tremoulet

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Documentation is a critical responsibility for direct support professionals (DSPs) who work with adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, it contributes significantly to their workload. Targeted efforts must be made to mitigate the burden of necessary data collection and documentation, which contributes to high DSP turnover rates and poor job satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: This mixed methods study aimed to explore how technology could assist DSPs who work with adults with ASD and prioritize aspects of technology that would be most useful for future development efforts.

METHODS: In the first study, 15 DSPs who worked with adults with ASD participated …

Paths To Equity: Parents In Partnership With Ucedds Fostering Black Family Advocacy For Children On The Autism Spectrum, Elizabeth H. Morgan, Benita D. Shaw, Ida Winters, Chiffon King, Jazmin Burns, Aubyn Stahmer, Gail Chodron

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Racism and ableism have doubly affected Black families of children with developmental disabilities in their interactions with disability systems of supports and services (e.g., early intervention, mental health, education, medical systems). On average, Black autistic children are diagnosed three years later and are up to three times more likely to be misdiagnosed than their non-Hispanic White peers. Qualitative research provides evidence that systemic oppression, often attributed to intersectionality, can cause circumstances where Black disabled youth are doubly marginalized by policy and practice that perpetuates inequality. School discipline policies that criminalize Black students and inadequate medical assessments that improperly support Black …

Editorial: Emotion Processing In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Denise Davidson, Nicole Russo-Ponsaran, Maaike Marijn Van Rest, Angela Scarpa

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and restrictive and repetitive interests. Although progress has been made in understanding its phenomenology, underlying mechanisms for core and co-occurring difficulties remain elusive. Emerging evidence suggests that emotion processing and regulation play a critical role in the challenges experienced by autistic individuals. This special issue provides current thinking related to methods, research, and practice in the field of emotion processing and regulation in ASD, and to integrate study findings to elucidate underlying mechanisms. With a global perspective, article coverage includes (1) explorations of the neurological underpinnings …

The Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire: Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of A New, Open-Source Measure Of Autism Symptomatology, Thomas Frazier, Anastasia Dimitropoulos, Leonard Abbeduto, Melissa Armstrong-Brine, Shanna Kralovic, Andy Shih, Antonio Y. Hardan, Eric A. Youngstrom, Mirko Uljarević

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Aim: To describe the development and initial psychometric evaluation of a new, freely available measure, the Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ).

Method: After development and revision of an initial 33-item version, informants completed a revised 39-item version of the ASDQ on 1467 children and adolescents (aged 2-17 years), including 104 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Results: The initial 33-item version of the ASDQ had good reliability and construct validity. However, only four specific symptom factors were identified, potentially due to an insufficient number of items. Factor analyses of the expanded instrument identified a general ASD factor and nine specific symptom …

Profiles Of Circumscribed Interests In Autistic Youth, Emily Spackman, Luke D. Smillie, Thomas Frazier, Antonio Y. Hardan, Gail A. Alvarez, Andrew Whitehouse, Mirko Uljarević

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Circumscribed interests (CI) encompass a range of different interests and related behaviors that can be characterized by either a high intensity but otherwise usual topic [referred to as restricted interests (RI)] or by a focus on topics that are not salient outside of autism [referred to as unusual interests (UI)]. Previous research has suggested that there is pronounced variability across individuals in terms of the endorsement of different interests, however, this variability has not been quantified using formal subtyping approaches. Therefore, using Latent Profile Analysis in a sample of 1,892 autistic youth (Mage = 10.82, SDage = 4.14; 420 females), …