Neurology; Data on Autism Discussed by Researchers at Queen's University (Biological motion and the animate-inanimate distinction in children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder)

According to news reporting out of Kingston, Canada, by NewsRx editors, research stated, "The current study examined whether children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HF-ASD) preferentially attend to point-light displays of biological, compared to mechanical motion.

2016 APR 25 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Mental Health Weekly Digest -- Research findings on Neurology are discussed in a new report. According to news reporting out of Kingston, Canada, by NewsRx editors, research stated, "The current study examined whether children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HF-ASD) preferentially attend to point-light displays of biological, compared to mechanical motion. We hypothesized that children's attentional patterns toward the motion of living things would be reduced compared to typically developing (TD) children."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Queen's University, "Children also completed two categorization tasks measuring the animate-inanimate distinction. Children with HF-ASD were matched with TD children (n = 18 per group) on age, gender, and verbal ability. Overall, children with HF-ASD attended to biological and non-biological motion equally, whereas TD children demonstrated a preference for inanimate motion. Children with HF-ASD were also unimpaired in the formation of animate and inanimate concepts. Among children with HF-ASD, a link between attention to motion and categorization ability was observed, but only for inanimate objects. TD and HF-ASD groups differed in that visual exploration of the motion videos (e.g., saccades) was related to animate-inanimate categorization only among children with HF-ASD."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "These results are discussed as a low-level test of the social attention/orienting hypothesis."

For more information on this research see: Biological motion and the animate-inanimate distinction in children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2016;25():1-11. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders can be contacted at: Elsevier Sci Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, Oxon, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders - www.journals.elsevier.com/research-in-autism-spectrum-disorders/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting K. Wright, Queen's University, Dept. of Psychol, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada. Additional authors for this research include E. Kelley and D. Poulin-Dubois.

Keywords for this news article include: Canada, Autism, Ontario, Kingston, Neurology, Pediatrics, North and Central America, Developmental Disabilities

Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2016, NewsRx LLC

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Neurology; New Autism Findings from University of Waterloo Described (Supporting the Spectrum Hypothesis: Self-Reported Temperament in Children and Adolescents with High Functioning Autism)

Abstract

According to news reporting originating in Waterloo, Canada, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "This study tested the spectrum hypothesis, which posits that children and adolescents with high functioning autism (HFA) differ quantitatively but not qualitatively from typically developing peers on self-reported temperament.

2016 APR 18 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Mental Health Weekly Digest -- Investigators discuss new findings in Neurology. According to news reporting originating in Waterloo, Canada, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "This study tested the spectrum hypothesis, which posits that children and adolescents with high functioning autism (HFA) differ quantitatively but not qualitatively from typically developing peers on self-reported temperament. Temperament refers to early-appearing, relatively stable behavioral and emotional tendencies, which relate to maladaptive behaviors across clinical populations."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of Waterloo, "Quantitatively, participants with HFA (N = 104, aged 10-16) self-reported less surgency and more negative affect but did not differ from comparison participants (N = 94, aged 10-16) on effortful control or affiliation. Qualitatively, groups demonstrated comparable reliability of self-reported temperament and associations between temperament and parent-reported behavior problems."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "These findings support the spectrum hypothesis, highlighting the utility of self-report temperament measures for understanding individual differences in comorbid behavior problems among children and adolescents with HFA."

For more information on this research see: Supporting the Spectrum Hypothesis: Self-Reported Temperament in Children and Adolescents with High Functioning Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2016;46(4):1184-1195. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders can be contacted at: Springer, Plenum Publishers, 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, USA. (Springer - www.springer.com; Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - www.springerlink.com/content/0162-3257/)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting C.A. Burrows, University of Waterloo, Dept. of Psychol, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada. Additional authors for this research include L.V. Usher, C.B. Schwartz, P.C. Mundy and H.A. Henderson.

Keywords for this news article include: Canada, Autism, Ontario, Waterloo, Neurology, North and Central America, Developmental Disabilities

Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2016, NewsRx LLC

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