Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- Created by: Kristina_
- Created on: 22-04-20 14:33
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- Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- DSM Revisions
- Condition of the the brain or nervous system, which becomes apparent during childhood
- Single disorder with varying features and different levels severity
- Core characteristics
- Deficits in social comunication and social interactions
- Restricted and repetitive interests, activities and behaviours
- Diagnostic criteria (a)
- Deficits in nonverbal behaviours e.g. eye contact
- Deficits in development of peer relationship appropriate to developmental level
- Deficits in social and emotional reciprocity, such as not approaching others
- Diagnostic criteria (b)
- Resistance to change
- Very restricted interests that abnormal
- Hyper/hypo-reactivity to sensory input
- Diagnosis
- Observation and psychological testing
- Structural brain features are not currently considered for diagnosis
- Theory of Mind
- The social deficit is proposed to involved impaired ToM
- Evaluated by false belief tasks
- Baron-Cohen linked autistic traits with individual and sex differences in empathy
- The social deficit is proposed to involved impaired ToM
- Treatment
- Anti-psychotic and anti-depressants may produce a reduction in behavioural symptoms
- Haldol is most commonly used anti-psychotic
- Reduces aggression
- Does not improve language and interpersonal relationships
- Has serious side effects
- Haldol is most commonly used anti-psychotic
- Behavioural interventions
- Operant conditioning approaches dominate
- Reinforce to train social behaviour and language use
- Intensive Applied Behaviour Analytic (ABA) therapy produces gains in language, social and cognitive skills
- Produce modest improvement in behaviour, social and academic performance
- Operant conditioning approaches dominate
- Other interventions
- Parent training and education
- Social Skills training
- Sensory integration therapy for sensory problems
- Evidence is limited and not always supported Dawson & Watling 2000
- Anti-psychotic and anti-depressants may produce a reduction in behavioural symptoms
- Theories of Autism
- Biological Theories
- Concordance rate for MZ twins (60-91%) compared with less than 20% for DZ twins
- Larger brain and their regions e.g. frontal, temporal and cerebellar
- Deficient mirror neurons
- Differences in brain activity while imitating facial expressions
- Psychological theories
- Refrigerator mother theory - Kanner 1943
- Bettleheim saw autistic withdrawal as defence against trauma and rejection
- Biological Theories
- DSM Revisions
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