AutismLovaas movieFounder of Behavior Therapy for AutismTeaches her to sit, given food as a rewardDon’t give in to her temper tantrum (the tantrums decrease)Kissing is a good reinforcerReinforcement learning  Behaviorism (Skinner); a link to earlier this semesterCNN VideoA Different PerspectiveAutismAtypical behavior (different, no judgment)Spectrum (behavior lies along a spectrum, some have strong language skills, some non communicative)Disorder or difference?NeurodiversityAutism: 3 main areas of challengeCommunicationSocial interactionRepetitive or constrained interestsAutism: Social InteractionNonverbal communication (e.g., gaze aversion)Don’t tend to like eye contactSee it at a young agePeer interactionsJoint attentionNot attending to eye gazeEmotional reciprocityPicking up on someone else’s emotion and responding to themRelated DifficultiesLess likely to play with peers (prefer adults)Adults are more predictable, less noisy and in your faceInteractions less social, more about their own needsLess responsive to others’ distressLess empathic responding, egocentric behavior past Piaget’s theoryPoor performance on theory of mind tasksCompetence vs. performance?Autism: Language/ Communication25-50% nonverbalSignificant delaysFirst words: 24 monthsFirst phrases: 36-48 monthsSlower to recognize known wordsNot just motor challengesWeak conversational skills (pragmatics)Unusual speechFlat, quiet or loud (relates to the egocentric idea)EcholaliaEchoing speech, child repeats what they heard in a way that’s not meaningful (echoing sounds that they just heard)Autism: Repetitive, formulaic interests & activitiesResist change, prefer routines/ritualsHighly specialized interests, sometimes in unusual topicsPreoccupation with “irrelevant” parts of toys (how things look, feel)“Stimming” (flapping, whole-body movements)Austims: Prevalence2010: 1/68 children carry Autism diagnosisBoys 5x > Girls1 in 42 boys120% increase since 2002Higher rates of diagnosis in high SES groups (likely speaks to availability to health care)1/63 white1/81 black1/93 HispanicActual change in incidence?Possible factors:Better diagnosisDiagnosed youngerIncreased awarenessRecognition of milder forms (broader definition)Pressure to diagnose to access servicesAutism as a Spectrum3 subtypes of Autism diagnosisAspergers syndrome“Classic” AutismPervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD/NOS)Big catch-all, on the spectrum but not AutisticAspergers: Communication relatively intact, challenges in social interaction, focused interestsDiagnosisAutism is one of the most robust DSM-IV diagnosesSensitivity of .82Probability of positive diagnosis, given the disorderSpecificity of .87Probability of a negative diagnosis, given no disorder20% of people currently diagnosed with Autism wouldn’t be considered basked on the new criteria in the DSM-VEarly Intensive Intervention requires early diagnosisPreliminary screening to maximize coverageIntensive evaluation for children who fail screenerAutism Diagnostic Interview (parent)Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (child)EtiologyMultiple causes…Genetic factors (to some extent): MZ > DZMany candidate genes (>100)Not vaccinations!!Original paper retracted, fraud allegations proved (financial gain)Numerous demonstrations of no effectsInterventionsMedication not helpful for core symptomsApplied Behavior Analysis (ABA): LovaasIssues about sampling and bias in original studiesSocial approach: FloortimePlay based, in child’s comfort zoneChild Psychology 560: Atypical Development (2) 03/04/2014Autism -Lovaas movieoFounder of Behavior Therapy for Autism oTeaches her to sit, given food as a rewardoDon’t give in to her temper tantrum (the tantrums decrease)oKissing is a good reinforceroReinforcement learning  Behaviorism (Skinner); a link to earlier this semester-CNN VideooA Different Perspective Autism-Atypical behavior (different, no judgment)-Spectrum (behavior lies along a spectrum, some have strong language skills, some non communicative)-Disorder or difference?-Neurodiversity Autism: 3 main areas of challenge-Communication -Social interaction-Repetitive or constrained interests Autism: Social Interaction-Nonverbal communication (e.g., gaze aversion)oDon’t tend to like eye contactoSee it at a young age-Peer interactions-Joint attentionoNot attending to eye gaze-Emotional reciprocityoPicking up on someone else’s emotion and responding to them -Related DifficultiesoLess likely to play with peers (prefer adults)Adults are more predictable, less noisy and in your face oInteractions less social, more about their own needsoLess responsive to others’ distressLess empathic responding, egocentric behavior past Piaget’s theoryoPoor performance on theory of mind tasksCompetence vs. performance? Autism: Language/ Communication -25-50% nonverbal -Significant delaysoFirst words: 24 monthsoFirst phrases: 36-48 months -Slower to recognize known wordsoNot just motor challenges-Weak conversational skills (pragmatics)-Unusual speech oFlat, quiet or loud (relates to the egocentric idea)-Echolalia oEchoing speech, child repeats what they heard in a way that’s not meaningful (echoing sounds that they just heard) Autism: Repetitive, formulaic interests & activities-Resist change, prefer routines/rituals-Highly specialized interests, sometimes in unusual topics -Preoccupation with “irrelevant” parts of toys (how things look, feel)-“Stimming” (flapping, whole-body movements) Austims: Prevalence-2010: 1/68 children carry Autism diagnosis-Boys 5x > Girlso1 in 42 boys-120% increase since 2002-Higher rates of diagnosis in high SES groups (likely speaks to availability to health care)o1/63 whiteo1/81 black o1/93 Hispanic -Actual change in incidence?oPossible factors:Better diagnosisDiagnosed youngerIncreased awareness Recognition of milder forms (broader definition)Pressure to diagnose to access services Autism as a Spectrum -3 subtypes of Autism diagnosisoAspergers syndromeo“Classic” Autism oPervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD/NOS)Big catch-all, on the spectrum but not Autistic-Aspergers: Communication relatively intact, challenges in social interaction, focused interests Diagnosis-Autism is one of the most robust DSM-IV diagnoses-Sensitivity of .82 oProbability of positive diagnosis, given the