ABSTRACT
In this paper we describe the development and content of Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting for Children with Autism (VIPP-AUTI). VIPP-AUTI is an adapted version of the evidence-based intervention VIPP. The lack of social responsiveness in children with autism often lowers the quality of the parent-child interaction. A wide range of early interventions exist to cope with the disorder. The majority of early interventions for children with autism focus on their deficits of (social) skills, but the number of evidence-based interventions to improve early parent-child interaction patterns is limited. The aim of VIPP-AUTI is to enhance parental sensitivity to children's autistic characteristics, in order to improve child developmental outcome by increased parental support.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder , Feedback, Psychological , Parenting , Video Recording , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Parent-Child Relations , Program Development/methodsABSTRACT
This study explores parental reactions subsequent to receiving their child's autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-diagnosis. Seventy seven parents of recently diagnosed children participated in the Reaction to Diagnosis Interview. Within this group, associations between parental reaction to diagnosis, parental and child characteristics and prediagnostic circumstances were analysed. In a sub-sample, the stability of reaction to diagnosis was examined. The majority of parents were classified as 'resolved' regarding their child's diagnosis. Conversely, parents of children with more severe ASD symptoms or non-Dutch parents were more likely to be classified as 'unresolved'. Sub-sample analysis revealed stability of reaction to ASD-diagnosis. The majority of parents adapted well to the circumstances and the care for their child. Autism severity and parental nationality were significant factors affecting parental reactions. Thus, early identification of parental reaction to children's ASD-diagnosis may aid in providing more tailored parental support programs.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological/physiology , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/diagnosis , Parent-Child Relations , Parents/psychology , Adult , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/psychology , Child, Preschool , Early Diagnosis , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Psychotherapy/methodsABSTRACT
Oxytocin seems associated with parenting style, and experimental work showed positive effects of intranasally administered oxytocin on parenting style of fathers. Here, the first double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject experiment with intranasal oxytocin administration to fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is presented. Fathers with their typically developing toddler (n = 18), and fathers of toddlers diagnosed with ASD (n = 14), were observed in two play sessions of 15 min each with an intervening period of 1 week. In all fathers oxytocin elevated the quality of paternal sensitive play: fathers stimulated their child in a more optimal way, and they showed less hostility which suggests the positive effects of oxytocin on paternal sensitive play irrespective of clinical status of their child.
Subject(s)
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/psychology , Oxytocin/therapeutic use , Parent-Child Relations , Parenting/psychology , Administration, Intranasal , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Double-Blind Method , Fathers/psychology , Humans , Middle Aged , Oxytocin/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Play helps to develop social skills. Children with autism show deviances in their play behavior that may be associated with delays in their social development. In this study, we investigated manipulative, functional and symbolic play behavior of toddlers with and without autism (mean age: 26.45, SD 5.63). The results showed that the quality of interaction between the child and the caregiver was related to the development of play behavior. In particular, security of attachment was related to better play behavior. When the developmental level of the child is taken into account, the attachment relationship of the child with the caregiver at this young age is a better predictor of the level of play behavior than the child's disorder.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/psychology , Object Attachment , Play and Playthings , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Psychomotor Performance , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Joint attention is often referred to as a triadic relation between self, other and object. Young children with autism show deficiencies in the use of joint attention behaviors. Individual differences may be expected, and they may be determined by the children's cognitive development or the characteristics of the relationship of the child with the caregiver. Although most joint attention skills develop under the age of three, most studies of joint attention in children with autism involved children older than 3 years of age, due to difficulties in diagnosing autism under this age. In this study we investigated joint attention behaviors of 78 young children (mean age 25.7 months, SD 6.1) with autism spectrum disorders (n = 20), other developmental delays (n = 18), and typically developing children (n = 40). Following the pertinent literature and confirmed by factor analysis, two types of joint attention behaviors were distinguished, Basic Joint Attention (BJA) and Associated Joint Attention (AJA). We found that cognitive delays and autistic symptoms-but not attachment insecurity or disorganization-were related to less joint attention. Already at the age of 2 years, children with more autistic symptoms show less joint attention, even after controlling for developmental level.
Subject(s)
Attention , Autistic Disorder/epidemiology , Autistic Disorder/psychology , Mother-Child Relations , Object Attachment , Child Behavior/psychology , Child, Preschool , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Comorbidity , Developmental Disabilities/epidemiology , Developmental Disabilities/psychology , Ego , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant Behavior/psychology , Male , Netherlands/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have severe and pervasive impairments in the development of social interaction, which may affect the attachment relationship with their parents and may have an impact on parenting. In the current investigation 89 families with young children (mean age 26.5 months) were involved, who were diagnosed as ASD, mentally retarded (MR), or language delayed (LD), or part of a non-clinical comparison group. Attachment security was observed with the Brief Attachment Screening Questionnaire, and several parental self-report questionnaires assessed the parenting style, parental efficacy, parental experiences of daily hassles, social support, and psychological problems. Children with ASD were rated as less secure compared to the other clinical and normal comparison groups. Parents of non-clinical children reported higher levels of authoritative parenting than parents in the ASD group and in the total clinical group, and they also received less social support. Parents of children with ASD coped remarkably well with the challenges of raising a child with ASD.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/psychology , Object Attachment , Parenting , Adaptation, Psychological , Analysis of Variance , Child, Preschool , Discriminant Analysis , Female , Humans , Infant , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Language Development Disorders/psychology , Male , Netherlands , Parents/psychology , Social SupportABSTRACT
This study on sensitivity and attachment included 55 toddlers and their parents. Samples included children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mental retardation, language delay, and typical development. Children were diagnosed at 4 years of age. Two years before diagnosis, attachment was assessed with the Strange Situation procedure, and parental sensitivity and child involvement during free play were assessed with the Emotional Availability Scale. Parents of children with ASD were equally sensitive as parents of children without ASD, but their children showed more attachment disorganization and less child involvement. More sensitive parents had more secure children, but only in the group without ASD. Less severe autistic symptoms in the social domain predicted more attachment security. Autism challenges the validity of attachment theory.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/psychology , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Language Development Disorders/psychology , Object Attachment , Parenting/psychology , Autistic Disorder/diagnosis , Child, Preschool , Developmental Disabilities/diagnosis , Developmental Disabilities/psychology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infant , Intellectual Disability/diagnosis , Language Development Disorders/diagnosis , Male , Netherlands , Parent-Child Relations , Personality Assessment , Reference Values , Social Environment , SocializationABSTRACT
Attachment was assessed in toddlers with Autistic Disorder (n=20), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (n=14), Mental Retardation (n=12), Language Development Disorder (n=16), and a non-clinical comparison group (n=18), using the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). Children in the clinical groups were more often disorganized and less often securely attached. Severity of autism was associated with more attachment insecurity, and lower developmental level increased the chance for disorganized attachment. Attachment disorganization was related to increased heart rate during the SSP. Controlling for basal cortisol and developmental level, more autistic symptoms predicted lower cortisol responses to the SSP. The findings support the importance of disorganized attachment for children with autism.
