RESUMO
The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were used to investigate patterns of adaptive behavior in children with autism who were under 36 months of age. Subjects were 30 children with autism and 30 children with developmental delay matched on CA and MA. Relative to controls, the autistic group demonstrated weaker socialization and communication skills and greater discrepancies between adaptive behavior and MA. Different patterns of relations between adaptive behavior domains and cognitive and language skills were obtained for the two groups. Preliminary support for the utility of adaptive behavior profiles in identifying subgroups of children with autism is provided. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for early diagnosis of autism.
Assuntos
Adaptação Psicológica , Transtorno Autístico/psicologia , Deficiências do Desenvolvimento/psicologia , Ajustamento Social , Análise de Variância , Pré-Escolar , Análise por Conglomerados , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Escalas de Graduação Psiquiátrica/normasRESUMO
The forms, functions, and complexity of nonverbal communication used by very young children with autism were investigated. Fourteen children with autism were matched to 14 children with developmental delays and/or language impairments on the basis of CA, MA, and expressive vocabulary. Subjects participated in a structured communication assessment consisting of 16 situations designed to elicit requesting or commenting behavior. Children with autism requested more often and commented less often than controls. Autistic children were less likely to point, show objects, or use eye gaze to communicate, but were more likely to directly manipulate the examiner's hand. The autistic group also used less complex combinations of behaviors to communicate. Implications for early identification and intervention are discussed.
Assuntos
Transtorno Autístico/diagnóstico , Comunicação não Verbal , Fatores Etários , Atenção , Transtorno Autístico/psicologia , Transtorno Autístico/terapia , Desenvolvimento Infantil , Pré-Escolar , Deficiências do Desenvolvimento/diagnóstico , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Intervenção Educacional Precoce , Fixação Ocular , Gestos , Humanos , Inteligência , Cinésica , Transtornos do Desenvolvimento da Linguagem/diagnóstico , Comportamento VerbalRESUMO
This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Parent Interview for Autism (PIA), a structured interview for gathering diagnostic information from parents of young children with autism. Internal consistency was evaluated in a sample of 165 children under 6 years old, and test-retest reliability and construct validity were evaluated in subsamples of the original group. Results revealed internal consistency and test-retest reliability above .60 for 9 of the 11 dimensions constituting the PIA, as well as significant correlations between the PIA and other measures of autism. Six of the PIA dimensions differentiated a group of young children with autism from a developmentally comparable group with mental retardation. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
