Lack of spontaneous communicative initiations appears to be a consistent problem in individuals with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Fujiki & Brinton, 2009). Spontaneous communication is emitted at a much lower frequency compared to individuals with language impairment and typically developing persons. Deficits of spontaneity in…

The present study examined levels of sense-making in relation to adaptive functioning and autism symptomatology in low-functioning children with autistic disorder. Thirty-six children with autistic disorder and intellectual disability were compared with 27 children with intellectual disability and 33 typically developing children with a comparable…

There is very little known about how sibling characteristics may influence the social functioning of a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study utilized data from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC; n=1355 children with ASD and 1351 siblings) to investigate this relationship. Phenotypic measures included (a) the "Autism…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication and by repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Prior research has revealed executive function (EF) deficits in children with ASD. It has been suggested that these EF impairments are associated with language…

Social interaction is a fundamental problem for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Various types of social skills interventions have been developed and used by clinicians to promote the social interaction in children with ASD. This meta-analysis used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine the effectiveness of peer-mediated and…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have particular difficulty with behavioral flexibility, but the knowledge base on behavioral flexibility in children with a diagnosis of ASD plus intellectual disability (ID) compared to children with ID only is still scarce. The aim of the present study was to assess behavioral flexibility in 111…

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a disorder resembling autism in its problems with social interaction and cognitive flexibility. Today, a number of adults with AS marry and rear children. Yet there has been little research into the quality of their marital and parental relationships. This study explored romantic attachment style, marital satisfaction and…

Deficits in understanding the mental state of others ("mind-reading") have been well documented in individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). However, it is unclear whether this deficit in social cognition differs between the subgroups of PDD defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text…

A deficit in social interaction, along with restricted interests and impaired communication, is one of the core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (American Psychiatric Association--DSM IV-TR, 2002). Also a deficit in empathy has been repeatedly described in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and, more in depth, in their unaffected…

Symptoms of repetitive, obsessive and compulsive behaviour were explored in a group of adolescents and young adults with Asperger syndrome and compared to a typically developing group. By means of self-evaluations and an interview regarding such symptoms with the adolescents and young adults and parental evaluations, the parents retrospectively…

Many treatment programs for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) target social skills, and there is growing attention directed toward the development of specific interventions to improve social skills and social interactions in this population (Hestenes & Carroll, 2000; Strain & Hoyson, 2000). However, there are limited tools…

Although engagement in social interactions is one of the key diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), few studies have examined if social engagement related to physical activity of children with ASD. Age is another variable of interest to researchers studying behaviors, but has not been explored in physical activity and social…

Social referencing, a form of nonverbal communication, involves seeking out discriminative stimuli provided by others about contingencies in an ambiguous context in order to respond in a manner that produces reinforcement. Although demonstrated by typically developing infants, social referencing is notably absent or impaired in individuals with…

Deficits in social skills are characteristic of children with autism. Clinicians often include teaching these skills as part of comprehensive curriculum. One method of developing social skills for children with autism is the teaching interaction procedure. This procedure involves describing the behavior, providing a rational and cues when to use…

Children with autism have deficits in social interaction, including the failure to engage in sharing responses. Four children with autism were taught a sharing response chain. The treatment package (manual guidance, auditory prompts, and contingent access to toy play and social interaction with the recipient instructor) was introduced successively…