Search results for "High-functioning autism"

Sexuality in autism: hypersexual and paraphilic behavior in women and men with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder

2017

Like nonaffected adults, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) show the entire range of sexual behaviors. However, due to the core symptoms of the disorder spectrum, including deficits in social skills, sensory hypo- and hypersensitivities, and repetitive behaviors, some ASD individuals might develop quantitatively above-average or nonnormative sexual behaviors and interests. After reviewing the relevant literature on sexuality in high-functioning ASD individuals, we present novel findings on the frequency of normal sexual behaviors and those about the assessment of hypersexual and paraphilic fantasies and behaviors in ASD individuals from our own study. Individuals with ASD see…

Lack of institutional support entails disruption in cortisol awakening response in caregivers of people with high-functioning autism.

2013

Several studies have found disruptions in cortisol awakening response in informal caregivers. Institutional support may modulate these effects, and this study analyses how the health of caregivers is affected when institutional support is provided for families of people with high-functioning autism. Self-reported health, depression and cortisol awakening response were analysed in three groups: supported caregivers, non-supported caregivers and non-caregivers. Non-supported caregivers presented higher somatic symptoms and lower cortisol awakening response than the supported caregiver and non-caregiver groups. A high number of somatic symptoms and low functionality of offspring were related …

Using ‘Ambient Intelligence’ for Compensating Intellectual Difficulties of People with Severe Learning Difficulties and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorders

2004

This paper describes a set of services and software created so that what is called ‘ambient intelligence’ would compensate for the ‘intellectual difficulties’ that people from this collective have. Existing concepts and standards of ambient intelligence are strongly reinforced through the use of the exact current user’s position as a key factor to calculate how the ‘digital home’ or any ‘digital environment’ behaves at every moment. This will be obtained using both Wi-Fi personal locators (embedded in necklaces or bracelets) and Wi-Fi communication from the PDA. This mix, together with individual capabilities and preferences, makes the development of a wide range of services possible when c…

Lost in the Social World: How Social Cognitive Deficits Affect Social Functioning of People with Asperger Syndrome

2012

Were we to visualise autism spectrum disorders as a continuum, Asperger syndrome (AS) would be situated at one of its extremes. What appears to determine each individual’s position in this continuum is his or her symptomatology. In the case of AS symptomatology presents itself more discretely. According to Barthelemy (2000), the abovementioned symptomatology can be grouped in three major areas: a) difficulties in development of social interaction; b) difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication; and c) presence of fixated interests, routines or rituals and repetitive behaviours. Being a developmental disorder, symptoms vary according to age. While some features tend to disappear with …

2015

Low prevalence of substance-use disorder has been reported in adults with autism. However, on a superficial level, adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) display a ‘normal’ facade when they drink alcohol, which may explain why their alcohol dependency is not better diagnosed. Here, we report two cases of HFA adults who use alcohol and psychostimulants to cope with their anxiety and improve their cognitive abilities and social skills. We analyze how neurocognitive traits associated with HFA may be potential triggers for substance-use disorder. Better identification of autism and its cognitive impairments, which may be vulnerability traits for developing substance-use disorders, could help…

Sexual Dysfunctions and Their Association with the Dual Control Model of Sexual Response in Men and Women with High-Functioning Autism

2019

Adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, repetitive and stereotyped interests and behaviours as well as hyper- and/or hyposensitivities. These disorder specific symptoms could be associated with the development of sexual disorders. The Dual Control Model of Sexual Response presents one approach that is frequently used to explain the emergence of sexual dysfunctions. The aim of the present study was to assess the extent of symptoms of sexual dysfunctions in men and women with ASD and to evaluate their association with the individual propensity of sexual excitation and inhibition as defined by the Dual Control Mode…

Acquisition of english as a second language by students with Asperger Syndrome: a theoretical approach

2015

Partimos de diferenciar entre el Síndrome de Asperger (SA) y el Autismo de alto funcionamiento (AAF) dentro de los Trastornos del Espectro Autista (TEA) considerando tres características principales: individuos con SA muestran un CI elevado, falta de retraso en la adquisición del lenguaje (AL) y una posible facilidad en la adquisición de segundas lenguas (ASL). Además, tratamos los factores y características –favorables y desfavorables- que los/as estudiantes con SA y su profesorado deben considerar al abordar la ASL del inglés. El estudio contribuye a ofrecer una perspectiva más amplia de las teorías contemporáneas sobre ASL y a proporcionar una base sólida para un futuro estudio de campo …

Social Cognition in Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Associations with Executive…

2017

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social impairments. The first objective of this study was to analyze social cognition deficits of children with ADHD, high-functioning ASD (HFASD), and typical development (TD) in their performance on explicit and applied measures of theory of mind (ToM). The second objective was to investigate the relationships between executive functions and social cognition in HFASD and ADHD. One hundred and twenty-six 7- to 11-year old children, 52 with HFASD, 35 with ADHD, and 39 with TD, performed the NEPSY-II social perception subtests. Parents estimated their children’…

Abnormal Linguistic Lateralization and Sensory Processing in High Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions

2014

Brain lateralization for language in high-functioning children with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and sensory processing were explored as a part of a neuropsychological profile. A dichotic listening test and the Luria laterality subtest were administered to all participants (including controls) and the sensory profile test only to the ASC group. The usual right ear advantage was not exhibited by children with ASC and anomalies in auditory filtering were found. The sensory profile of 60% of the sample was characterized by hypersensitivity to auditory stimuli, hyposensitivity to vestibular information, high emotional reactions to sensory experiences, poor psychosocial coping strategies, hi…

Narratives of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis

2016

Abstract Background The aim of this meta-analysis was to analyze the narrative performance of children and adolescents with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in terms of microstructure, macrostructure and internal state language. Method A systematic literature search yielded 24 studies that met the predetermined inclusion criteria. Effect sizes for each study were calculated for eight variables and analyzed using a random effects model. Intellectual ability, age and type of narrative were considered as potential moderators. Results Results revealed that the children with ASD performed significantly worse than their peers on all the variables considered. Conclusions Findings a…