Arousal Tendencies and Individual Differences in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

 描述(由申请人提供)：意义：患有自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)的儿童在核心症状的程度和模式上表现出显著的差异，并伴有高比率的外在行为问题，这些问题可能会加剧功能障碍和阻碍学习。很少有因素被确定为预测ASD儿童行为表型的个体差异。创新：拟议的研究建立在已成功理解患有神经典型发育和其他临床障碍的儿童在外在问题和临床症状方面的个体差异的方法基础上，以阐明ASD儿童表现的异质性。皮肤电活动(EDA)是衡量交感神经系统活动的指标，是无ASD儿童外部性问题的可靠预测指标，并与多种临床疾病的症状表现有关。EDA模式索引了一个人“要么战斗要么逃跑”的反应，这些倾向通常与社会环境相互作用，传递风险并预测广泛的功能。拟议的研究利用了新技术，允许在自然的、互动的环境中测量和模拟长期的EDA，并且适用于发育功能有很大差异的儿童。项目目标：拟议的研究将EDA作为ASD儿童精神病理学和ASD症状外化的预测因子(目标1)，并测试这些关联是否受到社会因素的影响(目标2)。方法：75名6至10岁的自闭症儿童及其主要照顾者将参加实验室访问，父母将完成访谈和问卷调查。EDA的多个指数将在旨在引发特定儿童情绪反应的结构化背景下进行衡量，包括遵守情况和轻微挫折任务。我们预计，儿童的EDA档案将有意义地预测广泛的功能。具体地说，我们假设低EDA唤醒将积极地预测外化精神病理学，包括行为症状和正式障碍，而更高的EDA反应性将与更高水平的ASD症状相关。与强调社会环境对理解EDA和结果之间的联系的重要性的文献一致，我们将测试严厉和支持性的父母教育是否缓和了EDA和临床表现之间的联系。影响：更好地了解儿童唤醒倾向和环境支持之间的相互作用将通过量身定做干预策略来增强长期健康，以减少自闭症儿童的挑战性行为，并促进学习准备。除了对临床科学的贡献外，拟议的研究还将增加和多样化我们指定的拉美裔服务(HSI)机构的本科生和硕士学生的培训机会，为这些学生在生物行为科学领域的职业生涯做好准备。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Significance: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate significant variation in the degree and patterning of core symptomatology as well as high rates of comorbid externalizing behavior problems that can exacerbate impairment in functioning and impede learning. Few factors have been identified as predictive of individual differences in the behavioral phenotype of children with ASD. Innovation: The proposed study builds upon methods that have been successful in understanding individual differences in externalizing problems and clinical symptomatology in children with neurotypical development and other clinical disorders, to elucidate heterogeneity in the presentation of children with ASD. Electrodermal activity (EDA), a measure of sympathetic nervous system activity, is a reliable predictor of externalizing problems in children without ASD, and is related to symptom presentation across multiple clinical disorders. EDA patterns index an individual's "fight or fligh" response, and these tendencies often interact with the social environment to impart risk and to predict broad functioning. The proposed investigation utilizes new technology that allows for the measurement and modeling of long-term EDA during naturalistic, interactive contexts, and is feasible for use among children with considerable variability in developmental functioning. Project Goal: The proposed study examines EDA as a predictor of externalizing psychopathology and ASD symptomatology in children with ASD (Aim 1), and tests whether these associations are moderated by social factors (Aim 2). Approach: Seventy-five children with ASD between the ages of 6 and 10 years, and their primary caregivers, will participate in a laboratory visit, and parents will complete interviews and questionnaires. Multiple indices of EDA will be measured across structured contexts designed to elicit particular child emotional responses, including compliance situations and mild frustration tasks. We expect that children's EDA profiles will meaningfully predict broad functioning. Specifically, we hypothesize that low EDA arousal will positively predict externalizing psychopathology, including behavioral symptoms as well as formal disorder, whereas greater EDA reactivity will be associated with higher levels of ASD symptoms. Consistent with literature highlighting the importance of the social environment to understanding links between EDA and outcomes, we will test whether harsh and supportive parenting moderate the association between EDA and clinical presentation. Impact: Improved understanding of interactions between children's arousal tendencies and environmental supports will enhance long-term health through tailoring of intervention strategies to reduce challenging behaviors and promote learning readiness in children with ASD. In addition to contributions to clinical science, the proposed study will increase and diversify training opportunities for undergraduate and master's-level students at our designated Hispanic- Serving (HSI) Institution, preparing these students for careers in the biobehavioral sciences.