Arousal Tendencies and Individual Differences in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

 描述（由申请人提供）：重要性：自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童表现出核心行为学的程度和模式的显著变化，以及高比例的共病外化行为问题，这些问题可能加剧功能障碍并阻碍学习。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经成功地理解神经典型发育和其他临床疾病儿童外化问题和临床表现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）是交感神经系统活动的一种测量方法，是无ASD儿童外化问题的可靠预测因子，与多种临床疾病的症状表现有关。EDA模式索引个人的“战斗或逃跑”的反应，这些倾向往往与社会环境相互作用，赋予风险和预测广泛的功能。拟议的调查利用新技术，允许测量和建模的长期EDA在自然的，互动的背景下，是可行的，用于儿童之间的发展功能有相当大的变化。项目目标：拟议的研究探讨EDA作为预测外化的心理病理学和ASD的自闭症儿童（目的1），并测试这些协会是否由社会因素（目的2）调节。方法：75名6至10岁的ASD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的多个指标将在结构化的背景下进行测量，旨在引起特定的儿童情绪反应，包括遵守情况和轻微的挫折任务。我们希望儿童的EDA配置文件将有意义地预测广泛的功能。具体来说，我们假设低EDA唤醒将积极预测外化的精神病理学，包括行为症状以及正式的障碍，而更大的EDA反应将与更高水平的ASD症状。与强调社会环境对理解EDA和结果之间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是否会调节EDA和临床表现之间的关联。影响：提高对儿童觉醒倾向和环境支持之间相互作用的理解，将通过定制干预策略来减少ASD儿童的挑战性行为并促进学习准备，从而增强长期健康。除了对临床科学的贡献，拟议的研究将增加和多样化的培训机会，本科和硕士水平的学生在我们指定的西班牙裔服务（HSI）机构，准备这些学生在生物行为科学的职业生涯。

 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.