Matching Items (14)
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- All Subjects: Autism
- All Subjects: PTSD
- Creators: Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics
- Creators: Azuma, Tamiko
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
Description
The purpose of this project was to research the expression of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and create a children’s book that can help the peers of individuals with a diagnosis to understand what the disorder entails and potentially gain a new sense of empathy for peers of all levels of physical and mental abilities. The research component includes interviews with individuals deemed knowledgeable about ASD, including occupational therapists, behavioral analysts, and parents, as well as a literature review of research studies on the expression of Autism in children. This written portion of the project may also serve as a manual for individuals who have little to no knowledge of ASD, as it dives deeper into the content of the book and research, while remaining easily understandable and clear to those without any prior knowledge or experience with ASD. It could prove especially useful for those in professions that come into contact with individuals with Autism, but do not necessarily require psychology courses or training as a prerequisite for the role, such as teachers and some health professionals.
ContributorsSigna, Hope (Author) / Nelson, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Spinrad, Tracy (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
This research paper covers many topics related to autism, including causes, treatment, DSM changes, and more. It is a review of current literature and journals and aims to give the audience a better understanding of the disorders and to discuss the changes in diagnostic criteria and prevalence of ASD.
ContributorsPeters, Emily Morgan (Author) / Stenhoff, Donald (Thesis director) / Hahs, Adam (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event, and it can cause affected individuals to relive the associated event through flashbacks or nightmares. This project centers around the prevalence of PTSD in parents of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Past research has shown that these parents are at increased risk of developing traumatic stress symptoms, with affliction rates as high as 53% in mothers and 33% in fathers (Hua et al., 2018). With this statistic as a catalyst, the present text has a variety of aims, all hinging on the goal of easing the NICU journey for parents. This thesis explores the different types of therapy used in the treatment of traumatic stress, with a focus on trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as these were shown to be the most effective in past research. A compilation of resources was also gathered that can now be distributed to NICU parents, including information on PTSD, how to access a therapist, and other helpful articles. An additional component of this project included the administration of a survey to NICU parents to gain a better understanding of their stress levels, what resources were most helpful to them, what barriers limited their ability to seek help, and their thoughts on a text-messaging resource service. Institutional IRB approval was received for this survey. The survey indicated that parents were very stressed when admitted to the NICU, but their stress levels tend to decrease over time. Parents also faced a variety of barriers, with the need to return to work or maintain a busy schedule being the most pervasive. Additionally, an analysis was completed on federal legislation relating to healthcare and the NICU experience. Furthermore, special considerations for limited English proficient (LEP) families were also considered. The paper concludes with steps that should be taken, in both research and action, to improve on the NICU experience for at-risk parents. The implementation of a text-messaging resource service for NICU parents was desired by survey respondents and is a recommended next step. Changes in policy surrounding insurance reform and longer, paid family leave would also be beneficial. Training of NICU staff on how to provide resources and communicate sensitively and effectively with parents is also crucial if the current situation is to be improved. There are definitive steps that should be taken immediately to ease the journey and provide comfort for NICU parents.
ContributorsBryant, Tyler (Co-author) / Beck, Kelsey (Co-author) / Puruhito, Krista (Thesis director) / Visconti, Kari (Committee member) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Token economies are a type of behavioral reinforcement that are particularly useful in classroom settings for increasing student compliance, for both typically developing children and children with autism spectrum disorder. During this study, we implemented a token economy in an inclusive preschool classroom with tokens contingent on compliance to classroom rules. Three participants, two with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and one considered typically developing, were included in the study. Results indicated that levels of compliance increased for both the typically developing participant and participants with autism, and did not drop below baseline levels during the withdrawal phase, suggesting there was no lack of intrinsic motivation. Further, the typically developing participant and one of the participants with autism spectrum disorder had very similar levels of compliance, while the other participant had much higher levels of compliance throughout every phase, suggesting that the compliance levels for peers with more advanced repertoires with autism may differ from both typically developing peers and peers who have less developed repertoires. The implications of these results are discussed as they relate to compliance from an ABA perspective.
ContributorsEggen, Kelly (Author) / Hahs, Adam (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly have co-morbid psychiatric symptoms which can decrease quality of life. Although many adults with ASD are achieving greater independence, including attending college, psychiatric symptoms are generally not well controlled in this group. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program that has successfully been used to reduce the stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms in many clinical and non-clinical groups and may also be effective for college-aged students with ASD. The present investigation assessed the demand, practicality, implementation, adaptation, and acceptability of an MBSR course for college students with ASD. A total of 22 participants completed the questionnaire containing 53 questions and were between the ages of 18 to 64. We found that the MBSR therapy is in high demand for individuals with ASD, and that the participants would be willingly complete the intervention techniques. Participants generally stated that a therapy course like MBSR may help reduce their symptoms, and that they were eager to enroll. Participants were willing to attend all 8 classes during the summer, with a preference for afternoons. Also, modifications including yoga and background music would be accepted by each participant as well as any additional modifications made to the course to meet the needs of the individuals with ASD. Next steps include enrolling and randomizing students into the MBSR course or control group, as well as collect pre- and post-intervention data. We hypothesize MBSR will reduce the psychiatric symptoms and stress levels of individuals in college with ASD, demonstrating its effectiveness in this vulnerable population.
ContributorsJones, Rachel Michelle (Author) / Braden, Blair (Thesis director) / Baxter, Leslie (Committee member) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Speech and Hearing Science (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The current study investigated whether intermittent restraint stress (IRS) would impair fear extinction learning and lead to increased anxiety and depressive- like behaviors and then be attenuated when IRS ends and a post- stress rest period ensues for 6 weeks. Young adult, male Sprague Dawley rats underwent restraint stress using wire mesh (6hr/daily) for five days with two days off before restraint resumed for three weeks for a total of 23 restraint days. The groups consisted of control (CON) with no restraint other than food and water restriction yoked to the restrained groups, stress immediate (STR-IMM), which were restrained then fear conditioned soon after the end of the IRS paradigm, and stress given a rest for 6 weeks before fear conditioning commenced (STR-R6). Rats were fear conditioned by pairing a 20 second tone with a footshock, then given extinction training for two days (15 tone only on each day). On the first day of extinction, all groups discriminated well on the first trial, but then as trials progressed, STR-R6 discriminated between tone and context less than did CON. On the second day of extinction, STR- IMM froze more to context in the earlier trials than compared to STR-R6 and CON. As trials progressed STR-IMM and STR-R6 froze more to context than compared to CON. Together, CON discriminated between tone and context better than did STR-IMM and STR-R6. Sucrose preference, novelty suppressed feeding, and elevated plus maze was performed after fear extinction was completed. No statistical differences were observed among groups for sucrose preference or novelty suppressed feeding. For the elevated plus maze, STR-IMM entered the open arms and the sum of both open and closed arms fewer than did STR- R6 and CON. We interpret the findings to suggest that the stress groups displayed increased hypervigilance and anxiety with STR-R6 exhibiting a unique phenotype than that of STR-IMM and CON.
ContributorsShah, Vrishti Bimal (Author) / Conrad, Cheryl (Thesis director) / Newbern, Jason (Committee member) / Judd, Jessica (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
An increasing number of military veterans are enrolling in college, primarily due to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides educational benefits to veterans who served on active duty since September 11, 2001. With rigorous training, active combat situations, and exposure to unexpected situations, the veteran population is at a higher risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and depression. All of these conditions are associated with cognitive consequences, including attention deficits, working memory problems, and episodic memory impairments. Some conditions, particularly mild TBI, are not diagnosed or treated until long after the injury when the person realizes they have cognitive difficulties. Even mild cognitive problems can hinder learning in an academic setting, but there is little data on the frequency and severity of cognitive deficits in veteran college students. The current study examines self-reported cognitive symptoms in veteran students compared to civilian students and how those symptoms relate to service-related conditions. A better understanding of the pattern of self-reported symptoms will help researchers and clinicians determine the veterans who are at higher risk for cognitive and academic difficulties.
ContributorsAllen, Kelly Anne (Author) / Azuma, Tamiko (Thesis director) / Gallagher, Karen (Committee member) / Department of Speech and Hearing Science (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Autism shows a pronounced and replicable sex bias with approximately three-to-four males diagnosed for every one female. Sex-related biology is thought to play a role in the sex bias, such that female biology may be protective and/or male biology may increase vulnerability to autism in the context of similar genetic risk. Beyond etiology, sex-related biology has also been implicated in lifespan risk for health and psychiatric conditions that show common co-morbidity in autism. Thus, understanding how sex-related biology impacts autism etiology and progression has important implications for prognosis and treatment. Neuroimaging offers a powerful tool for in-vivo characterization of brain-based sex differences in autism, especially given emerging efforts to develop large, well-characterized longitudinal samples. To date, however, neuroimaging studies have shown mixed and inconsistent findings, which remain challenging to integrate in the broader literature context. In a recent systematic review of neuroimaging studies of typical sex differences, few to no replicable effects were found beyond brain size, suggesting the brain is not “sexually dimorphic.” Instead, it is argued that the brain is a “mosaic” of features from various sources, including masculine and feminine biological processes as well as individual genetics and environment. Thus, designing neuroimaging studies that are sensitive to brain-based sex differences in autism likely requires careful study design and analytical method selection. Through a series of studies, the overarching dissertation aim was to identify optimal methods for characterizing neuroimaging-based sex differences in autism and to test these methods in preliminary samples. Study 1 comprised a systematic review of studies examining neuroimaging-based sex differences in autism with the aim of identifying optimal study designs, neuroimaging modalities, and analytical methods. Study 2 focused on examining the sensitivity of a connectome-wide approach to identify functional connectivity hubs underlying sex-biased behavior associated with autism (e.g., camouflaging). Study 3 used a connectome-wide functional connectivity approach to characterize sex differences in longitudinal changes associated with autistic traits vs. categorical diagnosis. These studies suggest that optimizing study design and methods improves identification of biologically plausible and clinically meaningful brain sex differences in autism. The relevance of findings to etiology and prognosis are discussed.
ContributorsWalsh, Melissa (Author) / Braden, B. Blair (Thesis advisor) / Azuma, Tamiko (Committee member) / Rogalsky, Corianne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that not only affects communication and behavior with often co-occurring gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as constipation and diarrhea. Recent studies have shown that many GI and behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD are linked to dysregulated immune systems and altered gut microbiomes (bacteria and fungi). In fungal microbiota, a common GI commensal and opportunistic pathogen, Candida, has been found in higher abundance in children with ASD. Few studies have investigated total IgA and IgG levels in both blood and feces of ASD individuals with relatively mixed findings, showing either significantly higher or lower IgG and IgA abundance in ASD vs. TD (typically developing) individuals. Mixed results are likely due to a lack of a standardized method of immunoglobulin (Ig) quantification. In this study, we attempt to standardize an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) procedure to measure total IgA, total IgG, and anti-Candida albicans IgA and IgG levels in fecal samples of adults with ASD. Measuring Ig levels can reflect altered gut microbiota, GI tract, and immune status in ASD and potentially characterize Ig as a biomarker for ASD. Although we were unable to successfully standardize an Ig ELISA quantification method, SDS-PAGE confirmed the presence of IgA in fecal Ig extracts. Based on our ELISA results, we suspect that dilution factors of fecal Ig extracts need to be modified further to detect the IgA within the detection range. The experimental methodology in this study can be used as a reference to develop and improve a full-proof method of quantifying immunoglobulin from ASD fecal samples, which will help to reveal immune status in ASD.
ContributorsCampos, Nicole (Author) / Marwah, Mira (Co-author) / Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa (Thesis director) / Nirmalkar, Khemlal (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The emotional enhancement of memory (EEM) has consistently suggested that memory performance is enhanced for positively and negatively valenced stimuli. Heightened arousal and activation of the noradrenergic system facilitates encoding and the formation of memory traces. However, this EEM can become maladaptive when coupled with the heightened noradrenergic activity associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This heightened noradrenergic response can result in chronic intrusive memories of past traumatic events. This study aims to explore overall recall, retrieval dynamics, output editing, and intrusions as a function of emotional content and prior history with traumatic experiences. Undergraduate students (N=249) from Arizona State University completed a battery surveys measuring PTSD symptomatology and other related constructs including anxiety, depression, and trauma. Participants then completed a memory task, an externalized free recall task for multiple study-blocks utilizing word list stimuli. During recall, participants were instructed to report every word that came to mind regardless of whether it was present or not in the most recent study-block, then make a judgment about recent-list membership. Main effects of valence were found for recall accuracy, intrusion generation, and successful editing. This suggests that the emotional enhancement of memory does in fact play a role in intrusion generation and the ability to edit out false recollections. Only depression levels resulted in a significant interaction effect with valence, specifically when measuring intrusion generation. This suggests that trauma level does not play a significant role in emotional intrusion memory.
ContributorsDziendziel, Hailey K (Author) / Brewer, Gene A (Thesis advisor) / Azuma, Tamiko (Committee member) / Lewis, Candace (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023