Psych 373 — Exam 2 (Complete Through Oct 27)

What two symptom domains define ASD?

Social communication/interaction differences AND restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior/interests/activities.

How many social-communication criteria must be met for ASD?

All three DSM-5-TR social communication/interaction criteria.

Name the three DSM social-communication domains in ASD.

• Social-emotional reciprocity

• Trouble Understanding AND/OR using nonverbal social communication

• Developing/maintaining/understanding relationships.

What is impaired social-emotional reciprocity?

Difficulty with back-and-forth interaction, shared interest or affect, or initiating/responding socially.

What are examples of nonverbal communication differences in ASD?

Differences in eye contact, gesture/body language, facial expression, or integration of verbal and nonverbal cues.

What counts as difficulty with relationships in ASD?

Problems adjusting behavior to social settings, making friends, or engaging in imaginative peer play.

How many restricted/repetitive features are needed for ASD?

At least 2 of 4 DSM-5-TR features.

Name all four restricted/repetitive ASD features.

• Repetitive motor/object use/speech

• Sameness/routines

• Intense fixated interests

• Unusual sensory reactivity/interests.

ASD: give examples of stereotyped/repetitive movements or speech.

Rocking, hand flapping, lining objects up, echolalia, or repeated phrases.

ASD: what illustrates insistence on sameness?

Distress over minor changes, rigid rituals, a fixed route, or rigid food routines.

ASD: what defines a fixated interest as diagnostic?

Its unusually intense focus or narrowness—not simply having a hobby.

ASD: what does hyper- versus hyporeactivity mean?

Unusually strong versus unusually weak response to sensory input, or unusually intense sensory interests.

When must ASD symptoms begin?

In the early developmental period; they may become obvious later or be masked by learned strategies.

What impairment criterion is required for ASD diagnosis?

Clinically significant impact on functioning (e.g., social, school/work, or other important areas).

When can someone be diagnosed with both ASD and intellectual disability (ID)?

When their social communication is more impaired than expected for their overall developmental level, and they meet the other ASD criteria

Are the two ASD domains assigned one shared severity rating?

No. DSM-5-TR rates social-communication impairment and restricted/repetitive behaviors separately.

• EX: can be level 1 for social-communication but level 2 for repetitive/restricted

What do ASD severity levels 1, 2, and 3 indicate?

Requires support; substantial support; very substantial support, respectively.

What common ASD specifiers concern cognition and language?

With or without accompanying intellectual impairment; with or without accompanying language impairment.

How is social (pragmatic) communication disorder distinguished from ASD?

Social communication difficulties without the restricted/repetitive behavior domain required for ASD.

What happened to prior autism diagnoses in DSM-5?

Autistic disorder, Asperger’s, and PDD-NOS were consolidated under the ASD spectrum diagnosis.

Why did the professor say DSM-5 merged Asperger’s and mild autism?

Research could not reliably separate those diagnoses, and a common ASD diagnosis could improve access to benefits/services.

What controversy followed removal of the Asperger’s label?

Some people valued the label as part of their identity and opposed its elimination.

What does “spectrum” mean in ASD?

People differ widely in strengths, needs, speech, intellect, sensory responses, and intensity/combinations of symptoms.

Jenny (age 7): which ASD features did her lecture case illustrate?

Early unresponsiveness, no speech/eye contact, rocking and repetitive movements, and marked support needs.

Robert: how did his ASD presentation contrast with Jenny’s?

Excellent language/high verbal IQ but marked difficulty reading social cues, reciprocal conversation, and friendships.

Robert: what were his two IQ scores in lecture?

Verbal IQ 150; performance IQ 116.

Ben (age 16): what did bullying reveal about autistic emotions?

After his only friend joined bullying, he developed depression and school refusal; social hurt was very real.

Steven (age 9): what made his wasp interest impairing?

He pursued and discussed wasps constantly and missed cues that others were bored, impairing friendships.

Angelica vs Denzel: what was the textbook’s key ASD lesson?

Both met ASD criteria despite major differences in intellectual ability, language, and developmental patterns.

What is joint attention?

Coordinating attention with another person toward the same object/event for shared interest.

Protoimperative vs protodeclarative gestures?

Protoimperative: Using a gesture to request an object or get an adult to do something (obtain something)

Protodeclarative: Using a gesture to draw someone's attention to an object or event simply to share an experience (joint attention)

What does echolalia mean?

Repeating another person’s words or phrases, immediately or after a delay.

What is pronoun reversal?

Using a pronoun in the wrong perspective, such as repeating “you” when meaning “I.”

What are pragmatic-language difficulties?

Difficulty using language appropriately in social context, beyond vocabulary or grammar alone.

• Like missing cues if people are bored even though the child with ASD can talk well

How should the “autistic people do not form attachments” claim be treated?

As false; relationships occur, though expressions of attachment may look different.

What secure-attachment rates did the professor cite?

About 50% of autistic toddlers versus about 63% of nonautistic comparison toddlers.

Why can an autistic child’s attachment be missed by observers?

They may seek proximity or display distress differently from neurotypical children.

What is the significance of Temple Grandin deliberately learning social rules?

She described using explicit memory/reasoning for social cues that others may infer more automatically

• She has ASD and maybe consciously worked to learn that you take turns in convos

ASD prevalence: what US figure did the professor emphasize?

About 1 in 31 children (approximately 2–3%). Lecture estimate takes priority for this exam.

What different ASD prevalence estimate did the textbook give?

About 1 in 36 children; do not conflate with the professor’s 1 in 31.

What noncausal factors help explain increased ASD identification?

• Broader criteria

• Greater awareness

• Improved recognition/screening

• Access to diagnosis.

ASD sex ratio emphasized in lecture?

About 4 boys diagnosed for every 1 girl.

Why may ASD be underidentified in girls?

Presentation differences, masking/camouflaging, and criteria historically developed around boys.

What are the two common developmental onset patterns of ASD?

• Early-emerging differences in infancy (early-onset or gradual-onset)

• Regression/loss of previously attained skills in early childhood.

In lecture, about what fraction experienced ASD regression?

About 24%, often involving loss of acquired skills during the first 3 years.

Name four possible early ASD signs in the first year.

• ‘‘ Reduced ‘‘ eye contact

• ‘‘ Response to voice/name

• ‘‘ Social smiles/laughter

• ‘‘ Shared attention.

When can early ASD differences commonly be detected?

Often during roughly 6–24 months; many families notice issues before formal diagnosis.

Is ASD progressive/degenerative in the way COS can be?

No. ASD is lifelong and developmental but is not described as a degenerative disease.

What independent-living estimate did the lecturer give for autistic adults?

Only about one-third achieve fully independent living in the outcome figures she cited.

What two childhood characteristics predict better adult outcomes in ASD?

• IQ greater than 70

• Communicative speech by age 5.

What percentage of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) also have an intellectual disability (ID)?

Approximately 30–50% with co-occurring intellectual disability.

How does that ID figure compare with the textbook’s older estimate?

The textbook describes older estimates near 70% but newer, lower estimates; use lecture 30–50% for exam.

What no-communicative-speech estimate did the professor cite?

About 20–30% do not develop communicative speech.

Why can ASD intelligence testing be challenging?

Speech, imitation, and communication differences may distort standard test performance.

What is theory of mind (ToM)?

Understanding that other people have their own beliefs, desires, intentions, and knowledge.

What is the “mind-blindness” account of ASD?

Proposed difficulty attributing others’ mental states and separating others’ knowledge from one’s own.

How many autistic children did the professor say fail simple first-order false-belief tasks?

At least 50% in studies discussed; not all autistic children fail (not universal)

• EX: The sally/ann hiding marble experiment (just example of that type of task)

Sally–Anne: where should Sally look on return, and why?

In her basket, because she did not see the move and retains a false belief.

What incorrect Sally–Anne answer reflects difficulty with false belief?

“The box”—responding with the true location rather than Sally’s belief.

At about what age do most typically developing children pass Sally–Anne?

About age 4, according to the class/textbook example.

Why was the false-photograph task compared with Sally–Anne?

It has similar memory/logic demands but no need to infer another person’s belief.

What did better ASD performance on the false-photograph task suggest?

The problem may relate more to representing mental perspectives than general task logic alone.

Why should ToM difficulty not be considered universal or unique to ASD?

Some autistic children pass; other clinical groups can also experience social-cognitive difficulties.

Which executive functions did ASD Part 2 lecture especially emphasize?

Working memory and inhibitory control.

What is weak central coherence in the ASD textbook account?

An information-processing tendency to prioritize parts/details over overall context or global meaning.

• Like reading a story and remembering one small detail but not being able to summarize the chapter

What does the Embedded Figures Test help illustrate?

Finding a small shape hidden in a complex design, reflecting detail-focused processing.

Which medical issues co-occur with ASD in Chapter 6?

Seizures, sleep difficulties, gastrointestinal symptoms, feeding problems, and other conditions.

What seizure prevalence is cited for ASD in the textbook?

Around 25% of autistic people in the cited studies.

What did the textbook say about co-occurring disorders in ASD?

Co-occurrence is common; it cited over 90% with at least one and up to 50% with four or more.

Is ASD best explained by one gene or one environment exposure?

No. It is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition with multiple interacting influences.

Twin concordance figures shown on ASD Part 2 slides?

Monozygotic (identical) twins 64–91% versus dizygotic (fraternal) twins 0–5% in the cited review.

What do higher monozygotic than dizygotic concordance rates support?

A strong genetic contribution, not complete genetic determination.

What does polygenic mean in ASD?

Many genes/variants contribute rather than one universal ASD gene.

What is the broader autism phenotype (BAP)?

Milder autism-related traits (e.g., social, communication, or cognitive differences) found in relatives of autistic individuals who may not meet the criteria for ASD.

At what early ages did the lecture discuss atypical brain overgrowth?

Approximately ages 1.5–5 years.

What general brain-network problem did the professor stress in ASD?

Altered connectivity/communication between regions rather than one defective brain location.

Gotts et al. (2012): how many ASD participants and controls?

31 autistic individuals and 29 age-matched controls (non-autistic) in the lecture example.

What did Gotts et al. (2012) find, according to lecture?

Reduced resting-state connectivity across areas linked with social function.

What do class slides and the textbook say about MMR vaccines and ASD?

No scientific evidence of a causal relationship between MMR vaccination and ASD.

What is the primary goal of ASD supports and services?

Maximize development, autonomy/quality of life, adaptive functioning, and family support—not erase autistic identity.

What should an individualized behavioral assessment identify before creating a treatment plan?

Behavioral deficits, behavioral excesses, strengths, and likely functions of challenging behaviors.

What is shaping in ASD intervention?

Behavioral technique where you teach someone a new skill by rewarding small steps toward the final behavior, rather than expecting them to do it perfectly right away.

What speech-shaping progression did the professor illustrate?

Sound (like humming)→ speech sound (like “b”)→ word → phrase → sentence.

• Reward after every milestone, not after the whole process is completed (shaping)

What is generalization of an intervention skill?

Using a learned skill outside training, including home, school, and everyday social settings.

Why is parent training important in ASD intervention?

Supports practice, consistency, skill generalization, and family ability to respond adaptively.

When should ASD intervention begin?

As early as ASD is seriously suspected; early development offers opportunities for adaptation.

What gap in ASD intervention hours did the professor highlight?

She contrasted a recommendation of at least 25 hours per week with an estimate of only about 1.5 hours actually received, illustrating limited access to services.

Name five additional features of effective ASD educational programs.

• Individualized goals

• Low student–teacher ratio

• Family participation

• Peer opportunities

• Continuous monitoring/generalization.

What does “least restrictive environment” mean in ASD education?

School placement that supports inclusion and needs without unnecessary segregation.

How did the textbook characterize ABA-derived approaches?

May improve adaptive skills when individualized, but goals and practices are debated, especially harmful suppression/masking.

What is the ethical concern about suppressing harmless stimming?

It may remove useful sensory self-regulation simply to make behavior appear neurotypical.

What are appropriate priorities when managing behavioral excesses?

Address self-injury or harmful behavior and teach functional alternatives, rather than suppressing harmless difference.

What can speech-generating devices do in ASD intervention?

Provide alternative or augmentative ways to communicate needs, choices, or social messages.

What role do medications play in ASD treatment?

They may target co-occurring symptoms (e.g., irritability), but do not remove core ASD characteristics.

What is the main caution about ASD treatments labeled “cures”?

Many lack strong evidence and can be ineffective or harmful; assess claims against research and individual needs.

ASD: what are the historical DSM-IV categories merged into DSM-5 ASD?

Autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, and PDD-NOS; prior autism-related groupings also included childhood disintegrative disorder.

ASD: why were DSM-IV autism categories combined in DSM-5?

Poor reliable separation of mild autism/Asperger diagnoses; spectrum approach better reflects heterogeneity and can improve service access.

ASD: what is the difference between IQ and adaptive functioning?

IQ measures cognitive performance; adaptive functioning means everyday practical, communication, and social independence; they can differ.

ASD: why is joint attention relevant to early social development?

It means coordinating attention with another person toward an object/event, supporting shared interest and language/social learning.