E3: Autism

Q: What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

A: A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors or interests, varying widely in severity and presentation.

Q: What is nosology?

A: The classification or categorization of diseases and disorders, such as how conditions like Autism are defined in systems like the DSM.

Q: What changes happened with DSM-5 about Autism? How did the criteria change?

A: DSM-5 combined previously separate diagnoses (Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s, etc.) into one category: Autism Spectrum Disorder. It reduced the domains from three (social, communication, behavior) to two (social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors).

Q: What are the DSM-5 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder?

A:

1. Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction.

2. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

3. Symptoms present in early developmental period.

4. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment.

5. Not better explained by intellectual disability or global developmental delay.

What are the core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder?

SRS: social, repetitive, sensory

Q: How is Autism a heterogeneous disorder?

A: Symptoms, abilities, and challenges vary widely among individuals — no single “type” of Autism exists.

 What is prevalence vs. incidence? 

• Prevalence = all existing cases (snapshot)

• Incidence = new cases (rate over time)

Q: Why is there an increasing prevalence of Autism?

A: Broader diagnostic criteria, greater awareness, better screening, and improved access to evaluation — not an actual epidemic.

What is meant by Autistic traits are normally distributed in the population?

• Autistic traits exist in everyone; most people = average, few = extreme.

• Diagnosis = extreme end of normal distribution.

Q: What is a cross-sectional study?

A: A study that compares people of different ages at a single point in time to examine age-related differences.

Q: What is a longitudinal study?

A: A study that follows the same individuals over time to observe changes and development.

Q: What is a cohort and what are cohort effects?

A: A cohort is a group of people born around the same time. Cohort effects are differences between age groups caused by historical or cultural experiences, not by age itself.

Q: What are teratogens?

A: Environmental agents (like alcohol, drugs, or infections) that can cause harm to a developing fetus, especially during critical periods of prenatal development.

Q: What are newborns born being able to do?

A: They can recognize their mother’s voice and smell, show reflexes (like sucking, rooting, and grasping), and prefer human faces and voices.

Q: What is cognitive development?

A: The growth and change in mental abilities such as thinking, problem-solving, memory, and language over time.

Q: In Piaget’s model of cognitive development, how are assimilation and accommodation different?

A:

• Assimilation: Fitting new information into existing schemas.

• Accommodation: Changing existing schemas or creating new ones to fit new information.

Q: In Piaget’s model, what are the four stages of cognitive development?

1. Sensorimotor (0–2 yrs): Learning through senses and actions; object permanence develops.

2. Preoperational (2–7 yrs): Symbolic thinking and language; egocentrism and lack of conservation.

3. Concrete Operational (7–11 yrs): Logical thinking about concrete events; can pass conservation tasks.

4. Formal Operational (12+ yrs): Abstract and hypothetical reasoning.

Q: What is the conservation task and when can kids pass it?

A: A test showing that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance (like pouring liquid into a different-shaped glass). Children typically pass it during the concrete operational stage (around age 7).

Q: What is a schema?

A: A mental framework or structure used to organize and interpret information about the world.

Q: What are Baumrind’s parenting styles?

A:

1. Authoritative: Warm and responsive with clear rules — linked to best outcomes.

2. Authoritarian: Strict, less warmth, high control.

3. Permissive: Warm but few rules or structure.

4. Neglectful/Uninvolved: Low warmth and control

Q: What is Kohlberg’s model of moral development?

A: A theory describing stages of moral reasoning:

1. Preconventional: Based on rewards and punishments.

2. Conventional: Based on social rules and approval.

3. Postconventional: Based on abstract principles and justice.