A study of six children (ages 3-9) with autism assessed whether manipulation of variables related to motivation and attention in children with autism would influence performance on standardized tests. Results found the children showed higher scores when conditions were modified to improve the likelihood of responding to test stimuli. (Author/CR)

Discusses sensory-perceptual abnormalities in people with autism from published firsthand accounts and existing psychological research evidence. A range of abnormalities, including hyper- and hyposensitivity, sensory distortion and overload, and multichannel receptivity and processing difficulties, are described and the limitations of clinical and…

This article reviews elements of a well-designed treatment study and evaluates the state of knowledge about comprehensive treatment programs for children with autism. Several suggestions are made for improving future studies, including more rigorous designs, searching for active ingredients of treatment programs, and measuring change. (Contains…

A study examined the effectiveness of properly constructed social stories that had been introduced into the natural environment to target the disruptive behavior of three children (ages 7-15) with autism. A decrease in disruptive behavior was evidenced when the intervention was implemented for all participants. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Data on sleep behavior were gathered on 100 children (ages 2-11) with pervasive developmental disorders. Slightly more than half of parents reported a sleep problem in their child. All of the children exhibited longer sleep onset times and greater fragmentation of sleep than that reported for age-matched community norms. (Contains references.)…

A study examined the validity of the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) with 119 children (ages 3-10) with strict DSM-IV (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) diagnoses of autism. The GARS consistently underestimated the likelihood that children would be classified as having autism. Limitations of ratings scales and of the GARS…

To determine variations in cognitive characteristics, 10 nonretarded men with infantile autism, residual state, were compared with 15 severely dyslexic men and 25 controls on a neuropsychological test battery. The dyslexics showed a reduced digit span and the autistic group exhibited impaired problem-solving skills. (Author/JDD)

The consensus statement of a panel of experts on treatment of destructive and self-injurious behaviors in persons with developmental disabilities addresses such areas as approaches used to manage these behaviors; evidence for the effectiveness of various approaches; the risks and benefits of the various approaches; recommendations; and needed…

This study of teaching methods in language interventions with three preschool children with autism found greater improvements in responding and considerably less disruptive behavior during the natural language (using functional stimuli and natural reinforcers) teaching condition compared to the traditional language condition. (Author/DB)

Twelve autistic children (ages 4-6) were given a choice between their mothers' speech and the noise of superimposed voices. In contrast to comparison groups of mentally retarded and normally developing children, the autistic children actively preferred the superimposed voices or showed a lack of preference for either audio segment. (Author/JDD)

Four individuals (ages 5-21) with severe mental retardation and autism were administered Naltrexone. Results indicated a reduction in such symptoms as hyperactivity, aggressiveness, self-injurious behavior, stereotyped behaviors; and promotion of positive social behaviors. Intermittent administration at low doses seemed more beneficial than more…

A treatment package consisting of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), token fines, and prompted relaxation was used to reduce the agitated-disruptive behavior of a young adult with autism and mental retardation living in a community group home. DRO procedures were partially implemented by a peer with Down syndrome. Baseline rates…

Presents information on 24 and 34 months of successful treatment with Risperidone of a young woman and young man with autism and profound mental retardation. Treatment with Risperidone resulted in positive changes for aggressive, self-injurious, and anti-social behavior. After treatment, subjects were able to participate in social activities. (CR)

The possibility of differential sex proportions as a confounding factor in the Lovaas (1987) study is raised. It is argued that the chi-square analysis was inadequate and that the appropriate comparison should be made between the experimental and the control group using population data to estimate expected cell frequencies. (Author/CR)

Systemic analyses of psychological functioning in families of children with autism have typically shown that parents report different experiences (e.g., stress) and that siblings may also be affected. The purpose of the present research was more explicitly to address relationships between child, partner, and parent variables. Parents of 48…