Sigan Hartley - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Sigan Hartley
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2009
Adults with intellectual disability are vulnerable to stressful social interactions. We determine... more Adults with intellectual disability are vulnerable to stressful social interactions. We determined frequency and severity of various stressful social interactions, identified the social partners in these interactions, and examined the specific interpersonal skill difficulties of 114 adults with mild intellectual disability. Participants' characteristic risk factors for stressful social interactions were also identified. Minor and unintentional negative actions of others had high frequency but low severity of stress. Serious and intentional negative actions of others had a low frequency but high severity of stress. Stressful social interactions with other people who have intellectual disability occurred frequently and had a high severity. Difficulty controlling aggression predicted stressful social interactions. Findings are beneficial to developers of interventions to decrease stressful social interactions.
Outcome Measures for Clinical Trials in Down Syndrome
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2017
Increasingly individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrom... more Increasingly individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome, are being targeted for clinical trials. However, a challenge exists in effectively evaluating the outcomes of these new pharmacological interventions. Few empirically evaluated, psychometrically sound outcome measures appropriate for use in clinical trials with individuals with Down syndrome have been identified. To address this challenge, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) assembled leading clinicians and scientists to review existing measures and identify those that currently are appropriate for trials; those that may be appropriate after expansion of age range addition of easier items, and/or downward extension of psychometric norms; and areas where new measures need to be developed. This article focuses on measures in the areas of cognition and behavior.
Daily Couple Experiences and Parent Affect in Families of Children with Versus Without Autism
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2017
We examined daily couple experiences in 174 couples who had a child with autism spectrum disorder... more We examined daily couple experiences in 174 couples who had a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) relative to 179 couples who had a child without disabilities and their same-day association with parent affect. Parents completed a 14-day daily diary in which they reported time with partner, partner support, partner closeness, and positive and negative couple interactions and level of positive and negative affect. One-way multivariate analyses of covariance and dyadic multilevel models were conducted. Parents of children with ASD reported less time with partner, lower partner closeness, and fewer positive couple interactions than the comparison group. Daily couple experiences were more strongly associated with parent affect in the ASD than comparison group. Findings have implications for programs and supports.
Couple Conflict in Parents of Children with versus without Autism: Self-Reported and Observed Findings
Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2017
Leisure Activity and Caregiver Involvement in Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Down Syndrome
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2017
The present study examined leisure activity and its association with caregiver involvement (i.e.,... more The present study examined leisure activity and its association with caregiver involvement (i.e., residence and time spent with primary caregiver) in 62 middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome (aged 30-53 years). Findings indicated that middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome frequently participated in social and passive leisure activities, with low participation in physical and mentally stimulating leisure activities. Residence and time spent with primary caregiver were associated with participation in physical leisure activity. The findings suggest a need for support services aimed at increasing opportunities for participating in physical and mentally stimulating leisure activity by middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome. These support services should partner with primary caregivers in order to best foster participation in physical leisure activity.
Parental sleep quality and behavior problems of children with autism
Autism, 2016
This study explored the impact of parental sleep quality on the experience of behavior problems b... more This study explored the impact of parental sleep quality on the experience of behavior problems by children with autism spectrum disorder. A 14-day daily diary was used in a sample of 176 mother-father couples. Dyadic multilevel models were conducted to examine the between-person and within-person effects of previous-night sleep quality on parents' rating of level of behavior problems by the child with autism spectrum disorder and level of positive and negative affect. Results indicated that persistently poor sleep quality was associated with between-person differences in initial rating of level of behavior problems by the child with autism spectrum disorder for mothers. At a within-person level, previous-night sleep quality moderated the association between rating of level of behavior problems by the child with autism spectrum disorder and level of positive and negative affect in fathers. Child-related stressors exerted less influence on fathers' affect following a day with poor sleep quality. Interventions aimed at enhancing sleep quality in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder may have important effects on parental psychological well-being.
Nonverbal Social Skills of Adults with Mild Intellectual Disability Diagnosed with Depression
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, Dec 31, 2008
Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disability... more Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disability (ID), yet little is known about depressive behaviors in an ID population. This study examined the nonverbal social skills of 18 adults with mild ID diagnosed with depression and a matched sample of adults with mild ID without depression. Nonverbal social skills were coded from videotapes of actual social interactions. Results indicate that adults with mild ID diagnosed with depression evidence a profile of maladaptive nonverbal social skills including limited body movement, a restricted range of facial expressions, infrequent smiling, speaking in a flat and quiet voice, and taking a long time to respond to the questions or comments of a social partner. Findings from this study have implications for enhancing the early detection and diagnosis of depression and guiding theories of and treatments for depression in an ID population.
Journal of Family Psychology Jfp Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association, Aug 1, 2010
We compared the occurrence and timing of divorce in 391 parents of children with an autism spectr... more We compared the occurrence and timing of divorce in 391 parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a matched representative sample of parents of children without disabilities using a survival analysis. Parents of children with an ASD had a higher rate of divorce than the comparison group (23.5% vs. 13.8%). The rate of divorce remained high throughout the son's or daughter's childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood for parents of children with an ASD, whereas it decreased following the son's or daughter's childhood (after about age 8 years) in the comparison group. Younger maternal age when the child with ASD was born and having the child born later in the birth order were positively predictive of divorce for parents of children with an ASD. Findings have implications for interventions focused on ameliorating ongoing and long-term marital strains for parents of children with an ASD.
Autism Symptoms Across Adulthood in Men with Fragile X Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, Jan 28, 2015
A cross-sectional analysis was used to examine age-related differences in ASD symptoms and corres... more A cross-sectional analysis was used to examine age-related differences in ASD symptoms and corresponding differences in disruptive behavior and social skills in 281 adult men with fragile X syndrome. Four age groups were created: 18-21, 22-29, 30-39, and 40-49 years. The 18-21 year-old group was reported to have more impairments in verbal communication than the 22-29 year-old group and more restricted and repetitive behaviors than the 40-49 year-old group. There was not an age-group difference in the percentage of men who met criteria for an ASD diagnosis based on respondent-reported, current symptoms. There was a trend for an age-related difference in disruptive behavior. Findings add to understanding of the developmental trajectory of ASD symptoms in adulthood.
The effects of normal aging on amyloid-β deposition in nondemented adults with Down syndrome as imaged by carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh compound B
Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, Jan 12, 2015
In Down syndrome (DS), the overproduction of amyloid precursor protein is hypothesized to predisp... more In Down syndrome (DS), the overproduction of amyloid precursor protein is hypothesized to predispose young adults to early expression of Alzheimer-like neuropathology. PET imaging with carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh compound B examined the pattern of amyloid-β deposition in 68 nondemented adults with DS (30-53 years) to determine the relationship between deposition and normal aging. Standard uptake value ratio (SUVR) images were created with cerebellum as the reference region. Multiple linear regression revealed slight but highly significant (corrected P < .05) positive correlations between SUVR and age. The striatum showed the strongest correlation, followed by precuneus, parietal cortex, anterior cingulate, frontal cortex, and temporal cortex. There is an age-related amyloid-β deposition in the DS population, but as a pattern of elevated cortical retention becomes apparent, the correlation of SUVR with age ceases to be significant. Factors unrelated to aging may drive an increase...
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depressed Adults With Mild Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 2015
There is a paucity of research on psychosocial treatments for depression in adults with intellect... more There is a paucity of research on psychosocial treatments for depression in adults with intellectual disability (ID). In this pilot study, we explored the efficacy of a group CBT treatment that involved a caregiver component in adults with mild ID with a depressive disorder. Sixteen adults with mild ID and a depressive disorder participated in a 10-week group CBT treatment and 8 adults with mild ID with a depressive disorder served as a treatment as usual (TAU) control group. Adults with mild ID and caregivers completed measures of depressive symptoms, behavior problems, and social skills at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and a 3-month follow-up. Adults with mild ID also completed a series of tasks to measure their understanding of the principles of cognitive therapy pre- and post-treatment. The CBT group demonstrated significant decreases in depressive symptoms and behavior problems from pre-treatment to post-treatment and these effects were maintained at a 3-month follow-up. The CBT group demonstrated significant improvements in their ability to infer emotions and thoughts based on various situation-thought-emotion pairings from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Findings indicate that adults with mild ID with a depressive disorder benefitted from a group CBT treatment with a caregiver component. Moreover, adults with mild ID appeared to benefit, at least in part, from the cognitive therapy components of the treatment, in addition to the behavior therapy components.
Marital Quality and Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities
International review of research in developmental disabilities, 2011
In the current review, we highlight recent research on marital quality in parents of children wit... more In the current review, we highlight recent research on marital quality in parents of children with developmental disabilities (DD) and discuss the child and family factors that account for why some marriages fare better than others. We will also discuss the need for the field of DD to broaden its perspective on marital quality and to examine the impact of marriages on child well-being and the well-being of parents. The clinical implications of recent research findings on marital quality for improving supports and interventions for families of children with DD are discussed. A theoretical framework and model of marriage and parent and child psychosocial well-being in the context of child disability is proposed and a roadmap for future research is provided.
Psychological science, 2004
We examined the hypothesis that unintentional race-biased responses may occur despite the activat... more We examined the hypothesis that unintentional race-biased responses may occur despite the activation of neural systems that detect the need for control. Participants completed a sequential priming task that induced race-biased responses on certain trials while electroencephalography was recorded. The error-related negativity (ERN) wave, a component of the event-related potential with an anterior cingulate generator, was assessed to index neural signals detecting the need for control. Responses attributed to race bias produced larger ERNs than responses not attributed to race bias. Although race-biased responses were prevalent across participants, those with larger ERNs to race-biased responses showed higher levels of control throughout the task (e.g., greater accuracy and slowed responding following errors). The results indicate that race-biased responses may be made despite the activation of neural systems designed to detect bias and to recruit controlled processing.
Brain : a journal of neurology, 2014
Nearly all adults with Down syndrome show neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease, including am... more Nearly all adults with Down syndrome show neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease, including amyloid-β deposition, by their fifth decade of life. In the current study, we examined the association between brain amyloid-β deposition, assessed via in vivo assessments of neocortical Pittsburgh compound B, and scores on an extensive neuropsychological battery of measures of cognitive functioning in 63 adults (31 male, 32 female) with Down syndrome aged 30-53 years who did not exhibit symptoms of dementia. Twenty-two of the adults with Down syndrome were identified as having elevated neocortical Pittsburgh compound B retention levels. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.0001) between age and neocortical Pittsburgh compound B retention. This robust association makes it difficult to discriminate normative age-related decline in cognitive functioning from any potential effects of amyloid-β deposition. When controlling for chronological age in addition to mental...
Support Needs of Fathers and Mothers of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2014
Little research has examined the support needs of mothers versus fathers of children and adolesce... more Little research has examined the support needs of mothers versus fathers of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We identified and compared the important and unmet support needs of mothers and fathers, and evaluated their association with family and child factors, within 73 married couples who had a child or adolescent with ASD. Mothers had a higher number of important support needs and higher proportion of important support needs that are unmet than fathers. Multilevel modeling indicated that child age, co-occurring behavior problems, presence of intellectual disability, parent education, and household income were related to support needs. Findings offer insight into the overlapping and unique support needs of mothers and fathers of children and adolescents with ASD.
Pilot CBT Intervention for Depression in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities
PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2000
Division of Labor in Families of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Family Relations, 2014
Couples who have a child or adolescent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with the dif... more Couples who have a child or adolescent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with the difficult decision of how to divide childcare responsibilities and paid employment. We examined the division of labor and its relation to parenting stress and marital adjustment in 73 married couples who have a child or adolescent with ASD. Mothers and fathers independently reported on their global level of parenting stress and marital adjustment and then completed a 7-day online daily diary of time spent in childcare, time spent in paid employment, and satisfaction with the time that one&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s spouse spent in childcare. Overall, couples demonstrated a pattern of partial role specialization in which mothers engaged in more childcare and fathers engaged in more paid employment. Child age was negatively related and degree of disability was positively related to role specialization. Time spent in paid employment and satisfaction with the time that one&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s spouse spent in childcare had important associations with parenting stress and marital adjustment.
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2008
Over the past few decades, the reported number of children identified as having one of the Autism... more Over the past few decades, the reported number of children identified as having one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased exponentially. One proposed reason for the dramatic increase in the prevalence of ASD is diagnostic substitution, whereby children with other disorders incorrectly receive a diagnosis of ASD. Little research has examined whether standardized diagnostic measures of ASD can appropriately distinguish high functioning children with ASD from children with mental health disorders. The present study evaluated the diagnostic utility of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Generic (ADOS-G) Modules 3 and 4 in distinguishing ASD from mental health disorders in children and adolescents (aged 5-21 years) with at least average intellectual functioning. ADOS-G Modules 3 and 4 classifications were evaluated in 93 clinically referred children and adolescents with mental health disorders other than ASD. Fifteen percent of participants were misclassified as being in the Autism or Autism Spectrum category. This translates into a specificity score of 84.9%. Children and adolescents with a mood disorder had a higher likelihood of being misclassified than children and adolescents with other mental health disorders, while children and adolescents with a disruptive behavior disorder had a lower likelihood of being misclassified. Findings have implications for understanding the diagnostic usefulness of the ADOS-G and enhancing the diagnostic process for ASD. #
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2008
Communication impairment is a defining feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Little researc... more Communication impairment is a defining feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Little research attention has been devoted to establishing standardized methods for defining and identifying language impairment in children with known or suspected ASD. The present study examines the feasibility and utility of the Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) among 70 children with ASD and matched controls (aged 6-21 years). More than 87% of children with ASD were able to complete the OWLS and achieve a true basal score. Scores on the OWLS differentiated children with ASD from their typically developing peers and non-ASD children matched on nonverbal cognitive functioning. Findings suggest that the OWLS is a feasible measure for the large majority of older children with ASD and useful in identifying a variety of language impairments. Findings have implications for standardizing ASD evaluations and achieving greater diagnostic consistency. #
Coping Strategies of Adults with Mild Intellectual Disability for Stressful Social Interactions
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 2008
Adults with mild intellectual disability (ID) experience stressful social interactions and often ... more Adults with mild intellectual disability (ID) experience stressful social interactions and often utilize maladaptive coping strategies to manage these interactions. We investigated the specific types of Active and Avoidant coping strategies reported by 114 adults with mild ID to deal with stressful social interactions. Open-ended responses to a sentence stem task were coded into five dimensions of Active and Avoidant coping. Adults with mild ID used Problem-Focused coping most frequently and this strategy was negatively correlated with psychological distress. Emotion-Focused coping was used infrequently but was also negatively related to psychological distress. Coping accounted for a significant portion of variance in psychological distress after controlling for perceptions of stressful social interactions. Findings have important implications for informing the development of interventions to enhance the ability of adults with mild ID to cope with stressful social interactions.
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2009
Adults with intellectual disability are vulnerable to stressful social interactions. We determine... more Adults with intellectual disability are vulnerable to stressful social interactions. We determined frequency and severity of various stressful social interactions, identified the social partners in these interactions, and examined the specific interpersonal skill difficulties of 114 adults with mild intellectual disability. Participants' characteristic risk factors for stressful social interactions were also identified. Minor and unintentional negative actions of others had high frequency but low severity of stress. Serious and intentional negative actions of others had a low frequency but high severity of stress. Stressful social interactions with other people who have intellectual disability occurred frequently and had a high severity. Difficulty controlling aggression predicted stressful social interactions. Findings are beneficial to developers of interventions to decrease stressful social interactions.
Outcome Measures for Clinical Trials in Down Syndrome
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2017
Increasingly individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrom... more Increasingly individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome, are being targeted for clinical trials. However, a challenge exists in effectively evaluating the outcomes of these new pharmacological interventions. Few empirically evaluated, psychometrically sound outcome measures appropriate for use in clinical trials with individuals with Down syndrome have been identified. To address this challenge, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) assembled leading clinicians and scientists to review existing measures and identify those that currently are appropriate for trials; those that may be appropriate after expansion of age range addition of easier items, and/or downward extension of psychometric norms; and areas where new measures need to be developed. This article focuses on measures in the areas of cognition and behavior.
Daily Couple Experiences and Parent Affect in Families of Children with Versus Without Autism
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2017
We examined daily couple experiences in 174 couples who had a child with autism spectrum disorder... more We examined daily couple experiences in 174 couples who had a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) relative to 179 couples who had a child without disabilities and their same-day association with parent affect. Parents completed a 14-day daily diary in which they reported time with partner, partner support, partner closeness, and positive and negative couple interactions and level of positive and negative affect. One-way multivariate analyses of covariance and dyadic multilevel models were conducted. Parents of children with ASD reported less time with partner, lower partner closeness, and fewer positive couple interactions than the comparison group. Daily couple experiences were more strongly associated with parent affect in the ASD than comparison group. Findings have implications for programs and supports.
Couple Conflict in Parents of Children with versus without Autism: Self-Reported and Observed Findings
Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2017
Leisure Activity and Caregiver Involvement in Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Down Syndrome
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2017
The present study examined leisure activity and its association with caregiver involvement (i.e.,... more The present study examined leisure activity and its association with caregiver involvement (i.e., residence and time spent with primary caregiver) in 62 middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome (aged 30-53 years). Findings indicated that middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome frequently participated in social and passive leisure activities, with low participation in physical and mentally stimulating leisure activities. Residence and time spent with primary caregiver were associated with participation in physical leisure activity. The findings suggest a need for support services aimed at increasing opportunities for participating in physical and mentally stimulating leisure activity by middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome. These support services should partner with primary caregivers in order to best foster participation in physical leisure activity.
Parental sleep quality and behavior problems of children with autism
Autism, 2016
This study explored the impact of parental sleep quality on the experience of behavior problems b... more This study explored the impact of parental sleep quality on the experience of behavior problems by children with autism spectrum disorder. A 14-day daily diary was used in a sample of 176 mother-father couples. Dyadic multilevel models were conducted to examine the between-person and within-person effects of previous-night sleep quality on parents&amp;#39; rating of level of behavior problems by the child with autism spectrum disorder and level of positive and negative affect. Results indicated that persistently poor sleep quality was associated with between-person differences in initial rating of level of behavior problems by the child with autism spectrum disorder for mothers. At a within-person level, previous-night sleep quality moderated the association between rating of level of behavior problems by the child with autism spectrum disorder and level of positive and negative affect in fathers. Child-related stressors exerted less influence on fathers&amp;#39; affect following a day with poor sleep quality. Interventions aimed at enhancing sleep quality in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder may have important effects on parental psychological well-being.
Nonverbal Social Skills of Adults with Mild Intellectual Disability Diagnosed with Depression
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, Dec 31, 2008
Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disability... more Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disability (ID), yet little is known about depressive behaviors in an ID population. This study examined the nonverbal social skills of 18 adults with mild ID diagnosed with depression and a matched sample of adults with mild ID without depression. Nonverbal social skills were coded from videotapes of actual social interactions. Results indicate that adults with mild ID diagnosed with depression evidence a profile of maladaptive nonverbal social skills including limited body movement, a restricted range of facial expressions, infrequent smiling, speaking in a flat and quiet voice, and taking a long time to respond to the questions or comments of a social partner. Findings from this study have implications for enhancing the early detection and diagnosis of depression and guiding theories of and treatments for depression in an ID population.
Journal of Family Psychology Jfp Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association, Aug 1, 2010
We compared the occurrence and timing of divorce in 391 parents of children with an autism spectr... more We compared the occurrence and timing of divorce in 391 parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a matched representative sample of parents of children without disabilities using a survival analysis. Parents of children with an ASD had a higher rate of divorce than the comparison group (23.5% vs. 13.8%). The rate of divorce remained high throughout the son's or daughter's childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood for parents of children with an ASD, whereas it decreased following the son's or daughter's childhood (after about age 8 years) in the comparison group. Younger maternal age when the child with ASD was born and having the child born later in the birth order were positively predictive of divorce for parents of children with an ASD. Findings have implications for interventions focused on ameliorating ongoing and long-term marital strains for parents of children with an ASD.
Autism Symptoms Across Adulthood in Men with Fragile X Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, Jan 28, 2015
A cross-sectional analysis was used to examine age-related differences in ASD symptoms and corres... more A cross-sectional analysis was used to examine age-related differences in ASD symptoms and corresponding differences in disruptive behavior and social skills in 281 adult men with fragile X syndrome. Four age groups were created: 18-21, 22-29, 30-39, and 40-49 years. The 18-21 year-old group was reported to have more impairments in verbal communication than the 22-29 year-old group and more restricted and repetitive behaviors than the 40-49 year-old group. There was not an age-group difference in the percentage of men who met criteria for an ASD diagnosis based on respondent-reported, current symptoms. There was a trend for an age-related difference in disruptive behavior. Findings add to understanding of the developmental trajectory of ASD symptoms in adulthood.
The effects of normal aging on amyloid-β deposition in nondemented adults with Down syndrome as imaged by carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh compound B
Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, Jan 12, 2015
In Down syndrome (DS), the overproduction of amyloid precursor protein is hypothesized to predisp... more In Down syndrome (DS), the overproduction of amyloid precursor protein is hypothesized to predispose young adults to early expression of Alzheimer-like neuropathology. PET imaging with carbon 11-labeled Pittsburgh compound B examined the pattern of amyloid-β deposition in 68 nondemented adults with DS (30-53 years) to determine the relationship between deposition and normal aging. Standard uptake value ratio (SUVR) images were created with cerebellum as the reference region. Multiple linear regression revealed slight but highly significant (corrected P < .05) positive correlations between SUVR and age. The striatum showed the strongest correlation, followed by precuneus, parietal cortex, anterior cingulate, frontal cortex, and temporal cortex. There is an age-related amyloid-β deposition in the DS population, but as a pattern of elevated cortical retention becomes apparent, the correlation of SUVR with age ceases to be significant. Factors unrelated to aging may drive an increase...
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depressed Adults With Mild Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 2015
There is a paucity of research on psychosocial treatments for depression in adults with intellect... more There is a paucity of research on psychosocial treatments for depression in adults with intellectual disability (ID). In this pilot study, we explored the efficacy of a group CBT treatment that involved a caregiver component in adults with mild ID with a depressive disorder. Sixteen adults with mild ID and a depressive disorder participated in a 10-week group CBT treatment and 8 adults with mild ID with a depressive disorder served as a treatment as usual (TAU) control group. Adults with mild ID and caregivers completed measures of depressive symptoms, behavior problems, and social skills at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and a 3-month follow-up. Adults with mild ID also completed a series of tasks to measure their understanding of the principles of cognitive therapy pre- and post-treatment. The CBT group demonstrated significant decreases in depressive symptoms and behavior problems from pre-treatment to post-treatment and these effects were maintained at a 3-month follow-up. The CBT group demonstrated significant improvements in their ability to infer emotions and thoughts based on various situation-thought-emotion pairings from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Findings indicate that adults with mild ID with a depressive disorder benefitted from a group CBT treatment with a caregiver component. Moreover, adults with mild ID appeared to benefit, at least in part, from the cognitive therapy components of the treatment, in addition to the behavior therapy components.
Marital Quality and Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities
International review of research in developmental disabilities, 2011
In the current review, we highlight recent research on marital quality in parents of children wit... more In the current review, we highlight recent research on marital quality in parents of children with developmental disabilities (DD) and discuss the child and family factors that account for why some marriages fare better than others. We will also discuss the need for the field of DD to broaden its perspective on marital quality and to examine the impact of marriages on child well-being and the well-being of parents. The clinical implications of recent research findings on marital quality for improving supports and interventions for families of children with DD are discussed. A theoretical framework and model of marriage and parent and child psychosocial well-being in the context of child disability is proposed and a roadmap for future research is provided.
Psychological science, 2004
We examined the hypothesis that unintentional race-biased responses may occur despite the activat... more We examined the hypothesis that unintentional race-biased responses may occur despite the activation of neural systems that detect the need for control. Participants completed a sequential priming task that induced race-biased responses on certain trials while electroencephalography was recorded. The error-related negativity (ERN) wave, a component of the event-related potential with an anterior cingulate generator, was assessed to index neural signals detecting the need for control. Responses attributed to race bias produced larger ERNs than responses not attributed to race bias. Although race-biased responses were prevalent across participants, those with larger ERNs to race-biased responses showed higher levels of control throughout the task (e.g., greater accuracy and slowed responding following errors). The results indicate that race-biased responses may be made despite the activation of neural systems designed to detect bias and to recruit controlled processing.
Brain : a journal of neurology, 2014
Nearly all adults with Down syndrome show neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease, including am... more Nearly all adults with Down syndrome show neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease, including amyloid-β deposition, by their fifth decade of life. In the current study, we examined the association between brain amyloid-β deposition, assessed via in vivo assessments of neocortical Pittsburgh compound B, and scores on an extensive neuropsychological battery of measures of cognitive functioning in 63 adults (31 male, 32 female) with Down syndrome aged 30-53 years who did not exhibit symptoms of dementia. Twenty-two of the adults with Down syndrome were identified as having elevated neocortical Pittsburgh compound B retention levels. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.0001) between age and neocortical Pittsburgh compound B retention. This robust association makes it difficult to discriminate normative age-related decline in cognitive functioning from any potential effects of amyloid-β deposition. When controlling for chronological age in addition to mental...
Support Needs of Fathers and Mothers of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2014
Little research has examined the support needs of mothers versus fathers of children and adolesce... more Little research has examined the support needs of mothers versus fathers of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We identified and compared the important and unmet support needs of mothers and fathers, and evaluated their association with family and child factors, within 73 married couples who had a child or adolescent with ASD. Mothers had a higher number of important support needs and higher proportion of important support needs that are unmet than fathers. Multilevel modeling indicated that child age, co-occurring behavior problems, presence of intellectual disability, parent education, and household income were related to support needs. Findings offer insight into the overlapping and unique support needs of mothers and fathers of children and adolescents with ASD.
Pilot CBT Intervention for Depression in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities
PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2000
Division of Labor in Families of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Family Relations, 2014
Couples who have a child or adolescent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with the dif... more Couples who have a child or adolescent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with the difficult decision of how to divide childcare responsibilities and paid employment. We examined the division of labor and its relation to parenting stress and marital adjustment in 73 married couples who have a child or adolescent with ASD. Mothers and fathers independently reported on their global level of parenting stress and marital adjustment and then completed a 7-day online daily diary of time spent in childcare, time spent in paid employment, and satisfaction with the time that one&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s spouse spent in childcare. Overall, couples demonstrated a pattern of partial role specialization in which mothers engaged in more childcare and fathers engaged in more paid employment. Child age was negatively related and degree of disability was positively related to role specialization. Time spent in paid employment and satisfaction with the time that one&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s spouse spent in childcare had important associations with parenting stress and marital adjustment.
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2008
Over the past few decades, the reported number of children identified as having one of the Autism... more Over the past few decades, the reported number of children identified as having one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased exponentially. One proposed reason for the dramatic increase in the prevalence of ASD is diagnostic substitution, whereby children with other disorders incorrectly receive a diagnosis of ASD. Little research has examined whether standardized diagnostic measures of ASD can appropriately distinguish high functioning children with ASD from children with mental health disorders. The present study evaluated the diagnostic utility of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Generic (ADOS-G) Modules 3 and 4 in distinguishing ASD from mental health disorders in children and adolescents (aged 5-21 years) with at least average intellectual functioning. ADOS-G Modules 3 and 4 classifications were evaluated in 93 clinically referred children and adolescents with mental health disorders other than ASD. Fifteen percent of participants were misclassified as being in the Autism or Autism Spectrum category. This translates into a specificity score of 84.9%. Children and adolescents with a mood disorder had a higher likelihood of being misclassified than children and adolescents with other mental health disorders, while children and adolescents with a disruptive behavior disorder had a lower likelihood of being misclassified. Findings have implications for understanding the diagnostic usefulness of the ADOS-G and enhancing the diagnostic process for ASD. #
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2008
Communication impairment is a defining feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Little researc... more Communication impairment is a defining feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Little research attention has been devoted to establishing standardized methods for defining and identifying language impairment in children with known or suspected ASD. The present study examines the feasibility and utility of the Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) among 70 children with ASD and matched controls (aged 6-21 years). More than 87% of children with ASD were able to complete the OWLS and achieve a true basal score. Scores on the OWLS differentiated children with ASD from their typically developing peers and non-ASD children matched on nonverbal cognitive functioning. Findings suggest that the OWLS is a feasible measure for the large majority of older children with ASD and useful in identifying a variety of language impairments. Findings have implications for standardizing ASD evaluations and achieving greater diagnostic consistency. #
Coping Strategies of Adults with Mild Intellectual Disability for Stressful Social Interactions
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 2008
Adults with mild intellectual disability (ID) experience stressful social interactions and often ... more Adults with mild intellectual disability (ID) experience stressful social interactions and often utilize maladaptive coping strategies to manage these interactions. We investigated the specific types of Active and Avoidant coping strategies reported by 114 adults with mild ID to deal with stressful social interactions. Open-ended responses to a sentence stem task were coded into five dimensions of Active and Avoidant coping. Adults with mild ID used Problem-Focused coping most frequently and this strategy was negatively correlated with psychological distress. Emotion-Focused coping was used infrequently but was also negatively related to psychological distress. Coping accounted for a significant portion of variance in psychological distress after controlling for perceptions of stressful social interactions. Findings have important implications for informing the development of interventions to enhance the ability of adults with mild ID to cope with stressful social interactions.