Teri Todd - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Teri Todd

Perceptual and Motor Skills

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate motor skill deficits in comparison to th... more Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate motor skill deficits in comparison to their neurotypically developing peers. However, it is unknown whether these motor skill deficits persist into adulthood. We evaluated skipping kinematics and motor performance in college students with and without ASD. We collected kinematic data from 20 college students, 10 with ASD and 10 without ASD, using a 12-camera three-dimensional motion capture system while participants completed three skipping trials. We scored skipping performance using Everyone Can! and the Halverson Developmental Sequences for Skipping, and we processed data using Cortex, Visual 3D, and MATLAB. We extracted data for center of mass excursion, peak velocity of joint extension, and peak joint angles of the hip, knee, and ankle of the dominant leg. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine differences between groups with an alpha level of p [Formula: see text] 0.05. We found no statistically...

Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2021

Impairments in postural stability are present in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), bu... more Impairments in postural stability are present in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but documentation of impairments as individuals age into adulthood are sparse and have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess postural control of college students with and without ASD during four conditions: eyes open and eyes closed, for both single- and double-leg stances. Twenty participants (10 with ASD and 10 without ASD) between the ages of 18 and 30 performed three quiet standing trials in each of the four conditions. Antero-posterior (A-P) and medio-lateral (M-L) sway and sway velocity, as well as sway area and stance time, were calculated for each condition and compared between groups. In the double-leg eyes open and eyes closed conditions, A-P displacement and sway area were greater in individuals with ASD. There were no differences in sway between groups in the single-leg eyes open condition. Individuals with ASD demonstrated much shorter stance times than individuals without ASD in the single-leg eyes closed condition. Young adults with ASD display less postural stability in both simple and complex balance tasks than young adults without ASD. It appears that the balance abnormalities reported in children with ASD persist into adulthood.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2020

The anterolateral abdominal wall, rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal obli... more The anterolateral abdominal wall, rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO), contributes to lumbopelvic-hip strength; and its role in injured populations such as low back pain has been well explored. However, it is important to establish the association between a body mass normalized measure of muscle size with overall physical activity in a healthy population due to their utility as a frequently used control group and for the potential of this measurement technique in aging, resistance training, and abdominal fat assessment. PURPOSE: To determine relationships between muscle thickness (at rest and during contraction) of RA, EO, IO and patient-reported outcome measures on physical activity and health. METHODS: Eight active participants with no history of low back or lower extremity injury (23.1±5.4yrs, 171.1±11.3cm, 70.6±15.1kg, 4F) completed a single imaging session of RA, EO, and IO. Before imaging, participants completed the PROMIS Global Health (GH), PROMIS Physical Function (PF), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ). Ultrasound images were collected at rest while supine, hook-lying and during contraction with participants instructed to perform an abdominal crunch for RA, and crunches toward either knee for EO and IO. Thickness measures were normalized to body mass (kg). Pearson‘s r correlation coefficients were used to determine relationships. RESULTS: Six of the 8 participants scored high on the IPAQ (≥3000 METmin/week) and the rest were moderate (≥600 METmin/week). The average hrs/day participants spent sitting was 4.6±2.3hrs. The PROMIS GH (37.5±4.7) and PROMIS PF (98.9±2.4) both confirmed overall health and activity levels. Right side EO at rest (r=.74, p=.04) and during contraction (r=.84, p=.01) were strongly related to hours spent sitting per day. CONCLUSIONS: Normalized EO muscle thickness was found to increase, at rest and during contraction, as healthy, active individuals sat longer. Although this was the only significant correlation, this controversial finding may be explained due to the relative 17.4% decrease in EO activity on the right side, compared to the left. The connection between the abdominal wall and self-reported physical activity is important to distinguish, especially with a body mass normalization technique.

LEARNing Landscapes, 2009

Two authors from different disciplines share their views on meeting both the curriculum set forth... more Two authors from different disciplines share their views on meeting both the curriculum set forth by the institution and honouring the meaning that students make of their own learning. Believing in the importance of learning that reaches beyond that which is taught, the real curriculum, the authors discuss the challenge of finding a balance between assessing required course content and honouring individual growth in our assessment-laden society.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2019

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2019

Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 2019

TEACHING Exceptional Children, 2009

... Relaxation spaces or sen-sory rooms may be attached to resource rooms or be within a class-ro... more ... Relaxation spaces or sen-sory rooms may be attached to resource rooms or be within a class-room; they provide students with a place to unwind while ... They can choose relaxing classical,peppy country, or lively rock, depending on their per-sonal preferences and needs. ...

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2015

Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 2016

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2015

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 2010

Individuals with autism often lack motivation to engage in sustained physical activity. Three ado... more Individuals with autism often lack motivation to engage in sustained physical activity. Three adolescents with severe autism participated in a 16-week program and each regularly completed 30 min of cycling at the end of program. This study investigated the effect of a self-regulation instructional strategy on sustained cycling, which included self-monitoring, goal setting, and self-reinforcement. Of particular interest was the development of self-efficacy during the physical activity as a mediator of goal setting. A multiple baseline changing criterion design established the effectiveness of the intervention. The results suggest that self-regulation interventions can promote sustained participation in physical activity for adolescents with severe autism.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2016

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2016

Abstract Motor skill and postural stability deficits are commonly reported for children with auti... more Abstract Motor skill and postural stability deficits are commonly reported for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however the relationship between these variables is not well established. We explored the relationship between motor skills, postural stability, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, diagnosis, age, and sex. Children (11 with and 11 without ASD), 5–12 years of age, participated in the study. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) was used to assess fundamental motor skills. Postural sway was measured on a force plate during quiet standing on a solid and compliant surface. Center of pressure was calculated and used to compute sway area. Linear regression analysis showed that sway area on a solid surface, age, and diagnosis were significant predictors of motor skill performance (R2 = .854). Severity of ASD, as assessed by the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), was not predictive of motor skills. Children with ASD exhibited deficits in postural stability compared to children without ASD. Postural stability appears to influence the ability of children to perform gross motor skills. However, the RBS-R does not seem to be a useful tool for identifying those children with ASD who exhibit the greatest deficits in motor skills.

Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 2006

This study investigated the outcomes of an intervention package on participation in tWo physical ... more This study investigated the outcomes of an intervention package on participation in tWo physical activities: snoWshoeing and Walking/jogging. Three male secondary school students Who had been diagnosed With autism and Were attending a school for students With intellectual disabilities participated in a 6-month outdoor physical activity program. The authors used a changing conditions design; the program Was divided into six phases by the amount of edible reinforcers provided during sessions. A self-monitoring board, verbal cuing, and edible reinforcers Were used in the study. Distance snoWshoed, Walked, and jogged per 30-min session increased as edible and verbal reinforcement decreased. The results suggest that interventions can be developed to promote sustained participation in physical activity for individuals With autism.

LEARNing Landscapes, 2014

There are increasing demands on the education system to meet the needs of students with autism sp... more There are increasing demands on the education system to meet the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder and the requests of their parents. Teacherparent partnerships may be one avenue to improve services, however teachers often feel unprepared and lack strategies and skills to effectively engage parents. This multilayered article presents a story from a teacher who is a parent of a student with ASD. It is followed by a discussion of the state of teacher preparation programs and barriers that impede successful partnerships. Suggestions for improving partnerships are included.

Perceptual and Motor Skills

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate motor skill deficits in comparison to th... more Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate motor skill deficits in comparison to their neurotypically developing peers. However, it is unknown whether these motor skill deficits persist into adulthood. We evaluated skipping kinematics and motor performance in college students with and without ASD. We collected kinematic data from 20 college students, 10 with ASD and 10 without ASD, using a 12-camera three-dimensional motion capture system while participants completed three skipping trials. We scored skipping performance using Everyone Can! and the Halverson Developmental Sequences for Skipping, and we processed data using Cortex, Visual 3D, and MATLAB. We extracted data for center of mass excursion, peak velocity of joint extension, and peak joint angles of the hip, knee, and ankle of the dominant leg. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine differences between groups with an alpha level of p [Formula: see text] 0.05. We found no statistically...

Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2021

Impairments in postural stability are present in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), bu... more Impairments in postural stability are present in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but documentation of impairments as individuals age into adulthood are sparse and have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess postural control of college students with and without ASD during four conditions: eyes open and eyes closed, for both single- and double-leg stances. Twenty participants (10 with ASD and 10 without ASD) between the ages of 18 and 30 performed three quiet standing trials in each of the four conditions. Antero-posterior (A-P) and medio-lateral (M-L) sway and sway velocity, as well as sway area and stance time, were calculated for each condition and compared between groups. In the double-leg eyes open and eyes closed conditions, A-P displacement and sway area were greater in individuals with ASD. There were no differences in sway between groups in the single-leg eyes open condition. Individuals with ASD demonstrated much shorter stance times than individuals without ASD in the single-leg eyes closed condition. Young adults with ASD display less postural stability in both simple and complex balance tasks than young adults without ASD. It appears that the balance abnormalities reported in children with ASD persist into adulthood.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2020

The anterolateral abdominal wall, rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal obli... more The anterolateral abdominal wall, rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO), contributes to lumbopelvic-hip strength; and its role in injured populations such as low back pain has been well explored. However, it is important to establish the association between a body mass normalized measure of muscle size with overall physical activity in a healthy population due to their utility as a frequently used control group and for the potential of this measurement technique in aging, resistance training, and abdominal fat assessment. PURPOSE: To determine relationships between muscle thickness (at rest and during contraction) of RA, EO, IO and patient-reported outcome measures on physical activity and health. METHODS: Eight active participants with no history of low back or lower extremity injury (23.1±5.4yrs, 171.1±11.3cm, 70.6±15.1kg, 4F) completed a single imaging session of RA, EO, and IO. Before imaging, participants completed the PROMIS Global Health (GH), PROMIS Physical Function (PF), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ). Ultrasound images were collected at rest while supine, hook-lying and during contraction with participants instructed to perform an abdominal crunch for RA, and crunches toward either knee for EO and IO. Thickness measures were normalized to body mass (kg). Pearson‘s r correlation coefficients were used to determine relationships. RESULTS: Six of the 8 participants scored high on the IPAQ (≥3000 METmin/week) and the rest were moderate (≥600 METmin/week). The average hrs/day participants spent sitting was 4.6±2.3hrs. The PROMIS GH (37.5±4.7) and PROMIS PF (98.9±2.4) both confirmed overall health and activity levels. Right side EO at rest (r=.74, p=.04) and during contraction (r=.84, p=.01) were strongly related to hours spent sitting per day. CONCLUSIONS: Normalized EO muscle thickness was found to increase, at rest and during contraction, as healthy, active individuals sat longer. Although this was the only significant correlation, this controversial finding may be explained due to the relative 17.4% decrease in EO activity on the right side, compared to the left. The connection between the abdominal wall and self-reported physical activity is important to distinguish, especially with a body mass normalization technique.

LEARNing Landscapes, 2009

Two authors from different disciplines share their views on meeting both the curriculum set forth... more Two authors from different disciplines share their views on meeting both the curriculum set forth by the institution and honouring the meaning that students make of their own learning. Believing in the importance of learning that reaches beyond that which is taught, the real curriculum, the authors discuss the challenge of finding a balance between assessing required course content and honouring individual growth in our assessment-laden society.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2019

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2019

Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 2019

TEACHING Exceptional Children, 2009

... Relaxation spaces or sen-sory rooms may be attached to resource rooms or be within a class-ro... more ... Relaxation spaces or sen-sory rooms may be attached to resource rooms or be within a class-room; they provide students with a place to unwind while ... They can choose relaxing classical,peppy country, or lively rock, depending on their per-sonal preferences and needs. ...

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2015

Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 2016

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2015

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 2010

Individuals with autism often lack motivation to engage in sustained physical activity. Three ado... more Individuals with autism often lack motivation to engage in sustained physical activity. Three adolescents with severe autism participated in a 16-week program and each regularly completed 30 min of cycling at the end of program. This study investigated the effect of a self-regulation instructional strategy on sustained cycling, which included self-monitoring, goal setting, and self-reinforcement. Of particular interest was the development of self-efficacy during the physical activity as a mediator of goal setting. A multiple baseline changing criterion design established the effectiveness of the intervention. The results suggest that self-regulation interventions can promote sustained participation in physical activity for adolescents with severe autism.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2016

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2016

Abstract Motor skill and postural stability deficits are commonly reported for children with auti... more Abstract Motor skill and postural stability deficits are commonly reported for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however the relationship between these variables is not well established. We explored the relationship between motor skills, postural stability, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, diagnosis, age, and sex. Children (11 with and 11 without ASD), 5–12 years of age, participated in the study. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) was used to assess fundamental motor skills. Postural sway was measured on a force plate during quiet standing on a solid and compliant surface. Center of pressure was calculated and used to compute sway area. Linear regression analysis showed that sway area on a solid surface, age, and diagnosis were significant predictors of motor skill performance (R2 = .854). Severity of ASD, as assessed by the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), was not predictive of motor skills. Children with ASD exhibited deficits in postural stability compared to children without ASD. Postural stability appears to influence the ability of children to perform gross motor skills. However, the RBS-R does not seem to be a useful tool for identifying those children with ASD who exhibit the greatest deficits in motor skills.

Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 2006

This study investigated the outcomes of an intervention package on participation in tWo physical ... more This study investigated the outcomes of an intervention package on participation in tWo physical activities: snoWshoeing and Walking/jogging. Three male secondary school students Who had been diagnosed With autism and Were attending a school for students With intellectual disabilities participated in a 6-month outdoor physical activity program. The authors used a changing conditions design; the program Was divided into six phases by the amount of edible reinforcers provided during sessions. A self-monitoring board, verbal cuing, and edible reinforcers Were used in the study. Distance snoWshoed, Walked, and jogged per 30-min session increased as edible and verbal reinforcement decreased. The results suggest that interventions can be developed to promote sustained participation in physical activity for individuals With autism.

LEARNing Landscapes, 2014

There are increasing demands on the education system to meet the needs of students with autism sp... more There are increasing demands on the education system to meet the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder and the requests of their parents. Teacherparent partnerships may be one avenue to improve services, however teachers often feel unprepared and lack strategies and skills to effectively engage parents. This multilayered article presents a story from a teacher who is a parent of a student with ASD. It is followed by a discussion of the state of teacher preparation programs and barriers that impede successful partnerships. Suggestions for improving partnerships are included.