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Articles by Sandra Vanegas

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) has been validated as a tool to aid in the diagno... more The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) has been validated as a tool to aid in the diagnosis of Autism; however, given the growing diversity in the United States, the ADI-R must be validated for different languages and cultures. This study evaluates the validity of the ADI-R in a US-based Latino, Spanish-speaking population of 50 children and adolescents with ASD and developmental disability. Sensitivity and specificity of the ADI-R as a diagnostic tool were moderate, but lower than previously reported values. Validity of the social reciprocity and restrictive and repetitive behaviors domains was high, but low in the communication domain. Findings suggest that language discordance between caregiver and child may influence reporting of communication symptoms and contribute to lower sensitivity and specificity.

Many attempts have been made to explain the cognitive profiles of children and adults with Autism... more Many attempts have been made to explain the cognitive profiles of children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The current study investigated three prominent theories of cognitive processing – Weak Central Coherence, Executive Dysfunction, and Systemizing – to determine how they could define the cognitive patterns of performance in children with ASD. Utilizing tasks that tapped into visuospatial and linguistic domains, and both parent-report and child performance, the present research found support for the Weak Central Coherence and Executive Dysfunction theories in accounting for distinct cognitive profiles in children with ASD. No differences were observed between children with ASD and TD children on Systemizing abilities or preferences. The results also indicate that cognitive profiles in ASD may manifest in different ways in children historically considered High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Additionally, the present research demonstrated the importance of using comprehensive measures to assess cognition and behavior in children with ASD. These results provide support for the consideration of individual differences in cognitive profiles of children with HFA and children with AS when developing educational and therapeutic programming.

This chapter explores the formation of stereotypes in children, particularly negative stereotypes... more This chapter explores the formation of stereotypes in children, particularly negative stereotypes that children hold about others. Theoretical views about stereotype formation in children are presented, and evidence from developmental studies on racism and ageism is summarized. Empirical research is also provided in an attempt to address unanswered questions about negative stereotype formation in children. Commonalities in the development of stereotypes will be drawn, with implications given about the course of stereotype development, and how children’s reliance on stereotypes can be lessened.

Although cognitive development and emotional development are often viewed as separate components ... more Although cognitive development and emotional development are often viewed as separate components in the development of the child, the two are intricately related to each other. The purpose of this chapter is to review and examine how cognitive development is related to emotional development, and how traditional and current theories of cognitive development provide us with a framework for understanding the development of emotion processing in children. Topics explored in this chapter include the role of executive functioning, language development and cognitive concepts of self on the development of emotional competence. Moreover, three theories of cognitive development: Theory of Mind, Weak Central Coherence theory and Systemizing Theory are considered in relation to cognitive and emotional processing in a special population, children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Finally, this chapter concludes with a discussion of the remaining challenges for theories of cognitive development, especially in terms of exploring the reciprocal relation between cognition and emotion.

In three experiments, script-based stories were used to provide thematic emotion. Consistent with... more In three experiments, script-based stories were used to provide thematic emotion. Consistent with past
research expressing emotion thematically, emotion aided recall of both central and peripheral
information. However, emotion had to be directly associated with the central or peripheral information,
and emotion only facilitated memory for peripheral information when peripheral information alone was
associated with the emotion. Emotion did not aid overall recall of stories. Positive and negative emotions
were generally better recalled when they were incongruent with the information they were associated
with, such as a positive emotion associated with an interruptive action. These results provide evidence
that thematically expressed, low arousal emotion can have facilitative effects on memory. Implications
for the role of emotion on memory are discussed.

In the present research, 9- to 13-year-old children’s ability to identify basic and self-consciou... more In the present research, 9- to 13-year-old children’s ability to identify basic and self-conscious emotions from contextual situations was examined, as was their ability to rate the intensity and duration of different degrees of these emotions. Also examined was whether significant relations exist between children’s ability to identify emotion and their performance on two measures of theory of mind (ToM): the Strange Stories Test and the Faux Pas Test. Moreover, the relations between ToM abilities and proneness to emotions, particularly negative emotions, were examined. It was found that basic emotions were more accurately recognized than self-conscious emotions, and emotions with greater intensity were better recognized than emotions with less intensity. Children showed particular difficulty with pride. In general, ToM skills were not related to the recognition of most emotions except fear and guilt. Negative relations were found between ToM skills as measured by the Strange Stories Test and children’s proneness to shame and detachment. These results are discussed in terms of clinical implications, including how these results relate to the literature on the recognition of emotions, particularly fear, in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and to research suggesting that high levels of shame and detachment may have significant negative consequences for children.

Book Chapters by Sandra Vanegas

In-group emotion recognition effects refer to the finding that recognition of emotion is better b... more In-group emotion recognition effects refer to the finding that recognition of emotion is better between individuals within the same in-group than between in-group and out-group members. In the present research, line drawings and brief vignettes were used to assess in-group and stereotyping of emotion effects in 5- to 7-year-old African-American and European-American children when asked to identify emotions in line drawings of children of the same and different racial and gender backgrounds. Line drawings were used so as to equate all emotional information presented, regardless of race or sex of the protagonists in the drawings. The results revealed an in-group emotion effect for African-American children, who were more accurate in recognizing emotions in the drawings and vignettes depicting African-American protagonists. In contrast, European-American children recognized emotions about the same regardless of the race or sex of the protagonists. In terms of stereotyping, female protagonists were rated equally happy by both boys and girls, whereas boys rated male faces less happy. Female protagonists were also more likely to be labeled afraid than male protagonists, although the afraid label was not used often. These results are discussed in terms of how emotion recognition in children may be affected by in-group, stereotyping and minority/majority group membership.

Presentations by Sandra Vanegas

Papers by Sandra Vanegas

International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health

Compared to the general population, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)... more Compared to the general population, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face worse health outcomes, and outcomes are even worse for children and adults with IDD from minoritized populations. Examining the intersection of people with IDD from minoritized groups is critical to understanding appropriate policies and services that promote health among all people with IDD. People with IDD from minoritized racial and ethnic groups have greater exposure to detrimental social determinants of health, which leads to poor access to adequate healthcare and poor health outcomes. Policies that aim to improve health outcomes among people with IDD and that are related to their disability and appropriate accommodations are not enough. Policies need to address poverty in families, racism and discrimination, poor housing, and other social determinants that are more prevalent among minoritized populations. Most research on racial and ethnic disparities among children and adult...

Entangled photon pair sources based on bulk optics are approaching optimal design and implementat... more Entangled photon pair sources based on bulk optics are approaching optimal design and implementation, with high state fidelities, spectral purities and heralding efficiencies, but generally low brightness. Integrated entanglement sources, while providing higher brightness and low-power operation, often sacrifice performance in output state quality and coupling efficiency. Here we present a polarization-entangled pair source based on a hybrid approach of waveguiding and bulk optics, providing near optimal performance in every metric. We show 96 % fidelity to the singlet state, 82 % Hong-Ou-Mandel interference visibility, 43 % average Klyshko efficiency, and a high brightness of 2.9 × 10 6 pairs/(mode•s•mW), while requiring only microwatts of pump power.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world in unprecedented ways. However, populations t... more The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world in unprecedented ways. However, populations that have had a history of marginalization have experienced a more profound impact. One such group is Latinx families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Unites States. In this study, we used a mixed methods approach to explore the impact of the pandemic on the mental health and well-being of Latinx caregivers of children with IDD. Specifically, we (1) identified which social determinants of health are correlated with maternal caregivers perceived general health, mental health, and well-being; (2) explored the impact of the pandemic on families’ overall eating and physical activity routines; and (3) identified emergent themes from caregivers’ experiences during the pandemic. Thirty-seven Latinx caregivers participated in three interviews in which several validated instruments were administered. The results indicated that perceived social support, annu...

Decision Making by Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2021

Prevention Science and Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2021

International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021

Decision Making by Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2021

Prevention Science and Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2021

Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 2019

Background and aims The academic development of children with autism spectrum disorders is import... more Background and aims The academic development of children with autism spectrum disorders is important to investigate as it can provide opportunities for higher education, independent living, and successful employment in adulthood. Although educational data find that children with autism spectrum disorders can achieve similar levels of academic achievement in inclusive settings as neurotypical children, little is known about how children with diverse language experiences with autism spectrum disorders develop academically. Research on neurotypical, bilingual children finds that although many may lag behind their monolingual peers on measures of academic achievement, these gaps can be minimized with bilingual education programs. Within clinical practice, concerns are still raised about bilingual exposure in children with autism spectrum disorders, with assumptions and recommendations made to limit the language of exposure to minimize risks to development. To improve the evidence-base o...

Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2017

Self-conscious emotions, such as shame, guilt and pride, facilitate our social interactions by mo... more Self-conscious emotions, such as shame, guilt and pride, facilitate our social interactions by motivating us to adhere to social norms and external standards. In this study, we examined proneness to shame, guilt, hubristic pride and authentic pride in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder traits (ASD-T) and in neurotypical (NT) adults. Relations between proneness to self-conscious emotions and theory of mind (ToM), fear of negative evaluation, and social functioning were also assessed. Adults with ASD-T showed greater proneness to shame, and less proneness to guilt and pride than NT adults. Both ToM and fear of negative evaluation predicted proneness to self-conscious emotions in ASD-T. These findings are discussed in terms of understanding complex emotion processing in adults with ASD-T.

Journal of autism and developmental disorders, May 7, 2017

Latino children in the US are systematically underdiagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); ... more Latino children in the US are systematically underdiagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); therefore, it is important that recent changes to the diagnostic process do not exacerbate this pattern of under-identification. Previous research has found that the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) algorithm, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), has limitations with Latino children of Spanish speaking parents. We evaluated whether an ADI-R algorithm based on the new DSM-5 classification for ASD would be more sensitive in identifying Latino children of Spanish speaking parents who have a clinical diagnosis of ASD. Findings suggest that the DSM-5 algorithm shows better sensitivity than the DSM-IV-TR algorithm for Latino children.

Journal of Family Social Work, 2016

During early childhood, children require major support that is tailored toward their specific nee... more During early childhood, children require major support that is tailored toward their specific needs. For children with disabilities, families play a crucial part in providing the needed services. However, families often lack the knowledge, resources, and skills that would help them in overcoming challenges that arise while raising a child with disability. Although much research has focused on defining the needs of families with children with disabilities and the impact of disability on the family system, many questions remain. A comprehensive perspective is needed to identify the types of support families provide to the child with a disability, the impact of providing that support on family members, the support systems that are available to families, and the impact of support on society. This review consolidates the empirical research to date on family support during early childhood and outlines areas of research that need further exploration.

TD groups 5. Local processing and systemizing composite scores for the HFA, AS, and TD groups 6. ... more TD groups 5. Local processing and systemizing composite scores for the HFA, AS, and TD groups 6. Verbal mental age trajectories of Local Processing Composite Scores for the HFA, AS, and TD groups 7. Verbal mental trajectories of Systemizing Composite Scores for the HFA, AS, and TD groups 8. Local Processing Composite Scores Across chronological age developmental trajectories 9. Systemizing Composite Scores across chronological age developmental trajectories ix ABSTRACT Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder that presents a triad of impairments across communication, social behavior, and restricted interests (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). To date, many attempts have been made to explain the cognitive profiles of children and adults with ASD. Three prominent theories, Weak Central Coherence (Frith, 1989), Systemizing (Baron-Cohen, 2002), and Executive Dysfunction Theory (Pennington & Ozonoff, 1996), may together provide a plausible explanation for the cognitive biases of individuals with ASD. Weak Central Coherence (WCC) Theory proposes that individuals with ASD have difficulty learning new information due to a fixation towards local or detailed information at the exclusion of meaning, such as the gist (Happé & Frith, 2006). According to Systemizing Theory, individuals with ASD learn new information by detecting and following set rules (Baron-Cohen, 2002). Both theories fail to consistently account for the cognitive profiles of children with ASD. As an alternative, the Executive Dysfunction Theory has been proposed to account for the cognitive and behavioral profiles in ASD (e.g., Rajendran & Mitchell, 2007). The current study aims to evaluate these cognitive theories within the same children to determine how they each may contribute to the cognitive profile of ASD. The present study finds that the cognitive biases for rule-based information influences language abilities in distinct ways within ASD children. Additionally, x children with High-Functioning Autism rely on rule-based knowledge, whereas children with Asperger's Syndrome and typically developing children rely on contextual information when presented with counterfactual statements. Finally, executive functioning appears to play a bigger role in cognitive biases for children with Asperger's Syndrome than High-Functioning Autism and Typically Developing children. These differences provide a foundation for understanding how children with ASD may learn information more efficiently. The current study aims to combine measures of central coherence, systemizing, and executive functioning to understand whether children with autism possess greater biases towards local-, global-, or rule-based cognitive processing biases.

Although cogmttve development and emotional development are often viewed as separate components i... more Although cogmttve development and emotional development are often viewed as separate components in the development of the child, the two are intricately related to each other. The purpose of this chapter is to review and examine how cognitive development is related to emotional development, and how traditional and current theories of cognitive development provide us with a framework for understanding the development of emotion processing in children. Topics explored in this chapter include the role of executive functioning, language development and cognitive concepts of self on the development of emotional competence. Moreover, three theories of cognitive development: Theory of Mind, Weak Central Coherence theory and Systemizing Theory are considered in relation to cognitive and emotional processing in a special population, children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Finally, this chapter concludes with a discussion of the remaining challenges for theories of cognitive development, especially in terms of exploring the reciprocal relation between cognition and emotion.

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2015

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that presents a pattern of impair... more Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that presents a pattern of impairments across social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors and interests (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). The current overall prevalence rate of ASD diagnoses is 1 in 68 children (Center for Disease Control, 2014) and as low as 1 in 50 among school-aged children (Blumberg et al., 2013). As more children are diagnosed with ASD, empirical investigations into the cognitive mechanisms underlying ASD are increasingly vital. Current proposals have suggested that consideration of multiple theories may provide a more thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying cognitive processing in ASD (e.g., Brundson & Happé , 2014; Happé & Ronald, 2008). In addition to utilizing a multifold theoretical approach to studying cognitive processes in individuals with ASD, it is well established that individual characteristics are also just as important considering the heterogeneity of abilities observed in ASD (e.g.

Cognition & Emotion, 2014

In three experiments, script-based stories were used to provide thematic emotion. Consistent with... more In three experiments, script-based stories were used to provide thematic emotion. Consistent with past research expressing emotion thematically, emotion aided recall of both central and peripheral information. However, emotion had to be directly associated with the central or peripheral information, and emotion only facilitated memory for peripheral information when peripheral information alone was associated with the emotion. Emotion did not aid overall recall of stories. Positive and negative emotions were generally better recalled when they were incongruent with the information they were associated with, such as a positive emotion associated with an interruptive action. These results provide evidence that thematically expressed, low arousal emotion can have facilitative effects on memory. Implications for the role of emotion on memory are discussed.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2016

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised has been validated as a tool to aid in the diagnosis of A... more The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised has been validated as a tool to aid in the diagnosis of Autism; however, given the growing diversity in the United States, the ADI-R must be validated for different languages and cultures. This study evaluates the validity of the ADI-R in a U.S.-based Latino, Spanish-speaking population of 50 children and adolescents with ASD and developmental disability. Sensitivity and specificity of the ADI-R as a diagnostic tool were moderate, but lower than previously reported values. Validity of the social reciprocity and restrictive and repetitive behaviors domains was high, but low in the communication domain. Findings suggest that language discordance between caregiver and child may influence reporting of communication symptoms and contribute to lower sensitivity and specificity.