27 research outputs found
sj-docx-1-aut-10.1177_13623613221119749 – Supplemental material for Mental health of autistic adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: The impact of perceived stress, intolerance of uncertainty, and coping style
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-1-aut-10.1177_13623613221119749 for Mental health of autistic adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: The impact of perceived stress, intolerance of uncertainty, and coping style by Kris Evers, Eef Gijbels, Jarymke Maljaars, Freya Rumball, Debbie Spain, Francesca Happé and Ilse Noens in Autism</p
A Systematic Review of the Assessment and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
No full textStudying individual differences and emotion regulation effects on PTSD-like responding and recovery: A psychophysiological VR-trauma paradigm
No full textDespite a high proportion of the population experiencing traumatic events within their lifetime, the number of individuals who go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is comparatively small; herein highlighting the importance of individual differences in imparting risk and resilience towards the development and maintenance of PTSD. Existing literature illustrates that biological and ecological factors are important in predicting PTSD development, with pathological vulnerabilities excepting their effects at pre- peri- and post trauma stages. Whilst cognitive and emotion based models of PTSD account for the role of a minority of known pre-trauma risk factors, individual differences in peri- and post trauma processes are held as critical to the development of PTSD. The broad range of risk factors implicated in the empirical literature, and necessity of traumatic exposure to PTSD, implicates the utility of a diathesis-stress conceptualisation of PTSD development. The current thesis employed an analogue VR-trauma paradigm to investigate the respective importance of vulnerability factors at each stage, in the prediction of analogue PTSD symptoms (memory problems, startle responses, re-exposure fear habituation), whilst measuring affective and electrophysiological concomitance. Findings supported the importance of peri-traumatic responses in the prediction of PTSD, where present, showing increased predictive capacities over pre- and post-trauma factors. Biological and ecological factors also illustrated important predictive associations, with genetic SNPs implicated in reflex startle and cardiac responses towards intrusive memories. Moreover, peri-traumatic HR decelerations and accelerations mediated the association between pre-trauma factors and cued recall inaccuracy and intrusion severity respectively. Results support existing cognitive and emotional models in their emphasis on peri-traumatic processes but suggest the added utility of a diathesis stress conceptualisation of the development of PTSD, in highlighting the importance of pre-trauma biological and ecological risk and resilience factors.Gerald Kerkutt TrustExeter Graduate Fellowship from University of Exete
Studying individual differences and emotion regulation effects on PTSD-like responding and recovery: A psychophysiological VR-trauma paradigm
No full textDespite a high proportion of the population experiencing traumatic events within their lifetime, the number of individuals who go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is comparatively small; herein highlighting the importance of individual differences in imparting risk and resilience towards the development and maintenance of PTSD. Existing literature illustrates that biological and ecological factors are important in predicting PTSD development, with pathological vulnerabilities excepting their effects at pre- peri- and post trauma stages. Whilst cognitive and emotion based models of PTSD account for the role of a minority of known pre-trauma risk factors, individual differences in peri- and post trauma processes are held as critical to the development of PTSD. The broad range of risk factors implicated in the empirical literature, and necessity of traumatic exposure to PTSD, implicates the utility of a diathesis-stress conceptualisation of PTSD development. The current thesis employed an analogue VR-trauma paradigm to investigate the respective importance of vulnerability factors at each stage, in the prediction of analogue PTSD symptoms (memory problems, startle responses, re-exposure fear habituation), whilst measuring affective and electrophysiological concomitance. Findings supported the importance of peri-traumatic responses in the prediction of PTSD, where present, showing increased predictive capacities over pre- and post-trauma factors. Biological and ecological factors also illustrated important predictive associations, with genetic SNPs implicated in reflex startle and cardiac responses towards intrusive memories. Moreover, peri-traumatic HR decelerations and accelerations mediated the association between pre-trauma factors and cued recall inaccuracy and intrusion severity respectively. Results support existing cognitive and emotional models in their emphasis on peri-traumatic processes but suggest the added utility of a diathesis stress conceptualisation of the development of PTSD, in highlighting the importance of pre-trauma biological and ecological risk and resilience factors
Rachel Prosser - Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych)
No full textSystematic Review of the Literature
The degree to which hoarding disorder (HD) is stigmatised by the public, and that this is internalised by people with HD, is a relatively neglected research area. This review aimed to synthesise current understanding of stigma of HD and its impact on help-seeking. A systematic search was conducted to identify publications which investigated public or internalised stigma, or related concepts like shame and blame, in relation to HD. The electronic databases PsycINFO, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched. Fifteen papers met inclusion criteria and were appraised for quality. Research exploring stigma in HD is limited and of variable quality. Nevertheless, the literature suggests that many (but not all) people who hoard and their families experience stigma, and that HD is stigmatised by the public and associated with more rejecting attitudes and frustration amongst professionals. Research exploring help-seeking in HD tentatively suggests a negative impact of stigma. Further research is needed to replicate and extend findings and address methodological limitations to provide an understanding of stigma on which approaches to enhance wellbeing and treatment uptake in HD can be developed.
Service Improvement Project
Older adults are underrepresented in UK Talking Therapies services, a national priority for improvement in the NHS. A Talking Therapies service in England identified that many older adults who were referred did not opt in to assessment. We aimed to explore the characteristics of these older adults and understand their experiences, to inform recommendations to support future opting-in. Demographic and referral characteristics were compared for older adults who did and did not opt-in, then surveys and semistructured interviews were used to investigate older adults’ reasons for not opting-in. Responses were thematically analysed, and themes were categorised using the COM-B model to inform recommendations. Older age, being from an ethnic minority group, having a previous referral, not being able to receive text messages, and not self-referring (e.g. being referred by GP) all significantly increased the chances of older adults not opting-in. Impersonal and confusing processes, as well as older adults’ limited knowledge of Talking Therapies, beliefs about therapy, and physical, cognitive and life changes with age were identified as barriers to opting-in. Several recommendations are made, including ideas to increase accessibility of information, change procedures to improve personal connection, and address practical barriers.
Theory Driven Research Project
Purpose: Research suggests autistic people experience greater post-traumatic stress disorder symptom severity (PTSD-SS) than non-autistic people following traumatic events. Post-trauma appraisals are fundamental in cognitive models of PTSD, but have not been explored in autistic people.
Methods: Two hundred forty-two autistic and non-autistic adults completed an online survey measuring trauma exposure, PTSD-SS, and post-trauma appraisals. Using group comparisons and mediation analyses, we assessed whether these differed between the groups and whether negative post-traumatic appraisals mediated the link between autism and PTSD-SS.
Results: Rate of exposure to types of traumatic events did not differ significantly between the groups, but the autistic group endorsed significantly more events that happened to them directly. PTSD-SS and negative post-traumatic appraisals were higher in the autistic group. Negative post-traumatic appraisals, specifically alienation, shame and fear, mediated the relationship between autism and PTSD-SS.
Conclusion: Greater endorsement of negative post-traumatic appraisals may increase PTSD-SS in autistic adults, however further longitudinal research is needed
‐5 Traumatic Life Events
No full textResearch to date suggests that individuals with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) may be at increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following exposure to traumatic life events. It has been posited that characteristics of ASD may affect perceptions of trauma, with a wider range of life events acting as possible catalysts for PTSD development. This study set out to explore the nature of “trauma” for adults with ASD and the rates of self-reported PTSD symptomatology following DSM-5 and non-DSM-5 traumas—the latter being defined as those that would not meet the standard DSM-5 PTSD trauma Criterion A. Fifty-nine adults with ASD who reported exposure to traumatic events took part in the study, which involved completing a series of online questionnaires. Thirty-three individuals reported experiencing a “DSM-5” traumatic event (i.e., an event meeting DSM-5 PTSD Criterion A) and 35 reported a “non-DSM-5” traumautic event. Trauma-exposed ASD adults were found to be at increased risk of PTSD development, compared to previous general population statistics, with PTSD symptom scores crossing thresholds suggestive of probable PTSD diagnosis for more than 40% of ASD individuals following DSM-5 or non-DSM-5 traumas. A broader range of life events appear to be experienced as traumatic and may act as a catalyst for PTSD development in adults with ASD. Assessment of trauma and PTSD symptomatology should consider possible non-DSM-5 traumas in this population, and PTSD diagnosis and treatment should not be withheld simply due to the atypicality of the experienced traumatic event. Lay Summary: This study explored the experience of trauma and rates of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). We asked 59 autistic adults to complete online questionnaires about their experiences of stressful or traumatic events and related mental health difficulties. Autistic adults experienced a wide range of life events as traumatic, with over 40% showing probable PTSD within the last month and over 60% reporting probable PTSD at some point in their lifetime. Many of the life events experienced as traumas would not be recognized in some current diagnostic systems, raising concerns that autistic people may not receive the help they need for likely PTSD.</p
A brain-potential correlate of task-set conflict
No full textBrain-potential correlates of response conflict are well documented, but those of task conflict are not. Task-switching studies have suggested a plausible correlate of task conflict—a poststimulus posterior negativity—however, in such paradigms the negativity may also reflect poststimulus task-set reconfiguration postulated in some models. Here, participants alternated between single-task blocks of classifying letters and digits; hence, no within-block task-set reconfiguration was required. Presenting letters alongside digits slowed responses to the digits and elicited an ERP negativity from ∼350 ms, relative to task-neutral symbols presented alongside digits, consistent with task conflict. The negativity was also present for congruent digit-letter stimuli; this and the lack of behavioral response congruency effects indicate conflict at the level of task-set rather than response selection
Heightened risk of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults with autism spectrum disorder:The role of cumulative trauma and memory deficits
No full textBackground: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are known to be at increased risk of exposure to traumas such as maltreatment and abuse, however less is known about possible susceptibility towards the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and associated risk factors. Aims: This study investigated the rates of trauma exposure and PTSD, and the role of cumulative trauma exposure and memory as risk factors for PTSD in adults who self-reported having received an ASD diagnosis, compared to a typically developing (TD) comparison group. Methods: Questionnaires assessing self-reported frequency of trauma exposure (LEC), PTSD symptomology (PCL-S) and memory (EMQ- R and BRIEF-A) were completed online by 38 ASD adults and 44 TD adults. Results: Rates of trauma exposure and PTSD symptomatology were significantly higher in the ASD group, compared to the TD group, with deficits in working memory and everyday memory mediating this association. Interestingly, a cumulative effect of trauma exposure on PTSD symptom severity was only found in the ASD group. Conclusions: High rates of trauma and probable PTSD in ASD adults highlight the importance of routine screening. Cumulative trauma exposure and memory deficits may act to increase risk of PTSD in ASD; longitudinal research is called for.</p
Co-occurring mental health symptoms and cognitive processes in trauma-exposed ASD adults
No full textBackground: Mental health problems are common amongst adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Stressful and traumatic life events can trigger or exacerbate symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD. In the general population, transdiagnostic processes such as suppression and perseverative thinking are associated with responses to trauma and mental health symptoms. Aims: This study explored the relationships between thought suppression, perseverative thinking and symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD in ASD adults who reported exposure to a range of DSM-5 and non-DSM-5 traumatic events. Methods: 59 ASD adults completed a series of online self-report questionnaires measuring trauma, transdiagnostic cognitive processes, and mental health symptoms. Results: Probable PTSD rarely occurred in isolation and was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in trauma-exposed ASD adults. All cognitive processes and mental health symptoms were positively associated with one another, regardless of whether the trauma met DSM-5 PTSD Criterion A. When accounting for both cognitive processes, only thought suppression significantly predicted PTSD and anxiety symptoms, while only perseverative thinking significantly predicted depression symptoms. Conclusions and implications: These preliminary results suggest that different cognitive processes more strongly affect anxiety/PTSD versus depression symptom severity in trauma-exposed ASD adults, although co-occurring symptoms are common. Implications for assessment, treatment and future research are discussed.</p
