ORCID Profile
0000-0003-0142-3251
Current Organisations
UNSW Sydney
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Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-05-2018
DOI: 10.1007/S10803-018-3596-8
Abstract: There is a gap in our knowledge of aging with autism. The present study examined the applicability of the popular gerontology concept of "aging well" to autistic adults. Using survey data, a model of "aging well" was operationalised and applied to 92 autistic adults and 60 controls. A very small proportion (3.3%) of autistic adults were found to be aging well. Significantly less autistic adults were "maintaining physical and cognitive functioning" and "actively engaging with life" in comparison to controls. Whilst important differences in health and functioning status were found, the current dominant model of "aging well" is limited for examining autistic in iduals. Suggested adjustments include development of a broader, more flexible and strengths -based model.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 29-11-2022
DOI: 10.1177/13623613211058519
Abstract: Assistive technologies have the potential to provide accessible support to people with varying needs and abilities, including older autistic adults. However, there is currently limited knowledge about how older autistic adults use technology in their daily lives, whether it is sufficient to meet their needs and whether they experience any barriers to technology use. To address these questions, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 autistic adults aged over 50 years. Using thematic analysis, we identified two major themes related to how older autistic adults use technology: ‘Helping to Manage the External Environment’ and ‘Increasing Everyday Accessibility and Convenience’. Overall, participants reported experiencing a number of challenges associated with performing everyday activities and while technology was able to offer some assistance, a number of gaps still remain in meeting the support needs of this population. Based on these findings, we offer some guidelines and recommendations for technology use with this population to guide future research and practice. Technology has the potential to help people with various support needs live more autonomous lives. This includes autistic in iduals. In this article, we look at how older autistic adults use technology in their daily lives. Past research examining technology use and autism has mainly focused on helping children to learn new skills. To date, very little research has been conducted looking at how to create and design technology for use by older autistic adults. This is concerning because older autistic adults will likely have supports needs that match or exceed those of similarly aged non-autistic in iduals. In this article, we spoke to autistic adults over 50 years about their daily experiences and how they use technology. We identified some important ways that older autistic adults use technology in their daily lives, as well as a number of support needs and barriers to technology use. Based on the findings, we were able to provide some guidelines and recommendations for technology developers and service providers to assist with designing, creating and using technology with older autistic adults.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.NEUBIOREV.2019.11.016
Abstract: Across numerous studies, in iduals with substance use disorders (SUDs) differed from non-using controls regarding valuation of delayed gratification and feedback processing. However, it remains unclear whether the magnitude of the effect sizes is different across these two cognitive processes and how specific SUDs as well as demographic and clinical moderators influence these effects. In this study we thus performed multilevel linear mixed-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions to examine the effects of SUDs on the Delay Discounting Task (DD) and on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). We found a moderate to large effect for SUD on both, the IGT and DD. While the effect on the DD was generalized to all substance classes, a smaller effect for cannabis-related disorder when compared to other SUDs was found with regard to the IGT. Early onset of substance use and psychiatric comorbidities were associated with stronger effects on the DD. Our findings suggest that feedback processing is more vulnerable to specific substance effects, while valuation of delayed gratification depends more on developmental and clinical factors.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 21-11-2023
DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211058950
Abstract: This study investigates the experiences of victims of domestic violence (DV) involved in a bilateral electronic monitoring (EM) program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six victims whose associated person of interest participated in an EM program post-release, as well as 13 victim support staff. Thematic analysis revealed seven themes: (1) Safety and validation, (2) Initial anxiety, (3) Minimal intrusion on daily life, (4) Psychological relief and feelings of safety, (5) Freedom to engage in daily activities, (6) Post-EM concerns for safety, and (7) An effective deterrent for some, but not for all. Overall, the experiences reported by victims and support staff were positive and evident of victim-centricity. The main defining experience of the DVEM program for victims was improved feelings of safety during the program and increased autonomy and confidence in going about their daily activities. However, there is an urgent need to consider post-EM safety of victims.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 16-03-2023
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2023.1086215
Abstract: Older people experiencing homelessness (PEH) are a rapidly growing population at risk of accelerated aging and the early onset of geriatric conditions. One construct that shows promise in predicting age-related decline is frailty. Better understanding the rates and causes of frailty in PEH may improve understanding of its antecedents, thereby facilitating more targeted health and aged care service interventions. The aim of this study was to conduct a rapid review on the prevalence and determinants of frailty in adult PEH. We conducted a rapid review of primary research papers studying PEH and frailty or frailty-related concepts. Fourteen studies were included, which indicate that frailty presents earlier and at higher rates in PEH than community-dwelling cohorts. A notable difficulty for many aging PEH was early-onset cognitive impairment which was associated with a range of negative functional outcomes. Another recurrent theme was the negative impact that drug and alcohol use and dependence can have on the health of PEH. Further, psychosocial and structural determinants such as loneliness, living in an impoverished neighborhood and being female had statistically significant associations with frailty and functional decline in PEH. PEH in their 40s and 50s can be frail and experience geriatric conditions, including cognitive impairment. Factors that have important relationships to frailty and functional decline in PEH include cognitive deficits, drug and alcohol dependence and loneliness, as well as upstream determinants such as gender and ethnicity. More targeted data and research on these factors, including cohort studies to better investigate their potentially causal effects, is important for researchers and practitioners assessing and treating frailty in PEH, particularly those interested in early intervention and prevention. CRD42022292549.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-07-2022
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 09-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-01-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10803-021-05384-Z
Abstract: As autism is an invisible and often stigmatised condition, disclosing the diagnosis may lead to both support and/or discrimination. This mixed-methods questionnaire study examined autistic adults' experiences of disclosure in various contexts. The s le consisted of 393 participants aged 17-83 years from two longitudinal surveys. Almost all participants disclosed their diagnosis to someone, most commonly to friends. A significant minority of participants studying and/or working at the time had not disclosed to their education provider/employer. Content analysis of open-ended responses showed participants desired to gain understanding and support from disclosure but feared prejudice. While some received support, others encountered dismissiveness and misunderstanding. Findings highlight the need to improve autism understanding and reduce stigma within and beyond educational and employment contexts.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2021
DOI: 10.1016/J.BBR.2021.113237
Abstract: Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a consequence of a lack of oxygen and glucose support to the developing brain, which causes several neurodevelopmental impairments. Environmental enrichment (EE) is considered an option to recover the alterations observed in rodents exposed to HI. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of early EE on memory, hippoc al volume and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bbnf) and glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) gene expression of mice exposed to HI. At P10, pups underwent right carotid artery permanent occlusion followed by 35 min of 8% O
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-01-2020
DOI: 10.1002/JDN.10004
Abstract: Exposure to early life stress (ELS) is known to have pronounced effects on the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, not all in iduals exposed to ELS manifest the same neurobiological and cognitive phenotypes when adults. Dopamine signaling could be a key factor in understanding the effects of stress on PFC-related cognitive function. We aimed to investigate the differential effects of ELS on cognitive performance of adult mice and the dopaminergic receptors expression in the PFC. BALB/c males were exposed to the maternal separation (MS) procedure and their cognitive performance on the eight-arm radial maze (8-RAM) were assessed during adulthood. For molecular-level assessments, we performed mRNA expression analyses for dopamine receptors-DRD1, DRD2, DRD3-and Hers1 expression in the medial PFC. While MS produced an overall impairment on 8-RAM, the stressed animals could be ided in two groups based on their performance: those with impaired cognitive performance (vulnerable to maternal separation, V-MS) and those without any impairment (resilient to maternal separation, R-MS). V-MS animals showed increased DRD1 and DRD2 expression in comparison with other groups. Errors on 8-RAM were also positively correlated with DRD1 and DRD2 mRNA expression. Our findings suggest a potential role of the dopaminergic system in the programming mechanisms of cognitive vulnerability and resilience related to ELS.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.BBR.2019.112221
Abstract: Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) are implicated with the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment induced by inflammation. Early life stress is associated with altered trajectories of neuroimmune signaling with implications for cognitive development. However, effects of TLR-3 activation on early life stress-related cognitive outcomes are understudied. We investigated the effects of maternal separation (MS) during postnatal development and a viral immune challenge during adolescence on working memory performance. BALB/c mice exposed to MS were separated from their dams daily for 180-min from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 15. At PND 45, animals were challenged with a single i.p. injection of either Poly (I:C) or sterile saline, and then subjected to a spatial working memory test in a Y-maze apparatus. Gene expression was determined by qPCR. Protein levels of oxidative stress markers were also assessed. A single peripheral administration of a TLR-3 agonist was able to induce working memory impairments in adolescent mice exposed to MS. At a molecular level, exposure to MS was associated with lower mRNA levels of Tlr3 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, when MS animals were exposed to Poly (I:C), a more robust activation of Tlr3, Il6 and Nfkb1 gene transcription was observed in these mice compared with control animals. These modifications did not result in oxidative stress. Finally, higher mRNA levels of Nfkb1 in the mPFC were correlated with lower working memory performance, suggesting that altered NF-κB signaling might be related with poor cognitive functioning. These results have implications for how ELS affects neuroimmune signaling in the mPFC.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 17-04-2023
DOI: 10.2196/45467
Abstract: Serious games have the potential to transform the field of cognitive assessment. The use of serious game–based cognitive assessments in prison environments is particularly exciting. This is because interventions are urgently needed to address the rapid increase in the number of currently incarcerated older adults globally and because of the heightened risks of dementia and cognitive decline present in this population. Game-based assessments are assumed to be fun, engaging, and suitable alternatives to traditional cognitive testing, but these assumptions remain mostly untested in older adults. This is especially true for older adults in prison, whose preferences and needs are seldom heard and may deviate from those previously captured in studies on cognition and serious games. This study aimed to understand the design preferences of older adults in prison for a game-based cognitive assessment. This study used reflexive thematic analysis, underpinned by critical realism, and applied the technique of abduction. Overall, 4 focus groups with a total of 20 participants were conducted with older adults (aged ≥50 years aged ≥45 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) across 3 distinct prison environments in Australia. Self-determination theory was used as a theoretical foundation to interpret the results. Overall, 3 themes were generated: Goldilocks—getting gameplay difficulty just right through optimal challenge (the first theme emphasizes the participants’ collective desire for an in idualized optimal level of difficulty in serious gameplay), Avoiding Childish Graphics—gimmicky gameplay can be condescending (the second theme raises the importance of avoiding immature and childlike gameplay features, as some older end users in prison felt that these can be condescending), and A Balanced Diet—meaningful choice and variety keeps game-based assessments fun (the third theme highlights the strong user preference for meaningful choice and variety in any serious game–based cognitive assessment to maximize in-game autonomy). The collection of these themes provides novel insights into key game design preferences of marginalized older adults.
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 2017
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 28-04-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.27.23289227
Abstract: As populations age globally, cooperation across multi-sector stakeholders is increasingly important to service older persons, particularly those with high and complex health and social needs. One such population is older people entering society after a period of incarceration in prison. The ‘ageing epidemic’ in prisons worldwide has caught the attention of researchers, governments and community organisations, who identify challenges in servicing this group as they re-enter the community. Challenges lie across multiple sectors, with inadequate support leading to dire consequences for public health, social welfare and reci ism. This is the first study to bring together multi-sector stakeholders from Australia to form recommendations for improving health and social outcomes for older people re-entering community after imprisonment. A modified nominal group technique was used to produce recommendations from N=15 key stakeholders across prison health, corrections, research, advocacy, aged care, community services, via online workshops. The importance and priority of these recommendations was validated by a broader s le of N=44 stakeholders, using an online survey. Thirty-six recommendations for improving outcomes for this population were strongly supported. These recommendations entail two important findings about this population: (1) They are a high-needs, unique, and underserved group at risk of significant health and social inequity in the community, (2) Multi-sector stakeholder cooperation will be crucial to service this growing group.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 17-04-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.13.23288514
Abstract: Digital inequity refers to the inequality and exclusion experienced by those who lack the same opportunities or circumstances to support the development of digital skills as the rest of modern society. One rapidly growing and highly vulnerable group to digital inequity is older people attempting to reintegrate into society after release from prison, where technology access is limited. Inadequate support for digital skills in this population entails widespread consequences for public health, human rights, social welfare and reci ism. This qualitative study is the first to: examine digital inequity experienced by older people who have been incarcerated, understand the effects of this on reintegration to society, and begin informing appropriate solutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with N=15 older people (mean age= 57) who had been released from an Australian prison in the last two years, regarding their experiences of digital literacy since leaving prison. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted under a critical realist lens. The analysis resulted in six themes that illustrated the extent of digital inequity experienced by this population, and key challenges for improving digital literacy: ‘surviving in a digital world’, ‘stranger in a foreign world’, ‘questioning the digital ide’, ‘overcoming your “old” self’, ‘don’t like what you don’t know’, and ‘seeking versus finding help’. The digital inequity that older people experience during and after incarceration creates additional challenges for a growing group who are already medically and socially marginalised. Prioritisation of this group for digital literacy initiatives both during incarceration and in the community will have benefits for their health, social and financial reintegration. Their unique life experiences should be considered in designing and delivering these programs.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 02-01-2023
Abstract: erious games have the potential to transform the field of cognitive assessment. The use of serious game–based cognitive assessments in prison environments is particularly exciting. This is because interventions are urgently needed to address the rapid increase in the number of currently incarcerated older adults globally and because of the heightened risks of dementia and cognitive decline present in this population. Game-based assessments are assumed to be fun, engaging, and suitable alternatives to traditional cognitive testing, but these assumptions remain mostly untested in older adults. This is especially true for older adults in prison, whose preferences and needs are seldom heard and may deviate from those previously captured in studies on cognition and serious games. his study aimed to understand the design preferences of older adults in prison for a game-based cognitive assessment. his study used reflexive thematic analysis, underpinned by critical realism, and applied the technique of abduction. Overall, 4 focus groups with a total of 20 participants were conducted with older adults (aged ≥50 years aged ≥45 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) across 3 distinct prison environments in Australia. elf-determination theory was used as a theoretical foundation to interpret the results. Overall, 3 themes were generated: i Goldilocks /i —getting gameplay difficulty i just right /i through optimal challenge (the first theme emphasizes the participants’ collective desire for an in idualized optimal level of difficulty in serious gameplay), i Avoiding Childish Graphics /i —gimmicky gameplay can be condescending (the second theme raises the importance of avoiding immature and childlike gameplay features, as some older end users in prison felt that these can be condescending), and i A Balanced Diet /i —meaningful choice and variety keeps game-based assessments fun (the third theme highlights the strong user preference for meaningful choice and variety in any serious game–based cognitive assessment to maximize in-game autonomy). he collection of these themes provides novel insights into key game design preferences of marginalized older adults.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 23-09-2021
DOI: 10.1108/IJPH-09-2020-0062
Abstract: The Australian prisoner population has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of older inmates over the past decade, consistent with the greying of the prisoner population that is being observed worldwide. Reviews suggest the need for further evidence and practice outside of the USA. This paper aims to review and discuss the cost and social implications of the rising health-care needs of this population in Australia. A review of international research and policies is presented, as well as the results of basic economic modelling relating to the expected rise in health-care costs of the ageing prisoner population in Australia. Taking into consideration the continued rise in incarceration rates, the calculations show that the health costs of prisoners could increase by anywhere between 17% and 90% depending on whether the increase of older prisoners continues as it has in the past decade. These trends are likely to continue over the next decade and will result in higher health costs of prisons under a number of different imprisonment scenarios. Policy responses in Australia have been slow so far, with most initiatives being undertaken in the USA with promising results. The authors suggest that in the absence of a coordinated policy response, covering a range of interventions, costs will continue to increase, particularly as this population continues to age more rapidly than the general population due to an accumulation of risk factors. Well-conceived interventions would be a worthwhile investment from both financial and social perspectives. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first commentary to acknowledge this rising public health issue and to both review and model its implications for the future.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-05-2021
Abstract: The police are often the first to attend domestic violence events in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, recording related details as structured information (e.g., date of the event, type of incident, premises type) and text narratives which contain important information (e.g., mental health status, abuse types) for victims and perpetrators. This study examined the characteristics of victims and persons of interest (POIs) suspected and/or charged with perpetrating a domestic violence-related crime in residential care facilities. The study employed a text mining method that extracted key information from 700 police-recorded domestic violence events in NSW residential care facilities. Victims were mostly female (65.4%) and older adults (median age 80.3). POIs were predominantly male (67.0%) and were younger than the victims (median age 57.0). While low rates of mental illnesses were recorded (29.1% in victims 17.4% in POIs), “dementia” was the most common condition among POIs (55.7%) and victims (73.0%). “Physical abuse” was the most common abuse type (80.2%) with “bruising” the most common injury (36.8%). The most common relationship between perpetrator and victim was “carer” (76.6%). These findings highlight the opportunity provided by police text-based data to offer insights into elder abuse within residential care facilities.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-02-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10803-022-05473-7
Abstract: This is the first study to investigate instrumental activities of daily living in older autistic adults. We conducted interviews with fifteen adults (mean age = 60.1, SD = 7.4, range = 50–73) from Australia with no intellectual disability. Analysis included both deductive and inductive steps, to categorise responses using the Occupational Performance Model Australia and identify themes across participants’ experiences. Strengths and challenges were unique to the in idual, as were the methods they had developed to manage tasks. Challenges occurred mostly at the interaction between aspects of the environment (sensory, cognitive, social and cultural) and personal factors such as health conditions and sensory sensitivities. Enhanced person-environment fit is needed, as is a shift in wider sociocultural attitudes to enable comfort and autonomy in later life.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 24-10-2018
DOI: 10.1093/ACREFORE/9780190236557.013.422
Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or autism, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is typically recognized and diagnosed in childhood. There is no established biological marker for autism rather, the diagnosis is made based on observation of behavioral traits, including (a) persistent deficits in social interaction and communication, and (b) restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, autistic in iduals are a highly heterogeneous group and differ widely in the presentation and severity of their symptoms. The established prevalence of ASD is approximately 1% of the population. Information about autism in adulthood is limited most of the literature examines childhood and adolescence. While the term “later life” has traditionally been associated with those over the age of 65, a dire lack of understanding exists for those on the autism spectrum beyond early adulthood. In iduals remain on the spectrum into later life, though some mild improvements in symptoms are observed over time. Autistic adults experience high levels of physical and mental health comorbidities. Rates of participation in employment and education are also lower than that of the general population. Quality of life is reportedly poorer for autistic adults than for nonautistic peers, though this is not affected by age. More robust studies of the health, well-being, and needs of autistic adults are needed, especially qualitative investigations of adulthood and aging and longitudinal studies of development over the lifespan.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 15-08-2020
Abstract: Anxiety is present in high rates in both children and adults on the autism spectrum. An increasing number of studies have highlighted the potentially important role that intolerance of uncertainty may have in anxiety for those on the spectrum, as well as their interrelationships with sensory sensitivities and repetitive behaviours. In response to a lack of studies involving adults, this study examined self-report survey data regarding intolerance of uncertainty, sensory sensitivities, repetitive behaviours and anxiety in a s le of 176 adults on the autism spectrum (mean age = 42). Intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety were both found to be elevated relative to non-autistic adults ( N = 116) and significant, positive correlations were found between intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety, repetitive behaviours and sensory sensitivities in those on the spectrum. Intolerance of uncertainty was found to be a significant mediator between sensory sensitivities and anxiety, as well as between anxiety and insistence on sameness behaviours. These results were not sensitive to age. Intolerance of uncertainty is an important factor to be considered in the conceptualisation and management of elevated rates of anxiety for adults on the autism spectrum.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 21-07-2021
DOI: 10.1177/26338076211028729
Abstract: Electronic monitoring has been increasingly used internationally with recent implementation in Australia for those convicted of domestic violence offenses. It is timely and important to gain a better understanding of the physical, psychological, social, and offending-related experiences and impacts of electronic monitoring on this group to inform further implementation. This study describes the experiences of in iduals who were subject to a post-release electronic monitoring program for domestic violence in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 16 men who had recently experienced electronic monitoring. Thematic analysis was used to investigate common themes across participants’ experiences. Demographic and basic quantitative health data were also collected. Five themes were identified: (a) confusion regarding program practices, (b) awareness and pressure of monitoring, (c) social exclusion effects, (d) felt and enacted stigmatization, and (e) “for them not for me.” The findings reveal participants were highly aware of their being monitored, with a mix of positive and negative responses to this cognizance. Being electronically monitored had several flow-on effects on participants’ lives, creating challenges in social spheres across work and personal life. Stigma, both felt and enacted, featured heavily in participants’ responses. In idual factors that may affect program adherence were also identified, including education level and intent to commit a crime. Further quantitative work will be useful for informing a more complete understanding of the relationship between program experiences and outcomes such as reoffending and post-release community integration.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-02-2019
DOI: 10.1002/AUR.2086
Abstract: Focused investigations regarding mortality rates, risk factors, and cause of death in autistic populations remain scarce. The present study used large linked datasets spanning 2001-2015 to report the rates and risk factors for mortality and cause of death in in iduals on the autism spectrum (n = 35,929 age range 5-64) with and without concurrent intellectual disability (ID) in New South Wales, Australia. Mortality rates for those on the autism spectrum were 2.06 times that of the general population. Concurrent ID, epilepsy, mental health conditions, and chronic physical health conditions were associated with a higher risk of death for those on the spectrum, whereas demographic variables such as gender and socioeconomic status were not. A differing profile of top causes of death was found for autistic in iduals relative to the general population, with "nervous system and sense disorders" and "injury and poisoning" being the top-ranked causes for those on the spectrum. The findings alert the need for health promotion and management of concurrent physical and mental health conditions for those on the autism spectrum. There is also a need for better identification, diagnosis, and documentation of older adults on the autism spectrum. Autism Research 2019, 12: 806-815. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Rates of death are higher for autistic in iduals compared to the general population. There is higher risk of death for autistic in iduals who have additional mental and physical health conditions. The leading causes of death for autistic in iduals with and without ID are "nervous system and sense disorders", which includes epilepsy and "injury and poisoning", respectively. To minimize risk of death, it is important to manage the mental and physical health in iduals on the autism spectrum and to better understand the circumstances surrounding preventable deaths for this population.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-08-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610217001521
Abstract: “Aging well” is an increasingly popular concept in gerontology. Adults with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder represent a demographically substantial population, yet remain excluded from existing conceptualizations of aging well. This qualitative study aimed to explore what it means for autistic adults to “age well” from the perspectives of autistic adults and carers. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 autistic adults (mean age 50.3 years) and 9 carers of autistic adults. Interviews were offered in four formats: email, telephone, Skype, and face-to-face and included three questions exploring what it means for autistic adults to age well as well as what might help or hinder them from aging well. Aging well was found to be a multifaceted concept that encompassed the autistic in idual, others, the world they live in, and relational issues connecting these domains. Thematic analysis revealed eight themes to be common across participants’ responses: “myself,” “being autistic,” “others,” “lifestyle and living well,” “being supported,” “relating to others,” “life environment,” and “societal attitudes and acceptance.” In line with previous studies, a more erse range of personal and environmental factors should be included in conceptualizing aging well. In contrast to dominant perspectives, being autistic was not considered a hindrance to aging well. Rather, social and relational issues were central and unique to aging well for autistic adults. Implications include the need to address societal attitudes towards autism and building capacity and understanding in those who are both formally and informally involved in the lives of autistic adults.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 13-03-2020
Abstract: Resilience is an increasingly popular concept in literature as a protective factor against mental ill-health. While elevated rates of anxiety and mood disorders occur in adults on the autism spectrum, there is a gap in literature investigating the application of resilience to this population. This brief report examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale in a s le of 95 autistic adults ( M age = 44). Our findings provide evidence for a unidimensional structure and robust psychometric properties of the scale in an autistic population, in line with factorial studies involving the general population. Adults on the autism spectrum experience high rates of anxiety and depression, and may be particularly vulnerable to difficult and traumatic life experiences, which may contribute to the development and maintenance of these conditions. Resilience is an increasingly popular concept in research, which describes the ability to ‘bounce back’ following difficult emotional experiences, and the flexibility to adapt to stressful and demanding situations. The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale has been used predominantly in studies involving non-autistic adults to measure resilience. While resilience is a potentially important concept for autistic adults, the suitability of the 10-item version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale for use with adults on the spectrum has not yet been studied. In this short report, we investigate whether the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10 is a valid measure to use with this population, and its relationship with other measures of mental well- or ill-being. Participants were 95 autistic adults with a mean age of 44 (63% female) who completed measures of resilience, autism symptoms, depression, anxiety and mental wellbeing. Overall, the findings indicate that the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10 may be reliably used with autistic adults to measure trait resilience, which is associated with positive wellbeing and may serve as a protective factor from negative mental wellbeing. Future studies may use the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10 to investigate resilience as a protective factor from negative mental health outcomes in response to traumatic and adverse emotional events for which autistic in iduals may be particularly susceptible.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-05-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-04-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.NEUBIOREV.2022.104746
Abstract: Exposure to early life stress (ELS) may lead to long-lasting neurobiological and behavioral impairments. Alterations in the immune system and neuroinflammatory state induced by ELS exposure are considered risk factors for developing psychiatric disorders. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies investigating the short and long-term effects of ELS exposure on anti and pro-inflammatory cytokines in brain tissues. Our analysis shows that animals exposed to ELS present an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. On the other hand, no alteration was observed in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Meta-regression revealed that alterations were more prominent in the hippoc us of adult animals that were exposed to more extended periods of ELS. These inflammatory effects were not permanent since few alterations were identified in aged animals. Our findings suggest that ELS exposure alters pro-inflammatory cytokines expression and may act as a primer for a secondary challenge that may induce lifelong immune alterations. Moreover, the actual evidence is insufficient to comprehend the relationship between anti-inflammatory cytokines and ELS fully.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-07-2021
DOI: 10.1007/S10803-021-05178-3
Abstract: Carers of adults on the autism spectrum often experience high levels of stress, worry, and caregiver burden. There are few studies identifying the predictors of carer mental well-being and none have been conducted in Australia. Data from the Autism Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism's Australian Longitudinal Study of Autism in Adulthood was used to test the conceptual model by Sonido et al. (Rev J Autism Dev Disord, 2019, 0.1007/s40489-019-00177-8 ) by (a) identifying the predictors of mental well-being for carers of adults on the spectrum, (b) using model selection to determine which predictors contribute to the model of best fit, and (c) testing for mediating relationships between the predictors. Several predictors were directly associated with carer psychological quality of life, including carer age, care recipient intellectual disability, and carer intolerance of uncertainty. Model selection strongly supported the inclusion of most clusters from the conceptual model. Some mediating relationships were found, such as care recipient depressive behaviours mediating the relationships between caregiver burden and psychological quality of life. Future studies of the conceptual model will improve understanding of the predictors of carer mental well-being and enable tailored interventions to improve the psychological health of carers of adults on the autism spectrum.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-09-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-05-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-03-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S10803-019-03947-9
Abstract: Despite the high prevalence of depression and other mental illnesses in autistic adults, screening instruments such as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) have not been specifically validated in an autistic s le. Using data from two Autism CRC longitudinal studies (n = 581), confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor model (somatic and cognitive/affective) in the autistic s le and one-factor model in the community comparison s le. Confirmatory bifactor analysis also supported use of the PHQ-9 total score in autism. Good convergent validity was found with two measures of psychological well-being for PHQ-9 total and subdomain scores. The PHQ-9 is a useful tool for autism research allowing comparison across autistic and non-autistic participants.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1177/24705470211067181
Abstract: Introduction: Disruption of maternal care using maternal separation (MS) models has provided significant evidence of the deleterious long-term effects of early life stress. Several preclinical studies investigating MS showed multiple behavioral and biomolecular alterations. However, there is still conflicting results from MS studies, which represents a challenge for reliability and replicability of those findings. Objective: To address that, this study was conducted to investigate whether MS would affect anxiety-like behaviors using a battery of classical tasks, as well as central and peripheral stress-related biomarkers. Methods: Male Balb/c mice were exposed to MS from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 14 for 180-min per day. Two independent cohorts were performed to evaluate both baseline and anxiety-like behavior responses to MS at PND60. We performed composite scores to evaluate MS effects on anxiety and risk assessment phenotypes. Also, we assessed mRNA gene expression in the medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR and MR) using real-time PCR and peripheral corticosterone levels (CORT) to investigate possible neurobiological correlates to anxiety behaviors. Results: We found increased anxiety-like behavior and decreased risk assessment and exploratory behaviors in MS mice. The animals exposed to MS also presented a decrease in MR mRNA expression and higher levels of CORT compared to controls. Conclusions: Our findings reinforce the body of evidence suggesting that long-term MS induces effects on anxiety and risk assessment phenotypes following the exposure to a standardized MS protocol. Moreover, MS affected the expression of MR mRNA and induced significant changes on CORT response. This data highlights that the reprograming MS effects on HPA axis could be mediate by MR gene expression in mPFC and chronic overactivity of peripheral CORT levels.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 17-05-2021
DOI: 10.1108/IJPH-10-2020-0078
Abstract: The purpose of this commentary is to draw upon available literature and practices related to COVID-19 and management of older incarcerated adults in Australia to highlight key matters for better risk management and care of this population during this and future infectious disease pan/epidemics. The present commentary draws on current policies, practices and literature regarding the health, needs and management of older incarcerated adults in Australia to discuss risk, care and early release for this population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Incarcerated persons experience poorer health and accelerated age-related decline compared to those in the general community. The present situation offers the opportunity to fill knowledge and practice gaps, including policies for staff training, identification of dementia and cognitive decline, assessment of mobility issues, addressing barriers to health-seeking, possibilities of medical or compassionate release, risk assessment and release protocols and post-release needs. While Australian prisons have acknowledged the vulnerability of older persons, more focused adaptation of COVID-19-related policies to consider adults as young as 45 years are needed. Appropriate ethical identification and management of cases in this population is needed, as is discussion on issues of decarceration and medical release. Re-conceptualisation of incarcerated adults as “citizens in need of care”, rather than as “offenders to be secured”, will be beneficial. Robust, local evidence is needed to assist decision-making. This is a comprehensive, focused review of relevant evidence, policies and practices for a growing subpopulation of prisoners worldwide with complex needs and particular vulnerability to the COVID-19.
Location: No location found
Location: Brazil
No related grants have been discovered for Ye In (Jane) Hwang.