Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2018
Gelotophobia can be defined as the fear of being laughed at or ridiculed. The aim of the current ... more Gelotophobia can be defined as the fear of being laughed at or ridiculed. The aim of the current literature review is to present a synthesis of the literature on gelotophobia and the link between high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (hfASD) and gelotophobia. It will also give an overview of the literature regarding the variables hypothesised to be affected by the presence of gelotophobic symptoms in individuals with hfASD; namely social functioning, perceived social support and overall quality of life. Topics explored are defining the characteristics of gelotophobia, conceptualisation and measurement implications of gelotophobia, the etiology and consequences of gelotophobia, analysing the social competence of gelotophobes, and assessing the literature on the presence of gelotophobia in a hfASD sample. The characteristics of hfASD will be discussed. Research on hfASD and its relationship with other variables is also investigated, including comorbid psychopathology, perceived social support, social functioning, shame-bound emotions and overall quality of life. The current review will place an emphasis on research conducted on an adult population of individuals with hfASD. Given the limited research in the area, more research is needed to better understand the relationship between gelotophobia and bullying, social functioning, perceived social support, comorbid psychopathology and quality of life in individuals with hfASD. In conclusion, experts in the area of gelotophobia need to expand their research to include individuals with hfASD, and autism researchers need to be aware of gelotophobia and to incorporate gelotophobia as a potential comorbidity into their research.
Samson et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 41:475–483, 2011) conducted the firs... more Samson et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 41:475–483, 2011) conducted the first empirical investigation examining the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia) and its prevalence in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (hfASD). The present research examined gelotophobia in relation to social functioning, perceived social support, life satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with hfASD, including past experiences of bullying and the presence of comorbid psychopathology. Participants were 103 adults with a clinical diagnosis of hfASD and 137 typically developing controls. Individuals with hfASD presented with higher rates of gelotophobia symptomatology in comparison to controls (87.4 vs. 22.6% respectively). It was also found that social functioning, past experiences of bullying, anxiety and life satisfaction were predictors of gelotophobia amongst individuals with hfASD.
91 521355 2 Comorbidity in children and adolescents with ASD: A follow-up. Abstract Research has ... more 91 521355 2 Comorbidity in children and adolescents with ASD: A follow-up. Abstract Research has recently focused on studying comorbidity in the autism spectrum but little research has been conducted in follow-up studies or conducting longitudinal research into these conditions. Mannion, Leader, and Healy (2013) examined the frequency of comorbid disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and the predictors of sleep problems. The current study is a follow-up study conducted two years later with 56 participants. Age, gender, level of intellectual disability, presence of epilepsy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and an anxiety disorder were assessed, along with administering the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC) , the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Inventory.
The current study investigated toileting problems in one hundred and twenty-seven children and ad... more The current study investigated toileting problems in one hundred and twenty-seven children and adolescents with parent-reported diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder. Toileting refers to the accomplishment of various unprompted behaviors, including recognising the need to go to the toilet, and waiting before eliminating. The relationship between toileting problems and age, gender, intellectual disability, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, comorbid psychopathology, quality of life, and adaptive functioning were examined using parent-report questionnaires. The most common toileting problems were, "Does not independently perform most self-help tasks", "Has toilet accidents during the day", and "Parent/caregiver notices smears in underwear". Gender, presence of intellectual disability, gastrointestinal symptoms, and comorbid psychopathology were significant predictors of toileting problems in this study.
In 2009, Kroeger and Sorensen-Burnworth published a comprehensive review of the literature on toi... more In 2009, Kroeger and Sorensen-Burnworth published a comprehensive review of the literature on toilet training individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Their review highlighted that the majority of toilet training programs were modelled after Azrin and Foxx's Rapid Toilet Training method. The current study will update the toilet training literature since 2009. Behaviorally-based components of these programs will be described and their contribution to toilet training discussed. This study will also review the range of assessment tools available to measure toileting difficulties and will discuss their contribution to toilet training programs.
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2013
The purpose of this literature review was to provide an overview of the research on gastrointesti... more The purpose of this literature review was to provide an overview of the research on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in autism spectrum disorder. Topics explored include the prevalence of GI symptoms, the importance of studying GI symptoms, the difficulties in diagnosis, as well as the questionnaire measures used to assess gastrointestinal symptoms. Research on the relationships between gastrointestinal symptoms and developmental regression, language and communication, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, sleep problems, and sensory issues is also discussed. The use of special diets is discussed also. Finally, recommendations for treatment are given as well as areas where future research is needed.
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on epilepsy in autism spectr... more The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on epilepsy in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Topics explored are the prevalence of epilepsy in ASD, the importance of studying epilepsy, as well as the questionnaire measures used to assess epilepsy side-effects. Research on the relationships between epilepsy and parental stress and psychological distress, developmental regression, language and communication, adaptive behavior, social skills, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, sensory issues and quality of life are also discussed. Finally, recommendations for treatment are given as well as areas where future research is needed.
ABSTRACT Anxiety-related concerns are among the most common presenting problems for school-age ch... more ABSTRACT Anxiety-related concerns are among the most common presenting problems for school-age children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in clinical settings. The current study examined the relationship between anxiety and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, sleep problems, and challenging behavior in a sample of children and adolescents with ASD, aged 6–17 years. Parental measures were completed by 109 parents of children and adolescents with ASD. Significant positive correlations were found between anxiety and GI symptoms, and anxiety and sleep problems. A hierarchal linear regression indicated that demographic variables, GI symptoms, sleep problems, and challenging behavior accounted for 34% of the variance in anxiety, with sleep, severity of self-injurious behavior, age, and diagnosis of intellectual disability emerging as significant predictors. The findings suggest that these factors should be considered during clinical practice as they may serve as important alerts for clinicians to consider assessing for anxiety disorders. Future research should investigate these variables further by examining their associations with specific types of anxiety disorders.
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on Attention-Deficit/Hyperac... more The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity (AD/HD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Topics explored are the prevalence of AD/HD, the importance of studying AD/HD, as well as the questionnaire measures used to measure AD/HD in individuals with ASD. Research on the relationship between AD/HD in ASD and parental stress and psychological distress, developmental regression, language and communication, adaptive behavior, social skills, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, epilepsy, sensory issues, motor difficulties, and quality of life are also discussed. Research on cardiac reactivity and executive functioning are also explored.
The present study sought to investigate the relationship between challenging behavior, comorbid p... more The present study sought to investigate the relationship between challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) in Fragile X Syndrome (FRAX). Additionally, this study sought to examine how such disorders are predicted by gender, presence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and presence of Intellectual Disability (ID). A total of 47 children and adolescents with FRAX were assessed.
Comorbidity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more disorders in the same person (Matson &... more Comorbidity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more disorders in the same person (Matson & Nebel-Schwalm, 2007). The current study provides a review of the literature on comorbidity, in relation to comorbid psychiatric and medical disorders in babies and infants, children, adults and across the lifespan. We also examine comorbid conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), epilepsy, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, feeding problems and toileting problems in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
91 521355 2 An analysis of the predictors of comorbid disorders in ASD. Abstract Mannion, Leader ... more 91 521355 2 An analysis of the predictors of comorbid disorders in ASD. Abstract Mannion, Leader and Healy (2013) examined the frequency of comorbid disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and the predictors of sleep problems. This study will examine the predictors of comorbidity in the 89 participants. Age, gender, level of intellectual disability, presence of epilepsy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and an anxiety disorder were determined using a self-constructed demographic questionnaire. The Autism Spectrum Disorder-Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC) was administered to informants to assess symptoms of comorbid psychopathology. The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Gastrointestinal symptom inventory were administered to assess sleep problems and gastrointestinal symptoms respectively. Sleep problems predicted gastrointestinal symptoms. Level of intellectual disability predicted gastrointestinal symptoms. Specifically, those with no intellectual disability were more likely to present with gastrointestinal symptoms. Gastrointestinal symptoms in turn predicted total comorbid psychopathology score and the individual subscales of worry/depressed, avoidant behavior, conduct behavior and tantrum behavior on the ASD-CC. Gender and ASD-CC total score predicted an individual having an anxiety disorder. Specifically, being male predicted an anxiety disorder. The ASD-CC subscales of worry/depressed and avoidant behavior predicted an anxiety disorder. The implications of these findings are discussed in the study.
The current study evaluated risk factors for the occurrence, frequency and severity of challengin... more The current study evaluated risk factors for the occurrence, frequency and severity of challenging behavior among a sample of individuals with a diagnosis of autism, under the age of eighteen, in Ireland. Age, gender, hours of intervention received, age at diagnosis, presence of challenging behavior at diagnosis and treatment type at diagnosis were not found to be significant predictors for the frequency or severity of challenging behavior. The participants' IQ was found to be a significant predictor of the frequency and severity of the behaviors measured. Lower IQ predicted greater frequencies of stereotyped behavior, aggression and self-injurious behavior along with increased severity of stereotyped behavior and self-injurious behavior. The intervention participants were currently receiving was not significant in predicting the frequency of challenging behavior, nor the severity of aggressive or self-injurious behaviors. However, this variable was a significant predictor of severity of stereotyped behaviors with individuals currently in Applied Behavior Analysis interventions presenting with more severe stereotyped behavior than those currently in "eclectic" interventions. Additional findings and implications in relation to these variables are discussed.
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2018
Gelotophobia can be defined as the fear of being laughed at or ridiculed. The aim of the current ... more Gelotophobia can be defined as the fear of being laughed at or ridiculed. The aim of the current literature review is to present a synthesis of the literature on gelotophobia and the link between high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (hfASD) and gelotophobia. It will also give an overview of the literature regarding the variables hypothesised to be affected by the presence of gelotophobic symptoms in individuals with hfASD; namely social functioning, perceived social support and overall quality of life. Topics explored are defining the characteristics of gelotophobia, conceptualisation and measurement implications of gelotophobia, the etiology and consequences of gelotophobia, analysing the social competence of gelotophobes, and assessing the literature on the presence of gelotophobia in a hfASD sample. The characteristics of hfASD will be discussed. Research on hfASD and its relationship with other variables is also investigated, including comorbid psychopathology, perceived social support, social functioning, shame-bound emotions and overall quality of life. The current review will place an emphasis on research conducted on an adult population of individuals with hfASD. Given the limited research in the area, more research is needed to better understand the relationship between gelotophobia and bullying, social functioning, perceived social support, comorbid psychopathology and quality of life in individuals with hfASD. In conclusion, experts in the area of gelotophobia need to expand their research to include individuals with hfASD, and autism researchers need to be aware of gelotophobia and to incorporate gelotophobia as a potential comorbidity into their research.
Samson et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 41:475–483, 2011) conducted the firs... more Samson et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 41:475–483, 2011) conducted the first empirical investigation examining the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia) and its prevalence in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (hfASD). The present research examined gelotophobia in relation to social functioning, perceived social support, life satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with hfASD, including past experiences of bullying and the presence of comorbid psychopathology. Participants were 103 adults with a clinical diagnosis of hfASD and 137 typically developing controls. Individuals with hfASD presented with higher rates of gelotophobia symptomatology in comparison to controls (87.4 vs. 22.6% respectively). It was also found that social functioning, past experiences of bullying, anxiety and life satisfaction were predictors of gelotophobia amongst individuals with hfASD.
91 521355 2 Comorbidity in children and adolescents with ASD: A follow-up. Abstract Research has ... more 91 521355 2 Comorbidity in children and adolescents with ASD: A follow-up. Abstract Research has recently focused on studying comorbidity in the autism spectrum but little research has been conducted in follow-up studies or conducting longitudinal research into these conditions. Mannion, Leader, and Healy (2013) examined the frequency of comorbid disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and the predictors of sleep problems. The current study is a follow-up study conducted two years later with 56 participants. Age, gender, level of intellectual disability, presence of epilepsy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and an anxiety disorder were assessed, along with administering the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC) , the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Inventory.
The current study investigated toileting problems in one hundred and twenty-seven children and ad... more The current study investigated toileting problems in one hundred and twenty-seven children and adolescents with parent-reported diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder. Toileting refers to the accomplishment of various unprompted behaviors, including recognising the need to go to the toilet, and waiting before eliminating. The relationship between toileting problems and age, gender, intellectual disability, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, comorbid psychopathology, quality of life, and adaptive functioning were examined using parent-report questionnaires. The most common toileting problems were, "Does not independently perform most self-help tasks", "Has toilet accidents during the day", and "Parent/caregiver notices smears in underwear". Gender, presence of intellectual disability, gastrointestinal symptoms, and comorbid psychopathology were significant predictors of toileting problems in this study.
In 2009, Kroeger and Sorensen-Burnworth published a comprehensive review of the literature on toi... more In 2009, Kroeger and Sorensen-Burnworth published a comprehensive review of the literature on toilet training individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Their review highlighted that the majority of toilet training programs were modelled after Azrin and Foxx's Rapid Toilet Training method. The current study will update the toilet training literature since 2009. Behaviorally-based components of these programs will be described and their contribution to toilet training discussed. This study will also review the range of assessment tools available to measure toileting difficulties and will discuss their contribution to toilet training programs.
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2013
The purpose of this literature review was to provide an overview of the research on gastrointesti... more The purpose of this literature review was to provide an overview of the research on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in autism spectrum disorder. Topics explored include the prevalence of GI symptoms, the importance of studying GI symptoms, the difficulties in diagnosis, as well as the questionnaire measures used to assess gastrointestinal symptoms. Research on the relationships between gastrointestinal symptoms and developmental regression, language and communication, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, sleep problems, and sensory issues is also discussed. The use of special diets is discussed also. Finally, recommendations for treatment are given as well as areas where future research is needed.
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on epilepsy in autism spectr... more The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on epilepsy in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Topics explored are the prevalence of epilepsy in ASD, the importance of studying epilepsy, as well as the questionnaire measures used to assess epilepsy side-effects. Research on the relationships between epilepsy and parental stress and psychological distress, developmental regression, language and communication, adaptive behavior, social skills, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, sensory issues and quality of life are also discussed. Finally, recommendations for treatment are given as well as areas where future research is needed.
ABSTRACT Anxiety-related concerns are among the most common presenting problems for school-age ch... more ABSTRACT Anxiety-related concerns are among the most common presenting problems for school-age children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in clinical settings. The current study examined the relationship between anxiety and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, sleep problems, and challenging behavior in a sample of children and adolescents with ASD, aged 6–17 years. Parental measures were completed by 109 parents of children and adolescents with ASD. Significant positive correlations were found between anxiety and GI symptoms, and anxiety and sleep problems. A hierarchal linear regression indicated that demographic variables, GI symptoms, sleep problems, and challenging behavior accounted for 34% of the variance in anxiety, with sleep, severity of self-injurious behavior, age, and diagnosis of intellectual disability emerging as significant predictors. The findings suggest that these factors should be considered during clinical practice as they may serve as important alerts for clinicians to consider assessing for anxiety disorders. Future research should investigate these variables further by examining their associations with specific types of anxiety disorders.
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on Attention-Deficit/Hyperac... more The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity (AD/HD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Topics explored are the prevalence of AD/HD, the importance of studying AD/HD, as well as the questionnaire measures used to measure AD/HD in individuals with ASD. Research on the relationship between AD/HD in ASD and parental stress and psychological distress, developmental regression, language and communication, adaptive behavior, social skills, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, epilepsy, sensory issues, motor difficulties, and quality of life are also discussed. Research on cardiac reactivity and executive functioning are also explored.
The present study sought to investigate the relationship between challenging behavior, comorbid p... more The present study sought to investigate the relationship between challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) in Fragile X Syndrome (FRAX). Additionally, this study sought to examine how such disorders are predicted by gender, presence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and presence of Intellectual Disability (ID). A total of 47 children and adolescents with FRAX were assessed.
Comorbidity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more disorders in the same person (Matson &... more Comorbidity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more disorders in the same person (Matson & Nebel-Schwalm, 2007). The current study provides a review of the literature on comorbidity, in relation to comorbid psychiatric and medical disorders in babies and infants, children, adults and across the lifespan. We also examine comorbid conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), epilepsy, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, feeding problems and toileting problems in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
91 521355 2 An analysis of the predictors of comorbid disorders in ASD. Abstract Mannion, Leader ... more 91 521355 2 An analysis of the predictors of comorbid disorders in ASD. Abstract Mannion, Leader and Healy (2013) examined the frequency of comorbid disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and the predictors of sleep problems. This study will examine the predictors of comorbidity in the 89 participants. Age, gender, level of intellectual disability, presence of epilepsy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and an anxiety disorder were determined using a self-constructed demographic questionnaire. The Autism Spectrum Disorder-Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC) was administered to informants to assess symptoms of comorbid psychopathology. The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Gastrointestinal symptom inventory were administered to assess sleep problems and gastrointestinal symptoms respectively. Sleep problems predicted gastrointestinal symptoms. Level of intellectual disability predicted gastrointestinal symptoms. Specifically, those with no intellectual disability were more likely to present with gastrointestinal symptoms. Gastrointestinal symptoms in turn predicted total comorbid psychopathology score and the individual subscales of worry/depressed, avoidant behavior, conduct behavior and tantrum behavior on the ASD-CC. Gender and ASD-CC total score predicted an individual having an anxiety disorder. Specifically, being male predicted an anxiety disorder. The ASD-CC subscales of worry/depressed and avoidant behavior predicted an anxiety disorder. The implications of these findings are discussed in the study.
The current study evaluated risk factors for the occurrence, frequency and severity of challengin... more The current study evaluated risk factors for the occurrence, frequency and severity of challenging behavior among a sample of individuals with a diagnosis of autism, under the age of eighteen, in Ireland. Age, gender, hours of intervention received, age at diagnosis, presence of challenging behavior at diagnosis and treatment type at diagnosis were not found to be significant predictors for the frequency or severity of challenging behavior. The participants' IQ was found to be a significant predictor of the frequency and severity of the behaviors measured. Lower IQ predicted greater frequencies of stereotyped behavior, aggression and self-injurious behavior along with increased severity of stereotyped behavior and self-injurious behavior. The intervention participants were currently receiving was not significant in predicting the frequency of challenging behavior, nor the severity of aggressive or self-injurious behaviors. However, this variable was a significant predictor of severity of stereotyped behaviors with individuals currently in Applied Behavior Analysis interventions presenting with more severe stereotyped behavior than those currently in "eclectic" interventions. Additional findings and implications in relation to these variables are discussed.
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Papers by Arlene Mannion
overview of the literature regarding the variables hypothesised to be affected by the presence of gelotophobic symptoms in individuals with hfASD; namely social functioning, perceived social support and overall quality of life. Topics explored are defining the characteristics of gelotophobia, conceptualisation and measurement implications of gelotophobia, the etiology and consequences of gelotophobia, analysing the social competence of gelotophobes, and assessing the literature on the presence of gelotophobia in a hfASD sample. The characteristics of hfASD will be discussed. Research on hfASD and its relationship with other variables is also investigated, including comorbid psychopathology, perceived social support, social functioning, shame-bound emotions and overall quality of life. The current review will place an emphasis on research conducted on an adult population of individuals with hfASD. Given the limited research in the area, more research is needed to better understand the relationship between
gelotophobia and bullying, social functioning, perceived social support, comorbid psychopathology and quality of life in individuals with hfASD. In conclusion, experts in the area of gelotophobia need to expand their research to include individuals with hfASD, and autism researchers need to be aware of gelotophobia and to incorporate gelotophobia as a potential comorbidity into their research.
presence of comorbid psychopathology. Participants were 103 adults with a clinical diagnosis of hfASD and 137 typically developing controls. Individuals with hfASD presented with higher rates of gelotophobia symptomatology in comparison to controls (87.4 vs. 22.6% respectively). It was also found that social functioning, past experiences of bullying, anxiety and life satisfaction were predictors of gelotophobia amongst individuals with hfASD.
Books by Arlene Mannion
overview of the literature regarding the variables hypothesised to be affected by the presence of gelotophobic symptoms in individuals with hfASD; namely social functioning, perceived social support and overall quality of life. Topics explored are defining the characteristics of gelotophobia, conceptualisation and measurement implications of gelotophobia, the etiology and consequences of gelotophobia, analysing the social competence of gelotophobes, and assessing the literature on the presence of gelotophobia in a hfASD sample. The characteristics of hfASD will be discussed. Research on hfASD and its relationship with other variables is also investigated, including comorbid psychopathology, perceived social support, social functioning, shame-bound emotions and overall quality of life. The current review will place an emphasis on research conducted on an adult population of individuals with hfASD. Given the limited research in the area, more research is needed to better understand the relationship between
gelotophobia and bullying, social functioning, perceived social support, comorbid psychopathology and quality of life in individuals with hfASD. In conclusion, experts in the area of gelotophobia need to expand their research to include individuals with hfASD, and autism researchers need to be aware of gelotophobia and to incorporate gelotophobia as a potential comorbidity into their research.
presence of comorbid psychopathology. Participants were 103 adults with a clinical diagnosis of hfASD and 137 typically developing controls. Individuals with hfASD presented with higher rates of gelotophobia symptomatology in comparison to controls (87.4 vs. 22.6% respectively). It was also found that social functioning, past experiences of bullying, anxiety and life satisfaction were predictors of gelotophobia amongst individuals with hfASD.