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Toward Better Characterization of Restricted and Unusual Interests in Youth with Autism

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Title: Toward Better Characterization of Restricted and Unusual Interests in Youth with Autism
Language: English
Authors: Uljarevic, Mirko (ORCID 0000-0002-7481-3923), Alvares, Gail A. (ORCID 0000-0003-3351-5919), Steele, Morgan, Edwards, Jaelyn, Frazier, Thomas W. (ORCID 0000-0002-6951-2667), Hardan, Antonio Y., Whitehouse, Andrew J. O.
Source: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. Jul 2022 26(5):1296-1304.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2022
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R21MH12187601
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Children, Adolescents, Caregivers, Sensory Experience, Repetition, Parents, Interests
DOI: 10.1177/13623613211056720
ISSN: 1362-3613
1461-7005
Abstract: Despite their high prevalence and clinical importance in autism, unusual and restricted interests remain under-researched and poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the frequency and type of interests in autism by coding caregivers' open-ended responses in a sample of 237 autistic children and adolescents (M[subscript age] = 8.27 years, SD[subscript age] = 4.07; range: 2.08-18.25 years). It further aimed to explore the effects of age, sex, cognitive functioning and social and communication deficits on the number and type of interests. We found that 75% of autistic youth had at least one interest and that 50% of those children showed two or more different interests. The most frequent interests were sensory-based (43%), with a majority of these interests relating to the visual modality. Interest within vehicles/transportation, fictional characters, television/digital versatile disk/movies, computers, and video games, constructive, mechanical objects, animals and plants, and attachment to specific objects were also prevalent. Logistic regression showed that being male, having a co-occurring intellectual disability and having more severe social and communication impairments were associated with a higher probability of having one or more restricted interests. Sex was significantly associated with the type (X[superscript 2] = 37.52, Phi = 0.37, p = 0.021) of restricted interests, with females showing a significantly higher percentage of creative interests and males significantly higher percentage of interest in characters, vehicles/transportation, computers/video games, mechanical objects and constructive interests. Theoretical and measurement implications are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2022
Accession Number: EJ1346619
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Toward Better Characterization of Restricted and Unusual Interests in Youth with Autism
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Uljarevic%2C+Mirko%22">Uljarevic, Mirko</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7481-3923">0000-0002-7481-3923</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alvares%2C+Gail+A%2E%22">Alvares, Gail A.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3351-5919">0000-0003-3351-5919</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Steele%2C+Morgan%22">Steele, Morgan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Edwards%2C+Jaelyn%22">Edwards, Jaelyn</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Frazier%2C+Thomas+W%2E%22">Frazier, Thomas W.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6951-2667">0000-0002-6951-2667</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hardan%2C+Antonio+Y%2E%22">Hardan, Antonio Y.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Whitehouse%2C+Andrew+J%2E+O%2E%22">Whitehouse, Andrew J. O.</searchLink>
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+Spectrum+Disorders%22">Autism Spectrum Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caregivers%22">Caregivers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sensory+Experience%22">Sensory Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Repetition%22">Repetition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parents%22">Parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interests%22">Interests</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/13623613211056720
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  Data: Despite their high prevalence and clinical importance in autism, unusual and restricted interests remain under-researched and poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the frequency and type of interests in autism by coding caregivers' open-ended responses in a sample of 237 autistic children and adolescents (M[subscript age] = 8.27 years, SD[subscript age] = 4.07; range: 2.08-18.25 years). It further aimed to explore the effects of age, sex, cognitive functioning and social and communication deficits on the number and type of interests. We found that 75% of autistic youth had at least one interest and that 50% of those children showed two or more different interests. The most frequent interests were sensory-based (43%), with a majority of these interests relating to the visual modality. Interest within vehicles/transportation, fictional characters, television/digital versatile disk/movies, computers, and video games, constructive, mechanical objects, animals and plants, and attachment to specific objects were also prevalent. Logistic regression showed that being male, having a co-occurring intellectual disability and having more severe social and communication impairments were associated with a higher probability of having one or more restricted interests. Sex was significantly associated with the type (X[superscript 2] = 37.52, Phi = 0.37, p = 0.021) of restricted interests, with females showing a significantly higher percentage of creative interests and males significantly higher percentage of interest in characters, vehicles/transportation, computers/video games, mechanical objects and constructive interests. Theoretical and measurement implications are discussed.
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      – SubjectFull: Sensory Experience
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      – SubjectFull: Interests
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