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Biomedical subjects

M E Van Bourgondien

Publications and source records attributed to M E Van Bourgondien.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Sexual behavior in adults with autism.

A survey of the sexual behavior of 89 adults with autism living in group homes in North Carolina found that the majority of individuals were engaging in some form of sexual behavior. Masturbation was the most common sexual behavior. However, person-oriented sexual behaviors with obvious signs of arousal were also present in one third of the sample. The relationship between sexual behavior and demographic variables and other types of behaviors is explored. Information regarding group home sexuality policies and procedures are described.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The autism survey: an evaluation of reliability and validity.

Psychometric properties of the Autism Survey, an instrument designed to assess respondents' knowledge about autism, were evaluated. Subjects completed the survey at a training conference and again 1 month later. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the survey measures one factor. With respect to reliability, the Autism Survey proved to be stable across time, and the total score was internally consistent. A few rogue items were recommended for deletion. Further analyses support the validity of the instrument.

Autistic Disorder↗
PubMed1995

Psychotropic and anticonvulsant drugs in subjects with autism: prevalence and patterns of use.

OBJECTIVE: To survey the prevalence and patterns of psychotropic and anticonvulsant medication and vitamin treatments in patients with autism. METHOD: Caregivers of 1,595 index cases were sent survey questionnaires by mail, and repeat questionnaires were sent twice if no reply was received. RESULTS: A total of 838 care providers (53%) responded to the survey. In all, 33.8% of the sample was taking some psychotropic drug or vitamin for autism or associated behavioral/psychiatric problems. A total of 19.2% reported having epilepsy, but only 13.2% were taking anticonvulsant drugs. More than 50% of the sample was taking some psychotropic, antiepileptic, vitamin, or "medical" agent. Of the agents taken, care providers were most satisfied with anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and stimulants. The use of each drug group was analyzed with respect to subject and demographic variables to evaluate medication patterns within this population. CONCLUSION: As in the often related clinical population of mental retardation, psychotropic medication appears to be heavily used in patients with autism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of DSM-III-R and childhood autism rating scale diagnoses of autism.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the issue of whether DSM-III-R (American Psychological Association [APA], 1987) over- or underdiagnoses autism by comparing this diagnostic system to a well-established objective measure of diagnosis, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). A secondary goal was to determine which of the 16 criteria are the best discriminators of autism. DSM-III-R, CARS, and clinical diagnoses of 138 consecutive admissions to a statewide program for the diagnosis and treatment of autistic and related communication-handicapped individuals (Division TEACCH in North Carolina) were compared. Results indicated a generally high degree of agreement on the diagnosis of autism using the three systems. Within this treatment-oriented program, the CARS and clinical ratings diagnosed a greater number of cases as autistic than did the DSM-III-R criteria, suggesting that DSM-III-R slightly underdiagnosed autism. The criteria that most strongly related to the diagnosis of autism regardless of the system were lack of awareness of others, abnormal social play, an impaired ability to make friends, abnormal nonverbal communication, stereotypic body movements, and restricted range of interests.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The relationship between existing residential services and the needs of autistic adults.

Existing residential services for adults with autism vary in size, location, and source of funding. Most service options have been designed for individuals with handicaps other than autism and therefore have difficulty addressing the needs of all but the highest functioning autistic adults. This paper provides a review of the characteristics of autism that affect adaptation to residential settings. A description of existing residential options based on the combined experiences of Great Britain and North Carolina is presented, and directions for future research are then discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Critical issues in the residential care of people with autism.

There is an ever-growing need to expand both the number and range of residential services for individuals with autism while developing strategies for assuring the quality of these programs. Future program development will be facilitated by an empirical approach to the critical elements that have been identified throughout the articles in this issue.

Autistic Disorder↗
PubMed1987

Humor in high-functioning autistic adults.

This study examined the humor used by a group of autistic adults. Subjects were nine autistic adults who were participating in a Social Skills Group. The jokes they told during a designated joke time over 15 consecutive group sessions were analyzed according to their developmental levels. The participants told a total of 87 unique jokes, almost all of which were riddles. The most common types were preriddles and those having lexical and phonological ambiguity. Along with empirically examining the jokes used by this group of high level autistic adults, the study demonstrates that they enjoy a wide range of jokes and that humor seems to enrich their lives.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

"Borderline" children.

Sixteen children said to be "borderline" were referred for comprehensive evaluation. None met DSM III criteria for borderline personality disorder. Referring psychiatrists and psychologists seemed to base their impressions on the child's disorganized thinking and irrational, erratic behavior, problems that were better understood and treated from a developmental perspective. The borderline label had a negative impact on some children, and was not helpful for treatment planning or disposition. Clear guidelines for the application of this ambiguous and controversial diagnostic term in child psychiatry are nonexistent.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Environmental Rating Scale (ERS): a measure of the quality of the residential environment for adults with autism.

This study used classical test theory to assess the psychometric properties of the Environmental Rating Scale (ERS), a measure specifically designed to assess the treatment programs in residential settings that serve individuals with autism. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis support the presence of a single factor represented by the total score. The reliability of the measure was demonstrated by assessments of the internal consistency, stability, and interrater reliability. Preliminary analysis of the validity of the ERS indicates that this measure discriminates between treatment settings designed specifically for individuals with autism and those designed for other populations of developmentally handicapped clients and family homes. The ERS was also significantly positively correlated with a measure of the caregiver's knowledge about autism and a visitor's global impression of the desirability of the setting as a place to live.

Adolescent↗