High functioning adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have adjustment difficulties, specifically loneliness and depression. To better understand contributing factors, the current study evaluated associations between several Executive Function (EF) domains, social impairment, and friendship quality on depressive symptoms and loneliness in this population. Participants included 127 high functioning ASD adolescents and a parent/caregiver. Results indicated significant levels of parent-reported EF impairment which were positively correlated with increased levels of loneliness and depressive symptoms. Social impairment was identified as a significant mediator between all studied EF domains and adjustment, while friendship quality only partially mediated the relation between emotional control and loneliness. These results have implications for treatments focusing both on social skills and adjustment in adolescents with ASD.
Adolescents with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD) experience difficulties with socio-emotional adjustment, including compromised friendships, feelings of loneliness, and depression. Using a sample of 127 adolescents with HFASD and their parents, this study is first to examine: (1) relations between organized activity (OA) involvement and adjustment and (2) whether these relations were moderated by social impairment and executive functions. Results indicated that greater intensity, breadth, and academic OA involvement were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. OA intensity was also associated with less loneliness. For adolescents with better emotional control, greater intensity was associated with better friendship quality. Results suggest that for adolescents with HFASD, more involvement in OA is associated with better socio-emotional adjustment even after accounting for risk factors.
Objective: This study examined test score equivalency between traditional in-person assessment and teletesting among youth diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Method: In all, 896 youth with ADHD, ages 5–21 years, were administered cognitive, academic achievement, and verbal fluency measures via either teletesting ( n = 448) or traditional in-person assessment ( n = 448). The teletesting and in-person groups were matched on age, sex, and insurance type (as a proxy for income). Results: Results indicated no significant differences in test scores obtained via in-person and teletesting evaluations across all examined measures. Conclusion: Clinically referred youth with ADHD perform similarly on measures of cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and verbal fluency, regardless of whether these measures are administered in-person or via teletesting. While additional evidence for equivalent psychometric properties of neuropsychological instruments administered remotely is needed, this study offers support for the validity of remote administration among youth with ADHD.
While recent survey findings suggest graduate programs in health service psychology (HSP) are allocating the same or increased time to education and training in psychological assessment over the last two decades, there is a lack of clear guidance for programs to implement practices associated with quality education and training. These Guidelines (found in full at https://www .apa.org/about/policy/guidelines-assessment-health-service.pdf) were developed to address this critical need. Developed by a task force of the American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs in 2018 and 2019, the Guidelines serve to inform faculty/supervisors, students, and the public as to quality practices associated with graduate education and training in psychological assessment. They are organized around seven domains: theory; psychological assessment process; psychometrics; tests and methods; ethics, legal issues, and professionalism; diversity; and supervision. These domains are drawn from a review of the scholarly literature on psychological assessment, as well as graduate psychology education and training. The domains and their associated Guidelines are interdependent, and, while some overlap exists among them, they should be considered in their entirety. While a summary of each section is provided in the present article, the full explanation of each domain is presented in the actual Guidelines document.
Public Significance StatementThese Guidelines provide a framework for ensuring consistency and quality in the training that graduate students undergo to perform ethical psychological assessment. They highlight the necessary components to ensure that graduates of health service psychology programs are adequately trained in psychological testing and assessment.
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became widely utilized for healthcare, including psychological evaluations. However, whether telehealth has reduced or exacerbated healthcare disparities for children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains unclear. Methods: Data (race, ethnicity, age, insurance type, ADHD presentation, comorbidities, and distance to clinic) for youth with ADHD ( Mage = 10.97, SDage = 3.42; 63.71% male; 51.62% White) were extracted from the medical record at an urban academic medical center. Three naturally occurring groups were compared: those evaluated in person prior to COVID-19 ( n =780), in person during COVID-19 ( n = 839), and via telehealth during COVID-19 ( n = 638). Results: Children seen via telehealth were significantly more likely to be older, White, have fewer comorbid conditions, and live farther from the clinic than those seen in person. Conclusions: The current study suggests that telehealth has not eliminated barriers to care for disadvantaged populations. Providers and institutions must take action to encourage telehealth use among these groups.
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