Perceptions of distress in young children with autism compared to typically developing children: A cultural comparison between Japan and Italy

Behavioural Brain Research

Truzzi

Setoh

et al. 2017

Parental bonding and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene genotype each influences social abilities in adulthood. Here, we hypothesized an interaction between the two – environmental experience (parental bonding history) and genetic factors (OXTR gene genotype) – in shaping adults’ social sensitivity (physiological response to distress). We assessed heart rate and peripheral temperature (tip of the nose) in 42 male adults during presentation of distress vocalizations (distress cries belonging to female human infants and adults as well as bonobo). The two physiological responses index, respectively, state of arousal and readiness to action. Participants’ parental bonding in childhood was assessed through the self-report Parental Bonding Instrument. To assess participants’ genetic predispositions, buccal mucosa cell samples were collected, and region rs2254298 of the oxytocin receptor gene was analyzed: previous OXTR gene findings point to associations between the G allele and better sociality (protective factor) and the A allele and poorer sociality (risk factor). We found a gene * environment interaction for susceptibility to social distress: Participants with a genetic risk factor (A carriers) with a history of high paternal overprotection showed higher heart rate increase than those without this risk factor (G/G genotype) to social distress. Also, a significant effect of the interaction between paternal care and genotype on nose temperature changes was found. This susceptibility appears to represent an indirect pathway through which genes and experiences interact to shape mature social sensitivity in males.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic predispositions and parental bonding interact to shape adults’ physiological responses to social distress

Behavioural Brain Research

Truzzi

Setoh

et al. 2017

“…Deviations in infants’ communicative signals and/or misunderstanding their messages can compromise infant care, parental effectiveness, and the budding parent-infant relationship (Adachi et al, 1985; LaGasse et al, 2005), as seems sometimes the case in parent-infant interaction in early autism (Esposito & Venuti, 2008). Results from different research groups (Bieberich & Morgan, 1998; Esposito & Venuti, 2009, 2010; Esposito et al, 2011, 2012, 2013; Oller et al, 2010; Sheinkopf et al, 2000, 2012) have shown that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), even before they receive a diagnosis, express atypical patterns of cry (higher fundamental frequency, shorter inter-bout pauses, fewer utterances) in response to social (Esposito et al, 2014b) and non-social stressors (Sheinkopf et al, 2012). A number of studies of women (mothers and non-mothers) have also revealed how episodes of crying in children with ASD are perceived as unexpected (Esposito and Venuti, 2008) and more ‘negative’ than those of typically developing children (Venuti et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Esposito et al (2012, 2013) found that the cries of children with ASD are judged to be more distressing than the cries of TD children by adults even from diverse cultural groups (Asian and European). A concordant pattern of results, where ASD cries were processed as more ‘negative’ than cries of TD children, was found in an fMRI study in adults with and without caregiving experience.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three physiological responses in fathers and non-fathers’ to vocalizations of typically developing infants and infants with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Research in Developmental Disabilities

Valenzi

Islam

et al. 2015

Children with ASD, even before receiving a formal diagnosis, express atypical patterns of distress vocalizations (namely, episodes of crying). Their cries have higher fundamental frequencies, shorter inter-bout pauses, and fewer utterances. Cries of children with ASD are also perceived differently from other cries, and these perceptual differences may alter parent-infant interaction. This study assessed multiple physiological responses in fathers and non-fathers to atypical distress vocalizations (cries of children with ASD), acoustically matched typical distress vocalizations (cries of typically developing children), and positive vocalizations (laughter of typically developing children). The experimental procedures were designed to measure how components of the autonomic nervous system respond to typical and atypical infant vocalizations. Three convergent methodologies (Galvanic Skin Response – GSR; cardiac dynamics via Inter-Beat Interval – IBI; right hand temperature change – RHTC) were performed on two groups with contrasting caregiving experience: fathers of typically developing children (n=10) and non-fathers (n=10). Inferential statistical analysis compared the two groups (fathers, non-fathers) and three stimulus types (ASD cry, typical cry, laughter) for the three measures (GSR, IBI, RHTC). Both fathers and non-fathers showed greater negative responses (increased GSR) to ASD cries compared to typical cries and laughter. Fathers showed higher IBI and greater temperature increases (RHTC) than non-fathers while listening to typical and atypical cries. Fathers and non-fathers showed more emotional arousal mediated by sympathetic activation while listening to cries of children with ASD. Fathers were calmer and acted more promptly than non-fathers while listening to typical cries, perhaps because the fathers had more experience in caring for crying infants. These findings point to similarities and differences in fathers’ and non-fathers’ physiological responsiveness to cries of children with ASD and might guide specific intervention programs for parents of children at risk of ASD.

“…shorter inter-bout pauses, fewer utterances (Esposito, Nakazawa, Venuti, & Bornstein, 2012;Esposito et al, 2011;Esposito, Nakazawa, et al, 2013;Esposito & Venuti, 2009a, 2010aOller et al, 2010;Sheinkopf et al, 2012). Mostly, the literature in this field focused on crying of infants (such as 1-year old or new-borns).…”

Section: Crying In Typical and Atypical Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological and self-report responses of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder to children crying

Ozturk

Bizzego

Research in Developmental Disabilities

et al. 2018

Little is known about the physiological response of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to crying of children who have already received the diagnosis of ASD. This study aimed to compare cardiac dynamics via Inter-Beat Interval (IBI) and self-reported emotional states of parents of children with ASD and of parents with typically developing (TD) children while listening to crying of children with ASD (ASD cry) and of typically developing children (TD cry). Analyses revealed higher IBI in parents of children with ASD than IBI in parents of TD children while listening to both cry groups; however no differences on self-reported emotional states were observed. Parents of children with ASD were calmer (higher IBI) than parents of TD children while listening to crying. However, ASD cry did not elicit different IBI compared to TD cry. ASD cry and TD cry were differentiated based on parents' self-responses about what they felt during the listening of crying, their physiological responses showed no differences. These results highlight the similarities and differences between self-reported emotional states and physiological responses of parents of children with ASD, and also point to the importance of monitoring parents' physiological responses in addition to their subjective responses.