Towards the detection of autistic traits and autism spectrum condition in the Salamanca province, northeast spainSpanish adaptation of the autism spectrum quotient for children (AQ- Child-SV)

Abstract

Autism spectrum condition (autism) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in communication and social interaction and repetitive and restrictive patterns of behavior, activities, and interests (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Autism often affects the processes of reciprocal social interaction that are essential to human life. This is because in order to interact with other people we need to effectively use different cognitive resources that allow us to understand and express our interests, thoughts and intentions (communication skills) and during these interactions we also learn to understand the desires, interests and intentions of others. However, people with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism may perceive the world around them in a very different way than other individuals, so they may experience significant difficulties in this important aspect of life. These difficulties place them in a position of vulnerability and often limit their opportunities to socialize and learn alongside others. Due to their difficulties in reciprocal social communication and interaction, children with autism and the BAP have limited possibilities to participate in the community (Landry & Chouinard, 2016; Losh et al., 2009a), so they need specific supports to interact with their peers. Consequently, youth with autism or BAP are more likely to miss essential opportunities to learn and practice their communication and social skills with other children. Likewise, in the school context, autism places individuals in situations where they can suffer physical and verbal abuse, social exclusion, isolation, and academic failure. Considering the growing number of children who have communication difficulties and behavioral problems for unknown reasons, both at school and in social contexts, this doctoral dissertation sought to move towards the development of an effective screening device that can be used to detect autistic traits in Spanish-speaking school-aged children, who may have autism spectrum condition or BAP and have yet to be diagnosed. These children may have gone undetected by early autism screening programs, and thus, there is a great need to have a reliable and open-access screening tool to identify them in the Spanish speaking community.