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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Autism Spectrum Disorder | Research

Caregiver-child interaction as an effective tool for identifying autism spectrum disorder: evidence from EEG analysis

Authors: Lin Deng, Wei-zhong He, Qing-li Zhang, Ling Wei, Yuan Dai, Yu-qi Liu, Zi-lin Chen, Tai Ren, Lin-li Zhang, Jing-bo Gong, Fei Li

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals across their lifespan. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes. However, current diagnostic methods are often time-consuming, and costly, making them inaccessible to many families. In the current study, we aim to test caregiver-child interaction as a potential tool for screening children with ASD in clinic.

Methods

We enrolled 85 preschool children (Mean age: 4.90 ± 0.65 years, 70.6% male), including ASD children with or without developmental delay (DD), and typical development (TD) children, along with their caregivers. ASD core symptoms were evaluated by Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Calibrated Severity Scores (ADOS-CSS). Behavioral indicators were derived from video encoding of caregiver-child interaction, including social involvement of children (SIC), interaction time (IT), response of children to social cues (RSC), time for caregiver initiated social interactions (GIS) and time for children initiated social interactions (CIS)). Power spectral density (PSD) values were calculated by EEG signals simultaneously recorded. Partial Pearson correlation analysis was used in both ASD groups to investigate the correlation among behavioral indicators scores and ASD symptom severity and PSD values. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to describe the discrimination accuracy of behavioral indicators.

Results

Compared to TD group, both ASD groups demonstrated significant lower scores of SIC, IT, RSC, CIS (all p values < 0.05), and significant higher time for GIS (all p values < 0.01). SIC scores negatively correlated with CARS (p = 0.006) and ADOS-CSS (p = 0.023) in the ASD with DD group. Compared to TD group, PSD values elevated in ASD groups (all p values < 0.05), and was associated with SIC (theta band: p = 0.005; alpha band: p = 0.003) but not IQ levels. SIC was effective in identifying both ASD groups (sensitivity/specificity: ASD children with DD, 76.5%/66.7%; ASD children without DD, 82.6%/82.2%).

Conclusion

Our results verified the behavioral paradigm of caregiver-child interaction as an efficient tool for early ASD screening.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Caregiver-child interaction as an effective tool for identifying autism spectrum disorder: evidence from EEG analysis
Authors
Lin Deng
Wei-zhong He
Qing-li Zhang
Ling Wei
Yuan Dai
Yu-qi Liu
Zi-lin Chen
Tai Ren
Lin-li Zhang
Jing-bo Gong
Fei Li
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00690-z

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