Current Developmental Disorders Reports

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and methamphetamine use disorder are common comorbidities. National data regarding methamphetamine use is available per the most recent SAMSHA report. Even though attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and methamphetamine seem to commonly coexist, we do not have national figures which would provide a more comprehensive picture. The purpose of the article is to highlight this comorbidity and discuss some of the possible shared neurobiological and other pertinent overlapping features. Per the 2017 SAMSHA report, among the 8.3 million younger adults (18–24) using illicit drugs, 2.1% have used methamphetamine and 0.5% met the criteria for methamphetamine use disorder. Among the 20.2 million adults in the age group of 25 and older using illicit drugs, 0.5% have used methamphetamine and 0.4% have had a diagnosis of methamphetamine use disorder. ADHD per report is about 2–6 times more common in methamphetamine users than non-users. The risk-taking component in ADHD can fuel methamphetamine use and methamphetamine in return can be used as self-medication for ADHD core symptoms. Both seem intrinsically connected, and we need more data to determine the actual impact of the dual diagnosis which would further beget more research.

A brief literature review of the past 5 years was conducted to provide updated information regarding language screening at all ages. Included will be information regarding classification accuracy of commercially available tools, as well as current methods reported in recent literature for early intervention, preschool, school age, adolescent, and adult populations. Based on a brief literature review of the past 5 years, there seem to be very little novel or important new findings in this area. To date, there is no gold standard for language screening at any age. While there are some standardized screening tools, these screeners must be used with caution as they may produce false negative results, thereby negating their efficacy. Currently, adolescents stand out as an at-risk group due to the lack of age-appropriate, standardized screening measures addressing this population.

There is a general consensus that developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is characterized by impaired motor learning skills. However, actual studies of motor learning in DCD are scarce and, above all, inconsistent. The aims of the present study were therefore to explore the presumed presence of a motor learning deficit among individuals with DCD and to provide a synopsis of the current literature on motor learning in DCD. We begin by defining DCD (etiology, neuropsychology, and brain bases), motor learning (measurement of learning, methods for promoting skill acquisition, scheduling, practice, retention, and feedback) and, of course, the link between the two, focusing on the issue of a possible motor learning deficit in DCD. We then discuss dominant hypotheses and suggest directions for future research in this domain, in the light of research conducted thus far. Particular attention is paid throughout to guide the choice of intervention approaches.

Aided AAC modeling is an umbrella term for when communication partners model language on an aided AAC system to support an individual’s comprehension and/or communication development. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of aided AAC modeling studies targeting individuals with emergent communication and describing features and findings from these studies. Research on interventions that includes aided AAC modeling is growing. Recent studies cover interventions for individuals that previously were excluded, such as individuals who use alternative access methods to select symbols. A search yielded 29 studies that encompassed a total of 237 participants using emergent communication. Positive outcomes from the aided AAC modeling interventions were reported in the majority of the studies. In future research, a clear description of the different components of the interventions and their expected effect on the outcome may assist in comparing the effect of different types of aided AAC modeling interventions.

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is often called a motor learning deficit. The question addressed in this paper is whether improvement of motor skills is just a matter of mere practice. Without any kind of intervention, children with DCD do not improve their motor skills generally, whereas they do improve after task-oriented intervention. Merely offering children the opportunity to practice motor skills, for instance by playing active video games, did lead to improved motor performance according to recent research findings, but to a lesser extent than task-oriented intervention. We argue that children with DCD lack the required motor problem-solving skills necessary to further improve their performance. Explicit motor teaching with an emphasis on developing these problem-solving skills is a necessary ingredient of intervention in DCD, leveraging the effectiveness of intervention above that of mere practicing.

Tóm tắt các phát hiện về tỷ lệ và các yếu tố tương quan của hành vi thách thức ở người lớn có khuyết tật trí tuệ từ các nghiên cứu vững chắc. Chúng tôi cũng mô tả những phát hiện về sự tương tác giữa hành vi thách thức và sức khỏe tâm thần. Các nghiên cứu gần đây sử dụng các công cụ đã được đánh giá tâm lý, với các định nghĩa hoạt động rõ ràng, cho thấy các phát hiện tương tự về tỷ lệ hành vi thách thức khoảng 1 trong mỗi 5–6 người lớn được biết đến trong các dịch vụ. Chúng tôi mô tả các yếu tố tương quan phổ biến được xác định, chẳng hạn như khuyết tật giao tiếp, mức độ nghiêm trọng của khuyết tật trí tuệ, và sống trong các cơ sở thể chế hoặc chăm sóc tập trung. Chúng tôi cũng mô tả mối quan hệ phức tạp và đa diện giữa hành vi thách thức và sức khỏe tâm thần. Dựa trên các nghiên cứu gần đây, chúng tôi đề xuất một mô hình khung đã được sửa đổi để giúp hiểu hành vi thách thức. Chúng tôi đề xuất một số lĩnh vực mà cần có thêm nghiên cứu, đặc biệt là phát triển các công cụ đánh giá rủi ro mà các chuyên gia có thể sử dụng trong thực hành.