![]() |
|||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
Type of Document Dissertation Author McMahon, Caitlin Rose URN etd-11072009-095255 Title Shared Positive Affect: An Early Behavioral Risk Marker for Autism Spectrum Disorders? Degree PhD Department Psychology Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title Linda G. Ashford Committee Member Megan M. Saylor Committee Member Patti P. van Eys Committee Member Wendy L. Stone Committee Member Keywords
- positive affect
- screening
- siblings
- diagnosis
- autism
Date of Defense 2009-08-31 Availability unrestricted Abstract PSYCHOLOGY
SHARED POSITIVE AFFECT: AN EARLY BEHAVIORAL RISK MARKER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS?
CAITLIN R. MCMAHON
Dissertation under the direction of Professor Wendy L. Stone
This project examined the early social-emotional behavior of shared positive affect and its component behaviors (i.e., eye contact and smiling) in a sample of younger at-risk siblings of children with autism (Sibs-ASD) and a comparison group of younger siblings of typically developing children (Sibs-TD). In this dissertation I compare the groups on the frequency and duration of these behaviors as well as comparing these behaviors to outcome measures of autism symptomatology. This research showed that Sibs-TD, on average, demonstrate more frequent occurrences and longer duration episodes of positive affect, and specifically shared positive affect, than Sibs-TD. No differences emerged between the groups on measures of social attention (i.e., eye contact). The predictive validity of the coded measure of shared positive affect was supported by its significant negative correlations with multiple measures of autism symptomatology at follow-up. The implications for considering shared positive affect as an early behavioral risk marker in early screening for autism spectrum disorders are discussed.
Files
Filename Size Approximate Download Time (Hours:Minutes:Seconds)
28.8 Modem 56K Modem ISDN (64 Kb) ISDN (128 Kb) Higher-speed Access McMahonDissertation.pdf 1.03 Mb 00:04:46 00:02:27 00:02:08 00:01:04 00:00:05