title: Social Function and Communication in Optimal Outcome Children and Adolescents with an Autism History on Structured Test Measures.
abstract: Youth who lose their ASD diagnosis may have subtle social and communication difficulties. We examined social and communication functioning in 44 high-functioning autism (HFA), 34 optimal outcome (OO) and 34 typically developing (TD) youth. Results indicated that OO participants had no autism communication symptoms, no pragmatic language deficits, and were judged as likable as TD peers. Some group differences were found: OO youth had less insight into social relationships and poorer friendship descriptions than TD youth. OO participants had attention, self-control, and immaturity difficulties that may impact social abilities. However, OO participants were most engaged, friendliest, warmest, and most approachable. Overall, OO participants had no social and communicative impairments, although some exhibited mild social difficulties that often accompany attentional problems.
authors.affiliation: Unit 1020, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA, alyssa.orinstein@uconn.edu.
authors.forename: Alyssa J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Orinstein
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Kaitlyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Kaitlin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: De Yoe
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Tyson
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Troyb
authors.forename: Marianne L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: Inge-Marie
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Eigsti
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012938:Social Perception; D066107:Social Skills; D055815:Young Adult