ERIC Number: EJ967926
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jun
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3257
EISSN: N/A
Adaptive Response of Children and Adolescents with Autism to the 2009 Earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy
Valenti, Marco; Ciprietti, Tiziana; Di Egidio, Claudia; Gabrielli, Maura; Masedu, Francesco; Tomassini, Anna Rita; Sorge, Germana
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, v42 n6 p954-960 Jun 2012
The literature offers no descriptions of the adaptive outcomes of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after natural disasters. Aim of this study was to evaluate the adaptive behaviour of participants with ASD followed for 1 year after their exposure to the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila (Italy) compared with an unexposed peer group with ASD, by administering the Italian form of the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) at baseline, 6 months and 1 year after the earthquake. Exposed participants declined dramatically in their adaptive behaviour during the first months after the earthquake (p less than 0.01 for all VABS dimensions). However, immediate intensive post-disaster intervention allowed children and adolescents with autism showing a trend towards partial recovery of adaptive functioning. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Natural Disasters, Autism, Adolescents, Peer Groups, Foreign Countries, Children, Coping, Adjustment (to Environment), Comparative Analysis, Longitudinal Studies, Intervention
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Italy
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A