Source normalized impact per paper snip: 1.102 ℹ source normalized impact per paper snip: 2014: 1.102 snip measures contextual citation impact by weighting citations based on the total number of citations in a subject field. Scimago journal rank sjr: 1.213 ℹ scimago journal rank sjr: 2014: 1.213 sjr is a prestige metric based on the idea that not all citations are the same. Sjr uses a similar algorithm as the google page rank it provides a quantitative and a qualitative measure of the journal’s impact. Impact factor: 2.212 ℹ impact factor: 2014: 2.212 the impact factor measures the average number of citations received in a particular year by papers published in the journal during the two preceding years. © thomson reuters journal citation reports 2015 5 year impact factor: 2.700 ℹ five year impact factor: 2014: 2.700 to calculate the five year impact factor, citations are counted in 2014 to the previous five years and divided by the source items published in the previous five years.

© journal citation reports 2015, published by thomson reuters autism and psychology introduction autism spectrum disorder is a growing disability affecting at least one out of 150 children, some researchers and doctors now claim the numbers are closer to 1 out of every 110 children that have some disorder on the autism spectrum. Unfortunately, even though the ratio is common knowledge, knowledge about what autism is and how it develops is still very limited. According to the american academy of pediatrics aap 2009 autism spectrum disorders asd are a group of related developmental disabilities, caused by a problem with the brain, that affect a child's behavior, social, and communication skills p. Diagnosis on the autism spectrum can include classic autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified pdd nos , and aspergers syndrome aap, 2009, p. Autism can include developmental delays, behavioral problems, cognitive disabilities, medical problems, social and emotional issues, and regression of abilities in other areas.

the onset of autism, symptoms, and diagnosis although it is unknown exactly what causes autism, it is believed that the environment, genetics, and the brain all play an important role. The american academy of pediatrics 2009 recommends that developmental screenings be incorporated at every well child visit and screening tests should be administered regularly at the 9 , 18 , and 30 month visits p. Although autism is screened for by pediatricians during well baby checkups, using assessment screenings do not always offer enough information, furthermore, even when signs of developmental delay exist, parents are often told that a delay can be normal, and to wait until the next visit to worry. According to the legislative blue ribbon commission on autism 2006 many pediatricians report being inadequately trained in developmental assessments and nearly half of those interviewed said they referred the child to a clinical specialist instead p.

Parents are often the first to recognize early detection signs of autism, but many parents also miss the signs, trusting that their childs doctor will detect anything abnormal. According to the legislative blue ribbon commission on autism 2006 research has identified a number of developmental red flags that can indicate asd in young children: poor eye contact, reduced responsive smiling, diminished babbling, reduced social responsivity sic , and difficulty with language development, play, and initiating or sustaining social interaction p. Many of these signs are detected by parents first, as they spend more time with their children than doctors do.

medical discoveries about autism scientists have made several discoveries related to autism and the brain. The aap now believes that approximately 1 in 110 children have asd 2009 a startling increase from just a few years ago when it was believed that 1 out of 150 children had the disorder. Part of the reason for the increase may be that children who were previously misdiagnosed with another disorder such as adhd are being correctly diagnosed later on in life as they develop more severe symptoms that relate more closely to autism than their original diagnosis.

However, more sensitive measurements of the spectrum suggest that a swathe of young people may have experienced years of undiagnosed autistic traits p. He may struggle with paying attention to simple tasks and may have trouble behaving, but as he ages and begins to display more severe social and emotional problems, he is likely to be given a new diagnosis of aspergers, one of the disorders on the autism spectrum. psychological aspects of autism apparently the brain actually functions differently in the autistic vs. Researchers in the field of autism have made several discoveries surrounding the brain and the different neurological connections seen in brains associated with autism. Keith shafritz 2008 , an assistant professor of psychology at hofstra university on long island, compared brain images of autistic children with those of neurologically normal youngsters see fig. Shafritz 2008 has been able to pinpoint regions of the brain that are linked to ritualistic repetitive behavior in autistic children such as the insatiable desire to rock back and forth for hours or to tirelessly march in place p.

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This symptom used to be considered behavioral, something the child could control however, shafritz 2008 has also found a relationship between the newly identified brain areas and overlapping regions linked to schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder p. These discoveries could help researchers try and explain how and why the brain responds differently, and may eventually help them find a way to offer treatment. According to rinehart amp mcginley 2010 the most recent imaging evidence suggests cerebellar sic motor features may be specifically linked to asd p. To be more specific, brain imaging and evaluation shows definite variations in certain areas of the brain that possibly account for some of the issues that a person with autism might face, such as motor skill delays and the inability to complete tasks in order, or simple facial recognition which might account for social problems. Rinehart amp mcginley 2010 explain children with asd show less activation in the cerebellum unconscious planned movements with relatively more activation in the fronto striatal sic region conscious planned movements p. When it comes to secondary disorders associate with asd, such as speech delays, social problems, and eating disorders, more research is showing that the brain is hardwired differently than that of a normal, non autistic person.

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According to quinn 2010 unlike suggestions that the element such as an eating disorder is strictly genetic, these researchers claim more of a middle ground between nature and nurture believing the disorder results from a 'hard wiring of the brain, which may occur due to neurological paths formed in childhood p. Of course we do not know for sure at what age exactly autism and its associated disorders form, but we can tell that there are differences in the brain between a normally developing child and one who is on the spectrum. This research has been further validated by several scientific discoveries surrounding autism and the brain. One british company has been diligently working on reading brain scans that have proved more than 90 percent accurate in adults at detecting changes in the brain, in adults who have an autism spectrum disorder hirschler, 2010, p. They see no reason why the same technique cannot be applied to early detection in children. The way it works is as simple as reading the results of a standard mri machine by analyzing variations in the shape and structure of brain regions linked to language and social behavior hirschler, 2010, p.

The company believes the new scanning method which picks up on structural changes in the brain's grey matter could be ready for general use in a couple of years hirschler, 2010, p. This technology could eventually be useful in detecting asd early enough to potentially prevent further delay. genetics and autism of course genetics are considered one of the most important contributors to autism spectrum disorders.

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Doctors used to argue that the disorder was a social response to what they called refrigerator moms, the result of cold behavior from mothers to their infants. This theory has since been disproved and replaced with scientific facts that show genes play an important role. According to ghosh 2010 it has been known for some time that autism has a strong genetic influence but up until now only eight or nine genes have been confirmed as playing a role p.

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However, more recent research indicates that as many as 300 genes may be involved in developing connections between brain cells, while others are involved in sending signals within brain cells p. With this new information, no one can deny that genes as well as changes in the brain over the course of child development have an enormous affect on the autistic child, but environmental factors must not be ruled out. Even though certain genes may be present in persons with autism, this does not necessarily mean that the presence of the genes are the underlying cause of the disorder, and not everyone who carries these certain genes have an autism spectrum disorder.

Feldman 2009 explains how this makes the challenge for behavior geneticists working in the field of autism spectrum disorders more difficult because they must not only determine what genes are responsible for particular behaviors, but also identify the environmental triggers that activate those genes p. Other environmental factors that are considered possible contributors to autism are infections, poisoning, such lead poisoning, vaccinations, specifically the mmr vaccine, nutrition and diet, and allergies, as well as social conditions. Seeing that at least 1 out of 150 children are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, obviously there must be a combination of biological and environmental factors that are still undetectable. Until we figure out that puzzle, we must accept that for no apparent reason our childrens brains are developing in abnormal ways, affecting their physiological and psychological learning processes and development.