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Kelsea Marschall, Psy.D., is a 2024 graduate of the Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University, New England
Dr. Kelly Marschall Batista
Dissertation Committee:
- Martha Straus, PhD, Chairperson
- Jennifer Amato, PsyD, Committee Member
- Karen Meteyer, PhD, Committee Member
Keywords
autism, adverse childhood experiences, diagnose, conceptualize, adaptive functioning, biopsychosocial framework
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Date
2024
Abstract
This dissertation builds on a small but growing literature exploring the association between early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research suggests that children with ASD are more likely to experience ACEs throughout their lifetime due to increased vulnerability to victimization and social communication deficits. Still, to date, there is scant research explicitly exploring the impact of ACEs on young children diagnosed with ASD. This study utilized a biopsychosocial framework to further examine whether a relationship exists between ACEs and ASD. The objectives of this study include: (a) to determine whether a relationship exists between the number of ACEs and functional impairment on parent rating forms (i.e., ABAS-3: Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition) in children diagnosed with ASD; if a relationship does exist, identify whether family economic hardship (determined by Medicaid coverage) plays a role; (b) to examine the relationship between encountered ACEs and diagnostic outcome (i.e., no ASD, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3) in children being evaluated for ASD; and (c) to look at the relationship between increased exposure to early ACEs and the age of ASD diagnosis. Archival data was collected from 93 patient evaluations conducted in an Autism and Communication Disorders Clinic (ACDC) between 2014 and 2020. Correlational analysis determined there was no relationship between number of ACEs and ABAS-3 scores of adaptive functioning. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the no-ASD group encountered the most ACEs. Correlational analysis determined that there was no association between ACEs and age of ASD diagnosis. Findings suggest that while children with ASD were rated to have more impaired adaptive functioning compared to the no-ASD group, the no-ASD group encountered more traditional ACEs. Therefore, this study highlights the overlap between ASD and trauma symptomology in young children and suggests a need for future research to continue exploring the nature and prevalence of ACEs and trauma in young children with ASD. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).
Recommended Citation
Batista, K. M. (2024). Exploring the Impact of Early Adversity on Young Children with Autism. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/1095
Comments
ORCID: 0009-0007-6305-3168
Publications:
Lichtenstein, J.D., Amato, J.T., Holding, E.Z., Grodner, K.D., Pollock, E.P., Marschall, K.., & Scull, S. (2021). How we work now: preliminary review of a pediatric neuropsychology hybrid model in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 00, 1-10.
Poster Presentations:
O'Reilly, M., Hammond, J., Marschall, K., Barros, K., & Lichtenstein, J. (2024, November). Images and distorted facts: Seeing beyond the concussion in patients with persisting symptoms after concussion. National Academy of Neuropsychology, Austin, TX.
Marschall, K., O’Reilly, M., Hartman, T., Sand-Loud, N., Richards, K., Lichtenstein, J., & Amato, J. (2024, February; accepted). Maternal Health is Baby Health: Understanding Maternal Factors and Preterm Infant Neurodevelopment. International Neuropsychological Society, New York City, NY.
O’Reilly, M., Marschall, K., Hartman, T., Sand-Loud, N., Richards, K., Lichtenstein, J., & Amato, J. (2024, February). The Risk of Care: Impact of NICU Length of Stay on Infant Cognitive Development at 12 Months of Age. International Neuropsychological Society, New York City, NY.
Marschall, K., O’Reilly, M., Barros, K., Hammond, J., & Lichtenstein, J. (2023, October). Won’t Get Fooled Again: Factors in Persistent Complaints Following Youth Concussion. National Academy of Neuropsychology, Philadelphia, PA.
Scull, S., Marschall, K., Plotnik, L., Stark, A., Thorp, K., McLaren, J., & Lichtenstein, J., (2022, October). FG Syndrome in Adulthood: A Case Report. National Academy of Neuropsychology, Denver, CO.
Marschall, K., & Valeras, A., (2022, May). Increasing the Rates of SBIRT Among Adolescents in Primary Care. New Hampshire Academy of Family Physicians, Whitefield, NH.
Grodner, K., Holding, E., Scull, S., Marschall, K., Pollock, E., Amato, J., & Lichtenstein, J., (2022, March). Closing the Gap: Increasing Access to Feedback in Pediatric Neuropsychology through Tele-Neuropsychology. International Neuropsychological Society, Virtual.
Marschall, K., Altman, R., Wilding, J., Mayette, J., McCleery, S., & Meteyer, K., (2021, November). College Students’ Experienced Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic. New England Psychological Association, Virtual.