• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence and characteristics of savant skills and the relationship between the savant skills and autistic symptoms in Korean ASD children. Methods: 141 ASD subjects participated in this study and they were divided in to two groups based on the presence or lack of savant skills. The domain scores and total scores of the K-ADI-R, K-ASDS and SRS were used for evaluating the ASD symptoms between the groups. Results: Memory (N=47) was the most prevalent savant skill in the savant ASD group (N=60). The savant ASD group had a statistically higher mean age and IQ score than did the nonsavant ASD group. Despite their high IQ profile, the savant ASD group showed a higher restricted, repetitive and stereotype behavior score on the K-ADI-R and higher language and cognitive scores on the K-ASDS than did the nonsavant ASD group. Conclusions: These results suggest savant syndrome in ASD might be related to the severity of some subdomain of autistic symptoms even though their IQ scores were higher than nonsavant ASD patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 2016

Objective : The goal of this study was to investigate neurological mechanism of emotional regulation and to examine the relationship between the regulation and sensory processing. Subjective : Emotional regulations are mainly processed in limbic system, particularly the basal-lateral group of amygdala takes on a major role in the regulations. The basal-lateral group of amygdala links to thalamus directly and/or indirectly which processes sensory information together. This sensory information connects to orbital and medial prefrontal cortex. Inadequate sensory processing may cause difficulties in emotional regulations and behaviors because of a circuit linking the amygdala, the thalamus, and the orbital and medial prefrontal cortex. These difficulties and impairments has been reported in neurological studies for children with ASD and ADHD. Conclusion : Neurological states are different between the normal children and children with ASD and ADHD and these represent various aspects in sensory processing, emotional regulations and behaviors. Thus, therapists working with children with ASD and ADHD need to understand mechanisms of sensory processing and emotional regulations in order to provide adequate treatments.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.129-140
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine differences in social maturity and behavioral problems according to the level of sleep problems in children with ASD. Methods : The participants were 102 mothers of infants with ASD aged 1-5 years. The Social Maturity Scales (SMS) and Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 were used as the measuring tools. Results : The level of sleep problems in infants with ASD was 56.58T on the sleep problems scale. The participants were grouped based on scores on the sleep problems scale: those with scores <65 (good sleepers) or scores ≥65 (poor sleepers). Sleep problems significantly correlated with all the scales on the CBCL. However, no association was found between sleep problems and social quotients. Poor sleepers achieved significantly lower scores on the social quotient scale of the SMS than good sleepers. Poor sleepers achieved significantly higher scores in internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and DSM-oriented scales on the CBCL compared to those in the good sleepers. Conclusion : The significance of this study is that it has verified the severity of sleep problems in infants with ASD and has examined the differences in social maturity and behavioral problems between poor sleepers and good sleepers.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.19-43
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• 2021

The purpose of this case study was to examine whether an interactive music-making intervention using GarageBand was applicable to improve the social communication skills of school-age children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two children with ASD (both male, ages = 8 and 11 yrs.) participated in this study. The interactive music-making intervention included three stages: 1) musical imitation, 2) musical expression and coordination, and 3) musical interaction. Each session lasted 40 minutes, and sessions took place twice a week over 4 weeks. The participants' social communication behaviors were observed and analyzed in terms of exchanging ideas with each other. Engagement in interactive behaviors (e.g., turn-taking, imitating or reflecting the investigator's music, and creating one's own music using the motive from the investigator) during music making was also analyzed. During the sessions, increases in the attempts to express their opinions on music making processes and requests for help for the process were observed. Engagement in turn-taking form of interactive playing and reflecting the musical motive from a partner (i.e., investigator) were also improved. The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) ratings indicated negative social behaviors decreased after intervention in both participants. The findings of this study suggest that interactive music-making activities using GarageBand can be an effective method in clinical practice to improve social communication skills for school-aged children with ASD.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.61-88
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• 2023

This case study examined whether a cooperative musical instrument playing could enhance interactions between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their neurotypical (NT) siblings. It involved three children with ASD aged 7-12 years and three NT siblings aged 6-11 years. Each group, comprising a child with ASD and their NT sibling, participated in a 40-minute sessions twice weekly for eight sessions over four weeks. The intervention included three stages: simultaneous action, complementary action, and achieving a joint goal. Evaluation criteria included the initiation and response behaviors of each child, and sequential interactive behaviors and cooperative behaviors between pairs were measured. Additionally, before and after the intervention, parents and NT sibling assessed their perceived sibling relationships. Results showed increased interactive and cooperative behaviors. Post-intervention, both parents and NT siblings rated the sibling relationship highly, despite little change in sibling conflict and competition consciousness. These findings indicate that interactive instrument playing can enhance perceptions of siblings as cooperative play partners and aid in teaching them how to collaborate during interactions.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.205-210
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• 2012

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical profile, efficacy, and safety of long-term treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in Korean autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) patients. Methods Effectiveness was assessed through a retrospective review of self-reported target symptom improvement at the last follow-up visit. Changes in illness severity and improvement were measured using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) of illness and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Scales. Tolerability was assessed through a review of the reason for discontinuation of SSRI and documented adverse events. Results A total of 21 ASDs patients (aged 9 to 19 years) treated with SSRI during July 2010 to July 2011 in department of child and adolescent psychiatry of Seoul National Hospital were identified. The mean duration of SSRI treatment was 47.9 (standard deviation = 36.9) months (range 0.7-114.5), and the mean fluoxetine equivalent dosage of SSRIs was $27.1{\pm}10.8$ mg. Nineteen (90.5%) patients were using concomitant medication. We found that SSRIs were prescribed for symptoms of agitation, stereotyped behavior, aggression, depression, impulsivity and self-injury in ASDs. Ten patients (47.6%) reported improvement in their target symptom after SSRI treatment based on CGI-I scores (CGI-I ${\leq}$ 2). The side effects were reported in 5 patients (23.8%) ; vomiting (n = 2, 9.5%), excessive mood elevation (n = 1, 4.8%), insomnia (n = 1, 4.8%), somnolence (n = 1, 4.8%) and decreased appetite (n = 1, 4.8%). Self-injurious behavior was reported in one patient (4.8%). Conclusions The results of this study suggest that SSRIs may be used effectively in children and adolescents diagnosed with ASDs. However, safety issues need to be considered carefully when choosing SSRIs for treatment. Future controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2012

Objectives : Urocanase domain containing 1 (UROC1) has never been studied in prior studies on autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). UROC1 causes urocanic aciduria, one of the symptoms of which is mental retardation. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the UROC1 gene and ASDs in a Korean population. Methods : A total of 258 control and 214 patients with ASD were used as subjects of this study. SNPs selected from UROC1 were genotyped using Illumina Golden-Gate Genotyping assay with VeraCode$^{(R)}$ technology. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS and Plink software. Results : We found no association of the 12 SNPs in the UROC1 gene with ASDs in a Korean population. Conclusion : Our study suggests that the 12 SNPs (11 SNPs and 1 SNP in the intron and 3'UTR region, respectively) in the UROC1 were not associated with ASDs in a Korean population. Further study on the exon region of UROC1 is needed.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.27-53
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• 2022

The purpose of this case study was to construct a social context-based musical play program for children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) and to examine its applicability in improving the social skills of the children. The participants were a group of three children with high-functioning ASD with an average age of 9 years. The children participated as a group in 40-minute sessions that were implemented twice a week for 8 weeks. The children's social communication behaviors were observed during the sessions and analyzed in terms of sharing and exchanging their ideas and voluntarily interacting with peers and an adult (i.e., the researcher). The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) was completed by the teachers of participants before and after the intervention. For all three participants, the occurrence of behaviors to exchange their ideas with peers and voluntarily interacting with an adult increased following the intervention. However, there were individual differences between the participants in terms of changes in each target behavior depending on their level of language and social skill development. These results suggest that social context-based musical play program may produce positive changes in voluntary communication with peers and play a significant role in expanding the scope of interventions that target the social communication of children with ASD.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.213-219
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• 2013

Objectives : It is known that adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often concurrently exhibit attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The objective of this study is to investigate how ADHD symptoms modify clinical characteristics in adolescents with ASD. Methods : Subjects were recruited from the Program for the Education Enrichment of Relational Skills program, which is a program for adolescents with ASD to promote and train social skills. The study participants and their parents completed the study questionnaires, such as the ADHD rating scale, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, and Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist. Results : Adolescents with ASD and ADHD (N=19) were found to have more impaired sociality, less open communication with their parents, and more behavioral and emotional problems compared with adolescents with ASD, and without ADHD (N=28). Conclusion : Although further research is needed, the results of our study suggest that adolescents with ASD present different clinical characteristics when comorbid with ADHD.

• Journal of Information Technology and Architecture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.347-357
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• 2014

This research aims to suggest the possibility of functional culture contents based on interdisciplinary methodologies, especially for people who have Autism Spectrum Conditions, or those who have disabilities on express and receive gamsung (emotions). Recently, the development of application technologies in smartphones and tablet computers needs of functional culture contents, which are connected with the gamsung system. Moreover, the potential of marketplace of functional culture contents is emerging, as can be seen from the success of Augmentative and Alternative Communications (AAC) applications. Therefore, with the development of more applications that prevent and resolve Gamsung Disabilities anticipatively, there will be a positive economic effect of reducing back on intervention expenses as well as the construction of new contents ecosystem. So, in this research, we will attempt to make an approach of using the cultural semiotics methodology in finding attributes and features of applications that help to keep mental stability and balance for people with gamsung Disabilities. Particularly, this research will suggest an interdisciplinary theory on healing contents making methodology, using contents analysis; user interface (UI) analysis; and user experience (UX) analysis on existing smart healing applications.