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Student-Athletes with Self-Reported Autism Spectrum Disorder are More Likely to Score Low on Common Concussion Test, Raising the Need for Autism-Specific Comparison Data

PR Newswire

PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2024

Study sheds light on a medical accessibility issue, the need for alternative

or modified concussion assessment norms and the need for baseline testing

PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Schools and colleges across the

country rely on Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing

(ImPACT)

(https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4127911-1&h=2701816364&u=https%3A%2F%2Fimpactconcussion.com%2F&a=Immediate+Post-Concussion+Assessment+and+Cognitive+Testing+(ImPACT))

evaluations to assess and manage student-athlete concussions on the sidelines.

However, this FDA-cleared tool is not recommended for student-athletes with

neurodevelopmental disorders, who often score significantly lower than

neurotypical individuals. New research published Feb. 13 in the Archives of

Clinical Neuropsychology

(https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4127911-1&h=1266615975&u=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Facn%2Fadvance-article-abstract%2Fdoi%2F10.1093%2Farclin%2Facae004%2F7607150%3FredirectedFrom%3Dfulltext&a=Archives+of+Clinical+Neuropsychology)

demonstrates the need for alternative or modified concussion assessment norms

and the need for baseline testing for autistic athletes.

(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2096084/SJU_Logo.html)

"Given the findings of the current study and other recent studies, there is a

clear need for ImPACT normative reference data specifically for

student-athletes with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)," says Philip Schatz,

PhD,

(https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4127911-1&h=377589942&u=https%3A%2F%2Fdirectory.sju.edu%2Fphilip-schatz&a=Philip+Schatz%2C+PhD%2C)

principal investigator and professor of psychology at Saint Joseph's

University. "The urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:neuropsychology field needs to expand assessment and

interpretation practices and procedures for people with ASD and related

developmental conditions."

Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning

disorder (LD) and ASD are not included in normative reference data. This means

when autistic athletes are assessed for a concussion, their data is compared

to age- and gender-similar neurotypical individuals. Therefore, the utility

and accuracy of widely used test measures like the ImPACT test decreases.

Within the United States, the prevalence of ASD has increased over the past 20

years, from 1-in-150 children in 2000 to 1-in-36 children in 2020. Nearly 91%

of adolescents with ASD reported liking sports and exercise, meaning the

potential for concussive injuries in this population is high. Furthermore,

previous research

(https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4127911-1&h=3885203828&u=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs41252-023-00326-5&a=research)

at Saint Joseph's University has shown that exercise can be helpful in

treatment for ASD.

"This is a medical accessibility issue," says Joseph McCleery, PhD,

(https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4127911-1&h=204232360&u=https%3A%2F%2Fdirectory.sju.edu%2Fjoseph-p-mccleery&a=Joseph+McCleery%2C+PhD%2C)

assistant professor of psychology and executive director of academic programs

in the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support

(https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4127911-1&h=4184888543&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sju.edu%2Fkinney%2F&a=Kinney+Center+for+Autism+Education+and+Support)

and co-author on the study. "We need to make medicine more neurodivergence

friendly. Research like this is an important first step toward fixing the

problem."

The research team points to the study as a critical first step in creating

normative reference values for young athletes with ASD, and looks forward to

continuing their research as part of a larger conversation of neuroinclusive

care.

"Athletes' developmental diagnosis was self-reported in this study," says

Schatz. "Moving forward, we will need a more objective way of measuring this

factor. We also will need to evaluate the utility of various concussion

assessment measures. I look forward to the future, as it is important everyone

receives effective concussion management, including people who are on the

autism spectrum."

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(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/student-athletes-with-self-reported-autism-spectrum-disorder-are-more-likely-to-score-low-on-common-concussion-test-raising-the-need-for-autism-specific-comparison-data-302103008.html)

SOURCE Saint Joseph's University

Kevin Gfeller, kgfeller@sju.edu, 1-610-639-8831

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