Annotated Bibliography Assignment

Full Disclosure: I lost one point on this assignment for formatting. I had originally failed to indent the citations. I edited this aspect before posting to make it easier to read, but I did not want to act like I did the assignment perfectly. I'm a huge believer in admitting when I make mistakes. Thank you for understanding!!

Akama F, Mikami K, Orihashi Y, Takase S, Hanawa K, Nishikawa K, Watanabe N, Kimoto K, 

Takahashi Y, Onishi Y, Salas J, Yamamoto K, & Ueno S. (2025). Psychiatric Features of

Children with Chronic Functional Constipation: Focusing on Individuals with Autism Spectrum

Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55(2), 585–591. https://doi-

org.proxy.library.kent.edu/10.1007/s10803-023-06228-8

This study, originally published by the Plenum Press in New York, aims to find the connections between chronic constipation and autism spectrum disorders. The study included children aged 2-15, both with and without autism spectrum disorder. The study tested different treatments for chronic constipation and their effects on those with and without autism spectrum disorder. The study found that those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder tend to have more prolonged bouts of constipation compared to their non-autistic peers. It was also seen that among those with autism spectrum disorder, gastrointestinal troubles were spread more than among those without autism spectrum disorder.  The conclusion was that pediatricians and child psychiatrists should work closely to ensure that any child with autism spectrum disorder is being appropriately treated for stomach issues.

Due to the study being published in 2006, taking the information provided with a grain of salt seems essential. Although the study is outdated, it still shows a connection between those with autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal issues. Eleven authors for this publication work at the Tokai University School of Medicine. The rest hail from the Kitasato University Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Okamura Isshindow Hospital, which are all accredited organizations that show that the knowledge given is trustworthy. The information is objectively based on the Rome III criteria for chronic functional and organic constipation and the PARS assessment for autism spectrum disorder. The study was conducted primarily in Japanese, so there is a possibility for error in translation to American English. The scales to determine chronic constipation and autism spectrum disorder in Japan could be vastly different than the scales in the DSM-5 found in America, which opens this study to miscommunication

I was not surprised by this research at all. Ever since my autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, I have felt a connection between that and my digestive issues. Most autistic people that I know have chronic constipation or related digestive issues. It was incredible to find research done in another country that fits what we have learned here in the United States.

Qian L, Ding N, Fang H, Xiao T, Sun B, Gao H, & Ke X. (2025). Pragmatic performance, its 

relationship with symptom severity, and early clinical predictors of pragmatics in 5 ~ 6

year- old children with autism spectrum disorder. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1), 58. https://doi-

org.proxy.library.kent.edu/10.1186/s12888-024-06452-1

This study examined the relationship between pragmatic language and autism spectrum disorder. Seventy-one children with autism ages 23-30 months completed tests that measure their development in the five subscales: adaptive, gross-motor, fine-motor, language, and personal-social behavior. This study was conducted because communication disorders are rarely diagnosed in children under four. This study aimed to see if there are ways to show communication deficits before the age of four. This study concluded that pragmatic difficulties can be observed in children with autism spectrum disorder as early as preschool age. Children are usually made to wait for an extensive evaluation after age four. Still, this study proves that with more research and testing, there can be ways to diagnose autism spectrum disorder in toddlers.

This study is beneficial for school intervention specialists. Being able to diagnose autism spectrum disorder and other social difficulties at a younger age can help quicken the process for accommodations to help these children. The publication is recent, as of 2025 Jan 20, so the information is viable in the current scientific atmosphere. With more research into this way of diagnosis, children can be helped with their social skills from the very beginning. The authors of this study are all affiliated with accredited schools, which shows that the article’s information is trustworthy. Most people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are diagnosed in early childhood while in school. If children could be diagnosed before starting school, teachers can make sure that they are given the help they need socially so they do not fall behind their peers.

This information is invaluable to my future practice as an autism spectrum disorder advocate. If children could be diagnosed before starting school, I would only need to focus my efforts on the older children who may have slipped through the cracks. The younger the children are when tested, the less likely they are to mask their symptoms. Small children are still learning how the world expects them to act. They do not fake who they are to fit in because they do not feel the need to fit in yet. This would be the most opportune time to diagnose autism spectrum disorder and give support from the beginning.

Dell’Osso L, Amatori G, Bonelli C, Nardi B, Massimetti E, Cremone IM, Pini S, & Carpita B. 

(2025). Autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders: beyond

the comorbidity. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1), 37. https://doi-

org.proxy.library.kent.edu/10.1186/s12888-024-06340-8

Autism spectrum disorder is known to have many comorbidities. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders are the comorbidities discussed in this article. About seventy percent of those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are also diagnosed with comorbid mental health conditions. Neurodevelopmental disorders are often accompanied by mental illness because of how early they are produced. Twenty-nine percent of those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are also diagnosed with some anxiety disorder as well, while only nine percent of those who are not diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. The scales used were Structured Clinical Interview for the Disorders of DSM-5, Social Anxiety Spectrum—Short Version, Obsessive–Compulsive Spectrum—Short Version, and the Panic-Agoraphobic Spectrum—Short Version. These scales reported their findings as percentages that were used to obtain results for each diagnostic group. The results concluded that while autism spectrum disorder symptoms overlap with social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder, it is also very common for these to be comorbid with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. 

This resource is recent, having been published 2025 Jan 13, which makes the information up-to-date as of this year. The authors are all from accredited universities, which vies for the trustworthiness of the information provided. The information is unbiased and is all based on the results found in the study for the article or previous studies to the article. Anxiety disorders are common comorbidities for autism spectrum disorder is well-known, but I was unaware that obsessive-compulsive disorder was also considered common. 

This information is helpful for my future as an autism spectrum disorder advocate because I am diagnosed with both of these comorbidities, and this research can help me connect more with those struggling with the same symptoms. I was surprised by the commonality of obsessive-compulsive disorder. I knew that the symptoms overlapped, but I did not realize that it was a common comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder.