Skip to main content
Log in

Resilience and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Applying Developmental Psychopathology to Optimal Outcome

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has traditionally been associated with persistent deficits in many functional areas across the life span. However, recent work suggests that some individuals initially diagnosed with ASD can later achieve functioning in normative ranges, a phenomenon referred to as optimal outcome (OO) or, effectively, recovery from ASD. This review of the existing literature examines empirical support for OO, conceptual and methodological limitations, long-term functioning, residual deficits, and potential predictors from a developmental psychopathology perspective. Given that the majority of the extant literature on OO has been heretofore descriptive, a resilience framework is proposed as the guide with which to explore the mechanisms behind OO. With an emphasis on interactions among modifiable environmental and individual factors, future research directions and clinical implications are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. These studies were conducted before the introduction of DSM-5 and naturally used the now obsolete DSM-IV conceptualization of autism.

  2. Mandy and Lai chose to use the term “autism spectrum condition” rather than ASD.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, D. K., Oti, R. S., Lord, C., & Welch, K. (2009). Patterns of growth in adaptive social abilities among children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(7), 1019–1034.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, D. K., Liang, J. W., & Lord, C. (2014). Predicting young adult outcome among more and less cognitively able individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 55(5), 485–494.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barron-Cohen, S., & Belmonte, M. K. (2005). Autism: a window onto the development of the social and the analytic brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 28, 109–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barron-Cohen, S., Bolton, P., Wheelwright, S., Scahill, V., Short, L., Mead, G., & Smith, A. (1998). Autism occurs more often in families of physicists, engineers, and mathematicians. Autism, 2(3), 296–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belmonte, M. K., & Bourgeron, T. (2006). Fragile X syndrome and autism at the intersection of genetic and neural networks. Nature Neuroscience, 9(10), 1221–1225.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Itzchak, E., & Zachor, D. A. (2007). The effects of intellectual functioning and autism severity on outcome of early behavioral intervention for children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28(3), 287–303.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bettelheim, B. (1967). Empty fortress. Simon and Schuster.

  • Billstedt, E., Gillberg, C., & Gillberg, C. (2005). Autism after adolescence: population-based 13-to 22-year follow-up study of 120 individuals with autism diagnosed in childhood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(3), 351–360.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, S. J., Bramlett, M. D., Kogan, M. D., Schieve, L. A., Jones, J. R., & Lu, M. C. (2013). Changes in prevalence of parent-reported autism spectrum disorder in school-aged US children: 2007 to 2011–2012. National Health Statistics Reports, 65(20), 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cederlund, M., Hagberg, B., Billstedt, E., Gillberg, I. C., & Gillberg, C. (2008). Asperger syndrome and autism: a comparative longitudinal follow-up study more than 5 years after original diagnosis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(1), 72–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Charman, T., Taylor, E., Drew, A., Cockerill, H., Brown, J. A., & Baird, G. (2005). Outcome at 7 years of children diagnosed with autism at age 2: predictive validity of assessments conducted at 2 and 3 years of age and pattern of symptom change over time. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46(5), 500–513.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cicchetti, D. (1984). The emergence of developmental psychopathology. Child Development, 55(1), 1–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cicchetti, D. (2013). Annual research review: resilient functioning in maltreated children—past, present, and future perspectives. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 54(4), 402–422.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cicchetti, D., & Curtis, W. J. (2006). The developing brain and neural plasticity: implications for normality, psychopathology, and resilience. In D. Cicchetti, & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Developmental psychopathology: Developmental neuroscience (Vol. 2, 2nd ed., pp. 1–64). New York: Wiley.

  • Cicchetti, D., & Rogosch, F. A. (1996). Equifinality and multifinality in developmental psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 8(04), 597–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, H., Amerine-Dickens, M., & Smith, T. (2006). Early intensive behavioral treatment: replication of the UCLA model in a community setting. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 27(2), S145–S155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, E.M., & Valentino, K. (2015). Developmental psychopathology. In W.F. Overton & P. Molenaar (Eds.). Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science, 7th edition: Theory & Method, Vol. 1. (pp. 567–606). New York, NY: Wiley.

  • Darrou, C., Pry, R., Pernon, E., Michelon, C., Aussilloux, C., & Baghdali, A. (2010). Outcome of young children with autism. Autism, 14(6), 663–677.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G. (2008). Early behavioral intervention, brain plasticity, and the prevention of autism spectrum disorder. Development and Psychopathology, 20(3), 775–803.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G., Rogers, S., Munson, J., Smith, M., Winter, J., Greenson, J., et al. (2010). Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: the early start Denver model. Pediatrics, 125(1), e17–e23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G., Jones, E. J., Merkle, K., Venema, K., Lowy, R., Faja, S., et al. (2012). Early behavioral intervention is associated with normalized brain activity in young children with autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(11), 1150–1159.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves, L. C., & Ho, H. H. (2004). The very early identification of autism: outcome to age 4 1/2–5. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34(4), 367–378.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves, L. C., & Ho, H. H. (2008). Young adult outcome of autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(4), 739–747.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eigsti, I. M., & Fein, D. A. (2013). More is less: pitch discrimination and language delays in children with optimal outcomes from autism. Autism Research, 6(6), 605–613.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eigsti, I. M., Stevens, M. C., Schultz, R. T., Barton, M., Kelley, E., Naigles, L., et al. (2016). Language comprehension and brain function in individuals with an optimal outcome from autism. NeuroImage: Clinical, 10, 182–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eikeseth, S., Smith, T., Jahr, E., & Eldevik, S. (2002). Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism: a 1-year comparison controlled study. Behavior Modification, 26, 49–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Estes, A., Olson, E., Sullivan, K., Greenson, J., Winter, J., Dawson, G., & Munson, J. (2013). Parenting-related stress and psychological distress in mothers of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders. Brain and Development, 35(2), 133–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fava, L., & Strauss, K. (2014). Response to early intensive behavioral intervention for autism—an umbrella approach to issues critical to treatment individualization. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 39, 49–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fein, D., Stevens, M., Dunn, M., Waterhouse, L., Allen, D., Rapin, I., & Feinstein, C. (1999). Subtypes of pervasive developmental disorder: clinical characteristics. Child Neuropsychology, 5(1), 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fein, D., Dixon, P., Paul, J., & Levin, H. (2005). Brief report: pervasive developmental disorder can evolve into ADHD: case illustrations. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(4), 525–534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fein, D., Barton, M., Eigsti, I. M., Kelley, E., Naigles, L., Schultz, R. T., et al. (2013). Optimal outcome in individuals with a history of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 54(2), 195–205.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fitch, A., Fein, D. A., & Eigsti, I. M. (2015). Detail and gestalt focus in individuals with optimal outcomes from autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1887–1896.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fountain, C., Winter, A. S., & Bearman, P. S. (2012). Six developmental trajectories characterize children with autism. Pediatrics, 129(5), e1112–e1120.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gamliel, I., Yirmiya, N., Jaffe, D., Manor, O., & Sigman, M. (2009). Developmental trajectories in siblings of children with autism: cognition and language from 4 months to 7 years. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1131–1144.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., & Rodnick, E. H. (1959). Premorbid adjustment and performance in schizophrenia: implications for interpreting heterogeneity in schizophrenia. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 129(5), 450–466.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giarelli, E., Wiggins, L. D., Rice, C. E., Levy, S. E., Kirby, R. S., Pinto-Martin, J., & Mandell, D. (2010). Sex differences in the evaluation and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders among children. Disability and Health Journal, 3(2), 107–116.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Granpeesheh, D., Dixon, D. R., Tarbox, J., Kaplan, A. M., & Wilke, A. E. (2009). The effects of age and treatment intensity on behavioral intervention outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3(4), 1014–1022.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulsrud, A. C., Jahromi, L. B., & Kasari, C. (2010). The co-regulation of emotions between mothers and their children with autism. Journal of Autism and.

  • Helt, M., Kelley, E., Kinsbourne, M., Pandey, J., Boorstein, H., Herbert, M., & Fein, D. (2008). Can children with autism recover? If so, how? Neuropsychology Review, 18(4), 339–366.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschler-Guttenberg, Y., Feldman, R., Ostfeld-Etzion, S., Laor, N., & Golan, O. (2015a). Self-and co-regulation of anger and fear in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders: the role of maternal parenting style and temperament. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1–11.

  • Hirschler-Guttenberg, Y., Golan, O., Ostfeld-Etzion, S., & Feldman, R. (2015b). Mothering, fathering, and the regulation of negative and positive emotions in high-functioning preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56(5), 530–539.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., Goode, S., Hutton, J., & Rutter, M. (2004). Adult outcome for children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(2), 212–229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., Magiati, I., & Charman, T. (2009). Systematic review of early intensive behavioral interventions for children with autism. Journal Information, 114(1).

  • Howlin, P., Moss, P., Savage, S., & Rutter, M. (2013). Social outcomes in mid-to later adulthood among individuals diagnosed with autism and average nonverbal IQ as children. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(6), 572–581.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., Savage, S., Moss, P., Tempier, A., & Rutter, M. (2014). Cognitive and language skills in adults with autism: a 40-year follow-up. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 55(1), 49–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Irvine, C. A., Eigsti, I. M., & Fein, D. A. (2015). Uh, Um, and autism: filler disfluencies as pragmatic markers in adolescents with optimal outcomes from autism spectrum disorder. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1–10.

  • Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Child, 2(3), 217–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, E., Paul, J. J., Fein, D., & Naigles, L. R. (2006). Residual language deficits in optimal outcome children with a history of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(6), 807–828.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, E., Naigles, L., & Fein, D. (2010). An in-depth examination of optimal outcome children with a history of autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4(3), 526–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., Harrower, J. K., & Carter, C. M. (1999). Pivotal response intervention I: overview of approach. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 24(3), 174–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koldewyn, K., Jiang, Y. V., Weigelt, S., & Kanwisher, N. (2013). Global/local processing in autism: Not a disability, but a disinclination. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 43(10), 2329–2340.

  • Lecavalier, L., Leone, S., & Wiltz, J. (2006). The impact of behaviour problems on caregiver stress in young people with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50(3), 172–183.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., & Bishop, S. (2010). Autism spectrum disorders diagnosis, prevalence, and services for children and families. Social Policy Report, Society for Research in Child Development, 24(2), 1–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., & Jones, R. M. (2012). Annual research review: re-thinking the classification of autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(5), 490–509.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., Risi, S., DiLavore, P. S., Shulman, C., Thurm, A., & Pickles, A. (2006). Autism from 2 to 9 years of age. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63(6), 694–701.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., Luyster, R., Guthrie, W., & Pickles, A. (2012). Patterns of developmental trajectories in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(3), 477.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., Bishop, S., & Anderson, D. (2015). Developmental trajectories as autism phenotypes. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part C: Seminars in Medical Genetics, 169(2), 198–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S. S., & Cicchetti, D. (2000). The construct of resilience: implications for interventions and social policies. Development and Psychopathology, 12(04), 857–885.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Magiati, I., Tay, X. W., & Howlin, P. (2014). Cognitive, language, social and behavioural outcomes in adults with autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review of longitudinal follow-up studies in adulthood. Clinical Psychology Review, 34(1), 73–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maljaars, J., Boonen, H., Lambrechts, G., Van Leeuwen, K., & Noens, I. (2014). Maternal parenting behavior and child behavior problems in families of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(3), 501–512.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mandy, W., & Lai, M. C. (2016). Annual research review: the role of the environment in the developmental psychopathology of autism spectrum condition. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

  • Masten, A. S. (2011). Resilience in children threatened by extreme adversity: frameworks for research, practice, and translational synergy. Development and Psychopathology, 23(2), 493.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Cicchetti, D. (2010). Developmental cascades. Development and Psychopathology, 22(03), 491–495.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Cicchetti, D. (2012). Risk and resilience in development and psychopathology: the legacy of Norman Garmezy. Development and Psychopathology, 24(2), 333–334.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Coatsworth, J. D. (1998). The development of competence in favorable and unfavorable environments: lessons from research on successful children. American Psychologist, 53(2), 205.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Tellegen, A. (2012). Resilience in developmental psychopathology: contributions of the project competence longitudinal study. Development and Psychopathology, 24(2), 345–361.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., Best, K. M., & Garmezy, N. (1990). Resilience and development: contributions from the study of children who overcome adversity. Development and Psychopathology, 2(04), 425–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McEachin, J. J., Smith, T., & Ivar Lovaas, O. (1993). Long-term outcome for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 97, 359–359.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mraz, K. D., Dixon, J., Dumont-Mathieu, T., & Fein, D. (2009). Accelerated head and body growth in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders: a comparative study of optimal outcome children. Journal of Child Neurology, 24(7), 833–845.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mukaddes, N. M., Tutkunkardas, M. D., Sari, O., Aydin, A., & Kozanoglu, P. (2014). Characteristics of children who lost the diagnosis of autism: a sample from Istanbul, Turkey. Autism research and treatment, 2014.

  • Mundy, P. (1993). Normal versus high functioning status in children with autism. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 381–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mundy, P., Sullivan, L., & Mastergeorge, A. M. (2009). A parallel and distributed-processing model of joint attention, social cognition and autism. Autism Research, 2(1), 2–21.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Muth, A., Hönekopp, J., & Falter, C. M. (2014). Visuo-spatial performance in autism: a meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(12), 3245–3263.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Naigles, L. R., Kelley, E., Troyb, E., & Fein, D. (2013). Residual difficulties with categorical induction in children with a history of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(9), 2048–2061.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Obradovic, J., Shaffer, A., & Masten, A. S. (2012). Risk in developmental psychopathology: progress and future directions. The environment of human development: A handbook of theory and measurement.

  • Oppenheim, D., Koren-Karie, N., Dolev, S., & Yirmiya, N. (2012). Maternal sensitivity mediates the link between maternal insightfulness/resolution and child–mother attachment: the case of children with autism spectrum disorder. Attachment & Human Development, 14(6), 567–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orinstein, A. J., Helt, M., Troyb, E., Tyson, K. E., Barton, M. L., Eigsti, I. M., et al. (2014). Intervention for optimal outcome in children and adolescents with a history of autism. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 35(4), 247–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orinstein, A. J., Suh, J., Porter, K., De Yoe, K. A., Tyson, K. E., Troyb, E., … & Fein, D. A. (2015a). Social function and communication in optimal outcome children and adolescents with an autism history on structured test measures. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1–21.

  • Orinstein, A., Tyson, K. E., Suh, J., Troyb, E., Helt, M., Rosenthal, M., et al. (2015b). Psychiatric symptoms in youth with a history of autism and optimal outcome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(11), 3703–3714.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Pellicano, E. (2012). Do autistic symptoms persist across time? Evidence of substantial change in symptomatology over a 3-year period in cognitively able children with autism. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 117(2), 156–166.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pellicano, E., Maybery, M., Durkin, K., & Maley, A. (2006). Multiple cognitive capabilities/deficits in children with an autism spectrum disorder: “weak” central coherence and its relationship to theory of mind and executive control. Development and Psychopathoogy, 18(1), 77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piven, J., Palmer, P., Jacobi, D., Childress, D., & Arndt, S. (1997). Broader autism phenotype: evidence from a family history study of multiple-incidence autism families. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(2), 185–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prizant, B. M., Wetherby, A. M., Rubin, E., Laurent, A. C., & Rydell, P. J. (2006). The SCERTS model: a comprehensive educational approach for children with autism spectrum disorders. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichow, B. (2012). Overview of meta-analyses on early intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(4), 512–520.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reichow, B., & Wolery, M. (2009). Comprehensive synthesis of early intensive behavioral interventions for young children with autism based on the UCLA young autism project model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39(1), 23–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J. (2009). What are infant siblings teaching us about autism in infancy? Autism Research, 2(3), 125–137.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, G., Golding, J., Norwich, B., Emond, A., Ford, T., & Steer, C. (2012). Social and behavioural outcomes in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders: a longitudinal cohort study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(7), 735–744.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., & Sroufe, L. A. (2000). Developmental psychopathology: concepts and challenges. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 265–296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., DiLavore, P. C., & Risi, S. (2002). Autism diagnostic observation schedule: ADOS. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sallows, G. O., & Graupner, T. D. (2005). Intensive behavioral treatment for children with autism: four-year outcome and predictors. American Journal of Mental Retardation : AJMR, 110(6), 417–438.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seltzer, M. M., Krauss, M. W., Shattuck, P. T., Orsmond, G., Swe, A., & Lord, C. (2003). The symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33(6), 565–581.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seltzer, M. M., Shattuck, P., Abbeduto, L., & Greenberg, J. S. (2004). Trajectory of development in adolescents and adults with autism. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 10(4), 234–247.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shattuck, P. T., Seltzer, M. M., Greenberg, J. S., Orsmond, G. I., Bolt, D., Kring, S., et al. (2007). Change in autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors in adolescents and adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(9), 1735–1747.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shattuck, P. T., Narendorf, S. C., Cooper, B., Sterzing, P. R., Wagner, M., & Taylor, J. L. (2012). Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, peds-2011.

  • Sigman, M., & McGovern, C. W. (2005). Improvement in cognitive and language skills from preschool to adolescence in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(1), 15–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siller, M., & Sigman, M. (2002). The behaviors of parents of children with autism predict the subsequent development of their children’s communication. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 32(2), 77–89.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T., Eikeseth, S., Klevstrand, M., & Lovaas, O. I. (1997). Intensive behavioral treatment for preschoolers with severe mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorder. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 102, 238–249.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T., Groen, A., & Wynn, J. (2000). Randomized trial of intensive early intervention for children with pervasive developmental disorder. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 105(4), 269–285.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sroufe, L. A., & Rutter, M. (1984). The domain of developmental psychopathology. Child Development, 55(1), 17–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, M. C., Fein, D. A., Dunn, M., Allen, D., Waterhouse, L. H., Feinstein, C., & Rapin, I. (2000). Subgroups of children with autism by cluster analysis: a longitudinal examination. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(3), 346–352.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suh, J., Eigsti, I. M., Naigles, L., Barton, M., Kelley, E., & Fein, D. (2014). Narrative performance of optimal outcome children and adolescents with a history of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(7), 1681–1694.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sutera, S., Pandey, J., Esser, E. L., Rosenthal, M. A., Wilson, L. B., Barton, M., et al. (2007). Predictors of optimal outcome in toddlers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(1), 98–107.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. L., & Seltzer, M. M. (2010). Changes in the autism behavioral phenotype during the transition to adulthood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(12), 1431–1446.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. L., & Seltzer, M. M. (2011). Employment and post-secondary educational activities for young adults with autism spectrum disorders during the transition to adulthood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(5), 566–574.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Troyb, E., Orinstein, A., Tyson, K., Helt, M., Eigsti, I. M., Stevens, M., & Fein, D. (2013). Academic abilities in children and adolescents with a history of autism spectrum disorders who have achieved optimal outcomes. Autism, 1362361312473519.

  • Troyb, E., Orinstein, A., Tyson, K., Eigsti, I. M., Naigles, L., & Fein, D. (2014a). Restricted and repetitive behaviors in individuals with a history of ASDs who have achieved optimal outcomes. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(12), 3168–3184.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Troyb, E., Rosenthal, M., Eigsti, I. M., Kelley, E., Tyson, K., Orinstein, A., et al. (2014b). Executive functioning in individuals with a history of ASDs who have achieved optimal outcomes. Child Neuropsychology, 20(4), 378–397.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, L. M., & Stone, W. L. (2007). Variability in outcome for children with an ASD diagnosis at age 2. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 48(8), 793–802.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, L. M., Stone, W. L., Pozdol, S. L., & Coonrod, E. E. (2006). Follow-up of children with autism spectrum disorders from age 2 to age 9. Autism, 10(3), 243–265.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tyson, K., Kelley, E., Fein, D., Orinstein, A., Troyb, E., Barton, M., et al. (2014). Language and verbal memory in individuals with a history of autism spectrum disorders who have achieved optimal outcomes. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(3), 648–663.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Virués-Ortega, J. (2010). Applied behavior analytic intervention for autism in early childhood: meta-analysis, meta-regression and dose-response meta-analysis of multiple outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(4), 387–399.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Virués-Ortega, J., Rodríguez, V., & Yu, C. T. (2013). Prediction of treatment outcomes and longitudinal analysis in children with autism undergoing intensive behavioral intervention. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 13(2), 91–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff, J. J., & Piven, J. (2013). On the emergence of autism. Neuroimaging findings from birth to preschool Neuropsychiatry, 3(2), 209–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, M. O. D., Masten, A. S., & Narayan, A. J. (2013). Resilience processes in development: four waves of research on positive adaptation in the context of adversity. In Handbook of resilience in children (pp. 15–37). Springer, US.

  • Zaidman-Zait, A., Mirenda, P., Duku, E., Szatmari, P., Georgiades, S., Volden, J., et al. (2014). Examination of bidirectional relationships between parent stress and two types of problem behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(8), 1908–1917.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zappella, M. (2010). Autistic regression with and without EEG abnormalities followed by favourable outcome. Brain and Development, 32(9), 739–745.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Joshua John Diehl for the helpful discussions which contributed to the initial conceptualization of the paper, and Francesca Mancuso, Stephen Schmit, and Mary White for their excellent assistance during literature search.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juhi Kaboski.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Informed Consent

Because this is a review article that did not involve human subjects, informed consent is not applicable.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kaboski, J., McDonnell, C.G. & Valentino, K. Resilience and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Applying Developmental Psychopathology to Optimal Outcome. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 4, 175–189 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-017-0106-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-017-0106-4

Keywords

Navigation