Method
Systematic Search Procedures
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Data Coding and Inter-Coding Agreement
Study | Findings | Sample | Outcome Diagnosis | Details | Quality Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedford et al. 2016 | At 14 months, gaze following task and deficits in disengagement were effective markers in boys | 104 Infants 5–7 months at intake 54 h 50 LR 40% male | At 36 months obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS-G | Infants part of larger British Autism Study of Infants AOSI severity scores used for gaze and disengagement of attention | Mod (9) |
Bresnahan et al. 2015 | Mothers of children with ASD more likely to report 1 or more GI symptom prospectively at 18mo (constipation, diarrhea or food intolerance) By 36 months, children with ASD had twofold increased odds of reporting GI symptoms compared to TD | 45,126 Infants 6–18 months 195 ASD 4636 DD 40,295 TD | At 36 months obtained cutoff scores for ASD on the ADOS and ADI-R | Infants part of Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study The study uses a LR sample | High (10) |
Choi et al. 2018 | HR-ASD showed slower growth in fine motor skills between 6 and 24 months compared to HR-no ASD | 170 Infants 71 h – no ASD 30HR-ASD 69 LR | At 36 months obtained cutoff scores for ASD on the ADOS and ADI-R | MSEL to assess fine motor | High (11) |
Del Rosario et al. 2014 | HR-ASD differed in 2 of the 9 temperament measures: decreased adaptability and approach | 54 Infants 16 h- ASD 11 h-no ASD 27 LR | At 36 months obtained cutoff scores for ASD on the ADOS and ADI-R | Carey Temperament Scales and MSEL to assess temperament, cognition and motor abilities Data collected at 5 pts in time Infants recruited from 3 different locations | High (10) |
Elison et al. 2014 | HR-ASD group showed more stereotyped motor mannerisms at 12 months than HR- no ASD HR-ASD and HR-no ASD did not differ with repetitive object manipulation (both groups engaged in more than LR group) | 158 Infants 30 h-ASD 75 h – no ASD 53 LR | At 24 or 36 months met DSM criteria and obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS | Infants part of larger Infant Brain Imaging Study Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales- Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP) and the Repetitive and Stereotyped Movement Scales (RSMS) | High (10) |
Estes et al. 2015 | At 12 months HR-ASD showed less developed gross motors, | 308 Infants 49 h-ASD 161 h- no ASD 98 LR- no ASD | At 24 months cutoff scores from the ADOS and ADI-R were used along with clinical best estimate to determine a diagnosis | The MSEL, VABS-II, AOSI were conducted at 6, 12, and 24 month visits | High (10) |
Filliter et al. 2015 | HR-ASD had lower rates of smiling than HR-no ASD | 66 Infants 22 h ASD 22 h no ASD 22 LR | At 36 months obtained cutoff scores for ASD on the ADOS and ADI-R | Infants recruited from larger Canadian Infant Sibling study AOSI scores of visual tracking and disengagement of attention to assess affect | High (10) |
Gammer et al. 2015 | HR-ASD group showed differences in visual tracking and social referencing at 7 months and differences in orientation to name and engagement of attention at 14 months | 104 Infants 17 h-ASD 36 h- no ASD -1 h (attrition) 50 LR | At 36 obtained cutoff scores for ASD on the ADOS -G and ADI-R | Infants part of larger British Autism Study of Siblings AOSI used to measure autism symptoms | High (10) |
Gangi, Ibañez et al. 2014 | HR-ASD showed deficits in initiating joint attention without smiling and lower levels of anticipatory smiling than HR-no ASD | 82 Infants 12 h -ASD 44 h-no ASD 26 LR | At 36 months obtained cutoff scores for ASD on the ADOS | Infants part of larger Sibling Studies Measuring Infant Learning and Emotion Project Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS) to assess JA MSEL to assess expressive and receptive language | High (12) |
Gangi, Schwichtenberg et al. 2018 | HR-no ASD and LR risk showed increased social gaze with parent over examiner HR-ASD did not differ between context and showed overall lower rates | 136 Infants 17 h-ASD 66 h -no ASD 53 LR | At 36 months met DSM criteria and obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS | Infants part of larger longitudinal study MSEL to assess cognitive functioning | High (10) |
Gordon & Watson 2015 | HR-ASD used half as many gestures as HR-no ASD between 13–15 months Gestures at 13–15 months significantly correlated with expressive and receptive language at 24 months | 42 Infants 14 h- ASD 15 h-BAP (no ASD) 13 h -TD | At 24 months met cutoff on ADOS | Infants part of larger intervention study MSEL to assess cognition and language | Mod (8) |
Heymann et al. 2018 | HR-ASD engaged in fewer joint attention behaviors and less frequent and advanced vocalisations (primarily vowel only vocalisations)compared to HR-no ASD and HR-LD | 50 Infants 9 h-ASD 15 h- LD 26 h-ND | At 36 months met DSM-IV criteria, cutoff scores on ADOS and clinical best estimate | Recruited through a university Autism Research Program and through flyers, professional referrals and word of mouth. All participants were HR and no LR sample was recruited | High (11) |
Lazenby et al. 2016 | HR-ASD showed reduced quantity of single-word understanding at 12 months compared to HR-no ASD | 346 Infants 43 h-ASD 170 h- no ASD 133 LR | At 36 months diagnosis made by Clinical Best Estimate | Infants part of larger Baby Sibling Research Consortium MacArthur-Bates Communicative Developmental Inventories (CDI) Words and Gestures to assess communication abilities MSEL to assess language | Mod (9) |
LeBarton & Landa, 2019 | Deficits in visual motor integration (goal directed reach) gross motor pull to sit task and grasping at 6 months predicted ASD group membership | 140 Infants 20 h-ASD 69 h- no ASD 51 LR | At 24 or 36 months DSM-IV criteria and obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS | Recruited through various methods: flyers, social media, community events, local providers Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2) to assess motor skills MSEL to assess general development | High (10) |
Macdonald et al. 2020 | At 6 to 36 months, HR-ASD had lower cognitive abilities and at 12 months HR-ASD had lower adaptive abilities compared to HR-no ASD, however only in single-incident families | 435 Infants Single-Incident Families 57 h-ASD 298 h- no ASD Multiplex Incident Families 29 h-ASD 51 h- no ASD | At 36 months cutoff scores for ADOS and clinical best estimate were used to determine ASD diagnoses | MSEL and VABS-II used for cognitive and adaptive functioning measures Developmental trajectories of HR with one older sibling with ASD (single-incident) vs. two or more older siblings with ASD (multiplex incident). HR infants from multiplex families were more than 2 × as likely to receive ASD diagnosis by 36 months than HR from single incident homes | Mod (9) |
Miller et al. 2017 | At 9 months of age, HR-ASD we more likely to fail to orient to their name compared to HR- no ASD and LR- no ASD | 156 Infants 20 h- ASD 76 h – no ASD 60 LR – no ASD | At 36 months DSM-IV criteria and cutoff scores for ADOS determined diagnosis | AOSI press for “orients to name” was used to assess orienting to name and ADOS, MSEL & VABS-II were used to assess cognitive and adaptive functioning | High (11) |
Nichols et al. 2014 | HR-ASD showed lower rates of eye contact and non-social smiling compared to HR-no ASD Eye contact may serve as protective factor for HR-no ASD group | 67 Infants 15 h-ASD 27 h- no ASD 25 LR | At 23 months, ADOS and DSM used to diagnose ASD or Broad Autism Phenotype | Infants part of a larger sample of longitudinal study examining early development of ASD MSEL to assess overall functioning STAT to assess social smiling | High (11) |
Ozonoff et al. 2018 | Declining trajectories/regression observed in 88% of HR-ASD at 12 months by using prospective dimensional recording of current functioning | 230 Infants 30 h-ASD 117 h- no ASD 2 LR-ASD 81 LR no ASD | At 36 months met DSM-IV criteria and obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS | Does not specify how recruitment was conducted Early Development Questionnaire (EDQ) part 1 and 2 to assess current performance and lost skills | Mod (9) |
Parladé & Iverson 2015 | Slower acquisition of coordinated gestures and vocalizations at 12 months compared to HR-no ASD, HR-LD and LR-no ASD. Included a HR- Language Delay comparison group | Infants 9 h-ASD 13 h-LD 28 h- no ASD 30 LR no ASD | At 36 months met DSM-IV criteria, cutoff scores on ADOS and clinical best estimate | MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) and MSEL administered. LR group recruited using different method (published birth announcement) compared to HR group | High (11) |
Paterson et al., 2019 | Between 6 and 12 months, HR-ASD engaged in less surgency behaviors (approach, activity level, vocal reactivity, smiling, laughter, pleasure and sensitivity) and more negative affect (sadness, distress) and less regulatory capacity (duration of orienting, soothability and cuddliness) | 396 Infants 61 h-ASD 221 h- no ASD 114 LR- no ASD | At 24 months cutoff scores from ADI-R, ADOS and best clinical judgement were used to determine ASD diagnoses | Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) and AOSI, MSEL used to assess developmental and temperament measures respectively | Low (7) |
Rowberry et al., 2015 | At 12 months HR-ASD showed delayed imitation (motor, vocal and social imitation) compared to HR-no ASD All 3 h groups differed from LR on social orienting and receptive communication Parents of HR-ASD rate child’s social and communicative behavior atypical at 12 months | 96 Infants 16 h-ASD 36 h-ATYP 19 h-TD 25 LR-TD | At 24 and 36 months cutoff scores on ADOS-G or ADOS-T | Infants recruited from ongoing prospective longitudinal study MSEL to assess overall development The First Year Inventory to assess overall development | High (10) |
Sacrey et al., 2015 | Parents of HR-ASD Reported greater atypical motor skills at 6 months and atypical sensory and play skills at 9 months differences in social concerns at 12 months, communication concerns at 15 months and repetitive behaviors at 18 months | 237 Infants 62 h-ASD 106 h-no ASD 69 LR | At 36 months diagnosis conducted using DSM-IV-TR by clinician with 10 years of experience | Infants part of larger Canadian longitudinal study on early behavioral markers of ASD MSEL – ELC to assess overall development Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS/ABC) to assess adaptive behavior | High (10) |
Sacrey et al. 2020 | At 9 months of age HR-ASD were less responsive to their name, engaged in less imitation, back and fourth vocalizations and eye contact than HR-no ASD and LR- no ASD at 9 months. Additionally, total APSI scores at 9 months predicted ASD outcome at 36 months with 70% accuracy. Parent concerns identified irregular play, language repetitive motor and sleep routine differentiated HR-ASD from HR-no ASD and LR at 9 months | 136 Infants 31 h-ASD 51 h- no ASD 54 LR – no ASD | At 36 months diagnosis conducted using DSM-IV-TR by clinician with 10 years of experience | The Autism Parent Screen for Infants (APSI), The Parent Conerns Forms, ADOS & ADI-R were used to screen at 9 months | Mod (9) |
Samango-Sprouse et al. 2015 | Head tilt reflex (HTR) at 9 months was more indicative of ASD diagnosis at 24 months 60% of later diagnosed with ASD failed HTR at 9 months Accelerated Head circumference did not differentiate ASD from DD | 1024 Infants 282 lost to follow up 14 ASD 33 DD 695 TD | At 36 months diagnosed by two specialists according to DSM criteria | Recruited through 3 large pediatric practices This study uses a LR population MSEL, PLS-4 and ELM-2 to assess neurodevelopmental function Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile and MacArthur-Bates Communication Inventory to asses parental concerns | Mod (9) |
Sanefuji & Yamamoto 2014 | At 13 months HR-ASD showed less imitation of body movement than TD group | 39 Infants 21 h-ASD 18 TD | At 24 months obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS | Recruited through flyers, posters and local pediatric clinics Sample does not include a HR-no ASD group | Mod (8) |
Wolff et al. 2014 | At 12 months HR-ASD engaged in higher rates of repetitive behavior overall including self-injurious, ritualistic, restricted, and stereotypical RRB’s present across cognitive abilities and not negatively correlated with lower cognitive function at 12 months | 250 Infants HR-ASD 149 h-no ASD 60 LR | At 36 months met DSM criteria and obtained scores over the cutoff for ASD on the ADOS | Infants part of ongoing Infant Brain Imaging Study RBS-R to assess repetitive behavior MSEL to assess overall functioning VABS-2 to assess adaptive functioning | High (10) |
Quality Assessment
Breadth of Publications and Authors
Results
Social Communication
Motor Behavior
Restricted and Repetitive (stereotyped) Behaviors
Imitation
Parental Concerns
Study | Q. 1 | Q. 2 | Q. 3 | Q. 4 | Q.5 | Q.6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedford et al 2016 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Bresnahan et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Choi et al. 2018 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Del Rosario et al. 2014 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Elison et al. 2014 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Estes et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Filliter et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Gammer et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Gangi, Ibañez et al. 2014 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Gangi, Schwichte et al. 2018 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Gordon & Watson 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Heymann, et al. 2018 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Lazenby et al. 2016 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
LeBarton & Landa 2019 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
MacDonald et al. 2020 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Miller et al. 2017 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Nichols et al. 2014 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Ozonoff et al. 2018 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Parladé & Iverson 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Paterson et al. 2019 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Rowberry et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Sacrey et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Sacrey et al. 2020 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Samango-Sprouse et al. 2015 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Sanefuji & Yamamoto 2014 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Wolff et al. 2014 | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Quality Assessment Items | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedford et al. 2016 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Bresnahan et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
Choi et al. 2018 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
Del Rosario et al. 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Elison et al. 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
Estes et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
Filliter et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Gammer et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Gangi, Ibañez et al. 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Gangi, Schwichte et al. 2018 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Gordon & Watson 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
Heymann et al. 2018 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
Lazenby et al. 2016 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
LeBarton & Landa 2019 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
MacDonald et al. 2020 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
Miller et al. 2017 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
Nichols et al. 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Ozonoff et al. 2018 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Parladé & Iverson 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
Paterson et al. 2019 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Rowberry et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
Sacrey et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
Sacrey et al. 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Samngo-Sprouse et al. 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
Sanefuji & Yamamoto 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
Wolff et al. 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |