Journal o f Autism and Developmental Disorders, VoL 19, No. 1, 1989

Letters to the Editor

AUTISM RESOURCES AT THE HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL IN INDIANA

As part of a 1987 state-mandated needs assessment, the Indiana Resource Center for Autism conducted a survey of (a) autism awareness among higher education professionals in Indiana, (b) teaching about autism at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and (c) availability of relevant materials in campus libraries. Awareness of developmental disabilities among faculty, inclusion of information about autism within curricula, and availa- bility of academic materials obviously have strong implications for both un- dergraduate and advanced-degree students in a wide range of human service training programs.

We surveyed 43 universities and colleges in the summer and fall of 1987 and received 35 responses (81.4~ Of a total of 208 surveys mailed to in- dividuals, 75 (36.1~ were returned. The DSM-III-R (1987) definition was attached to the end of each survey to provide a common definition of the disorder. Represented departments included psychology, adapted physical education, medical/nursing, speech/language communication, education/spe- cial education, therapeutic recreation, and social work.

Although only one campus offered an entire course devoted to autism, 51 of 75 respondents (68.0070) did indicate that autism was included in the curriculum of at least one course taught within their department. Of the 91 such courses, 60 devoted < 1, 1, or 1-2 lecturers on the topic. Introductory and survey approaches were by far the most common as compared to autism covered in depth as part of a special populations (18.7~ or psy- chopathology (12.1 070) course. Psychology, special education/education, and medicine/nursing together accounted for 74.8070 of those departments with some course content.

Twenty-six (34.7070) indicated that some form of practicum, student teaching, or clinical experience might be available. The remaining 49 (65.3070) said that no such experiences were currently offered. Of the 32 faculty mem- bers with expertise (42.7070 of the total), 16 came from psychology and med- ical/nursing departments.

Of the five most frequently cited books on autism, all are from the 1960s and 1970s. The most frequently reported was by Bettelheim (1967) which

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174 Letters to the Editor

was held by 16 libraries or 64% of the 25 respondents. In addition, 29 different journals were reported though only three (Exceptional Children, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, and Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis) were held by 12 or more libraries.

When considering our results, we have noted several caveats. Indiana is, in many respects, dominated by a large state university with branch cam- puses. Smaller schools may be reluctant to institute training programs or pur- chase materials knowing that a regional campus of the state system may meet their needs. It is also likely that the advent of computerized versions of peri- odical indexes such as Psychological Abstracts and Index Medicus has con- tributed to the use of journals that may be obtainable through interlibrary loan channels.

Several states (e.g., North Carolina, West Virginia, and Louisiana) have instituted in-service training of various kinds in order to provide specific train- ing vis-a-vis autism [e.g., Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped CHildren (TEACCH), 1986]. Indeed, Indiana is also employing an on-site training model [Indiana Resource Center for Autism (IRCA), 1987]. The effectiveness of such programs notwithstand- ing, our concern is that in-service training may have supplanted course- generative preservice training.

The service provider section of the present needs assessment revealed that 75% of provider agencies found new graduates of special education or related programs to be inadequately trained to work effectively with people with autism (IRCA, 1987). Perhaps a means of "turning the tide" might in- clude active solicitation of funds by local Autism Society chapters, in-service training for university professionals, and more annual short courses, collo- quia, and university-based forums designed to stimulate interest in autism among prospective human service professionals.

Readers desiring more information or complete needs assessment results can write to Needs Assessment, Indiana Resource Center for Autism, 2853 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408.

Nancy J. Dairymple Misha H. Angrist

Indiana Resource Center for Autism Institute for the Study of Developmental Disabilities

lndiana University, Bloomington

R E F E R E N C E S

American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

Letters to the Editor 175

Bettelheim, B. (1967). The empty fortress: Infantile autism and the birth of the self. New York: Free Press.

Indiana Resource Center for Autism. (1987). Ir~formation book. Bloomington: Institute for the Study of Developmental Disabilities at Indiana University.

Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped CHildren (1986). Annual Report: 1985-1986. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina.

ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE FOR GENETIC COMPONENT IN AUTISM

Recently there has been considerable interest in whether autism gener- ally, or an etiologic subclass, might have a genetic component (e.g., Folstein & Rutter, 1988; Jones & Szatmari, 1988; Ritvo, Freeman, Mason-Brothers, Mo, & Ritvo, 1985; Ritvo, Spence, et al., 1985). At least some investigators appear to feel that such a genetic connection may be indicated.

I am writing to call attention to some published data which may bear on the subject. Coleman and Rimland (1976) reported a study of 78 autistic individuals and their families. Six of the 78 were classified as "familial" cases because of the existence of a relative with diagnosed autism. (The affected relatives of the probands were not included among the 78.)

There is a rather striking apparent association between Jewish back- ground and familial autism in the Coleman-Rimland sample. The relation- ship can be expressed as follows: 4 of 14 Jewish autistics in the study were classed as familial (29o70), whereas only 2 of 64 non-Jewish autistics were so classed (3o70), nearly a tenfold difference. The authors noted this appar- ent association, but felt unable to rule out the possibility of "coincidence." The reason given was the small number of familial cases. As a result they did not attach great importance to the possible relationship, and it seems to have attracted little or no attention from others.

The usual method of assessing the plausibility of coincidence' is a sig- nificance test of the association. This Coleman and Rimland appear not to have performed. Perhaps they omitted to do so because the chi-square test of association, an obvious choice, carries with it concern over its own relia- bility when counts are small. There is, however, an analogous procedure, Fisher's exact test (also called the Fisher-Irwin test), which is valid for counts of any size (Seigel, 1956, pp. 96-100). On these data (comparing 29010 to 3o70) it yields a two-sided p = .017, significant at the usual .05 level. The associa- tion thus lies comfortably beyond what is normally considered the limit of chance or coincidence, despite the small counts.

The families in the study were largely self-selected, and some selection bias or biases could have been present. But the two factors (Jewish origin, familial involvement) are associated beyond the chance level entirely within

the sample itself. This type of relationship would not seem very easy to ex- plain as a selection effect.