P.7.b.005: The concept of latent social skills in and its predictive value for future development Michal Hrdlicka1, Iva Dudova1, Stepanka Beranova1, Maria Vacova1, Tomas Urbanek2 1Department of Child Psychiatry, Charles University Second Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic; 2Institute of Psychology, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic

5 years and younger Older than 5 years p=0.031

ADOS-soc – social interaction total score of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Generic [6]; ADIR-59R – dichotomized item No. 59 “Secure base” (0=normal responses [original code 0]; 1=abnormal ADOS-soc – social interaction total score of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Generic [6]; MR – mental retardation; ADIR-59 - item No. 59 “Secure base” from the third version of the Autism responses [original codes 1,2, or 3; original codes 7-9 omitted] from the third version of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised [3]. Boxplots show medians and both lower and upper quartiles. The Diagnostic Interview-Revised [3]. “notches” display 95% confidence intervals of the medians. Significant results are in bold. Variances of the residual variables: e1=1.352, p<0.001; e2=10.398, p<0.001.

Conclusions The results support the hypothesis that the “normal response” to item ADIR-59 “Secure Base” indicates the presence of latent social skills in autism that might foretell further social growth in older autistic individuals.

References [1] Hrdlicka, M., Dudova, I. (2013): : is a broader model of social disorders needed? Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 7, 9. [2] Andari, E., Duhamel, J.R., Zalla, T., Herbrecht, E., Leboyer, M., Sirigu, A. (2010): Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning disorders. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, 4389-4394. [3] Lord, C., Rutter, M., LeCouteur, A. (1994): Autism diagnostic interview - revised: a revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 24, 659-685. [4] Hrdlicka, M., Urbanek, T., Vacova, M., Beranova, S., Dudova, I. (2017): Some children with autism have latent social skills that can be tested. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 13, 827-833. [5] World Health Organization (1992): International Classification of Diseases. (10th ed.). Geneva, WHO. [6] Lord, C., Risi, S., Lambrecht, L., Cook, E.H. Jr, Leventhal, B.L., DiLavore, P.C., Pickles, A., Rutter, M. (2000): The autism diagnostic observation schedule-generic: a standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. J Autism Dev Disord 30, 205-223.

Disclosure statement Supported by the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic (research grant No. 16-31754A), and by MH CZ – DRO, Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic 00064203

Appendix 1: ADI-R item No. 59 „SECURE BASE“.

(THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS TO DETERMINE IF THE SUBJECT USES CAREGIVERS AS A “BASE” FROM WHICH HE/SHE CAN EXPLORE. TWO ASPECTS OF THE SUBJECT BEHAVIOR ARE IMPORTANT: 1) THE SUBJECT´S AWARENESS OF THE CAREGIVER´S LOCATION AND ATTENTION TO IT, AS EVIDENCED BY SEEKING PROXIMITY AND CHECKING BAR, AND 2) THE SUBJECT ABILITY TO THEN GO ON TO INTERACT OR EXPLORE IN A NEW SITUATION)

FOR SUBJECTS UNDER 4.0 YEARS: CODING: When ______is playing, does he/she ever “check back” to see where you are when he/she is playing in another room – 0 = uses parent (s) / caregiver as secure base, indicated by seeking proximity when approached by stranger and checking as if to make sure that everything is alright? What about if you´re together in a park or playground? Does he/she ever in when in a new situation, but, once settled, being able to interact or explore; come back to you from time to time to make sure he/she knows where you are? Do you ever worry about his/her 1 = occasionally uses parent (s) / caregiver as secure base, but with less frequency, spontaneity or more narrow range of wandering off? How does he/she react if a stranger comes right up and tries to talk to him? contexts than “0”; 2 = seek parent (s) / caregiver primarily to avoid other social contact or out of fear; no use of parental / caregiver´s FOR SUBJECTS OVER 4.0 YEARS: proximity to explore or interact; When ______was 4 to 5 years old, did he/she tend to “check back” to see where you were when he/she was playing in 3 = no seeking of parent (s) / caregiver in new situations; another room – as if to make sure that everything was alright? What about if you were together in a park or playground? 7 = excessively clingy across a variety of situations; Did he/she ever come back to you from time to time to make sure he/she knew where you were? Did you ever worry 8 = not applicable; about his/her wandering off? Did he/she ever “check back” when younger than 4? 9 = not known or not asked.