The Profile of Functional Emotional Development of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders from the Perspective of Developmental, Individual Differences(DIR), Relationship-based Approach

The dominant approach in the etiology and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a behavioral approach. Proponents of the behavioral model believe that children with autism in access to capabilities in achieving love, empathy, language and creative thinking, have significant fundamental defects. Instead model-based development of individual differences relationship offers a new approach in the etiology and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. According to this approach, early signs of autism and the major differences between these children with normal children, is the difference in capability development, nor behavioral symptoms. Methods and Materials: This study was a descriptive survey. Our research society were Children 4 to 6 years with ASD at official training centers for autism in Mashhad-Iran and among them 40 children with available sampling, were selected according to the study entry criteria. 40 normal children that were matched with autistic children in sample group were selected as a comparison group. Data were analyzed using of spss16 with descriptive statistics, ANOVA and chi square test. Autistic Children at the ability to regulate attention, attraction and interest in human relations; exchange of desires, intentions and thoughts with others, shaping ideas and the ability to think logically, have a lower mean and no significant difference was observed between the two groups (P<0.05).Also, based on chi-square test, there was a significant relationship between the frequency observed in autistic children and normal children at the functional domains of emotional development (P<0.05).Also, 57.5% of autistic children were seriously deficient in the above capabilities and none of them were placed in the higher range; while 95% of normal children were in the range of moderate to high. Autistic Children in the early stages of functional emotional development, in comparison with normal children had serious defects and the difference, increased a the higher levels of development. This can be verified the evolution of language development and logical thinking and knowledge of the subject, can be effective in the early detection and treatment of this disorder.