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New Caregiver-Reported Data Further Validate the Use of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist Community: FXS Specific (ABC-CFXS) Subscales to Assess Core Behavioral Symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS)
- Ninety Percent of Interviewed Caregivers Reported Social Avoidant, Irritability, and Socially Lethargic Behaviors in their Children with FXS -
- New Data Presented Today at the Society for the Study of Behavioural Phenotypes (SSBP) Research Symposium -
The poster, entitled Content Validity of the ABC-CFXS and Subscales in Fragile X Syndrome, is being presented on
“Fragile X syndrome is a complex diagnosis for a child and his/her family, marked by a myriad of specific behavioral and emotional symptoms often manifesting as anxiety and social avoidant behaviors,” said Ms. Sebree. “Through studies like this one, we are able to not only elucidate the most common core behaviors of FXS, but also further validate the appropriateness of the ABC-CFXS as an effective tool for use in clinical studies as a means to measure improvements in these core and common FXS behaviors.”
Ten caregivers of children formally diagnosed with FXS participated in this study with assistance from the
Social Avoidance
It was common for their children with FXS to prefer the company of single family members to groups of people, even friends, and to seek isolation from others either via physical setting (staying in their room or in the car) or blocking out the world (using headphones). Social avoidance had a negative impact on important activities, such as travel, schooling, or visits to the doctor.
The social-avoidant behaviors reported by caregivers, including ‘seeks isolation from others’, ‘prefers to be alone’, and ‘prefers solitary activities’ corresponded to items on the Social Avoidance subscale, including seeks isolation from others and isolates himself/herself from other children or adults
Irritability
Irritability was associated with a broad spectrum of verbal (talking back, hollering, articulate yelling, non-verbal screams) and physical behaviors (hitting siblings, overturning furniture) at inappropriate times.
Frequently reported aspects of misbehavior and irritability mapped onto items of the Irritability subscale, specifically ‘aggressive to others’, ‘irritability’, ‘temper tantrums/outbursts’, ‘screaming/yelling inappropriately’, ‘harming of others’, and ‘stubbornness’.
Socially Unresponsive/Lethargic
Caregivers frequently reported of ‘lack of interaction’ and ‘lack of attention’ in their children with FXS, which mapped to subscale items such as ‘preoccupied’, ‘stares into space’, ‘unresponsive to structured activities (does not react)’, and ‘shows few social reactions to others’. Items on the subscale pertaining to communication were identified as important by caregivers, particularly with respect to how they may exacerbate other syndrome-related behaviors.
The authors conclude that these data further validate social avoidance, irritability, and socially unresponsive/lethargic as core phenotypic behaviors of children with FXS and show that caregiver experiences correspond with ABC-CFXS subscales, further validating the appropriateness of the ABC-CFXS as an effective assessment tool in clinical trials.
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Source: Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc.