Neuroimaging study about parent-child relationship strengthening of autism spectrum disorder.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08047
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Kajiume Aiko 広島大学, 病院(医), 助教 (00448250)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 親子相互交流療法 / 脳機能画像研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) for parents and children with autism spectrum disorders is effective in strengthening the parent-child relationship. This time, we introduced PCIT to parents and children with autism spectrum disorders and examined the changes in frontal lobe function of parents before and after the introduction.
We completed measurement of 3 cases of parents and children with autism spectrum disorder. In all three cases, parents' rearing skills improved and their children's behavioral problems decreased after PCIT was implemented. Parents' frontal lobe blood flow in the task of observing their children's play tended to increase during the PCIT period rather than during the non-PCIT period. It was thought that PCIT also changed the brain function of parents.

Free Research Field

児童精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年児童虐待の悲惨なニュースは後を絶えず、特に神経発達症児の保護者は養育困難感を抱えやすく虐待のハイリスクケースになり得る。自閉スペクトラム症親子の関係強化を行うこと、そしてそれに脳科学的知見を裏付けることにより、養育支援の効率的な手法の開発が進み、結果として虐待発生を抑え自閉スペクトラム症の二次障害を防ぐという点で有用であると考える。