Change detection in naturalistic pictures among children with autism.
Persons with autism often show strong reactions to changes in the environment, suggesting that they may detect changes more efficiently than typically developing (TD) persons. However, Fletcher-Watson et al. (Br J Psychol 97:537-554, 2006) reported no differences between adults with autism and TD adults with a change-detection task. In this study, we also found no initial differences in change-detection between children with autism and NVMA-matched TD children, although differences emerged when detection failures were related to the developmental level of the participants. Whereas detection failures decreased with increasing developmental level for TD children, detection failures remained constant over the same developmental range for children with autism, pointing to an atypical developmental trajectory for change-detection among children with autism.
Burack
Jacob A
JA
Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, 3700 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, Canada. jake.burack@mcgill.ca
Joseph
Shari
S
Russo
Natalie
N
Shore
David I
DI
Porporino
Mafalda
M
Enns
James T
JT
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D014796:Visual Perception