Delayed self-recognition in children with autism spectrum disorder.
This study aimed to investigate temporally extended self-awareness (awareness of one's place in and continued existence through time) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using the delayed self-recognition (DSR) paradigm (Povinelli et al., Child Development 67:1540-1554, 1996). Relative to age and verbal ability matched comparison children, children with ASD showed unattenuated performance on the DSR task, despite showing significant impairments in theory-of-mind task performance, and a reduced propensity to use personal pronouns to refer to themselves. The results may indicate intact temporally extended self-awareness in ASD. However, it may be that the DSR task is not an unambiguous measure of temporally extended self-awareness and it can be passed through strategies which do not require the possession of a temporally extended self-concept.
Lind
Sophie E
SE
Department of Psychology, City University, London, UK. sophie.lind.1@city.ac.uk
Bowler
Dermot M
DM
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013997:Time Factors