Social and non-social visual attention patterns and associative learning in infants at risk for autism.
BACKGROUND
Social inattention is common in children with autism whereas associative learning capabilities are considered a relative strength. Identifying early precursors of impairment associated with autism could lead to earlier identification of this disorder. The present study compared social and non-social visual attention patterns as well as associative learning in infant siblings of children with autism (AU sibs) and low-risk (LR) infants at 6 months of age.


METHODS
Twenty-five AU sibs and 25 LR infants were observed in a novel social-object learning task, within which attention to social and non-social cues was contrasted. Video recorded data were coded for percent duration of gaze to objects or caregiver. Movement rates to activate the toy within the associative learning task were also quantified.


RESULTS
Both groups learned the association between moving a switch and activating a cause-effect toy. AU sibs spent less time looking at caregivers and more time looking at the toy or joystick when their caregivers made no attempts to engage their attention. However, response to caregiver-initiated social bids was comparable for both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Infrequent self-initiated socially directed gaze may be an early marker of later social and communication delays.
Bhat
A N
AN
University of Connecticut, USA.
Galloway
J C
JC
Landa
R J
RJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Apr;161(4):378-83
17404135
Child Dev. 2008 Nov-Dec;79(6):1869-90
19037955
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007 Jul;64(7):853-64
17606819
Child Dev. 1980 Sep;51(3):700-7
7418507
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004 Sep;45(6):1115-22
15257668
Dev Psychopathol. 2002 Spring;14(2):239-51
12030690
Int J Dev Neurosci. 2005 Apr-May;23(2-3):143-52
15749241
Dev Psychol. 2001 Jan;37(1):135-51
11206428
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006 May;47(5):511-23
16671934
J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Jan;37(1):37-48
17216332
Dev Sci. 2005 Jul;8(4):333-43
15985067
Res Dev Disabil. 1996 Nov-Dec;17(6):433-65
8946569
J Autism Dev Disord. 1994 Jun;24(3):247-57
8050980
Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2007 Oct 1;16(5):269-274
19343102
Dev Psychopathol. 2001 Winter;13(1):111-24
11346046
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1996 Jan;37(1):89-126
8655659
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002 Oct;41(10):1239-45
12364846
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007 Feb;48(2):128-38
17300551
Phys Ther. 2005 Jan;85(1):8-18
15623358
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;47(6):629-38
16712640
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2001 Nov;42(8):1095-101
11806691
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1986 Sep;27(5):657-69
3771682
Dev Psychobiol. 2000 May;36(4):325-38
10797253
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2005 May;46(5):500-13
15845130
J Autism Dev Disord. 1994 Oct;24(5):659-85
7814313
J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Jan;37(1):12-24
17211728
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1999 Oct;40(7):1117-28
10576540
J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Jan;37(1):122-32
17186367
Autism. 2008 Sep;12(5):473-85
18805943
J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Jan;37(1):108-21
17191096
Phys Ther. 2004 Sep;84(9):808-21
15330694
J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2006 Apr;27(2 Suppl):S79-87
16685189