Patterns of visual attention to faces and objects in autism spectrum disorder.
This study used eye-tracking to examine visual attention to faces and objects in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typical peers. Point of gaze was recorded during passive viewing of images of human faces, inverted human faces, monkey faces, three-dimensional curvilinear objects, and two-dimensional geometric patterns. Individuals with ASD obtained lower scores on measures of face recognition and social-emotional functioning but exhibited similar patterns of visual attention. In individuals with ASD, face recognition performance was associated with social adaptive function. Results highlight heterogeneity in manifestation of social deficits in ASD and suggest that naturalistic assessments are important for quantifying atypicalities in visual attention.
McPartland
James C
JC
Yale Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. james.mcpartland@yale.edu
Webb
Sara Jane
SJ
Keehn
Brandon
B
Dawson
Geraldine
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D053483:Eye Movement Measurements / Q000523:psychology; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014796:Visual Perception