title: Delayed face recognition in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have great problems in social interactions including face recognition. There are many studies reporting deficits in face memory in individuals with ASDs. On the other hand, some studies indicate that this kind of memory is intact in this group. In the present study, delayed face recognition has been investigated in children and adolescents with ASDs compared to the age and sex matched typically developing group.
  
  
  METHODS
  In two sessions, Benton Facial Recognition Test was administered to 15 children and adolescents with ASDs (high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome) and to 15 normal participants, ages 8-17 years. In the first condition, the long form of Benton Facial Recognition Test was used without any delay. In the second session, this test was administered with 15 seconds delay after one week. The reaction times and correct responses were measured in both conditions as the dependent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of the reaction times and correct responses in the two groups revealed no significant difference in delayed and non-delayed conditions. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the two conditions in ASDs patients when comparing the variables. Although a significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between delayed and non-delayed conditions, it was not significant in the normal group. Moreover, data analysis revealed no significant difference between the two groups in the two conditions when the IQ was considered as covariate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, it was found that the ability to recognize faces in simultaneous and delayed conditions is similar between adolescents with ASDs and their normal counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Psychiatry; Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tehrani-Doost
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmanian
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghanbari-Motlagh
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shahrivar