title: Use of emotional cues for lexical learning: a comparison of autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome.
abstract: The present study evaluated the ability of males with fragile X syndrome (FXS), nonsyndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or typical development to learn new words by using as a cue to the intended referent an emotional reaction indicating a successful (excitement) or unsuccessful (disappointment) search for a novel object. Performance for all groups exceeded chance-levels in both search conditions. In the Successful Search condition, participants with nonsyndromic ASD performed similarly to participants with FXS after controlling for severity of ASD. In the Unsuccessful Search condition, participants with FXS performed significantly worse than participants with nonsyndromic ASD, after controlling for severity of ASD. Predictors of performance in both search conditions differed between the three groups. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: MIND Institute, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Room 2101, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA, angela.thurman@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Angela John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thurman
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDuffie
authors.forename: Sara T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kover
authors.forename: Randi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hagerman
authors.forename: Marie Moore
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Channell
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mastergeorge
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abbeduto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003463:Cues; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male