title: Examining the reinforcing value of stimuli within social and non-social contexts in children with and without high-functioning autism.
abstract: One of the key diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder includes impairments in social interactions. This study compared the extent to which boys with high-functioning autism and typically developing boys "value" engaging in activities with a parent or alone. Two different assessments that can empirically determine the relative reinforcing value of social and non-social stimuli were employed: paired-choice preference assessments and progressive-ratio schedules. There were no significant differences between boys with high-functioning autism and typically developing boys on either measure. Moreover, there was a strong correspondence in performance across these two measures for participants in each group. These results suggest that the relative reinforcing value of engaging in activities with a primary caregiver is not diminished for children with autism spectrum disorder.
authors.affiliation: 1 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.|2 Kennedy Krieger Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Allman
authors.affiliation: 1 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.|2 Kennedy Krieger Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Louis P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Hagopian
authors.affiliation: 2 Kennedy Krieger Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Mandy M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Triggs
authors.affiliation: 2 Kennedy Krieger Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Frank-Crawford
authors.affiliation: 1 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.|2 Kennedy Krieger Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Stewart H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mostofsky
authors.affiliation: 1 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.|2 Kennedy Krieger Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Martha B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Denckla
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Psychology, University of Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Iser G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: DeLeon
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: autism spectrum disorder; high-functioning autism; mother–child interaction; preference; progressive-ratio; reward; social; value