It has been established that children with autism have more difficulty responding to multi-modal cues to shift their visual attention than children without autism of equivalent language and developmental level. Deficits associated with autism in using a cue to direct attention may be affected by several different factors, including difficulties in interpreting social cues, rapid shifting of attention, and disengaging from a complex visual stimulus (i.e. Charman, 1998, Courchesne et al., 1994; Minshew et al. 1993). This poster reports a study of the automatic use of visual cues in quasi-naturalistic contexts and their relationship to other areas of development, including language and social communication. By studying young children in relatively natural circumstances, we address information processing and social sources of variance in orientation of gaze and shifting of attention.
Our sample consisted of 162 children, 110 male and 52 female, with a mean chronological age of 55 months (SD=22). Diagnostic groups included children with autism (N= 74), Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS: N=25), non-autism spectrum developmental delay (N=17), and typical development (N=46), matched on Verbal Mental Age. These groups were compared on 10 tasks that systematically varied methodological factors, such as timing and type of cue that might affect response to attempts to solicit joint attention.
Children with autism and children with PDD-NOS were less consistent in gaze establishment than both the developmentally delayed and typically developing children. Both children with autism and PDD-NOS had difficulty disengaging from the target toy after it was activated. Implications of findings for diagnosis and intervention will be discussed.
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