| Title: |
Exploring the Cognitive Features in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Their Co-Twins, and Typically Developing Children within a Population-Based Sample |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Brunsdon, Victoria E. A.; Colvert, Emma; Ames, Catherine; Garnett, Tracy; Gillan, Nicola; Hallett, Victoria; Lietz, Stephanie; Woodhouse, Emma; Bolton, Patrick; Happé, Francesca |
| Source: |
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Aug 2015 56(8):893-902. |
| Availability: |
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
10 |
| Publication Date: |
2015 |
| Sponsoring Agency: |
National Institutes of Health (DHHS) |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: |
Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Behavior Problems; Cognitive Ability; Neurological Impairments; Incidence; Twins; Comparative Analysis; Adolescents; Intelligence Quotient; Executive Function; Theory of Mind; Longitudinal Studies; Foreign Countries; Home Visits |
| Geographic Terms: |
United Kingdom |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: |
Embedded Figures Test; Raven Progressive Matrices; Wechsler Intelligence Scales Short Forms |
| DOI: |
10.1111/jcpp.12362 |
| ISSN: |
0021-9630 |
| Abstract: |
Background: The behavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are thought to reflect underlying cognitive deficits/differences. The findings in the literature are somewhat mixed regarding the cognitive features of ASD. This study attempted to address this issue by investigating a range of cognitive deficits and the prevalence of multiple cognitive atypicalities in a large population-based sample comprising children with ASD, their unaffected co-twins, and typically developing comparison children. Methods: Participants included families from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) where one or both children met diagnostic criteria for ASD. Overall, 181 adolescents with a diagnosis of ASD and 73 unaffected co-twins were included, plus an additional 160 comparison control participants. An extensive cognitive battery was administered to measure IQ, central coherence, executive function, and theory of mind ability. Results: Differences between groups (ASD, co-twin, control) are reported on tasks assessing theory of mind, executive function, and central coherence. The ASD group performed atypically in significantly more cognitive tasks than the unaffected co-twin and control groups. Nearly a third of the ASD group presented with multiple cognitive atypicalities. Conclusions: Multiple cognitive atypicalities appear to be a characteristic, but not universal feature, of ASD. Further work is needed to investigate whether specific cognitive atypicalities, either alone or together, are related to specific behaviours characteristic of ASD. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Number of References: |
48 |
| Entry Date: |
2015 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1067450 |
| Database: |
ERIC |