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Engaging with the self: Mirror behaviour in autism, Down syndrome and typical development
Vasudevi Reddy1, Emma Williams, Cristina Costantini
1Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK. vasu.reddy@port.ac.uk
Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
|September 16, 2010
Summary
Children with autism show distinct mirror behaviors, differing from those with Down syndrome and typically developing toddlers. These differences highlight unique aspects of self-awareness in autism, independent of mirror self-recognition.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Social Cognition
Background:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit challenges in social interaction and self-awareness.
- While mirror self-recognition (MSR) may be age-appropriate in autism, other self-related aspects can be impaired.
- Understanding the nuances of self-perception in neurodevelopmental conditions is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare mirror-related behaviors in preschool children with autism, Down syndrome (DS), and typical development (TD).
- To explore potential dissociations between interpersonal and conceptual aspects of self-awareness.
- To assess the utility of mirror behavior as a measure of the social quality of self.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of mirror behaviors in 12 children with autism, 13 with DS, and 13 TD toddlers.
- Analysis focused on reflecting actions, social relatedness, positive affect, and specific social cues like coy smiles.
- Comparison of behaviors across groups, considering mirror self-recognition (MSR) as a covariate.
Main Results:
- Children with autism displayed significant differences in reflecting actions, social relatedness, and positive affect compared to DS and TD groups.
- An absence of coy smiles was noted in children with autism.
- Children with Down syndrome showed the highest interest in their own facial reflections; these differences were largely independent of MSR.
Conclusions:
- Mirror behavior provides a sensitive measure for subtle differences in the social dimension of self-awareness in children with autism.
- Findings support a dissociation between interpersonal and conceptual self-understanding in autism.
- Mirror observation offers a valuable, easily elicited tool for assessing the social quality of self in developmental disorders.
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