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Published on: July 31, 2017
Episodic future thinking in children with autism spectrum disorder
Gill Terrett1, Peter G Rendell, Sandra Raponi-Saunders
1School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus, Locked Bag 4115, Fitzroy, MDC, VIC, 3065, Australia, gill.terrett@acu.edu.au.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|March 19, 2013
Summary
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show deficits in future thinking, impacting daily living. This study explored episodic future thinking in high-functioning ASD and typically developing children.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Cognitive Psychology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Background:
- Future thinking, the ability to imagine future events, is crucial for daily functioning.
- Research on future thinking in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is limited, despite its importance.
- Understanding these abilities in ASD is vital for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate future thinking abilities in children with high-functioning ASD.
- To compare future thinking in children with ASD to typically developing children.
- To explore potential cognitive mechanisms underlying future thinking difficulties in ASD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Adapted Autobiographical Interview to assess episodic memory and episodic future thinking.
- Included 30 children with high-functioning ASD (IQ > 85) and 30 typically developing children.
- Analyzed participants' descriptions of past and plausible future personal events.
Main Results:
- Identified significant deficits in future thinking among children with high-functioning ASD compared to controls.
- Provided preliminary evidence on cognitive factors contributing to these future thinking difficulties.
- Highlighted potential cognitive mechanisms that may or may not be associated with impaired future thinking in ASD.
Conclusions:
- Children with ASD experience challenges with future thinking, impacting their ability to plan and anticipate.
- Findings suggest specific cognitive mechanisms underlie these deficits, requiring further investigation.
- Results have implications for both theoretical understanding and practical support for individuals with ASD.
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