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Published on: December 7, 2018
The relationship between atypical visual processing and social skills in young children with autism
Annika Hellendoorn1, Irene Langstraat1, Lex Wijnroks1
1Department of Special Education, Cognitive and Motor Disabilities, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.140, Utrecht 3508 TC, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The present study examined whether atypical visual processing is related to the level of social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thirty-eight young children with ASD (29 boys, 9 girls) were included. Atypical visual processing was assessed by coding the number of lateral glances and the amount of object grouping behavior on videotaped observations of the ADOS (aged 35 ± 9 months). The level of social skills was measured using the subscale interpersonal relationships of the Vineland SEEC (32 ± 7 months). A negative relationship with a medium effect size was found between lateral glances and interpersonal relationships. Object grouping behavior and interpersonal relationships were not related. This study suggests that visual perception may be a mechanism in the development of interpersonal relationships in ASD, which is in accordance with an embodied approach to social cognition.
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