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Differences in means-end exploration between infants at risk for autism and typically developing infants in the first

Sudha M Srinivasan1,2, Anjana N Bhat2,3,4

  • 1IDC School of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.

Developmental Psychobiology
|December 5, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Infants at risk for autism showed less bilateral hand use and poorer problem-solving skills compared to typically developing infants. Object retrieval tasks can help assess and support these developmental skills.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Early identification of developmental differences is crucial for timely intervention.
  • Means-end exploration is a key developmental milestone reflecting cognitive and motor abilities.
  • Infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may exhibit subtle early differences in motor planning and problem-solving.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare means-end exploration skills in infants at risk for autism (AR) and typically developing (TD) infants.
  • To investigate age-related changes in motor and cognitive skills within these groups.
  • To determine the utility of object retrieval tasks for assessing early developmental abilities.

Main Methods:

  • A nested box paradigm was used to assess object retrieval in 16 AR and 16 TD infants at 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 months.
  • Video data analyzed hand bias, completion time, bilateral hand use, problem-solving strategies, and need for assistance.
  • Tasks included opening opaque, transparent, and nested boxes.

Main Results:

  • No significant group differences were found in hand bias.
  • AR infants exhibited significantly lower bilateral hand use and poorer problem-solving skills compared to TD infants.
  • AR infants required more tester assistance, indicating challenges in independent task completion.
  • Both groups showed age-related improvements in motor and cognitive skills.

Conclusions:

  • Means-end exploration tasks reveal differences in bilateral coordination and motor planning in infants at risk for autism.
  • Object retrieval tasks are sensitive to early developmental variations and can serve as valuable learning contexts.
  • These findings underscore the importance of early assessment of motor and problem-solving skills in infants at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Keywords:
at-risk infantsautismmeans-end explorationmotorobject retrieval

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