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The Influence of Irrelevant Visual Distractors on Eye Movement Control in Chinese Children with Autism Spectrum
Li Zhang1, Guoli Yan1,2, Li Zhou1
1Academy of Psychology and Behaviour, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|November 2, 2019
Summary
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing children made similar saccadic errors. However, central distractors more significantly impacted eye movement initiation in children with ASD, suggesting atypical attentional control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
- Understanding visual attention and eye movement control is crucial for comprehending ASD.
- Previous research suggests potential differences in visual processing and attention in individuals with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate eye movement control and attentional mechanisms in children with ASD.
- To compare the impact of distractors on saccadic eye movements in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children.
- To identify potential atypicalities in voluntary attentional control in ASD.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 16 children with ASD and 19 TD children (aged 47-81 months).
- Participants performed a visual search task requiring them to look at a target presented alone or with distractors (central, parafoveal, or peripheral).
- Eye movements were recorded to analyze saccadic errors, reaction times (latencies), and the influence of distractor location.
Main Results:
- Both groups exhibited a high rate (40%) of saccadic errors toward parafoveal and peripheral distractors.
- Centrally presented distractors significantly increased eye movement latencies in both groups, with a more pronounced effect in the ASD group.
- The ASD group demonstrated greater susceptibility to central distractors, indicating potential differences in voluntary attentional control.
Conclusions:
- Children with ASD exhibit saccadic error patterns similar to TD children when faced with parafoveal and peripheral distractors.
- Central distractors pose a greater challenge to the initiation of voluntary eye movements in children with ASD.
- Findings suggest atypical voluntary attentional control mechanisms in children with ASD, particularly in managing centrally located distractors.
