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Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism
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Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism

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Affect and gaze responses during an Emotion-Evoking Task in infants at an increased likelihood for autism spectrum

Lori-Ann R Sacrey1, Lonnie Zwaigenbaum2, Jessica A Brian3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Autism Research Centre - E209, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Alberta, 10230-111 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5G 0B7, Canada. sacrey@ualberta.ca.

Molecular Autism
|October 7, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Infant behavioral responses, including affect and gaze, at 12 months can predict autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms. These early behavioral markers offer valuable insights complementing parent reports for infants at high likelihood for ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Infant behavior

Background:

  • Current research on early emotional difficulties in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) primarily relies on parental reports.
  • Parental reports may not capture the full spectrum of emotional regulation challenges in infants.
  • Objective behavioral measures are needed for a more comprehensive understanding of early ASD indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate early behavioral indicators of emotional regulation in infants.
  • To compare behavioral responses between infants with and without an increased likelihood for ASD.
  • To determine if early behavioral markers predict later ASD symptomatology.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral responses (affect and gaze) were assessed in infants at 12 and 18 months using the Emotion-Evoking (EE) Task.
  • Infants were categorized into increased likelihood (IL) for ASD (n=60) and low likelihood (LL) groups (n=21).
  • ASD symptomatology was evaluated at 24 months using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale-second Edition (ADOS-2).

Main Results:

  • Infants in the IL group exhibited more negative affect and less gaze at task objects compared to the LL group.
  • Early affect and gaze scores at 12 and 18 months predicted 24-month ASD symptoms.
  • Parental reports via the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) did not predict ASD symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral responses in infancy provide crucial information for assessing emotional regulation.
  • Early behavioral markers, specifically affect and gaze, can serve as predictors of ASD.
  • These findings highlight the potential of objective behavioral assessments in identifying infants at risk for ASD as early as 12 months.
Abstract

Keywords:
AffectAutism*Emotion regulationGazeIncreased likelihood cohortTemperament

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