Visual Exploration and Construction Strategies Underlying Performance in the Block Design Task in Autism

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Visuospatial reasoning is often enhanced in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly on tasks like the Block Design Task (BDT).
• Previous research has not explored the specific strategies autistic individuals use during visuospatial tasks.
• Understanding these strategies is crucial for characterizing the visuospatial profile in ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the visuospatial reasoning strategies employed by autistic (ASD) and neurotypical (TD) adults on the Block Design Task (BDT).
• To determine the relationship between specific strategies and performance outcomes (accuracy, completion time) in both groups.
• To explain the enhanced visuospatial performance often observed in autistic individuals.

Main Methods:

• Forty-one adults (18 ASD, 23 TD) completed the standard BDT.
• Eye-tracking and behavioral data were collected to capture visual exploration and construction strategies.
• Performance was analyzed in conjunction with strategy use.

Main Results:

• Structured visual exploration and construction strategies were associated with higher success rates and faster completion times.
• Autistic participants more frequently utilized these effective analytic strategies compared to neurotypical individuals.
• A stronger alignment between visual and construction strategies was observed in the ASD group.

Conclusions:

• The frequent use of structured, analytic strategies by autistic individuals may underlie their enhanced visuospatial performance on the BDT.
• Cognitive strategies are critical for understanding visuospatial reasoning differences in ASD, beyond traditional performance measures.
• Future research should consider strategy analysis when assessing visuospatial abilities in autism.