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Control of action and thought: normal development and dysfunction in autism: a research note
1Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, U.K.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Children with autism and learning difficulties show linked executive function and metacognitive skills, unlike typically developing preschoolers. This suggests a connection between self-control and awareness in clinical populations.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Executive functions and metacognitive awareness are crucial for cognitive development.
- Understanding the interplay of these skills in clinical populations is important for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between executive function and metacognitive awareness in children with autism and learning difficulties.
- To compare these relationships with those in typically developing children.
Main Methods:
- Participants included children with autism, learning difficulties, and typically developing preschoolers.
- Tasks assessed inhibitory control (hand-game) and metacognitive awareness (delayed-reward situation).
Main Results:
- A correlation between inhibitory control and metacognitive awareness was found in children with autism and learning difficulties.
- This correlation was not observed in typically developing preschoolers after accounting for age.
Conclusions:
- Executive function and mental-state awareness may be linked in children with autism and learning difficulties.
- This suggests distinct developmental pathways for cognitive control and self-awareness in clinical versus typical development.