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Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

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19-09-2015 | Brief Report

Brief Report: Imitation of Object-Directed Acts in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Auteurs: Anna Gonsiorowski, Rebecca A. Williamson, Diana L. Robins

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | Uitgave 2/2016

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) imitate less than typically developing (TD) children; however, the specific features and causes of this deficit are still unclear. The current study investigates the role of joint engagement, specifically children’s visual attention to demonstrations, in an object-directed imitation task. This sample was recruited from an early ASD screening study, which allows for an examination of these behaviors prior to formal diagnosis and ASD-specific intervention. Children with ASD imitated less than TD children; children with other developmental delays showed no significant difference from the two other screen-positive groups. Additionally, only the ASD group showed decreased visual attention, suggesting that early visual attention plays a role in the social learning of children with ASD.

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Nonparametric analyses revealed the same findings. A Kruskal–Wallis test showed a significant difference among groups in total imitation scores, χ²(3) = 16.36, p = .001. Subsequent Mann–Whitney U pairwise comparisons revealed that the TD group imitated significantly more overall than the DD group (p = .002) and ASD group (p = .002), but not the TD-SP group (p = .135). The TD-SP group imitated significantly more than the ASD group (p = .022), but not the DD group (p = .082). There was no significant difference in overall imitation between the DD and ASD groups (p = .127).

A Friedman test revealed significant differences in the frequency of completion of Acts 1-4, χ²(3) = 51.21, p < .001. Subsequent Wilcoxon-signed ranks tests revealed that, across groups, Act 4 was completed more frequently than the three other acts (p’s < .001). Additionally, Act 2 was completed more frequently than Act 3 (p = .020)

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Titel: Brief Report: Imitation of Object-Directed Acts in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Auteurs: Anna Gonsiorowski
Rebecca A. Williamson
Diana L. Robins
Publicatiedatum: 19-09-2015
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders / Uitgave 2/2016
Print ISSN: 0162-3257
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3432
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2596-1

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