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Executive Functions in Autism

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Book cover Learning and Cognition in Autism

Part of the book series: Current Issues in Autism ((CIAM))

Abstract

Although autism has been relatively well described at the symptom level (American Psychiatric Association, 1987; Rapin, 1991; Rutter, 1978a; Rutter & Schopler, 1987), the nature of the underlying processes responsible for the behavioral manifestations of the disorder is not yet clear. As Rutter (1988) emphasized, a thorough understanding of any developmental psychopathology requires a shift from descriptive accounts and statistical approaches to a focus on causal processes and underlying psychobiologic mechanisms. Unfortunately, in the field of autism, there remains a large gap between our ability to recognize and diagnose the disorder and our understanding of the impairments underlying it. Identification of so-called “primary deficits” is critical for the eventual understanding of the neural substrate of the disorder. It will also likely have implications for early diagnosis, treatment, and educational remediation (Frith, 1988).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA

    Sally Ozonoff

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  1. Sally Ozonoff
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  1. University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Eric Schopler  & Gary B. Mesibov  & 

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Ozonoff, S. (1995). Executive Functions in Autism. In: Schopler, E., Mesibov, G.B. (eds) Learning and Cognition in Autism. Current Issues in Autism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1286-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1286-2_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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