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Social Smiling and Its Components in High-Risk Infant Siblings Without Later ASD Symptomatology

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Abstract

Impaired affective expression, including social smiling, is common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and may represent an early marker for ASD in their infant siblings (Sibs-ASD). Social smiling and its component behaviors (eye contact and non-social smiling) were examined at 15 months in Sibs-ASD who demonstrated later ASD symptomatology (Sibs-ASD/AS), those who did not (Sibs-ASD/NS), and low-risk controls (Sibs-TD). Both Sibs-ASD subgroups demonstrated lower levels of social smiling than Sibs-TD, suggesting that early social smiling may reflect elevated genetic vulnerability rather than a specific marker for ASD. Only the Sibs-ASD/AS demonstrated less eye contact and non-social smiling than Sibs-TD, suggesting that different processes, threshold effects, or protective factors may underlie social smiling development in the two Sibs-ASD subgroups.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by NICHD Grants R01HD043292 and T32HD07226. This manuscript was developed from data collected through Caitlin McMahon Nichols’ dissertation project. The authors would like to thank Hannah Benneyworth and the TRIAD graduate students and research assistants for their tireless efforts in coding and data entry. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the many families whose participation made this project possible.

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Author notes

  1. Caitlin McMahon Nichols

    Present address: Beacon Assessment Center, Beacon ABA Services, Milford, MA, USA

  2. Lisa V. Ibañez & Wendy L. Stone

    Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Washington, CHDD Box 357920, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

  3. Jennifer H. Foss-Feig

    Present address: Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

    Caitlin McMahon Nichols, Jennifer H. Foss-Feig & Wendy L. Stone

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Lisa V. Ibañez

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

    Wendy L. Stone

Authors
  1. Caitlin McMahon Nichols
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  2. Lisa V. Ibañez
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  3. Jennifer H. Foss-Feig
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  4. Wendy L. Stone
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Correspondence to Wendy L. Stone.

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Nichols, C.M., Ibañez, L.V., Foss-Feig, J.H. et al. Social Smiling and Its Components in High-Risk Infant Siblings Without Later ASD Symptomatology. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 894–902 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1944-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1944-2

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