![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.JPG)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Champagne Terrace/Bordeaux (Novotel London West)
11:30 AM
Background: Few studies have investigated visual attention of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) under 24 months of age.
Objectives: The purpose of this prospective, longitudinal study of the FIRST WORDS Project was to describe differences in visual attention in 18-24 month old children with ASD, developmental delay (DD), and typical development (TD).
Methods: Videotapes of CSBS (Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) Behavior Samples for 125 children (50 ASD, 50 TD, and 25 DD) were analyzed using the Noldus Observer Pro 5.0 to obtain precise measures of visual attention. Duration measures included the time needed to orient to target objects, attention focused on target objects, and time to shift attention from objects to a person’s face. Frequency measures included the number of times that the children looked at objects and people and how many times they shifted their attention from the objects to a person’s face.
Results: The visual attention characteristics that distinguished children with ASD were the number of times the children looked at a person’s face and the ability to shift attention from a target object to a person’s face. The results indicated that children with ASD took significantly more time to shift gaze to a person’s face than children with TD. Children with ASD looked at faces and shifted gaze from object to face significantly less often than children with DD and TD.
Conclusions: Building on previous research on social orienting deficits in children with ASD, the results of this investigation indicate that children with ASD at 18 to 24 months have a more difficult time shifting their attention from objects to people. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating a measure of visual attention in the screening and assessment process to improve early identification of ASD.
Objectives: The purpose of this prospective, longitudinal study of the FIRST WORDS Project was to describe differences in visual attention in 18-24 month old children with ASD, developmental delay (DD), and typical development (TD).
Methods: Videotapes of CSBS (Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) Behavior Samples for 125 children (50 ASD, 50 TD, and 25 DD) were analyzed using the Noldus Observer Pro 5.0 to obtain precise measures of visual attention. Duration measures included the time needed to orient to target objects, attention focused on target objects, and time to shift attention from objects to a person’s face. Frequency measures included the number of times that the children looked at objects and people and how many times they shifted their attention from the objects to a person’s face.
Results: The visual attention characteristics that distinguished children with ASD were the number of times the children looked at a person’s face and the ability to shift attention from a target object to a person’s face. The results indicated that children with ASD took significantly more time to shift gaze to a person’s face than children with TD. Children with ASD looked at faces and shifted gaze from object to face significantly less often than children with DD and TD.
Conclusions: Building on previous research on social orienting deficits in children with ASD, the results of this investigation indicate that children with ASD at 18 to 24 months have a more difficult time shifting their attention from objects to people. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating a measure of visual attention in the screening and assessment process to improve early identification of ASD.