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Friday, May 8, 2009
Northwest Hall (Chicago Hilton)
2:30 PM
Background: The social and communicative challenges faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often compounded by additional difficulties with executive function. It remains unclear, however, to what the extent individuals with ASD experienced difficulties in inhibitory control. A multi-type model of IC suggests that IC may best conceptualized as comprising at least three distinct subtypes: prepotent response inhibition, resistance to distracter interference, and resistance to proactive interference (Friedman & Miyake, 2004). To date, however, previous studies have focused on only one or two of these subtypes when evaluating the integrity of IC in individuals with ASD.
Objectives: To assess all three subtypes of IC within a single ASD sample thus providing new insight into the unique ASD-related pattern of sparing and impairment observed across different aspects of IC.
Methods: Thirty-seven individuals with ASD (mean age = 15.1 years) and an age- and gender-matched comparison group of thirty-seven neurologically uncompromised individuals (mean age = 15.1 years) participated. A counting Stroop task, a flanker visual filtering task, and a modified Brown-Peterson task were used to evaluate prepotent response inhibition, resistance to distracter interference, and resistance to proactive interference, respectively.
Results: After accounting for individual differences in non-inhibitory related abilities (e.g., processing speed) and overall level of functioning (IQ), there was no evidence of group-related differences in performance on the Stroop and Brown-Peterson tasks (p > .05 in all instances). ASD-related impairments were evident, however, on the flanker visual filtering task [F(1, 72) = 7.464, p < .05].
Conclusions: Taken together, the present findings suggest that ASD is associated with impairments in some, but not all, aspects of IC. Individuals with ASD appear to have difficulty ignoring distracting visual information, but prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference are relatively intact. The current findings also provide support for a multi-type model of IC.
Objectives: To assess all three subtypes of IC within a single ASD sample thus providing new insight into the unique ASD-related pattern of sparing and impairment observed across different aspects of IC.
Methods: Thirty-seven individuals with ASD (mean age = 15.1 years) and an age- and gender-matched comparison group of thirty-seven neurologically uncompromised individuals (mean age = 15.1 years) participated. A counting Stroop task, a flanker visual filtering task, and a modified Brown-Peterson task were used to evaluate prepotent response inhibition, resistance to distracter interference, and resistance to proactive interference, respectively.
Results: After accounting for individual differences in non-inhibitory related abilities (e.g., processing speed) and overall level of functioning (IQ), there was no evidence of group-related differences in performance on the Stroop and Brown-Peterson tasks (p > .05 in all instances). ASD-related impairments were evident, however, on the flanker visual filtering task [F(1, 72) = 7.464, p < .05].
Conclusions: Taken together, the present findings suggest that ASD is associated with impairments in some, but not all, aspects of IC. Individuals with ASD appear to have difficulty ignoring distracting visual information, but prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference are relatively intact. The current findings also provide support for a multi-type model of IC.