Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by presenting problems such as executive dysfunction and behavioral problems. Within the executive functions (EF) a warm area and a cold area can be differentiated; the latter is the most studied, although recent research points to a primary deficit in warm EFs or decision-making in ASD. In the present study, the symptomatology analyzed that accompanies ASD influencing «hot» EFs, or decision-making capacity. The sample consisted of 31 adults with intellectual disability and ASD, with an average mental age of 4.74. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that the executive dysfunction, more specifically the mechanisms of inhibition (impulsive system), was a significant predictor of decision making by adults with ASD.
The impact of the pandemic is being very significant psychologically, especially for people who were already vulnerable in these aspects, such as adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Intellectual Disability (ID). A longitudinal analysis of motor aspects such as balance and gait, executive functions in daily life, severity of symptoms characteristic of autism, and degree of subjective well-being was performed in 53 adults with ASD and ID. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed and three measures were taken, the first in December 2019, the second in March 2020, and the last in July 2020. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in balance on the latter measure, along with a deterioration in well-being and ASD symptoms in the period of seclusion and an improvement in executive functions after seclusion.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.