Background-We examined performance on a self-referenced memory (SRM) task for higher functioning children with autism (HFA) and a matched comparison group. SRM performance was examined in relation to symptom severity and social cognitive tests of mentalizing.

Variation in temperament is characteristic of all people but is rarely studied as a predictor of individual differences among individuals with autism. Relative to a matched comparison sample, adolescents with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) reported lower levels of Surgency and higher levels of Negative Affect. Variability in temperament predicted symptomotology, social skills, and social-emotional outcomes differently for individuals with HFA than for the comparison sample. This study is unique in that temperament was measured by self-report, while all outcome measures were reported by parents. The broader implications of this study suggest that by identifying individual variability in constructs, such as temperament, that may influence adaptive functioning, interventions may be developed to target these constructs and increase the likelihood that individuals with HFA will achieve more adaptive life outcomes. Keywordshigh-functioning autism; temperament; symptomology; social emotional functioning; social skills Temperament as a Predictor of Symptomotology and Adaptive Functioning in Adolescents with High-Functioning AutismTemperament is thought to reflect constitutionally based individual differences in reactivity and self-regulation, which influences the ways in which individuals adjust and respond to environmental changes (Rothbart, Posner, & Hershey, 1995). More specifically, reactivity refers to variability in the biological changes, such as the excitability and arousal of behavioral and physiological systems, which occur in response to environmental stimuli (Rothbart et al., 1995;Rothbart & Derryberry, 1981). Reactivity includes both emotional reactions and behavioral action tendencies (Rothbart & Bates, 2006). Self-regulation refers to aspects of temperament, such as effortful control and attention regulation, which serve to modulate reactivity (Rothbart & Bates, 2006;Rothbart et al., 1995). Early research on childhood temperament identified nine dimensions measuring reactivity and self-regulation: activity level, rhythmicity, approach/withdrawal, adaptability, intensity, mood, attention span/ persistence, distractibility, and threshold (Thomas, Chess, Birch, Hertzig, & Korn, 1963;Rothbart & Bates, 2006). However, current classifications of temperament have collapsed the nine dimensions into four broad factors: Surgency/Extroversion, Negative Emotionality, Effortful Control, and Agreeableness/Adaptability (Rothbart & Bates, 2006).Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Heather A. Henderson, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables, Florida 33146. E-mail: E-mail: h.henderson@miami.edu. Peter C. Mundy is now at the School of Education, University of California at Davis. NIH Public AccessAuthor Manuscript J Autism Dev Disord. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 June 1. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptTemperament is a species general characteristic, meaning that variations in temperament...

Previously researchers have noted a high level of occurrence of the IQ profile associated with nonverbal learning disability (NLD) in Asperger syndrome (ASP) but not in high functioning autism (HFA). We examined the IQ profile scores of a large sample of children (n = 69) and adults (n = 77) with HFA, stringently diagnosed according to ADOS, ADI-R, and DSM-IV criteria, and a corresponding sample of typical child (n = 72) and adult controls (n = 107). At least one of the three primary components of the Wechsler pattern seen in NLD were found in 17-26% of the children and 20-32% of the adults with HFA. All three components occurred in slightly more than 5% of the children and adults with autism. Overall, the VIQ > PIQ profile seen in NLD occurred in 18% of the sample of individuals stringently diagnosed with HFA. Therefore, obtaining this IQ profile is not a valid clinical discriminator between NLD and HFA.