Autobiographical Memory and Social Problem-solving in Asperger Syndrome

Abstract

Difficulties in social interaction are a central feature of Asperger syndrome. Effective social interaction involves the ability to solve interpersonal problems as and when they occur. Here we examined social problem-solving in a group of adults with Asperger syndrome and control group matched for age, gender and IQ. We also assessed autobiographical memory, on a cueing task and during social problem-solving, and examined the relationship between access to specific past experiences and social problem-solving ability. Results demonstrated a social problem-solving impairment in the Asperger group. Their solutions were less detailed, less effective and less extended in time. Autobiographical memory performance was also impaired with significantly longer latencies to retrieve specific memories and fewer specific memories retrieved in comparison to controls.

Specific and general autobiographical knowledge in adults with autism spectrum disorders: The role of personal goals

“…The results of Study 1, which found adults with ASD to generate significantly fewer specific autobiographical memories, and to take longer to do so, than a matched control group, are consistent with a growing body of research demonstrating impairments in memories for specific personally experienced events in this group (e.g., Crane & Goddard, 2008;Goddard et al, 2007). In addition, although previous studies have reported the preservation of some aspects of autobiographical knowledge in ASD, including personality traits (Klein, Chan, & Loftus, 1999) and biographical information (Crane & Goddard, 2008), this study is the first to demonstrate that memories of general autobiographical events also appear intact.…”

“…Specifically, whilst memory for personally experienced events (episodic autobiographical memory) was impaired in this group (as found by Goddard et al, 2007), memory for personal facts (semantic autobiographical memory) was relatively intact. Moreover, examination of both episodic and semantic autobiographical memories across different lifetime periods suggested a 'reminiscence bump' (cf.…”

“…On the event-specific knowledge task, it was predicted that the ASD group would generate fewer specific memories than control participants, and would take significantly longer to do so (as found by Goddard et al, 2007). It was further hypothesised that whilst the control group would use information pertaining to currently pursued goals to facilitate the accessibility of event-specific knowledge (as found by Moberly & MacLeod, 2006), a corresponding relationship would not be observed in the ASD group.…”

Recall of a live and personally experienced eyewitness event by adults with autism spectrum disorder

“…This is pertinent given that it is now well established that individuals with ASD experience difficulties in reflecting on the self (e.g., Crane et al, 2009, and see Lind, 2010), which extend to impairments in episodic memory (e.g., Crane & Goddard, 2008;Klein et al, 1999). Indeed, a number of studies have demonstrated that individuals with ASD experience particular difficulties recalling specific and personally experienced autobiographical events (e.g., Bruck et al, 2007;Goddard, Howlin, Dritschel & Patel, 2007). This impairment is in the absence of a personal semantic RUNNING HEAD: Experienced eyewitness events in ASD 5 memory deficit (Crane & Goddard, 2008), indicating that it is a deficit related to episodic memory and autonoetic awareness, rather than simply a poor memory per se (Bowler, Gardiner & Gaigg, 2007;Bowler, Gardiner & Grice, 2000).…”

Autistic Development, Trauma and Personhood: Beyond the Frame of the Neoliberal Individual

“…A number of cognitive psychological research studies have suggested that people on the autistic spectrum show a 'deficit' in the use and construction of personal episodic memory, yet an accompanying strength in semantic factual memory (Millward et al 2000, Goddard et al 2007, Crane and Goddard, 2008, Goldman, 2008. Rather than taking a deficit model of autism, one can view such differences in perception and memory construction as embodied differences that can impact on the social lifeworld experienced by autistic people.…”