Social Attention and Emotional Responsiveness in Young Adults With Autism

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are generally characterized by marked impairments in processing of social emotional information, but less is known about emotion processing in adults with the disorder. This study aimed to address this by collecting data on social attention (eye tracking), emotional arousal (skin conductance level, SCL), and emotional awareness (self-report) in a paradigm with social emotional video clips. Fifty-two young, intelligent adults with ASD (IQ range = 88–130, Age range = 18–24) and 31 typically developing (TD) ASD (IQ range = 94–139, Age range = 19–28) gender matched controls participated and reported on severity of autism symptoms [Social Responsiveness Scale for Adults (SRS-A)]. Results showed no group difference in social attention, while autism symptom severity was related to decreased attention to faces across participants ( r = −.32). Average SCL was lower in the ASD group, but no group difference in arousal reactivity (change from baseline to emotional phases) was detected. Lower SCL during video clips was related to autism symptom severity across participants ( r = −.29). ASD individuals reported lower emotional awareness. We conclude that, even though no deviations in social attention or emotional reactivity were found in ASD, an overall lower level of social attention and arousal may help explain difficulties in social functioning in ASD.

The social responsiveness scale is an efficient screening tool for autism spectrum disorder traits in adults with anorexia nervosa

“…Total SRS‐2 scores were significantly higher in individuals with AN and REC compared to HCs, with a large effect size. Indeed, mean scores were similar to those that have been reported in adults with ASD (e.g., Dijkhuis et al, 2019 ; Maddox & White, 2015 ; Takei et al, 2014 ; Walsh, Baxter, Smith, & Braden, 2019 ). Further, around half of participants with AN scored within the “moderate” or “severe” impairment range, compared to just under one‐third of REC, and only 4.5% of HCs.…”

“…The SRS‐2 also shows good concurrent and convergent and concurrent validity, correlating with measures of adaptive behaviour and the ADI‐R in adults with ASD (Chan, Smith, Hong, Greenberg, & Mailick, 2017 ). Further, experimental evidence suggests that higher scores on the SRS‐2 are associated with reduced social attention in those with ASD, one of the core characteristics of the disorder (Dijkhuis, Gurbuz, Ziermans, Staal, & Swaab, 2019 ; Hanley et al, 2015 ; Ketelaars et al, 2017 ) To date, no study has used the SRS‐2 in individuals with AN.…”

Social Visual Perception Under the Eye of Bayesian Theories in Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Advanced Modeling of Spatial and Temporal Parameters

“…This can eventually facilitate the realization of longitudinal studies and monitoring of long-time interventions ( 66 , 67 ). Moreover, our method can be extended by combining other sensory inputs, neurophysiological measurements or other functions such as decision making ( 68 – 70 ). Finally, multimodal analysis of social interactions and real-life settings will be of great importance and could represent the everyday challenges of the autism spectrum disorder population in a better way ( 71 , 72 ).…”

Tecnologías Inmersivas y medidas psicofisiológicas para la evaluación y entrenamiento de niños con Trastorno del Espectro Autista

“…Billeci et al (2018) hallaron un mayor ritmo cardiaco en sujetos TEA ante tareas de atención conjunta. En cambio, Dijkhuis et al (2019) encontraron que los sujetos TEA presentaron niveles de excitación general o SCL ante tareas atencionales menos elevados que sus pares normotípicos. Gillott & Standen (2007), en su trabajo en el que estudiaron los niveles de ansiedad en sujetos TEA, comprobaron que los niveles de excitación fueron más elevados cuando tuvieron que hacer frente a la anticipación.…”

“…Estos trabajos, que han optado por la unión de ambas, se han centrado en la sensibilidad de la población TEA ante estímulos novedosos (Van Engeland, Roelofs, Verbaten & Slangen, 1991), capacidad de anticipar estados emocionales (Al-Omar, Al-Wabil, &Hosny, 2013) o en el estudio de la atención de carácter social (Dijkhuis, Gurbuz, Ziermans, Staal & Swaab, 2019), haciendo uso de estimulación de carácter dinámico. En cuanto a los resultados, no se encontraron diferencias significativas ni en la medida electrodermal SCR (Van Engeland et al, 1991) ni SCL (Louwerse, van Der Geest, Tulen, van der Ende, Van Gool, Verhulst & Greaves-Lord, 2013), aunque si una relación lineal estadísticamente significativa, entre esta última y la gravedad sintomatológica del TEA (Dijkhuis et al, 2019). Cabe señalar también, los hallazgos que apuntan hacia capacidad del EDA y de la contracción pupilar como medidas anticipatorias de estados emocionales (Al-Omar et al, 2013).…”