Exploring the cognitive features in children with autism spectrum disorder, their co‐twins, and typically developing children within a population‐based sample

Abstract

Background: The behavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are thought to reflect underlying cognitive deficits/differences. The findings in the literature are somewhat mixed regarding the cognitive features of ASD. This study attempted to address this issue by investigating a range of cognitive deficits and the prevalence of multiple cognitive atypicalities in a large population-based sample comprising children with ASD, their unaffected co-twins, and typically developing comparison children. Methods: Participants included families from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) where one or both children met diagnostic criteria for ASD. Overall, 181 adolescents with a diagnosis of ASD and 73 unaffected co-twins were included, plus an additional 160 comparison control participants. An extensive cognitive battery was administered to measure IQ, central coherence, executive function, and theory of mind ability. Results: Differences between groups (ASD, co-twin, control) are reported on tasks assessing theory of mind, executive function, and central coherence. The ASD group performed atypically in significantly more cognitive tasks than the unaffected co-twin and control groups. Nearly a third of the ASD group presented with multiple cognitive atypicalities. Conclusions: Multiple cognitive atypicalities appear to be a characteristic, but not universal feature, of ASD. Further work is needed to investigate whether specific cognitive atypicalities, either alone or together, are related to specific behaviours characteristic of ASD.

Planning Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan: A Meta-analysis and Meta-regression

“…Two studies did not fall in any category and were, therefore, excluded from the moderator analysis (Brunsdon et al 2015; Taddei and Contena 2013). Task-type was not a significant moderator of effect sizes across planning studies ( Q TASK  = 0.10, p  = .95) and heterogeneity between studies remained significant ( Q (45) = 138.73, p  < .0001; τ 2 = 0.14; I 2  = 66.38).…”

“…Previous studies show that individual differences in planning ability exist in both people with and without ASD (e.g. Brunsdon et al 2015; Hill and Bird 2006; Hughes et al 1994; Wallace et al 2016). Focusing on individual differences instead of group comparisons can help to determine whether specific subgroups within the ASD group exist with respect to planning performance.…”

“…Bölte et al 2011), while others find poorer planning performance in ASD (e.g. Brunsdon et al 2015). Systematic, narrative, reviews of planning studies agree that planning performance is impaired in people with ASD.…”

“…Hughes et al 1994). Also, IQ is sometimes found to be more strongly related to performance on cognitive measures in people with ASD than in TD individuals (Brunsdon et al 2015). However, to date, no systematic review has investigated the role of IQ in planning performance among people with ASD as compared to TD people.…”

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder in community settings using the Development and Well‐Being Assessment: validation in a UK population‐based twin sample

“…The low‐risk group was selected to be matched to the ‘at risk’ group on sex, zygosity, age and socioeconomic status (SES). Parents completed the Family History Interview (de Jonge et al., ; Parr et al., ) and children were administered a battery of cognitive measures as part of the Social Relationships (SR) Study (Brunsdon et al., ). One child was excluded from the low‐risk group because of suspected ASD.…”