Dynamic Eye Tracking As a Predictor and Outcome Measure of Social Skills Intervention in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2020 Jul 14

PMID 32656738

Citations 4

Authors

Rachel K Greene

Julia Parish-Morris

Miranda Sullivan

Jessica L Kinard

Maya G Mosner

Lauren M Turner-Brown

David L Penn

Christopher A Wiesen

Ashley A Pallathra

Edward S Brodkin

Robert T Schultz

Gabriel S Dichter

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To evaluate an eye tracking task as a predictor and outcome measure of treatment response for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) social skills interventions, adolescents and young adults with ASD completed the eye tracking task before, immediately after, and two months after completing Social Cognition and Interaction Training for Autism (SCIT-A). The study compared SCIT-A participants (n = 20) to participants with ASD who received treatment as usual (TAU; n = 21). Overall, increased visual attention to faces and background objects and decreased attention to hands playing with toys at baseline were associated with improved social functioning immediately following intervention, suggesting this eye tracking task may reliably predict ASD social intervention outcomes.

Citing Articles

Altered interactive dynamics of gaze behavior during face-to-face interaction in autistic individuals: a dual eye-tracking study.

Tonsing D, Schiller B, Vehlen A, Nickel K, Tebartz van Elst L, Domes G Mol Autism. 2025; 16(1):12.

PMID: 39987214 PMC: 11846317. DOI: 10.1186/s13229-025-00645-5.

Spatiotemporal Eye Movement Dynamics Reveal Altered Face Prioritization in Early Visual Processing Among Autistic Children.

Griffin J, Naples A, Bernier R, Chawarska K, Dawson G, Dziura J Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2024; 10(1):45-57.

PMID: 39237004 PMC: 11710975. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.08.017.

Conducting head-mounted eye-tracking research with young children with autism and children with increased likelihood of later autism diagnosis.

Perkovich E, Laakman A, Mire S, Yoshida H J Neurodev Disord. 2024; 16(1):7.

PMID: 38438975 PMC: 10910727. DOI: 10.1186/s11689-024-09524-1.

Effects of social complexity and gender on social and non-social attention in male and female autistic children: A comparison of four eye-tracking paradigms.

Putnam O, Sasson N, Parish-Morris J, Harrop C Autism Res. 2022; 16(2):315-326.

PMID: 36408851 PMC: 11686979. DOI: 10.1002/aur.2851.

Gaze and social functioning associations in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Riddiford J, Enticott P, Lavale A, Gurvich C Autism Res. 2022; 15(8):1380-1446.

PMID: 35593039 PMC: 9543973. DOI: 10.1002/aur.2729.

References

Busner J, Targum S, Miller D . The Clinical Global Impressions scale: errors in understanding and use. Compr Psychiatry. 2009; 50(3):257-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2008.08.005. View

Chawarska K, Macari S, Shic F . Context modulates attention to social scenes in toddlers with autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2012; 53(8):903-13. PMC: 3845814. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02538.x. View

Axelrod B . Validity of the Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence and other very short forms of estimating intellectual functioning. Assessment. 2002; 9(1):17-23. DOI: 10.1177/1073191102009001003. View

Bird G, Press C, Richardson D . The role of alexithymia in reduced eye-fixation in Autism Spectrum Conditions. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011; 41(11):1556-64. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1183-3. View

Solomon M, Goodlin-Jones B, Anders T . A social adjustment enhancement intervention for high functioning autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder NOS. J Autism Dev Disord. 2005; 34(6):649-68. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-004-5286-y. View

Howlin P, Moss P, Savage S, Rutter M . Social outcomes in mid- to later adulthood among individuals diagnosed with autism and average nonverbal IQ as children. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013; 52(6):572-81.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.02.017. View

Shic F, Bradshaw J, Klin A, Scassellati B, Chawarska K . Limited activity monitoring in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Brain Res. 2010; 1380:246-54. PMC: 3050079. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.11.074. View

Kuhn G, Kourkoulou A, Leekam S . How magic changes our expectations about autism. Psychol Sci. 2010; 21(10):1487-93. DOI: 10.1177/0956797610383435. View

Payakachat N, Tilford J, Kovacs E, Kuhlthau K . Autism spectrum disorders: a review of measures for clinical, health services and cost-effectiveness applications. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res. 2012; 12(4):485-503. PMC: 3502071. DOI: 10.1586/erp.12.29. View

10.

Turner-Brown L, Perry T, Dichter G, Bodfish J, Penn D . Brief report: feasibility of social cognition and interaction training for adults with high functioning autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2008; 38(9):1777-84. PMC: 2646378. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0545-y. View

11.

Lord C, Rutter M, Le Couteur A . Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised: a revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 1994; 24(5):659-85. DOI: 10.1007/BF02172145. View

12.

Nakano T, Tanaka K, Endo Y, Yamane Y, Yamamoto T, Nakano Y . Atypical gaze patterns in children and adults with autism spectrum disorders dissociated from developmental changes in gaze behaviour. Proc Biol Sci. 2010; 277(1696):2935-43. PMC: 2982027. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0587. View

13.

Hill E, Berthoz S, Frith U . Brief report: cognitive processing of own emotions in individuals with autistic spectrum disorder and in their relatives. J Autism Dev Disord. 2004; 34(2):229-35. DOI: 10.1023/b:jadd.0000022613.41399.14. View

14.

Gur R, Sara R, Hagendoorn M, Marom O, Hughett P, Macy L . A method for obtaining 3-dimensional facial expressions and its standardization for use in neurocognitive studies. J Neurosci Methods. 2002; 115(2):137-43. DOI: 10.1016/s0165-0270(02)00006-7. View

15.

Jones W, Carr K, Klin A . Absence of preferential looking to the eyes of approaching adults predicts level of social disability in 2-year-old toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008; 65(8):946-54. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.65.8.946. View

16.

Kanne S, Mazurek M, Sikora D, Bellando J, Branum-Martin L, Handen B . The Autism Impact Measure (AIM): initial development of a new tool for treatment outcome measurement. J Autism Dev Disord. 2013; 44(1):168-79. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1862-3. View

17.

Charter R, FELDT L . Meaning of reliability in terms of correct and incorrect clinical decisions: the art of decision making is still alive. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2002; 23(4):530-7. DOI: 10.1076/jcen.23.4.530.1227. View

18.

Schultz R . Developmental deficits in social perception in autism: the role of the amygdala and fusiform face area. Int J Dev Neurosci. 2005; 23(2-3):125-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.12.012. View

19.

Dawson G, Meltzoff A, Osterling J, Rinaldi J, Brown E . Children with autism fail to orient to naturally occurring social stimuli. J Autism Dev Disord. 1999; 28(6):479-85. DOI: 10.1023/a:1026043926488. View

20.

Chevallier C, Kohls G, Troiani V, Brodkin E, Schultz R . The social motivation theory of autism. Trends Cogn Sci. 2012; 16(4):231-9. PMC: 3329932. DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2012.02.007. View