Abstract:
We assessed different aspects of tactile perception in young children (3-6 years) with autism. Autistic and neurotypical children completed vibrotactile tasks assessing reaction time, amplitude discrimination (sequential and simultaneous) and temporal discrimination (temporal order judgment and duration discrimination). Autistic children had elevated and more variable reaction times, suggesting slower perceptual-motor processing speed and/or greater distractibility. Children with autism also showed higher amplitude discrimination and temporal order judgement thresholds compared to neurotypical children. Tactile perceptual metrics did not associate with social or tactile sensitivities measured by parent-reports. Altered tactile behavioral responses appear in early childhood, can be quantified but appear dissociated from sensitivity. This implies these measures are complementary, but not necessarily related, phenomena of atypical tactile perception in autism.
摘要:
我们评估了自闭症幼儿(3-6岁)的触觉感知的不同方面。自闭症和神经典型儿童完成了评估反应时间的振动触觉任务,幅度判别(顺序和同时)和时间判别(时间顺序判断和持续时间判别)。自闭症儿童的反应时间升高且变化更大,提示较慢的感知运动处理速度和/或更大的注意力分散。与神经典型儿童相比,自闭症儿童还显示出更高的振幅辨别和时间顺序判断阈值。触觉感知指标与父母报告测得的社交或触觉敏感性无关。改变的触觉行为反应出现在儿童早期,可以量化,但似乎与灵敏度分离。这意味着这些措施是相辅相成的,但不一定相关,自闭症中的非典型触觉感知现象。