The boundaries of the cognitive phenotype of autism: Theory of mind, central coherence and ambiguous figure perception in young people with autistic traits

Citation

Best C, Moffat V, Power MJ, Owens D & Johnstone EC (2008) The boundaries of the cognitive phenotype of autism: Theory of mind, central coherence and ambiguous figure perception in young people with autistic traits. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38 (5), pp. 840-847. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0451-8

Abstract
Theory of Mind, Weak Central Coherence and executive dysfunction, were investigated as a function of behavioural markers of autism. This was irrespective of the presence or absence of a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum disorder. Sixty young people completed the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), false belief tests, the block design test, viewed visual illusions and an ambiguous figure. A logistic regression was performed and it was found that Theory of Mind, central coherence and ambiguous figure variables significantly contributed to prediction of behavioural markers of autism. These findings provide support for the continuum hypothesis of autism. That is, mild autistic behavioural traits are distributed through the population and these behavioural traits may have the same underlying cognitive determinants as autistic disorder.

Keywords
Autistic spectrum; Continuum; Theory of Mind; Central coherence; Ambiguous figures

Journal
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders: Volume 38, Issue 5

People

Dr Catherine Best

Lecturer Statistician, Institute for Social Marketing