Childhood Facial Recognition Predicts Adolescent Symptom Severity in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mart L. J. M. Eussen, Anneke Louwerse, Catherine M. Herba, Arthur R. Van Gool, Fop Verheij, Frank C. Verhulst, Kirstin Greaves-Lord*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Limited accuracy and speed in facial recognition (FR) and in the identification of facial emotions (IFE) have been shown in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed at evaluating the predictive value of atypicalities in FR and IFE for future symptom severity in children with ASD. Therefore we performed a seven-year follow-up study in 87 children with ASD. FR and IFE were assessed in childhood (T1: age 6-12) using the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT). Symptom severity was assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) in childhood and again seven years later during adolescence (T2: age 12-19). Multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate whether FR and IFE in childhood predicted ASD symptom severity in adolescence, while controlling for ASD symptom severity in childhood. We found that more accurate FR significantly predicted lower adolescent ASD symptom severity scores (Delta R-2 = .09), even when controlling for childhood ASD symptom severity. IFE was not a significant predictor of ASD symptom severity in adolescence. From these results it can be concluded, that in children with ASD the accuracy of FR in childhood is a relevant predictor of ASD symptom severity in adolescence. Test results on FR in children with ASD may have prognostic value regarding later symptom severity. (C) 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)261-271
Number of pages11
JournalAutism research
Volume8
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun-2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • social cognition
  • face perception
  • neuropsychology
  • follow-up study
  • EMOTION RECOGNITION
  • FACE RECOGNITION
  • PDD-NOS
  • CHILDREN
  • EXPRESSION
  • INDIVIDUALS
  • IMPAIRMENT
  • INTELLIGENCE
  • IDENTITY
  • PROGRAM

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