The aim of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that persons with ASS may be less capable of 'reading' the behavior of others and because of that they may be less capable of complying to others, leading to social and/or behavioral…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Mental impairment disorders
- Psychiatric disorders NEC
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Reaction times and movement times will be measured in the imitation,
complementory action task and in the task measuring the sensibility for signals.
Efficiency and stability of te movement will be measured in the joint action
task.
Scores on the social and behavioral questionaires will be computed and will be
related to the scores on the imitation, complementory and joint action task and
to the scores on the sensitivity for signals task.
Secondary outcome
Use of medication.
Background summary
Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders that are especially
characterized and restricted by social deficts. Already early in development
persons with ASS may show a marked deficit in understanding and adjusting to
the behavior of others. Recent research indicates a "Mirror Neuron System" that
might be the basic for these problems with understanding and adjusting to
others by persons with ASS. The MNS is formed by visuomotor (mirror) neurons
that are activated both to the execution and to the observation of
goal-directed actions. According to the Simulation Theory, based on this
principle, we understand the behavior of others, because seeing the behavior of
others activates the same cortical areas as performing these same actions. The
behavior of someone else becomes simulated. Features of a task or environment
determine if a respons should be an imitation or complementory action, or if
joint action should take place. In experimental conditions a less active MNS
has been found to be the basis for decreased functioning on imitation tasks.
Involvement of the MNS is supposed in complementory action, joint action and
sensitivity to biological signs.
In daily living a less active MNS might lead to social deficits and behavioral
problems. A detailed map of the principle deficits of autism might lead to a
more efficient detection and maybe in the future, a better treatment of ASS
problems.
Study objective
The aim of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that persons with ASS
may be less capable of 'reading' the behavior of others and because of that
they may be less capable of complying to others, leading to social and/or
behavioral problems.
This hypothesis will be tested by investigating:
- Imitation: compared to normals, children and youth with ASS are less capable
in imitating and this deficit is related to social and/or behavioral problems.
- Complementory behavior: compared to normals, children and youth with ASS as
less capable in adjusting to the demands from the environment and this deficit
shows a relation with social and/or behavioral problems.
- Sensitivity for signals: normal childeren and youth have a bias in
sensitivity for signals (being more sensitive for biological then for symbolic
cues); children and youth with ASS do not show this bias and this is related to
social and/or behavioral problems.
- Joint action: compared to normals children and youth with ASS have more
problems acting together and this is related to social and behavioral problems.
Study design
Control tasks and experimental tasks: IQ-test, attention, imitation,
complementory and joint action tasks. A reaction time task for revealing a
sensitivity bias for biological signals, compared to symbolic signals.
Behavioral assessment questionairs.
Comparing the results of children and youth with ASS to normals, matched on
age, sexe and IQ.
Study burden and risks
Participating in this investigation means performing computertasks during 2
hours (including a pause). The tasks are not mentally or physically loaded and
most children like doing tasks on the computer. The IQ will be measured and the
parents or caregivers have to fill in two questionnaires on the behavior of the
child/youth. There are no riscs involved with participating.
The study aimes at investigating variables that play a role in the social and
behavioral problems of children and youth, so this study can only be performed
in this age group.
Dr. Klinkertweg 32
8025 BS Zwolle
NL
Dr. Klinkertweg 32
8025 BS Zwolle
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Diagnose ASS, according to psychiatrist and DSM-IV classification, and according to psychologist and ADOS/ADI-R
Age: 8-18 years
Cognitive level above IQ= 70
Exclusion criteria
Neurological problems, not corrected vision problems, lefthandedness, comorbidity requiring treatment.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL14304.091.06 |