Block Design Performance in Williams Syndrome: Visuospatial Abilities or Task Approach Skills?

The team watched kids with Williams syndrome build block patterns. They used eye trackers to see where the kids looked. They also timed how fast the kids switched attention between blocks.

The goal was to learn why these kids score low on block-design tests. Some people blame poor eye strategy. Others blame slow visuospatial skills. The study tested both ideas.

Kids with Williams syndrome finished the puzzles later than typical kids. Their eye movements looked normal. They did not stare at the wrong spots.

The delay came from two things: weak visuospatial mapping and slow attention switching. Fixing how they look will not help. Building spatial and switching skills will.

Muth et al. (2014) pooled many studies and found that autistic kids often beat typical kids on the same block task. Back et al. (2022) now show that Williams kids lag behind typical kids. Same task, opposite profiles. The difference lies in the syndromes, not the test.

Greer et al. (2013) showed that adults with Williams syndrome struggle to stay focused and to stop impulsive responses. The new study narrows the problem to switching attention during a spatial job. Together they map a pathway: poor inhibition → slow switching → late puzzle completion.

Cramm et al. (2009) and Casey et al. (2009) tracked eyes while Williams kids looked at faces. They found longer face gaze. The new eye data show typical gaze during blocks. This means atypical looking is social, not visual. Treat social attention separate from visuospatial training.

If you test a child with Williams syndrome, score low block-design results as a spatial and attention-switch issue, not a gaze problem. Skip eye-movement drills. Add tasks that strengthen mental rotation and rapid shifting, like timed shape sorts or set-switching games. Targeting the real deficit saves therapy hours and boosts skill gains.