Assessment & Research
Early executive dysfunction in ASD: Simple versus complex skills.
★ The Verdict
Simple brain games catch autism-related delays in preschoolers better than complex ones.
✓ Read this if BCBAs who assess or design programs for preschoolers with autism.
✗ Skip if BCBAs working only with school-age kids or adults.
01Research in Context
01
Why it matters
Use simple memory and attention games when screening young learners for autism. These pick up delays better than fancy multi-step tasks. If a child can't remember where you hid a toy, that's your red flag. Start supports early while the brain is still flexible.
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Add a 5-minute sticker-hiding memory game to your intake for 3-5 year olds.
02At a glance
Intervention
not applicable
Design
quasi experimental
Sample size
289
Population
autism spectrum disorder, neurotypical
Finding
positive
Magnitude
medium
03Original abstract
UNLABELLED: Despite the strong evidence of executive function (EF) impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), findings in the preschool period have been inconsistent. Whereas some research has supported an early deficit, many studies have not found early differences in EF. The present study assessed simple and complex components of three EF abilities: working memory, inhibition, and shifting, using a novel battery, the Preschool EF Battery (PEFB; Garon, Smith & Bryson, Child Neuropsychology, 20, 713-736, 2014). Previous research has indicated that the PEFB is sensitive to age differences in typically developing (TD) children aged 18-60 months. Current participants were 34 preschoolers (M = 54.79 months) diagnosed with ASD and 255 TD preschoolers (M = 42.98 months). Results indicated significant differences between the two groups in the three EF abilities, but specific findings were moderated by mental and chronological age. The findings highlight the importance of testing simpler EF skills in very young children with ASD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 318-330. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Given that executive functions (EF) have been found to predict various outcomes such as academic ability and occupational success, sensitive early assessment is important. The current study suggests the presence of early EF deficits in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder. The study highlights the importance of considering how EF develops during early life in typically developing children in order to design sensitive EF measures.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2018 · doi:10.1002/aur.1893