Face and emotion recognition in MCDD versus PDD-NOS.
MCDD and PDD-NOS kids show different face-looking tactics but share the same emotion-naming hurdle.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team compared two autism-related groups: kids with MCDD and kids with PDD-NOS.
They gave each child face-recognition tasks and emotion-labeling tasks.
The goal was to see if the two labels show different brain styles when looking at faces.
What they found
MCDD kids spotted faces faster than they spotted busy patterns.
PDD-NOS kids used slower, step-by-step face-looking tactics.
Both groups were equally stuck when asked to name feelings from faces.
How this fits with other research
Sasson (2006) says poor face skills in autism may come from scarce early face play, not broken wiring. The new data fit: both groups can see faces, but labels still lag.
van der Miesen et al. (2024) show toddlers who flick between nonverbal cues are the ones parents miss. Together the papers hint that early, mixed social signals—not just face data—need screening.
Zajic et al. (2012) found adults with autism struggle to build picture categories. Geurts et al. (2008) now show kids with different autism labels already take separate roads to sort faces, giving us a younger place to start help.
Why it matters
You can stop hunting for one face test that splits MCDD from PDD-NOS; both struggle with emotion words. Instead, watch how the child looks, not just what they see. Give MCDD kids quick face games and PDD-NOS kids step-by-step scanning cues. Target feeling labels for both groups with extra exemplars and paired play.
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Join Free →Add a 2-minute face-sort warm-up: let MCDD kids race to find the face, give PDD-NOS kids a pointer to trace facial features, then practice feeling words either way.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Previous studies indicate that Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD) children differ from PDD-NOS and autistic children on a symptom level and on psychophysiological functioning. Children with MCDD (n = 21) and PDD-NOS (n = 62) were compared on two facets of social-cognitive functioning: identification of neutral faces and facial expressions. Few significant group differences emerged. Children with PDD-NOS demonstrated a more attention-demanding strategy of face processing, and processed neutral faces more similarly to complex patterns whereas children with MCDD showed an advantage for face recognition compared to complex patterns. Results further suggested that any disadvantage in face recognition was related more to the autistic features of the PDD-NOS group rather than characteristics specific to MCDD. No significant group differences emerged for identifying facial expressions.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2008 · doi:10.1097/00004583-200402000-00012