Executive and visuo-motor function in adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Davidovitch et al. (2013) tested teens and adults with high-functioning autism. They wanted to know which thinking and movement skills were strong and which were weak.

The team used paper puzzles, computer games, and finger-tapping tasks. They compared scores to people without autism of the same age and IQ.

Planning, flexibility, and simple hand speed looked fine. Spatial working memory was weaker. Choice tasks that mixed seeing and moving were slower.

In short, the problems were narrow, not across the board.

Touchette et al. (1985) saw the same pattern early: visual brain waves stayed fairly normal while auditory ones did not. The new data show the visuo-motor gap lasts into adulthood.

Kushki et al. (2011) blamed poor handwriting in kids on visuo-motor trouble. Michael’s group now proves the trouble is still there in older clients, so the skill gap does not fade with age.

Walley et al. (2005) found idea-generation deficits in autistic children. Michael’s adults had no such planning deficit. Together the papers map a timeline: generativity problems may ease while visuo-motor lag remains.

When you ask a high-functioning client to pick the right card or copy a shape, give them a touch more time. Do not assume slow means inattentive; the visuo-motor lane is simply a bit longer. Target spatial memory games if you want to shore up a clear weak spot, but leave planning and flexibility tasks alone—they are already intact.