Autism Interest Intensity in Early Childhood Associates with Executive Functioning but Not Reward Sensitivity or Anxiety Symptoms

Autor/inn/en	Godfrey, Kate J.; Espenhahn, Svenja; Stokoe, Mehak; McMorris, Carly; Murias, Kara; McCrimmon, Adam; Harris, Ashley D.; Bray, Signe
Titel	Autism Interest Intensity in Early Childhood Associates with Executive Functioning but Not Reward Sensitivity or Anxiety Symptoms
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 26 (2022) 7, S.1723-1736 (14 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Godfrey, Kate J.) ORCID (McMorris, Carly) ORCID (McCrimmon, Adam)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/13623613211064372
Schlagwörter	Autism Spectrum Disorders; Young Children; Attention; Inhibition; Self Control; Responses; Rewards; Anxiety; Correlation; Parent Attitudes; Interests; Severity (of Disability); Executive Function; Child Behavior; Foreign Countries; Canada; Social Responsiveness Scale; Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; Behavior Assessment System for Children + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Autism; Autismus; Frühe Kindheit; Aufmerksamkeit; Hemmung; Selbstbeherrschung; Reward; Belohnung; Angst; Korrelation; Elternverhalten; Bildungsinteresse; Schweregrad; Ausland; Kanada
Abstract	Several theories have been proposed to explain the presentation of intense interests in autism, including theories based on altered executive functioning, imbalanced reward sensitivity, and mitigating anxiety. These theories have yet to be examined in early childhood, yet knowledge of how intense interests emerge could provide insight into how best to manage intensity and support the many benefits of personal interests. Parents of 33 autistic and 42 non-autistic comparison children aged 3-6 years completed questionnaires to assess attention shifting and inhibitory control, responsiveness to rewards, and anxiety symptoms. Each behavior domain was examined for associations with parent-reported interest intensity. In autistic and comparison children, attention shifting was associated with interest intensity, where children with more difficulties showed more intense interests. In autistic children only, inhibitory control of attention also associated with interest intensity, where children with greater difficulties showed more intense interests. Reward and anxiety symptoms did not associate with interest intensity in either group, or across the sample. These findings suggest that, in early childhood, the presentation of intense interests is related to executive functioning regardless of diagnostic group. Helping children develop executive functioning skills may therefore be useful to assist with managing interest intensity in early childhood. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01