Attention and Word Learning Study

Word learning involves attention to both auditory and visual information. To recognize, for example, that the word "ball" maps onto the round object you are looking at, children must listen for the word and watch for the visual cues about what you are referring to. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show marked differences in the way they look at social scenes. These differences may cause them to miss valuable word learning cues. In support of this possibility, children with ASD tend to have significant language impairments. In a preliminary investigation of attention and word learning, we used eye tracking to study how verbal and nonverbal autistic children look at word-learning scenes. Children watched videos of a woman labeling one of two objects in front of her ("Look it's a dax!"). The child's pattern of fixation during this familiarization was then used to predict their ability to recognize the correct target at test ("Look at the dax."). We found that children who looked at the speaker's face and the object were most successful at learning the new word. In the current studies, we are exploring how we can help children focus their attention on the areas of the scene that are most relevant for language learning to improve their opportunities for success. We hope to use our results to inform interventions for children with autism and children with language delays. Primary Investigators: Elena Tenenbaum PhD, Stephen Sheinkopf PhD, Dima Amso PhD. 

Internet use Habits in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)

ASDs and child and adolescent Internet behavior are two subjects of considerable concern in the public health domain. How exactly children and adolescents with ASD interact with the Internet medium however has been the subject of relatively little research. This study sought to identify how (gaming, social media, chat rooms, etc.) and why (social contact, find information, etc.) children and adolescents with ASD are using the Internet, as well as the degree to which parents are aware of their Internet use.  Primary Investigators: Todd Levine MD.

Physiologic Reactivity to Social Stimuli in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders ASDs

The focus of this research is how psychophysiological markers of arousal measured in children and adults with ASDs differ or are similar to those without ASDs.  These markers include those related to the “fight or flight” response (sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems) as well as stress hormones (cortisol).  Our goal is to understand how those with ASDs may react differently based on having some difficulties related to their social and non-social environments. Primary Investigators:  Todd Levine MD, Stephen Sheinkopf PhD.