Delalyed responses in autistic children

This study investigated delayed responses in autistic children, Down Syndrome children, and retarded children of similar chronological age. The experimental group was comprised of 6 autistic children (5 boys & 1 girl). Four of these children were residents of a hospital school. The other two were outpatients. There were 2 control groups. Four Down Syndrome children (2 boys & 2 girls) made up the first group and the other group was comprised of 6 children (3 boys & 3 girls) who were retarded but who fell under no particular classification. The control subjects attended a school for the trainable and the educable. In Experiment 1 the autistic children were subjected to a task in which the sample and choice stimuli were simultaneously presented. This task was repeated with a delay interval of 3 seconds. The control subjects were tested in the same manner but a 6 sec. delay interval was also included. Experiment 2 had only two subjects (the higher functioning autistic children). The experiment looked at responses to a simultaneous and a 0 sec. presentation of the sample and choice stimuli and at a 3 sec., a 9 sec.,and a 15 sec. delay presentation of the choice stimuli. In Experiment 1, the subjects in the three groups were successful in tasks that involved a delay interval. This success was a function of the number of choice stimuli available rather than the length of the delay interval. The subjects did slightly better in the situation in which a fewer number of alternatives were presented as choice stimuli than they did when a greater number of choices were presented. Verification for perseveration indicated that only one subject (an autistic) did perseverate. A reliable trials effect was found as expected. In Experiment 2, the autistics performed less efficiently with the 9 and 15 sec. delay intervals as compared to delay intervals up to 3 seconds. Although it was found that autistic children performed rather efficiently with a task involving a delay of up to 3 seconds, the number of choice stimuli available predominated as the influencial variable rather than the delay interval. The effect of perseveration, expected with autistic children, was not found.

Name thesis:degree_name

Maîtrise ès arts (psychologie)

Level thesis:degree_level

2e cycle

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Faculté des sciences sociales (1980-2001)

Grantor dc:publisher

Université de Moncton

Year dc:date.issued

1980

Author dc:creator

• Lower, Nancy K.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• O'Neill, Ward

• Enfants autistiques
• Recherche

Statement dc:rights

• Author

Language dc:language.iso

iso639-2b, eng

Identifier

oclc: 726443563

Dc Identifier Other

umir:950

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:umoncton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14658/7027