Brain Activity in College Students with the Broad Autism Phenotype

<p>Abstract</p> <p>This study examined brain activity in college students with the broad autism phenotype (BAP) while viewing facial expressions. Quantitative Electroencephalogram assessments were conducted in the temporal lobe area in the brains of 38 college students declared as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors. Participants were divided into BAP+ versus BAP- groups based on their scores on the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ). Findings revealed that individuals categorized as BAP+ demonstrated a higher alpha relative power score and a higher T4 relative to T3 coherence Z score when looking at expressive faces than when looking at neutral faces when compared to the BAP- individuals. Also, participants classified as BAP+ had significantly lower social adjustment than those classified as BAP-. Findings discuss the possibility of using QEEG BAP+ brain markers as an objective measure of social impairments in at-risk college students.</p> <p><em>Keywords: Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Electroencephalography (EEG), alpha activity, face processing</em></p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy - School Psychology

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Human Services

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Beaver, Amy Gaylord

Contributors dc:contributor

• Luis Aguerrevere, Ph.D.
• Jillian Dawes, Ph.D.
• Nina Ellis-Hervey, Ph.D.

• Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• alpha activity
• face processing
• School Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/223

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1239