Processing of musical structure by high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Enhanced pitch perception and memory have been cited as evidence of a local processing bias in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This bias is argued to account for enhanced perceptual functioning (Mottron & Burack, 2001; Mottron, Dawson, Soulières, Hubert, & Burack, 2006) and central coherence theories of ASD (Frith, 1989; Happé & Frith, 2006). A local processing bias confers a different cognitive style to individuals with ASD (Happé, 1999), which accounts in part for their good visuospatial and visuoconstructive skills. Here, we present analogues in the auditory domain, audiotemporal or audioconstructive processing, which we assess using a novel experimental task: a musical puzzle. This task evaluates the ability of individuals with ASD to process temporal sequences of musical events as well as various elements of musical structure and thus indexes their ability to employ a global processing style. Musical structures created and replicated by children and adolescents with ASD (10–19 years old) and typically developing children and adolescents (7–17 years old) were found to be similar in global coherence. Presenting a musical template for reference increased accuracy equally for both groups, with performance associated to performance IQ and short-term auditory memory. The overall pattern of performance was similar for both groups; some puzzles were easier than others and this was the case for both groups. Task performance was further found to be correlated with the ability to perceive musical emotions, more so for typically developing participants. Findings are discussed in light of the empathizing-systemizing theory of ASD (Baron-Cohen, 2009) and the importance of describing the strengths of individuals with ASD (Happé, 1999; Heaton, 2009).

Keywords:

• Perception of structure
• Musical structure
• Music cognition
• Global processing
• Autism spectrum disorders

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the participants and their families; the English Montreal School Board, Summit School, Montreal Children's Hospital; Pamela Heaton and Theodoro Koulis for advice; Annie Coulter, Shirley Elliott, and Bianca Levy for help with testing and recruiting participants; Bennett Smith and Karle-Philip Zamor for technical assistance; Brooke Abercrombie, founder and President of Neurosmith, Inc., for the generous donation of the MusicBlocks used in this study; Brooke Abercrombie, John Sosoka, and Tim Lighbody of Neurosmith for technical assistance.

This article was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD in Psychology by the first author. The research was supported in part by a doctoral grant to EMQ by FQRSC and the Canadian Autism Research Training Program (funded by CIHR) and by research grants to DJL from NAAR (now Autism Speaks), NSERC, Google, and John and Ethelene Gareau. EF has been an expert witness for vaccine manufacturers and for the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Social Services in U.S. Thimerosal litigation. None of his research has ever been funded by the industry.

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