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Abstract
Using eye-tracking technology we investigated visual scanning and pupillary responses to face and non-face stimuli in nine children (M = 49.6 months) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to six mental-age and nine chronological-age matched children. The results revealed a significant decrease in visual scanning to landscapes. In addition, the ASD group showed pupillary constriction to children's faces, while control groups showed pupillary dilation. Visual scanning responses to landscapes had a negative correlation with the Behavior subscale of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic for the ASD group. Potential use of these measures as early indicators of ASD is discussed.
We are obliged to the children and their parents in Kansas and Missouri who participated in this study. We are also wish to thank our undergraduate assistants for help in data collection and coding.
Notes
1One exception to this was a child with PDD-NOS who had comorbid seizure disorder but who was medication-free only 24 hours prior to the visual test because the medication was prescribed to prevent the occurrence of seizures.
2All tests were corrected for ties among ranks if present.
3Type I errors were controlled for using the Holm's Sequential Bonferroni method for all follow-up comparisons.
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