1. Howard PL, Liversedge SP, Benson V. {{Investigating the Use of World Knowledge During On-line Comprehension in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2017 (Apr 21)
The on-line use of world knowledge during reading was examined in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both ASD and typically developed adults read sentences that included plausible, implausible and anomalous thematic relations, as their eye movements were monitored. No group differences in the speed of detection of the anomalous violations were found, but the ASD group showed a delay in detection of implausible thematic relations. These findings suggest that there are subtle differences in the speed of world knowledge processing during reading in ASD.
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2. Nayar K, Voyles AC, Kiorpes L, Di Martino A. {{Global and local visual processing in autism: An objective assessment approach}}. {Autism Res};2017 (Apr 22)
We examined global and local visual processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) via a match-to-sample task using Kanizsa illusory contours (KIC). School-aged children with ASD (n = 28) and age-matched typically developing controls (n = 22; 7-13 years) performed a sequential match-to-sample between a solid shape (sample) and two illusory alternatives. We tracked eye gaze and behavioral performance in two task conditions: one with and one without local interference from background noise elements. While analyses revealed lower accuracy and longer reaction time in ASD in the condition with local interference only, eye tracking robustly captured ASD-related global atypicalities across both conditions. Specifically, relative to controls, children with ASD showed decreased fixations to KIC centers, indicating reduced global perception. Notably, they did not differ from controls in regard to fixations to local elements or touch response location. These results indicate impaired global perception in the absence of heightened local processing in ASD. They also underscore the utility of eye-tracking measures as objective indices of global/local visual processing strategies in ASD. Autism Res 2017. (c) 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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3. Slattery E, McMahon J, Gallagher S. {{Optimism and benefit finding in parents of children with developmental disabilities: The role of positive reappraisal and social support}}. {Res Dev Disabil};2017 (Apr 19);65:12-22.
BACKGROUND: Researchers have consistently documented the relationship between optimism and benefit finding; however, there is a dearth of research on the psychological mechanisms mediating their association. AIM: This cross-sectional study sought to elucidate the mediating role of positive reappraisal and social support in the optimism-benefit finding relationship in parents caring for children with developmental disabilities by testing a parallel multiple mediation model. METHOD: One hundred and forty-six parents caring for children with developmental disabilities completed an online survey assessing optimism, positive reappraisal, social support and benefit finding. RESULTS: Optimism was not directly related to benefit finding but rather influenced it indirectly through positive reappraisal and social support. Specifically, higher levels of optimism predicted greater positive reappraisal and social support, which in turn led to greater benefit finding in parents. CONCLUSION: These results underscore the importance of targeting parents’ perceptions of benefits through both positive reappraisal and social support in order to help them cope with the demands of the caregiving context.
