Hurlston, Rosie; (1997) Cognitive profiles in Asperger's disorder and autism. Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The profiles of 16 children with autism and 23 children with Asperger's disorder were compared on the Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), a standardised instrument used to measure general intelligence. Children's diagnoses were assigned in accordance with DSM-IV criteria for Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Significant differences in absolute terms were seen between the two groups. Subjects with Asperger's disorder had significantly higher Mental Processing Composite Scores (considered the best measure of overall intelligence provided by the K-ABC). The groups profiles were compared using chi-square, anovas of deviation from mean subtest scores and repeated measures anova to examine differences in the relative strengths and weaknesses characteristic of each group. A number of findings pointed to possible qualitative differences between the two groups. Asperger's disorder showed a preference for sequential over simultaneous processing, and the possibility that a field dependent cognitive style impaired performance on a group of three subtests. In contrast, a less pervasive preference in the opposite direction was seen for autism (simultaneous over sequential), and no impairment was seen on the three subtests, supporting the notion that individuals with autism may have field independent styles or weak central coherence. A subsidiary study of nine subjects with Asperger's disorder and eleven subjects with autism examined performance on theory of mind, executive function and central coherence measures, and placed the individuals in subgroups according to social type. Conclusions from this part of the study were severely limited by sampling problems.

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