What and Why understanding in autism spectrum disorders and williams syndrome: Similarities and differences

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children with Williams syndrome (WS) show divergent social phenotypes, but also several similarities in their socio-cognitive deficits. Cross-syndrome direct comparisons could lead to a better understanding of mechanisms that determine deficits in social cognition in the two syndromes. A fundamental factor for social cognition is the ability to understand and predict others' actions (e.g. what action is being done and why it is being done when observing a goal-related act). Here we compared the understanding of others' actions in children with ASD, WS and in children with typical development. Comprehension of what motor act was being done and of why it was being done was assessed with or without contextual cueing using a computer-based task. The results showed that what understanding was impaired in the WS group, but not in the ASD group, which showed mental-age appropriate performance. Why understanding was impaired in both experimental groups. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Publication type: 
Articolo
Author or Creator: 
Sparaci, Laura
Stefanini, Silvia
D'Elia, Lidia
Vicari, Stefano
Rizzolatti, Giacomo
Publisher: 
Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Hoboken, NJ , Stati Uniti d'America
Source: 
Autism research 7 (2014): 421–432. doi:10.1002/aur.1370
info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Sparaci, Laura; Stefanini, Silvia; D'Elia, Lidia; Vicari, Stefano; Rizzolatti, Giacomo/titolo:What and Why understanding in autism spectrum disorders and williams syndrome: Similarities and differences/doi:10.1002/aur.1370/rivis
Date: 
2014
Resource Identifier: 
http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/317345
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.1370
info:doi:10.1002/aur.1370
http://www.scopus.com/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-84905916597&origin=inward
Language: 
Eng
ISTC Author: 
Laura Sparaci's picture
Real name: