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Cited by 91Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentAction Observation and Synchronization

Theory of Mind and Executive Control Deficits in Typically Developing Adults and Adolescents with High Levels of Autism Traits

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Gökçen, Elif, Frederickson, Norah, Petrides, K. V.·2016·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOI 10.1007/s10803-016-2735-3PMC PMC4860196
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Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterised by profound difficulties in empathic processing and executive control. Whilst the links between these processes have been frequently investigated in populations with autism, few studies have examined them at the subclinical level. In addition, the contribution of alexithymia, a trait characterised by impaired interoceptive awareness and empathy, and elevated in those with ASD, is currently unclear. The present two-part study employed a comprehensive battery of tasks to examine these processes. Findings support the notion that executive function and theory of mind are related abilities. They also suggest that individuals with elevated levels of autism-like traits experience a partially similar pattern of social and executive function difficulties to those diagnosed with ASD, and that these impairments are not explained by co-occurring alexithymia.

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  • Gökçen et al. (2016) demonstrated that although higher TAS-20 scores in a nonclinical sample were correlated with poorer performance on the MASC, alexithymia did not predict ToM performance once autistic traits were controlled for.

    “A recent paper (Gökçen, Frederickson, & Petrides, 2016) demonstrated that although higher TAS–20 scores in a nonclinical sample were correlated with poorer performance on the MASC, alexithymia did not predict ToM performance once autistic traits were controlled for, a finding that is in line with our current results.”

    From ‘Theory of Mind’ is not Theory of Emotion: a cautionary note on the reading the Mind in the Eyes test (2016) · cites this paper as Gökçen, Frederickson, & Petrides, 2016

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References 109 · Cited by 91

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Authors
Gökçen, E., Frederickson, N., & Petrides, K. V.
Affiliations
University College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Gökçen, Elif
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-02-17
Volume
46
Issue
6
Pages
2072-2087
ISSN
  • 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3432
DOI
10.1007/s10803-016-2735-3
PMC
PMC4860196
OpenAlex
W2278018953
Cited by
91
References
109
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1
FWCI
5.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
Keywords
theory of mind, executive function, autistic traits, alexithymia, empathy, social cognition, interoceptive awareness, adolescents, adults
MeSH terms
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adolescent, Adult, Affective Symptoms, Awareness, Empathy, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reference Values, Comorbidity, Young Adult, Executive Function, Theory of Mind

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