Cited by 221Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchFace Recognition and PerceptionChild and Animal Learning Development

Speech Disturbs Face Scanning in 6-Month-Old Infants Who Develop Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Shic, Frederick, Macari, Suzanne, Chawarska, Katarzyna·2014·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background From birth, infants show a preference for the faces, gaze, and voices of others. In individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) these biases seem to be disturbed. The source of these disturbances is not well-understood, but recent efforts have shown that the spontaneous deployment of attention to social targets might be atypical as early as 6 months of age. The nature of this atypical behavior and the conditions under which it arises are currently unknown.Methods We used eye-tracking to examine the gaze patterns of 6-month-old infants (n = 99) at high risk (n = 57) and low risk (n = 42) for developing ASD as they viewed faces that were: 1) still; 2) moving and expressing positive affect; or 3) speaking. Clinical outcomes were determined through a comprehensive assessment at the age of 3 years. The scanning patterns of infants later diagnosed with ASD were compared with infants without an ASD outcome.Results Infants who later developed ASD spent less time looking at the presented scenes in general than other infants. When these infants looked at faces, their looking toward the inner features of faces decreased compared with the other groups only when the presented face was speaking.Conclusions Our study suggests that infants later diagnosed with ASD have difficulties regulating attention to complex social scenes. It also suggests that the presence of speech might uniquely disturb the attention of infants who later develop ASD at a critical developmental point when other infants are acquiring language and learning about their social world.

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Authors
Shic, F., Macari, S., & Chawarska, K.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Shic, Frederick
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-02
Volume
75
Issue
3
Pages
231-237
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2018818357
Cited by
221
References
98
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 1
FWCI
7.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R03MH092618, R01MH087554, P50MH081756, R03MH086732)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR024139)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P01HD003008)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, facial scanning, speech perception, social attention, high-risk infants, facial expressions, social development (developmental psychology), eye tracking
MeSH terms
Developmental Disabilities, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Child, Preschool, Eye Movements, Face, Female, Humans, Infant, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Photic Stimulation, Speech, Visual Perception

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