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Cited by 283Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentAction Observation and Synchronization

Targets and cues: Gaze-following in children with autism

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Leekam, Susan R., Hunnisett, Emma, Moore, Chris·1998·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
DOI 10.1111/1469-7610.00398
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Abstract

Children with autism are known to have difficulties in sharing attention with others. Yet one joint attention behaviour, the ability to follow another person's head turn and gaze direction, may be achieved without necessarily sharing attention. Why, then, should autistic children have difficulties with it? In this study we examined the extent of this difficulty by testing school-aged autistic children across three different contexts; experiment, observation, and parent interview. We also tested whether the ability to orient to another person's head and gaze could be facilitated by increasing children's attention to environmental targets and social cues. Results for experiment and observation demonstrate that a sizeable proportion of children with autism did not have difficulties with following another's head turn. There was a difference between children with high and low verbal mental ages, however. Whereas children with higher mental ages (over 48 months) were able to orient spontaneously to another person's head turn, children with lower mental ages had difficulties with this response. When cues were added (pointing, language) or when feedback from targets was given, however, their performance improved. Parent interview data indicated that children with autism, whatever their mental age, began to follow head turn and gaze direction years later than typically developing children. Developments in attention and language are proposed as possible factors to account for this developmental delay.

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  • Some subsequent studies have confirmed Leekam et al.'s (1997) result on gaze discrimination in ASD.

    “Some subsequent studies have confirmed this result (Kylläinen & Hietanen, 2004;Leekam, Hunnisett, & Moore, 1998;Warreyn, Roeyers, Oelbandt, & De Groote, 2005).”

    From Vision in autism spectrum disorders (2009) · cites this paper as Leekam et al., 1998

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Authors
Leekam, S. R., Hunnisett, E., & Moore, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Kent (GB)
  • Dalhousie University (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1998-10
Volume
39
Issue
7
Pages
951-962
ISSN
  • 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-7610
DOI
10.1111/1469-7610.00398
OpenAlex
W2141951538
Cited by
283
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 23
FWCI
1.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 1834 d)
Locations
  • Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust
  • Society for Research in Child Development
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
autism spectrum disorder, gaze following, joint attention, social attention, social cues, pointing, developmental delay, language development, attention development, children with autism
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Autistic Disorder, Child, Developmental Disabilities, Child, Preschool, Cues, Female, Fixation, Ocular, Humans, Infant, Intelligence Tests, Interpersonal Relations, Language Development, Male, Orientation, Videotape Recording, Chi-Square Distribution, Head Movements

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