The relationship between executive functioning, central coherence, and repetitive behaviors in the high-functioning autism spectrum
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between everyday repetitive behavior (primary symptoms of autism) and performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function and central coherence (secondary symptoms). It was hypothesized that the frequency and intensity of repetitive behavior would be positively correlated with laboratory measures of cognitive rigidity and weak central coherence. Participants included 19 individuals (ages 10—19) with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD group) and 18 age- and IQ-matched typically developing controls (TD group). There was partial support in the ASD group for the link between repetitive behavior and executive performance (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task). There was no support for a link between repetitive behavior and measures of central coherence (a Gestalt Closure test and the Embedded Figures Test). Further research on repetitive behaviors in autism may benefit from a focus on narrow behavioral and cognitive constructs rather than general categories.
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South and colleagues found that WCST performance correlated with the amount of repetitive behavior.
“Also South and colleagues [10] showed that WCST performance correlated with the amount of repetitive behavior (see also Ref. [9]).”
From The paradox of cognitive flexibility in autism (2009) · cites this paper as [10]
Linking performance on current cognitive flexibility measures to actual behavior has been difficult.
“It has proven challenging to link performances on the current cognitive flexibility measures to actual behavior [6–10].”
From The paradox of cognitive flexibility in autism (2009) · cites this paper as [10]
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References 35 · Cited by 260
- Authors
- South, M., Ozonoff, S., & Mcmahon, W. M.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- University of Utah (US)
- Corresponding author
- South, Mikle
- Venue
- Autism
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-09
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 437-451
- ISSN
- 1362-3613 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7005
- OpenAlex
- W2102122077
- Cited by
- 260
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 4.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Autism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- high-functioning autism, repetitive behavior, executive function, central coherence, cognitive rigidity, weak central coherence, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Embedded Figures Test, secondary symptoms
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Attention, Autistic Disorder, Child, Female, Field Dependence-Independence, Humans, Intelligence, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Perceptual Closure, Problem Solving, Psychometrics, Statistics as Topic, Stereotyped Behavior, Reproducibility of Results
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