Eye-Tracking Research in Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Are We Measuring and for What Purposes?

Abstract

The introduction of eye-tracking technology has enabled researchers in the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to “look through the eyes” of individuals with ASD. In the article, we review research in the area with a focus on (1) the constructs that have been measured through eye-tracking paradigms, and (2) the application of this technology across different purposes, including addressing basic science questions, facilitating diagnosis, and measuring intervention mechanisms and outcomes. Most eye-tracking research to date has focused on quantifying differences in social attention between samples with ASD and typical development. Other social constructs such as goal prediction, theory of mind, and joint attention have also been investigated, but to a lesser degree. Similarly, cognitive constructs in non-social domains, such as working memory, visual search, attentional disengagement, and habituation have been investigated through eye-tracking paradigms, but less frequently than social attention. A modest but growing body of literature is focusing on the usefulness of eye-tracking to identify ASD diagnostic markers and measure intervention outcomes, with promising yet inconclusive results. Eye-tracking technology is a feasible measurement tool to capture a range of psychological constructs and can be used for a range of purposes relevant to both research and practice. However, the potential of eye-tracking for capturing processes other than social attention and its relevance to diagnosis and intervention is still to be fully explored.