Face memory and object recognition in children with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome and in their parents

Abstract

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) have reported to have impairments in face, recognition and face memory, but intact object recognition and object memory. Potential abnormalities, in these fields at the family level of high-functioning children with ASD remains understudied despite, the ever-mounting evidence that ASDs are genetic and highly heritable disorders. Recent studies indicate also that face perception is heritability ability, thus impairments in facial memory may be, inherited from parents with or without ASD symptoms. We studied 45 high-functioning children with, ASD ( M = 11.5 years) and 26 of their parents as well as 70 control community children ( M = 12.4 years), and 73 of their parents. Three subtests of the Developmental Neuropsychological Evaluation (NEPSY), were administered. Results indicate that younger children with ASD (<11.9 years old) had poorer, facial memory than their control counterparts and that the facial memory improves with age in, children with ASD. Adolescents with ASD (>11.9 years) performed better than their community, counterparts in visual object recognition. Parents of children with ASD share weakness in facial, memory ability and strength in visual object recognition with their children. Thus, families with, HFA/AS may benefit interventions of social cognition and attentional strategy.