Symmetric bimanual coordination discrepancy and activities of daily living in individuals with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Impairments in bimanual coordination are commonly observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Bimanual coordination is essential for the performance of activities of daily living (ADLs). However, it remains unclear whether bimanual coordination impairment is associated with performing ADLs in adults with ASD. This study examined the relationship between bimanual tasks and subjective ADL difficulty in adults with ASD. Nineteen adults with ASD (41.95 ± 10.89) and 20 aged-matched (41.70 ± 11.07) controls completed a bimanual thumb–index finger opposition task and a questionnaire on subjective difficulty in ADL performance, which was evaluated using a visual analogue scale. The bimanual thumb–index finger opposition task was evaluated using a motion capture system, which quantified the coefficient of variation (COV) between bilateral finger movements. The subjective ADL difficulty scores were significantly higher in adults with ASD than in controls (p = 0.003). The COV in adults with ASD was also higher than in controls (p = 0.025). A moderate correlation was found between bimanual task COVs and subjective ADL difficulty scores in adults with ASD (r = 0.56, p = 0.013). Thus, a discrepancy in bimanual coordination may increase the effort required to perform ADLs in adults with ASD.