The Relationship between the Visual-Spatial Perceptions and Face Recognition Skills in Parents of the Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the correlation between the autism symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the visual-spatial perceptions and face recognition skills of the parents of these children. In the study, the parents of 30 children (30 mothers, 30 fathers) diagnosed with intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) and the parents of 30 children (30 mothers, 30 fathers) without any psychiatric disorder, totally 180 people, were assessed in order to compare the data of the parents of 30 children (30 mothers, 30 fathers) diagnosed with ASD. Autism behavior checklist was used to assess the symptoms of the children diagnosed with ASD. Benton's Judgment of Line Orientation Test (BJLO), Benton Facial Recognition Test (BFRT), and symptom checklist were used to assess the parents in three groups. It was found that there was no correlation between the autism symptoms of the children diagnosed with ASD and the visual-spatial perceptions and face recognition skills of their parents. The spatial perception skills of the fathers in the ASD group were higher compared to the mothers in this group (P