Cognitive and Behavioral Characteristics of Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism

Download or read book Cognitive and Behavioral Characteristics of Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism written by Tak-Yan Tam and published by . This book was released on 2017-01-26 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation, "Cognitive and Behavioral Characteristics of Adolescents With High-functioning Autism" by Tak-yan, Tam, 譚得恩, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Relationship between executive functions (EF) and symptomatology of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) were examined. EF of 33 students with high-functioning autism (HFA) and 25 typically development (TD) students were compared. The parent-rated adolescent version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) was administered. The ASD group displayed an EF profile of intact verbal working memory, impaired nonverbal working memory and nonverbal generativity. Additionally, they showed a tendency of weakness among the mental flexibility, planning, verbal generativity, and inhibition domains. Findings supported AQ as an useful screening tool for ASD. Certain significant relationships were illustrated: weak nonverbal working memory to a lack of imagination; weak nonverbal generativity to weak communication skills and weak imagination but to more attention switching and less manifestation of attention to details; lastly, weak verbal generativity to less attention to details. Explanations were suggested and limitations were discussed. DOI: 10.5353/th_b5156813 Subjects: Autism in adolescence