Joint Attention Processing in Social Threat Scenarios

The Proactive and Joint Attention Processing Characteristics of Children With Autism Induced by Social Threat Scenarios

This study set up two experiments using the free viewing video paradigm. By setting up social threat scenarios induced by humans (Experiment 1) and non social threat scenarios induced by objects (Experiment 2), combined with eye tracking and fNIRS technology, we explored the eye movement patterns and related brain activation characteristics of IJA in children with ASD.

Inclusion Criteria:

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For ASD group:

1. 3 years ≤ age ≤ 10 years;
2. a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder based on clinical symptoms, confirmed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and other auxiliary diagnostic scales, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS);
3. further confirmation of ASD symptoms by experimenters with established research reliability using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2), with severity scores reported;
4. absence of comorbid physical diseases or other psychiatric disorders, including normal vision (or corrected-to-normal vision) and normal hearing;
5. no receipt of medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) within the past three months.

For TD group:The inclusion criterion for the TD group was a score below the cutoff on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS).

Exclusion Criteria:

-

For ASD group:

1. age < 3 years or > 10 years;
2. absence of a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and other auxiliary diagnostic scales, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS);
3. failure to meet diagnostic criteria after confirmation of ASD symptoms by experimenters with established research reliability using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2);
4. presence of comorbid physical diseases or other psychiatric disorders, or problems with vision (or corrected-to-normal vision) and hearing;
5. receipt of medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) within the past three months.

For TD group:

children were excluded if their scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) exceeded the cutoff.