A Comparative Study of Driving Performance Among Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurotypical Adolescents

A Comparative Study of Driving Performance Among Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurotypical Adolescents

The primary objective of this study is to compare the number of driving errors made by novice adolescents (0-5 hours of driving instruction) with ASD to those made by neurotypical adolescents during a standardized driving simulator assessment. The secondary objectives of the study are to:

• Compare the visual strategies used by adolescents with ASD to those of neurotypical adolescents during a driving assessment on a simulator.
• Compare the types of errors and driving performance (i.e., speed, reaction time, following distance, and braking distance) of adolescents with ASD to those of neurotypical adolescents during the driving simulator assessment.
• Compare the driving performance of these two groups during a real-world road assessment using the TRIP scale.
• Examine the consistency between driving performance measured in the simulator and that observed in real-world conditions for both groups.
• Compare the anxiety levels of these two groups during driving tests on the simulator and on the road.

Inclusion Criteria:

ASD Group

• Adolescents aged 15 to 17,
• With a confirmed diagnosis of ASD by a physician,
• Without an intellectual disability, with a Fluid Reasoning Index (IRF) greater than 80,
• Who have passed the written driver's license exam,
• With no or very limited driving experience (<5 hours),
• Enrolled in the social security system.

Neurotypical group:

• Adolescents aged 15 to 17,
• Without a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders or learning disabilities,
• With a standard educational background,
• Who have passed the written driver's license exam,
• With no or very limited driving experience (<5 hours),
• Enrolled in the social security system.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and/or ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) and/or IDD (intellectual disability) and/or SLI (specific language impairment) with associated comprehension difficulties,
• Adolescents who already have a driver's license,
• Adolescents currently taking driving lessons and/or with more than 5 hours of driving experience,
• Adolescents who have suffered a head injury during childhood,
• Other serious medical conditions that may interfere with participation in the sessions,
• Participation in another research protocol.