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Lee JP, Chang YH, Tseng YL, Chou TL, Chien YL. Pupillary response during social emotion tasks in autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2024. [PMID: 39096024 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Autistic individuals encounter challenges in recognizing emotional expressions of others. Pupillary response has been proposed as an indicator of arousal dysregulation or cognitive load. The pupillary response of autistic individuals during socio-affective tasks remains unclear. This study investigated pupillary response in autistic adults when viewing emotional faces/eyes and recognizing emotions during the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) and watching interpersonal touch scenes in the social touch task. The study included 98 participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 37 typically developing controls (TD). Pupil size was measured using the Tobii X2-30 Eye Tracker. The results showed that autistic adults had larger maximal pupil sizes, smaller minimal pupil sizes, and greater change rates of pupil size, particularly during the RMET Eyes task. Clinical correlations revealed that attention switching difficulty positively correlated with mean pupil size in TD participants, while social communication deficits positively correlated with mean pupil size in autistic participants. In conclusion, our findings suggest atypical pupillary responses in autistic adults during socio-affective tasks, indicating heightened cognitive demand. Further investigation is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms and their association with autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juei-Po Lee
- Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Chang
- College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Li Tseng
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Li Chou
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ling Chien
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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Taore A, Tiang M, Dakin SC. (The limits of) eye-tracking with iPads. J Vis 2024; 24:1. [PMID: 38953861 PMCID: PMC11223623 DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.7.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Applications for eye-tracking-particularly in the clinic-are limited by a reliance on dedicated hardware. Here we compare eye-tracking implemented on an Apple iPad Pro 11" (third generation)-using the device's infrared head-tracking and front-facing camera-with a Tobii 4c infrared eye-tracker. We estimated gaze location using both systems while 28 observers performed a variety of tasks. For estimating fixation, gaze position estimates from the iPad were less accurate and precise than the Tobii (mean absolute error of 3.2° ± 2.0° compared with 0.75° ± 0.43°), but fixation stability estimates were correlated across devices (r = 0.44, p < 0.05). For tasks eliciting saccades >1.5°, estimated saccade counts (r = 0.4-0.73, all p < 0.05) were moderately correlated across devices. For tasks eliciting saccades >8° we observed moderate correlations in estimated saccade speed and amplitude (r = 0.4-0.53, all p < 0.05). We did, however, note considerable variation in the vertical component of estimated smooth pursuit speed from the iPad and a catastrophic failure of tracking on the iPad in 5% to 20% of observers (depending on the test). Our findings sound a note of caution to researchers seeking to use iPads for eye-tracking and emphasize the need to properly examine their eye-tracking data to remove artifacts and outliers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryaman Taore
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Michelle Tiang
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Steven C Dakin
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Hou W, Zhao W, Li J. Intact gesture cueing of attention but attenuated sensitivity to peripheral social targets in autistic children: An eye-tracking and pupillometric study. Biol Psychol 2024; 191:108822. [PMID: 38821466 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2024.108822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered automatic attention cueing has been reported in autistic children. Yet less is known about how autistic children would respond when the social cue that directs attention occurs in an implied social interaction. METHODS By using eye-tracking, the current study examined orienting responses to a socially-relevant target or a nonsocial target cued by a goal-directed social gesture in autistic children. Saccadic reaction time and pupillary responses were employed to measure gaze behavior and physiological arousal of autistic children. RESULTS Both groups of children showed reflexive orienting to the target regardless of its sociality, whereas typically developing (TD) children exhibited faster gaze shift than autistic children when the target was a social stimulus. An increased pupil dilation was observed in autistic children in response to stimuli relative to TD children. Further, autistic children showed larger baseline pupil response. CONCLUSIONS Autistic children show attenuated sensitivity to social targets and atypical pupil responses, which may be due to the dysfunction of locus coeruleus (LC) - norepinephrine (NE) system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Hou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Child Language Lab, School of Foreign Languages, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenlu Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Kochhar P, Arora I, Bellato A, Ropar D, Hollis C, Groom M(MJ. A comparison of visual attention to pictures in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule in children and adolescents with ADHD and/or autism. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1378593. [PMID: 38742132 PMCID: PMC11089217 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1378593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions which frequently co-occur. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is commonly used to aid with diagnostic assessment of ASD but was not originally designed for use in those with comorbid ADHD. Visual attention to social stimuli has been often studied in ASD using eye-tracking, to obtain quantitative indices of how attention is deployed to different parts of a social image/scene. As the ADOS includes tasks that rely on attending to and processing images of social scenes, these measures of visual attention could provide useful additional objective measurement alongside ADOS scores to enhance the characterisation of autistic symptoms in those with ADHD. Methods Children with ASD, comorbid ASD and ADHD, ADHD and Neurotypical (NT) controls were recruited (n=84). Visual attention was measured using eye-tracking during free viewing of social scenes selected from the ADOS. The full ADOS was then administered. Stimulant medication was temporarily withdrawn during this assessment. Research diagnoses were based on the Development and Wellbeing Assessment (DAWBA), ADOS, Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ, a measure of ASD severity) and Conners' Rating Scales (CRS-3, a measure of ADHD severity) following clinical consensus. Results Using factorial ANOVAs to model ADHD, Autism and their interaction, we found that fixation duration to faces was reduced in those with ASD (ASD and ASD+ADHD) compared to those without ASD (ADHD and NT). Reduced visual attention to faces in the whole sample was associated with Autism symptom severity (SCQ subscale scores) but not ADHD symptom severity (CRS-3 scores). Discussion Our findings provide preliminary evidence in support of implementing visual attention measurement during assessment of ASD in the context of comorbidity with ADHD. For example, if a child with ADHD was found to reduce attention to faces in ADOS pictures this may suggest additive difficulties on the autism spectrum. Replication across a larger sample would be informative. This work has future potential in the clinic to help with complex cases, including those with co-occurring ADHD and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja Kochhar
- Neurodevelopmental Specialist Service, Nottinghamshire Healthcare National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Iti Arora
- Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessio Bellato
- Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle Ropar
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Hollis
- Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) MindTech Medtech Co-operative, Institute of Mental Health, UK NIHR, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Madeleine (Maddie) J. Groom
- Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) MindTech Medtech Co-operative, Institute of Mental Health, UK NIHR, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Vinçon-Leite A, Saitovitch A, Lemaître H, Rechtman E, Boisgontier J, Fillon L, Philippe A, Rio M, Desguerre I, Fabre A, Aljabali K, Boddaert N, Zilbovicius M. Identifying interindividual variability of social perception and associated brain anatomical correlations in children with autism spectrum disorder using eye-tracking and diffusion tensor imaging MRI (DTI-MRI). Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad434. [PMID: 38037470 PMCID: PMC10793563 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though deficits in social cognition constitute a core characteristic of autism spectrum disorders, a large heterogeneity exists regarding individual social performances and its neural basis remains poorly investigated. Here, we used eye-tracking to objectively measure interindividual variability in social perception and its correlation with white matter microstructure, measured with diffusion tensor imaging MRI, in 25 children with autism spectrum disorder (8.5 ± 3.8 years). Beyond confirming deficits in social perception in participants with autism spectrum disorder compared 24 typically developing controls (10.5 ± 2.9 years), results revealed a large interindividual variability of such behavior among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Whole-brain analysis showed in both autism spectrum disorder and typically developing groups a positive correlation between number of fixations to the eyes and fractional anisotropy values mainly in right and left superior longitudinal tracts. In children with autism spectrum disorder a correlation was also observed in right and left inferior longitudinal tracts. Importantly, a significant interaction between group and number of fixations to the eyes was observed within the anterior portion of the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus, mainly in the right anterior temporal region. This additional correlation in a supplementary region suggests the existence of a compensatory brain mechanism, which may support enhanced performance in social perception among children with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Vinçon-Leite
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
- Department for Autism, SATORI, Henri Guérin Hospital, Pierrefeu du Var 83390, France
| | - Ana Saitovitch
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Herve Lemaître
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS UMR 5293, Université de bordeaux, Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bordeaux, France
| | - Elza Rechtman
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medecine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Jennifer Boisgontier
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Ludovic Fillon
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Anne Philippe
- Developmental Brain Disorders Laboratory, Imagine Institute, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marlène Rio
- Service de Médecine Génomique des Maladies Rares, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, APHP-Centre, Paris, France. Laboratoire de génétique des troubles du neurodéveloppement, Institut Imagine, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Desguerre
- Paediatric Neurology Department, Necker-Enfants malades University Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris Cité University, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Fabre
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Khawla Aljabali
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Boddaert
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Monica Zilbovicius
- Institut Imagine, UMR 1163, INSERM U1299, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
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de Oliveira Ferreira E, Pessoa Gomes JM, Neves KRT, Lima FAV, de Barros Viana GS, de Andrade GM. Maternal treatment with aripiprazole prevents the development of a valproic acid-induced autism-like phenotype in juvenile male mice. Behav Pharmacol 2023; 34:154-168. [PMID: 36853856 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describes a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by deficits in social communication and repetitive behaviors. Aripiprazole (APZ) is an atypical antipsychotic that can safeguard mice against autism-like behavior induced by valproic acid (VPA). In the present study, we examined the effects of maternal treatment with APZ (10 mg/kg) in juvenile mice prenatally exposed to VPA on neurodevelopmental behaviors, social interactions, communication, and working memory, as well as synaptophysin (SYP), synaptosomal-associated protein, 25 kDa (SNAP-25) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and cell viability in the hippocampus. In addition, to evaluate possible APZ interference with the anticonvulsant properties of VPA on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures were evaluated. Maternal treatment with APZ significantly prevented body weight loss, self-righting, eye-opening, social interactions, social communication, and working memory deficits in mice prenatally exposed to VPA. Additionally, the decrease in the SYP, SNAP-25, and MAP-2 expressions in the mPFC and cell death in the hippocampus was prevented by APZ. Furthermore, APZ (10 mg/kg) did not interfere with the anticonvulsant effect of VPA (15 mg/kg) in animals with PTZ-induced seizures. These findings indicate that maternal treatment with APZ in pregnant mice exposed to VPA protects animals against the ASD-like behavioral phenotype, and this effect may be related, at least in part, to synaptic plasticity and neuronal protection in the PFC and hippocampus. APZ may serve as an effective pharmacological therapeutic target against autistic behaviors in the VPA animal model of ASD, which should be further investigated to verify its clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Glauce Socorro de Barros Viana
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
- Center for Research and Drug Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Geanne Matos de Andrade
- Department of Clinical Medicine
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
- Center for Research and Drug Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
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Bast N, Mason L, Ecker C, Baumeister S, Banaschewski T, Jones EJH, Murphy DGM, Buitelaar JK, Loth E, Pandina G, Freitag CM, Auyeung B, Banaschewski T, Baron-Cohen S, Bast N, Baumeister S, Beckmann CF, Bölte S, Bourgeron T, Bours C, Brammer M, Brandeis D, Brogna C, de Bruijn Y, Buitelaar JK, Chakrabarti B, Charman T, Cornelissen I, Crawley D, Dell’Acqua F, Dumas G, Durston S, Ecker C, Faulkner J, Frouin V, Garcés P, Goyard D, Ham L, Hayward H, Hipp J, Holt R, Johnson M, Jones EJH, Kundu P, Lai MC, D’ardhuy XL, Lombardo MV, Loth E, Lythgoe DJ, Mandl R, Marquand A, Mason L, Mennes M, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Moessnang C, Murphy DGM, Oakley B, O’Dwyer L, Oldehinkel M, Oranje B, Pandina G, Persico AM, Ruggeri B, Ruigrok A, Sabet J, Sacco R, Cáceres ASJ, Simonoff E, Spooren W, Tillmann J, Toro R, Tost H, Waldman J, Williams SCR, Wooldridge C, Zwiers MP, Freitag CM. Sensory salience processing moderates attenuated gazes on faces in autism spectrum disorder: a case-control study. Mol Autism 2023; 14:5. [PMID: 36759875 PMCID: PMC9912590 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-023-00537-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attenuated social attention is a key marker of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent neuroimaging findings also emphasize an altered processing of sensory salience in ASD. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system (LC-NE) has been established as a modulator of this sensory salience processing (SSP). We tested the hypothesis that altered LC-NE functioning contributes to different SSP and results in diverging social attention in ASD. METHODS We analyzed the baseline eye-tracking data of the EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) for subgroups of autistic participants (n = 166, age = 6-30 years, IQ = 61-138, gender [female/male] = 41/125) or neurotypical development (TD; n = 166, age = 6-30 years, IQ = 63-138, gender [female/male] = 49/117) that were matched for demographic variables and data quality. Participants watched brief movie scenes (k = 85) depicting humans in social situations (human) or without humans (non-human). SSP was estimated by gazes on physical and motion salience and a corresponding pupillary response that indexes phasic activity of the LC-NE. Social attention is estimated by gazes on faces via manual areas of interest definition. SSP is compared between groups and related to social attention by linear mixed models that consider temporal dynamics within scenes. Models are controlled for comorbid psychopathology, gaze behavior, and luminance. RESULTS We found no group differences in gazes on salience, whereas pupillary responses were associated with altered gazes on physical and motion salience. In ASD compared to TD, we observed pupillary responses that were higher for non-human scenes and lower for human scenes. In ASD, we observed lower gazes on faces across the duration of the scenes. Crucially, this different social attention was influenced by gazes on physical salience and moderated by pupillary responses. LIMITATIONS The naturalistic study design precluded experimental manipulations and stimulus control, while effect sizes were small to moderate. Covariate effects of age and IQ indicate that the findings differ between age and developmental subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Pupillary responses as a proxy of LC-NE phasic activity during visual attention are suggested to modulate sensory salience processing and contribute to attenuated social attention in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60528, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.
| | - Luke Mason
- grid.4464.20000 0001 2161 2573Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London, UK
| | - Christine Ecker
- grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60528 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Sarah Baumeister
- grid.7700.00000 0001 2190 4373Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- grid.7700.00000 0001 2190 4373Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Emily J. H. Jones
- grid.4464.20000 0001 2161 2573Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London, UK
| | - Declan G. M. Murphy
- grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, London, UK
| | - Jan K. Buitelaar
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Loth
- grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, London, UK
| | - Gahan Pandina
- grid.497530.c0000 0004 0389 4927Janssen Research & Development, 1125 Trenton Harbourton Road, Titusville, NJ 08560 USA
| | | | - Christine M. Freitag
- grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60528 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
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Wei Q, Cao H, Shi Y, Xu X, Li T. Machine learning based on eye-tracking data to identify Autism Spectrum Disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Biomed Inform 2023; 137:104254. [PMID: 36509416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2022.104254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Machine learning has been widely used to identify Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on eye-tracking, but its accuracy is uncertain. We aimed to summarize the available evidence on the performances of machine learning algorithms in classifying ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals based on eye-tracking data. METHODS We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Wan Fang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, from database inception to December 24, 2021. Studies using machine learning methods to classify ASD and TD individuals based on eye-tracking technologies were included. We extracted the data on study population, model performances, algorithms of machine learning, and paradigms of eye-tracking. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022296037. RESULTS 261 articles were identified, of which 24 studies with sample sizes ranging from 28 to 141 were included (n = 1396 individuals). Machine learning based on eye-tracking yielded the pooled classified accuracy of 81 % (I2 = 73 %), specificity of 79 % (I2 = 61 %), and sensitivity of 84 % (I2 = 61 %) in classifying ASD and TD individuals. In subgroup analysis, the accuracy was 88 % (95 % CI: 85-91 %), 79 % (95 % CI: 72-84 %), 71 % (95 % CI: 59-91 %) for preschool-aged, school-aged, and adolescent-adult group. Eye-tracking stimuli and machine learning algorithms varied widely across studies, with social, static, and active stimuli and Support Vector Machine and Random Forest most commonly reported. Regarding the model performance evaluation, 15 studies reported their final results on validation datasets, four based on testing datasets, and five did not report whether they used validation datasets. Most studies failed to report the information on eye-tracking hardware and the implementation process. CONCLUSION Using eye-tracking data, machine learning has shown potential in identifying ASD individuals with high accuracy, especially in preschool-aged children. However, the heterogeneity between studies, the absence of test set-based performance evaluations, the small sample size, and the non-standardized implementation of eye-tracking might deteriorate the reliability of results. Further well-designed and well-executed studies with comprehensive and transparent reporting are needed to determine the optimal eye-tracking paradigms and machine learning algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhong Wei
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiling Cao
- Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Shi
- Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ximing Xu
- Big Data Center for Children's Medical Care, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Tingyu Li
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Chongqing, China.
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9
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Frost-Karlsson M, Capusan AJ, Perini I, Olausson H, Zetterqvist M, Gustafsson PA, Boehme R. Neural processing of self-touch and other-touch in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum condition. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103264. [PMID: 36451367 PMCID: PMC9668667 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The tactile sense plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of a functional bodily self. The ability to differentiate between self- and nonself-generated touch contributes to the perception of the bodies' boundaries and more generally to self-other-distinction, both of which are thought be altered in anorexia nervosa (AN) and autism spectrum condition (AS). While it has been suggested that AN and AS are characterized by overlapping symptomatology, they might differ regarding body perception and self-other-distinction. METHODS Participants with a diagnosis of AN (n = 25), AS (n = 29), and a comparison group without diagnoses (n = 57) performed a self-other-touch task during functional brain imaging. In the experimental conditions, they stroked their own arm or were stroked on the arm by an experimenter. RESULTS As shown previously, the CG group showed lower activation or deactivation in response to self-touch compared to social touch from someone else. A main group effect was found in areas including somatosensory cortex, frontal and temporal gyri, insula, and subcortical regions. This was driven by increased activations in participants with AN, while participants in the AS group showed mostly comparable activations to the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS AN diagnosis was associated with an increased neural activity in response to both self-touch and social touch. Failure to attenuate self-touch might relate to altered predictions regarding the own body and reduced perception of bodily boundaries. Participants with an AS diagnosis were mostly comparable to the comparison group, potentially indicating unaltered tactile self-other-distinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Frost-Karlsson
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Andrea Johansson Capusan
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Department of Psychiatry in Linköping and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Irene Perini
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Center for Medical Imaging and Visualization, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Håkan Olausson
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Linköping University Hospital, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Center for Medical Imaging and Visualization, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria Zetterqvist
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Linköping and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per A. Gustafsson
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Linköping and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Boehme
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Center for Medical Imaging and Visualization, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden,Corresponding author at: Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, The Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
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10
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Polzer L, Freitag CM, Bast N. Pupillometric measures of altered stimulus-evoked locus coeruleus-norepinephrine activity explain attenuated social attention in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2022; 15:2167-2180. [PMID: 36111843 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Attenuated social attention has been described as a reduced preference for social compared to geometric motion in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The locus coeruleus-norpinephrine (LC-NE) system modulates sensory reactivity and is a promising underlying mechanism. LC-NE activity is indexed by a stimulus-evoked pupillary response (SEPR) and partially by a luminance-adaptation pupillary response (LAPR), which were both shown to be aberrant in ASD. We examined whether SEPR and LAPR explain an attenuated social motion preference. We applied pupillometry via video-based eye tracking in young children (18-65 months) with ASD (n = 57) and typically developing (TD) children (n = 39) during a preferential looking paradigm of competing social and geometric motion and a changing light condition paradigm. We found an attenuated social motion preference in the ASD compared to the TD group. This was accompanied by atypical pupillometry showing a smaller SEPR to social motion, a larger SEPR to geometric motion and a reduced LAPR to a dark screen. SEPR but not LAPR explained the group difference in social motion preference. An ASD diagnosis was statistically predicted by the social motion preference, while this effect was mediated by the inclusion of SEPR to geometric and social motion. Our findings suggest a decreased sensory reactivity to social and increased reactivity to non-social motion in ASD, which may concurrently contribute to an attenuated social attention. The LC-NE system is supported as a promising underlying mechanism of altered social attention in young children with ASD, while the specificity of findings remains to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Polzer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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11
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Xie J, Wang L, Webster P, Yao Y, Sun J, Wang S, Zhou H. Identifying Visual Attention Features Accurately Discerning Between Autism and Typically Developing: a Deep Learning Framework. Interdiscip Sci 2022; 14:639-651. [PMID: 35415827 DOI: 10.1007/s12539-022-00510-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Atypical visual attention is a hallmark of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Identifying the attention features accurately discerning between people with ASD and typically developing (TD) at the individual level remains a challenge. In this study, we developed a new systematic framework combining high accuracy deep learning classification, deep learning segmentation, image ablation and a direct measurement of classification ability to identify the discriminative features for autism identification. Our two-stream model achieved the state-of-the-art performance with a classification accuracy of 0.95. Using this framework, two new categories of features, Food & drink and Outdoor-objects, were identified as discriminative attention features, in addition to the previously reported features including Center-object and Human-faces, etc. Altered attention to the new categories helps to understand related atypical behaviors in ASD. Importantly, the area under curve (AUC) based on the combined top-9 features identified in this study was 0.92, allowing an accurate classification at the individual level. We also obtained a small but informative dataset of 12 images with an AUC of 0.86, suggesting a potentially efficient approach for the clinical diagnosis of ASD. Together, our deep learning framework based on VGG-16 provides a novel and powerful tool to recognize and understand abnormal visual attention in ASD, which will, in turn, facilitate the identification of biomarkers for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Xie
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Longfei Wang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Paula Webster
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Yang Yao
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jiayao Sun
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
| | - Huihui Zhou
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- The Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Peng Cheng Laboratory, No. 2 Xingke First Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518000, China.
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12
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Riddiford JA, Enticott PG, Lavale A, Gurvich C. Gaze and social functioning associations in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Autism Res 2022; 15:1380-1446. [PMID: 35593039 PMCID: PMC9543973 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by significant social functioning impairments, including (but not limited to) emotion recognition, mentalizing, and joint attention. Despite extensive investigation into the correlates of social functioning in ASD, only recently has there been focus on the role of low‐level sensory input, particularly visual processing. Extensive gaze deficits have been described in ASD, from basic saccadic function through to social attention and the processing of complex biological motion. Given that social functioning often relies on accurately processing visual information, inefficient visual processing may contribute to the emergence and sustainment of social functioning difficulties in ASD. To explore the association between measures of gaze and social functioning in ASD, a systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted. A total of 95 studies were identified from a search of CINAHL Plus, Embase, OVID Medline, and psycINFO databases in July 2021. Findings support associations between increased gaze to the face/head and eye regions with improved social functioning and reduced autism symptom severity. However, gaze allocation to the mouth appears dependent on social and emotional content of scenes and the cognitive profile of participants. This review supports the investigation of gaze variables as potential biomarkers of ASD, although future longitudinal studies are required to investigate the developmental progression of this relationship and to explore the influence of heterogeneity in ASD clinical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A Riddiford
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Alex Lavale
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
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13
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Kaliukhovich DA, Manyakov NV, Bangerter A, Pandina G. Context Modulates Attention to Faces in Dynamic Social Scenes in Children and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4219-4232. [PMID: 34623583 PMCID: PMC9508054 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05279-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to view social scenes differently compared to typically developing (TD) peers, but results can vary depending on context and age. We used eye-tracking in children and adults (age 6-63) to assess allocation of visual attention in a dynamic social orientation paradigm previously used only in younger children. The ASD group (n = 94) looked less at the actor's face compared to TD (n = 38) when they were engaged in activity (mean percentage of looking time, ASD = 30.7% vs TD = 34.9%; Cohen's d = 0.56; p value < 0.03) or looking at a moving toy (24.5% vs 33.2%; d = 0.65; p value < 0.001). Findings indicate that there are qualitative differences in allocation of visual attention to social stimuli across ages in ASD.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02668991.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gahan Pandina
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA
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14
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McLaughlin CS, Grosman HE, Guillory SB, Isenstein EL, Wilkinson E, Trelles MDP, Halpern DB, Siper PM, Kolevzon A, Buxbaum JD, Wang AT, Foss-Feig JH. Reduced engagement of visual attention in children with autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:2064-2073. [PMID: 33966481 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211010072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Limited eye contact and difficulty tracking where others are looking are common in people with autism spectrum disorder. It is unclear, however, whether these are specifically social differences; it is possible that they are a result of broader alterations in engaging and disengaging visual attention. We used eye-tracking technology with children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 35) and typical development (n = 32), showing them both social and nonsocial imaging to test their visual attention. Children with autism spectrum disorder had a significant difference in how long it took them to look from an image in the middle to one on the side, depending on whether the middle image stayed on the screen or flashed off before the one on the side appeared. This difference was present for both social and nonsocial images, and was related to cognitive ability for only the children with autism spectrum disorder. Our findings suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder have differences in general processes of engaging visual attention that are not specifically social in nature, and that these processes may relate to cognitive ability in autism spectrum disorder. Affected processes of visual engagement in autism spectrum disorder may contribute to symptoms like reduced eye contact, but social-specific symptoms of autism spectrum disorder likely do not stem from reduced visual engagement alone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - A Ting Wang
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA
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15
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Dindar K, Loukusa S, Helminen TM, Mäkinen L, Siipo A, Laukka S, Rantanen A, Mattila ML, Hurtig T, Ebeling H. Social-Pragmatic Inferencing, Visual Social Attention and Physiological Reactivity to Complex Social Scenes in Autistic Young Adults. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:73-88. [PMID: 33638804 PMCID: PMC8732855 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04915-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study examined social-pragmatic inferencing, visual social attention and physiological reactivity to complex social scenes. Participants were autistic young adults (n = 14) and a control group of young adults (n = 14) without intellectual disability. Results indicate between-group differences in social-pragmatic inferencing, moment-level social attention and heart rate variability (HRV) reactivity. A key finding suggests associations between increased moment-level social attention to facial emotion expressions, better social-pragmatic inferencing and greater HRV suppression in autistic young adults. Supporting previous research, better social-pragmatic inferencing was found associated with less autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Dindar
- Research Unit of Logopedics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oulu, PO Box 1000, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Soile Loukusa
- Research Unit of Logopedics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oulu, PO Box 1000, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Terhi M Helminen
- Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Leena Mäkinen
- Research Unit of Logopedics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oulu, PO Box 1000, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Antti Siipo
- Department of Educational Sciences and Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Seppo Laukka
- Learning Research Laboratory, Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Antti Rantanen
- Learning Research Laboratory, Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Marja-Leena Mattila
- PEDEGO Research Unit, Clinic of Child Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Tuula Hurtig
- PEDEGO Research Unit, Clinic of Child Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Hanna Ebeling
- PEDEGO Research Unit, Clinic of Child Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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16
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Blink and You Will Miss It: a Core Role for Fast and Dynamic Visual Processing in Social Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40474-020-00220-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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17
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Bonensteffen F, Zebel S, Giebels E. Sincerity Is in the Eye of the Beholder: Using Eye Tracking to Understand How Victims Interpret an Offender's Apology in a Simulation of Victim-Offender Mediation. Front Psychol 2020; 11:835. [PMID: 32508705 PMCID: PMC7251183 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to gain insights into how victims use their visual attention to determine the sincerity of an offender's apology during simulated victim-offender mediation. We hypothesized that the victims' visual attention (gaze fixation duration) would be focused more on the offender's upper (than lower) face area, especially the eyes and the eyebrows, to infer the degree to which the offender suffers, takes responsibility, and has empathy for the victim. In turn, we expected these inferences to positively predict the perceived sincerity of the apology. Additionally, we took into account the victims' a priori expectations regarding the sincerity of the apology and (positive) attitudes toward resocialization programs (ARPs). We expected both variables to enhance the above proposed process through which victims determine the sincerity of the apology. Fifty-eight students took the victim's role in a fictitious crime scenario and watched a video in which the offender offered a remorseful apology. We obtained eye tracking data to determine the participants' fixation and attention distribution. As expected, the participants' gaze fixated significantly longer on the upper face. The results also showed that their prior expectations, positive ARPs, and inferences of suffering and responsibility taking after the apology all positively predicted the perceived sincerity. However, unexpectedly, gaze duration was not directly associated with these inferences. The fixation duration on the upper face instead appeared to moderate how ARPs predicted inferences of responsibility taking. More concretely, the exploratory path model analyses revealed that when the participants had more positive a priori ARPs, the longer they focused on the offender's eyes and eyebrows and the more they concluded that he took responsibility for his actions (which in turn predicted more sincerity). However, for those with relatively negative ARPs, it was the other way around: the more they focused on the eyes and the eyebrows, the stronger they inferred that the offender did not take responsibility (which predicted less sincerity). Our findings demonstrate the vital role of the victims' a priori attitudes, expectations, and eye gaze behavior in understanding the reception and the evaluation of offenders' apologies. This study also suggests how novel technology can be used to investigate gaze behavior in the field of victim-offender mediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Bonensteffen
- Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Sven Zebel
- Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Ellen Giebels
- Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
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