Implicit learning seems to come naturally for children with autism, but not for children with specific language impairment: Evidence from behavioral and ERP data

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and specific language impairment (SLI) are two neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication skills. These skills are thought to develop largely through implicit-or automatic-learning mechanisms. The aim of the current paper was to investigate the role of implicit learning abilities in the atypical development of communication skills in ASD and SLI. In the current study, we investigated Response Times (RTs) and Event Related Potentials (ERPs) during implicit learning on a Serial Reaction Time (SRT) task in a group of typically developing (TD) children (n = 17), a group of autistic children (n = 16), and a group of children with SLI (n = 13). Findings suggest that learning in both ASD and SLI are similar to that in TD. However, electrophysiological findings suggest that autistic children seem to rely mainly on more automatic processes (as reflected by an N2b component), whereas the children with SLI seem to rely on more controlled processes (as reflected by a P3 component). The TD children appear to use a combination of both learning mechanisms. These findings suggest that clinical interventions should aim at compensating for an implicit learning deficit in children with SLI, but not in children with ASD. Future research should focus on developmental differences in implicit learning and related neural correlates in TD, ASD, and SLI. Autism Res 2018, 11: 1050-1061. © 2018 The Authors Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

LAY SUMMARY

Autism and Specific Language Impairment (SLI) are two disorders characterized by problems in social communication and language. Social communication and language are believed to be learned in an automatic way. This is called "implicit learning." We have found that implicit learning is intact in autism. However, in SLI there seems different brain activity during implicit learning. Maybe children with SLI learn differently, and maybe this different learning makes it more difficult for them to learn language.

Self-Directedness Positively Contributes to Resilience and Quality of Life: Findings From a Mixed Psychiatric Sample

Introduction: This study zoomed into the relation between self-regulation, resilience and quality of life (QOL) within a mixed psychiatric sample of patients with Dual-Diagnosis (DD) or an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method: Patients with DD or ASD participated and healthy control (HC) data were present. The Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS), Shortened Temperament and Character Inventory and Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life were administered.

Results: The BDEFS revealed more executive problem reporting by DD or ASD patients than by HC. Both patient groups revealed that, the more problems were reported in executive self-regulation (like self-motivation, problem-solving), the lower QOL was experienced. The resilience aspect of self-directedness (goal-directed, responsible attitude) was positively related to higher QOL and to lesser experience of self-motivational and problem-solving problems. But, the more harm-avoidant, the lesser one was self-directed and the more self-motivational and problem-solving problems were reported.

Discussion: Self-regulation and harm-avoidance problems were related to lower QOL in DD and ASD. Self-directedness, executive self-motivation and problem-solving predicted higher QOL. Treatment focus on self-directedness, executive self-regulation and resilience is recommended.

Self-Regulation in Dual Diagnosis: A Multi-Method Approach of Self-Awareness, Error-Monitoring and Emotional Distress

Introduction: Self-regulatory actions direct the achievement of life goals. Awareness of one's state is needed to adequately self-regulate one's life.

Methods: The self-regulatory actions of (cognitive/emotional) self-awareness and (error-)monitoring were assessed in patients with Dual Diagnosis and healthy controls. A multi-method approach was applied.

Results: Patients with Dual Diagnosis reported lower capacity to identify, verbalize and interpret emotions in a cognitive manner. Both groups reported experiencing arousal of emotions, but patients showed less cognitive elaboration on them and they reported more negatively labeled emotions. Patients with Dual Diagnosis signaled errors less adequately, but did not differ in the number of errors.

Discussion: The abundance of negative emotions may overwhelm patients and trigger substance use to handle this negativity. Especially because they do in fact experience the arousal of emotions, but they find it harder to timely identify, interpret and verbalize these emotions. Training self-awareness and emotion regulation may be beneficial.