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Associations Between Conceptual Reasoning, Problem Solving, and Adaptive Ability in High-functioning Autism

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Abstract

Abstract thinking is generally highly correlated with problem-solving ability which is predictive of better adaptive functioning. Measures of conceptual reasoning, an ecologically-valid laboratory measure of problem-solving, and a report measure of adaptive functioning in the natural environment, were administered to children and adults with and without autism. The individuals with autism had weaker conceptual reasoning ability than individuals with typical development of similar age and cognitive ability. For the autism group, their flexible thinking scores were significantly correlated with laboratory measures of strategy formation and rule shifting and with reported overall adaptive behavior but not socialization scores. Therefore, in autism, flexibility of thought is potentially more important for adaptive functioning in the natural environment than conceptual reasoning or problem-solving.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant Sponsor: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Grant Number: HD35469, a Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism (CPEA); Grant Sponsor: National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Grant Number K23DC006691 to Dr. Williams and by the VISN IV Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Pittsburgh PA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Diane L. Williams

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Carla A. Mazefsky

  3. Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Nancy J. Minshew

  4. VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15240, USA

    Jon D. Walker & Gerald Goldstein

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  1. Diane L. Williams
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  2. Carla A. Mazefsky
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  5. Gerald Goldstein
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Correspondence to Gerald Goldstein.

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The research described here has been approved by the appropriate IRB and full informed consent or assent has been obtained for all subjects.

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Williams, D.L., Mazefsky, C.A., Walker, J.D. et al. Associations Between Conceptual Reasoning, Problem Solving, and Adaptive Ability in High-functioning Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 2908–2920 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2190-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2190-y

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