Autism
How do adults with autism socially sync up during improvisation?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Adults with autism can achieve highly synchronized movement with a partner during creative play, though their synchronization is briefer and less frequent when trying to follow another's lead.
Key findings
While adults with autism successfully achieved highly synchronized moments, their overall rate of synchronized motion was significantly lower than typically developing peers, a difference most pronounced during the following phase. Additionally, when they did reach high synchronization, their synchronized movements lasted for shorter bursts across all three rounds of the game. General motor difficulties explained some of this difference, while higher levels of alexithymia—difficulty identifying one's own emotions—specifically predicted lower synchronization rates during the following phase.
Methodology
Researchers compared 34 adults with high-functioning autism against 35 typically developing adults during a computer-tracked mirror game where they completed three rounds: leading, following, and jointly improvising movement with an expert partner. The researchers analyzed fine-grained hand movements to measure moments of high, jitter-free synchronization known as co-confident motion. They also collected data on general motor abilities, social communication skills, and participants' subjective experiences of the game.
Limitations
The study cannot prove why these synchronization deficits occur, as cognitive and emotional factors like motivation and attention were not directly measured. Because the expert player was not blind to the participants' diagnoses, she moved more slowly when leading the autistic group, meaning the difference in partner behavior may have influenced the synchronization rates. Finally, the findings are limited to high-functioning autistic adults playing with a highly cooperative expert, meaning they may not apply to lower-functioning individuals or interactions with peers in everyday settings.
How this study connects
Role on claims
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Higher levels of alexithymia predict poorer physical interpersonal synchronization when individuals are tasked with following a partner's movement.
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