Recognition memory, self-other source memory, and theory-of-mind in children with autism spectrum disorder

Lind, Sophie E.; Bowler, Dermot M.

Abstract

This study investigated semantic and episodic memory in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using a task which assessed recognition and self-other source memory. Children with ASD showed undiminished recognition memory but significantly diminished source memory, relative to age- and verbal ability-matched comparison children. Both children with and without ASD showed an “enactment effect”, demonstrating significantly better recognition and source memory for self-performed actions than other-person-performed actions. Within the comparison group, theory-of-mind (ToM) task performance was significantly correlated with source memory, specifically for other-person-performed actions (after statistically controlling for verbal ability). Within the ASD group, ToM task performance was not significantly correlated with source memory (after controlling for verbal ability). Possible explanations for these relations between source memory and ToM are considered.

Citation

Lind, S. E., & Bowler, D. M. (2009). Recognition memory, self-other source memory, and theory-of-mind in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39(9), 1231-1239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0735-2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Sep 8, 2010
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 12, 2010
• Journal: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
• Print ISSN: 0162-3257
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-3432
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 1231-1239
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0735-2
• Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, Episodic memory, Recognition memory, Semantic memory, Source memory, Theory-of-mind.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1540189
• Publisher URL: http://www.springerlink.com/content/m5558v5x1n337617/