Autism and Attention

Question 1

What percentage of autistic adults preferred “identity-first” language in a 2015 survey?

Answer 1

61% of autistic adults preferred “identity-first” language.

Question 2

What is “identity-first” language?

Answer 2

Language where the autistic identity is named first, e.g., “autistic person/people.”

Question 3

What is “person-first” language?

Answer 3

Language where the person is named first, e.g., “person/people with autism.”

Question 4

What major scientific journals employ “identity-first” language?

Answer 4

Journals such as Autism and Autism in Adulthood.

Question 5

What are key models of understanding autism?

Answer 5

1. Medical Model
2. Neurodiversity Model

Question 6

Why are terms like “high-functioning” or “low-functioning” unhelpful?

Answer 6

They oversimplify the individual strengths and challenges of autistic people, who have just as much variance as non-neurodivergent individuals.

Question 7

What are common differences in attention in autism?

Answer 7

1. Differences in selective attention, often hyperfocus on specific interests.
2. Challenges in shifting attention or maintaining focus on less engaging tasks

Question 8

What is hyperfocus in autism?

Answer 8

Intense concentration on specific interests or activities, leading to high productivity but difficulty shifting attention.

Question 9

What is sticky attention in autism?

Answer 9

Difficulty shifting focus from a task or stimulus, characterized by slowness to disengage.

Question 10

What is springy attention in autism?

Answer 10

The ability to rapidly switch focus and return to the original task, which is often reduced in autistic individuals.

Question 11

What are the findings from research on attention in young autistic children?

Answer 11

Elevated hyperfocus and sticky attention
Reduced springy attention
Associations with sensory behaviors and cognitive abilities

Question 12

What is the “Dual Task Paradigm”?

Answer 12

A method where individuals perform two tasks simultaneously to study selective and divided attention, particularly in autism.

Question 13

What key findings were revealed about dual-task performance in autism?

Answer 13

1. Superior sustained attention but difficulty switching focus.
2. Sensory overload impacts task switching.
3. Attentional differences are heightened during social interactions.

Question 14

What is the “Change Blindness Paradigm” in autism?

Answer 14

Research finding that autistic individuals often perform better at spotting changes or continuity issues, especially in visual tasks.

Question 15

What does monotropism suggest about attention in autism?

Answer 15

It is a neuro-affirmative theory stating that attentional resources are directed at one or a few things at a time, creating an “attention tunnel.”

Question 16

What did Happe & Frith’s (2006) weak central coherence theory propose about autism?

Answer 16

That autistic individuals have a detail-focused cognitive style affecting attention and perception.

Question 17

How does flow relate to autism, according to Dupuis et al. (2022)?

Answer 17

Autistic individuals may more easily enter flow states, particularly in tasks related to their interests, leading to enhanced engagement and task performance.

Question 18

What are the core aspects of flow, as described by Csikszentmihalyi (1992)?

Answer 18

1. Balance between challenge and skill
2. Deep concentration
3. Altered perception of time
4. Intrinsic motivation

Question 19

What strategies can help manage attention in autism?

Answer 19

1. Structured environments to reduce distractions
2. Interest-based learning
3. Mindfulness techniques for self-regulation and attention control

Question 20

What are the conclusions for understanding attention in autism?

Answer 20

1. Consider how attention behaviors interact with cognition, perception, and sensory reactivity.
2. Develop autism-led theoretical models like monotropism.