Eye-tracking study on face recognition in children with autism spectrum disorders

FAN Yue-bo; HOU Tan-zhi; YI  Li; HUANG Dan; FAN Kai; JIE Xiao-feng

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2012, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (4) : 323-326.

Eye-tracking study on face recognition in children with autism spectrum disorders

FAN Yue-bo^1,2,HOU Tan-zhi³,YI Li³,HUANG Dan^1,2,FAN Kai^1,2,JIE Xiao-feng^1,2

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Abstract

【Objective】 To explore face scanning patterns in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). 【Method】 With a Tobii T60 eye tracker,the differences were compared and analyzed in scanning patterns of familiar faces,unfamiliar faces and the self face between children with ASD and typical controls. 【Result】 The study found shorter fixation duration at the core facial features (eyes,mouth and nose,P<0.05),and longer at non-feature regions in children with ASD than in typically developing (TD) children(P<0.05). 【Conclusions】 Children with ASD have impairments of face processing,especially in the eyes and the mouth.Face scanning deficiency probably contributes to impairments in social emotion and communication function in children with ASD.

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autism / eye movements / face recognition

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FAN Yue-bo,HOU Tan-zhi,YI Li,HUANG Dan,FAN Kai,JIE Xiao-feng. Eye-tracking study on face recognition in children with autism spectrum disorders[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2012, 20(4): 323-326

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