4. Cognitive Theories of Autism and Therapeutic Interventions

Flashcards reviewing cognitive theories of autism and therapeutic interventions for Theory of Mind deficits as discussed in the provided lecture notes.

What is the main focus of Rajendran and Mitchell's 2007 article, 'Cognitive Theories of Autism'?

A review of three cognitive theories explaining cognitive characteristics of autism, examining origins, evidence, limitations, and integration potential.

What is the core idea behind the Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit in autism?

Individuals with autism struggle to understand and attribute mental states like beliefs, desires, and intentions to themselves and others.

What evidence supports the Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit in autism?

Many autistic individuals struggle with tasks requiring inference of others' thoughts or feelings, such as false-belief tasks.

What are the limitations of the Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit explanation of autism?

Not all individuals with autism exhibit ToM deficits; some pass ToM tasks. These deficits aren't exclusive to autism.

What executive functions are suggested to be impaired in individuals with autism, according to the Executive Dysfunction theory?

Planning, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, and working memory.

What evidence supports the Executive Dysfunction theory in autism?

Autistic individuals often perform poorly on tasks assessing executive function, such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

What are the limitations of the Executive Dysfunction theory in explaining autism?

Executive dysfunction is not unique to autism and doesn't account for the full range of autistic behaviors.

What is the central concept of the Weak Central Coherence (WCC) theory of autism?

Individuals with autism have a cognitive style favoring local over global information processing, focusing on details rather than the overall context.

What evidence supports the Weak Central Coherence (WCC) theory of autism?

Autistic individuals often excel in tasks requiring attention to detail, like the Embedded Figures Test.

What are limitations of the Weak Central Coherence (WCC) theory?

The theory doesn't explain all aspects of autism, and some autistic individuals can process global information when instructed.

According to Rajendran and Mitchell, what should future research focus on regarding cognitive theories of autism?

Investigating how cognitive deficits interact, exploring heterogeneity within autism, and developing integrative models.

What is the main conclusion of Rajendran and Mitchell regarding cognitive theories of autism?

An integrative approach considering the interplay of multiple cognitive processes may offer a more complete explanation of autism.

What is the focus of the Dyrda et al. (2020) article?

Review of interventions designed to enhance Theory of Mind abilities in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Why is ToM important in ASD?

Deficits are central to social and communicative difficulties; enhancing ToM could improve social functioning and quality of life.

What are the types of interventions reviewed by Dyrda et al. (2020)?

Mind Reading Programs, Combined Social Skills and ToM Training, and Technology-Based Interventions.

What is the focus of Mind Reading Programs?

Structured sessions aimed at teaching individuals to recognize and interpret emotions and mental states.

What is the focus of Combined Social Skills and ToM Training?

Programs that integrate social skills training with ToM development

What is the focus of Technology-Based Interventions?

Utilizing computer programs and video modeling to teach emotion recognition and social cues

What are limitations of ToM interventions?

Limited evidence on the generalization of these skills to real-life social situations and scarce long-term follow-up studies.

What is Dyrda et al.'s conclusion(2020) regarding therapeutic programs?

The reviewed programs show potential in enhancing ToM abilities, particularly in controlled settings, but further research is needed to assess the transfer of these skills to everyday social interactions and long-term efficacy.