SOCIAL COGNITION, AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Theory of mind

The ability to make inferences about the mental states of other people, which may not be apparent from their outward behavior.

False belief test

A psychological test used to assess theory of mind, indicating when children can understand that others can hold beliefs different from their own.

Temporal parietal junction (TPJ)

A brain region specialized for reasoning about the mental states of others and important for redirecting attention.

Medial PFC

A brain region involved broadly in reasoning about other people, supporting reasoning about social tasks.

Mirror neurons

Neurons that are active when performing a movement or observing another perform the same action.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors.

Social-emotional reciprocity

Failures in the back-and-forth interactions or to initiate/respond to social interactions, characteristic of ASD.

Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior

A core characteristic of ASD, which includes behaviors like simple motor stereotypes, insistence on sameness, and fixated interests.

DSM 5 Diagnostic criteria

A set of guidelines for diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder, including deficits in social communication, restricted behaviors, and symptom presence in early development.

Diagnosis Challenges for ASD

The difficulty in diagnosing ASD due to the lack of known causes or biological markers; relies on developmental history and observable behavior.

Behavioral Assessments

Evaluations that analyze the nature of social relatedness, behavioral features, and play skills to assess ASD.

Psychological/Communication Assessments

Evaluations to assess verbal and nonverbal skills, social-adaptive behaviors, and comprehensive communication skills.

Medical Evaluations/Laboratory Studies

Evaluations that may identify or rule out associated conditions in ASD, including genetic testing and brain imaging.