Eye tracking studies were identified through searches (through August 2013) in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using ‘autism’ , ‘child’ , and ‘eye tracking’ as keywords. In this review, we critically assess the use of eye tracking in research focused on autism early in life.
Eye tracking both improves measures obtainable with less advanced methods (for example, coding from video) and adds measures not available by other means, including fine-grained scanpath and fixation analyses. The use of corneal reflection eye tracking is not new, but recent advances in computer capacities and eye tracking algorithms have promoted the development of several easy-to-use and robust eye tracking systems (for reviews, see ). Thus, there is no need for head-mounted equipment or other obtrusive devices that reduce the comfort of infants and children and their willingness to participate. Gaze position is calculated by computer algorithms based on video recordings (showing the pupil and the near-infrared light reflections) collected by remote cameras placed in front of the observer.
This method estimates the location of gaze with high accuracy (precision <1 visual degree, sampling rate 50 to 300 Hz) based on the reflection of near-infrared light from the cornea and the pupil. Recently, several eye tracking studies of young children with ASD have been published, illustrating an emerging consensus that detailed characterization of young children with ASD at the level of eye movements is important.Ĭorneal reflection eye tracking is the most common method used to study gaze performance in infants and young children. Eye tracking allows researchers to measure how the observer distributes gaze and can serve to address a wide range of scientific questions. An effective way to study looking performance is to use eye tracking technology. Understanding how infants and children use their eyes in various contexts is important to understanding their opportunities for learning and development. During the same period, evidence exists for structural brain differences between infants who are later diagnosed with ASD and those who are not. In brief, we now know that during the first year of life, ASD is associated with altered (neuro-)developmental trajectories in diverse domains including motor, language, cognitive and socio-communicative functions. This last approach has substantially advanced our knowledge of developmental trajectories in children at risk for ASD during the first years of life (for reviews, see ). A third approach is to longitudinally follow infant siblings of children with ASD, who are at increased risk for ASD. One approach is to study very young children with ASD diagnoses while another is based on retrospective analyses, including analyses of home videos. Different types of research drive knowledge acquisition about early autism. Early identification is obviously a prerequisite for early delivery of intervention, which has led to the recent focus on infant development and detection of ASD in infancy and early childhood.
Intervention, particularly early intervention, may improve long-term outcomes for individuals with ASD. We conclude that eye tracking can reveal important features of the complex picture of autism.Īutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition defined by impairments across the areas of reciprocal social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication, alongside repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. We provide a detailed discussion of these and other key findings and highlight methodological opportunities and challenges for eye tracking research of young children with ASD. In toddlers with ASD, altered looking patterns across facial parts such as the eyes and mouth have been found, together with limited orienting to biological motion. Reduced looking time at people and faces, as well as problems with disengagement of attention, appear to be among the earliest signs of ASD, emerging during the first year of life. In this article, we review eye tracking studies of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children at risk for ASD. Because it is non-invasive and does not require advanced motor responses or language, eye tracking is particularly important for the study of young children and infants.
Eye tracking has the potential to characterize autism at a unique intermediate level, with links ‘down’ to underlying neurocognitive networks, as well as ‘up’ to everyday function and dysfunction.
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