Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: October | Volume: 8 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 26-32
The Role of Demographic Factors in Cognitive Impairments of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
S. Gopal Jee
Associate Professor & Head, Department of Psychology, DAV PG College (B. H.U.), Varanasi
ABSTRACT
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a clinically heterogeneous condition with a wide range of etiological factors and causing significant public health burden. The present study was designed to assess the cognitive ability and severity of autism spectrum disorder in context of various demographic factors. Twenty five children with autism spectrum disorder (18 mild and 7 moderate) and twenty five normal controls, , aged 4-11 years were selected from Indian Institute of cerebral palsy center, Varanasi. Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) and Child Autism Spectrum Quotient were used for assessment of cognitive ability. Results indicate that there is significant difference among mild, moderate and normal controls on Attention switching, attention detail, imagination and communication skills (F=101.41, 21.36, 161.97 and 493.97, p<0.01 respectively). The current results also show sex, habitat and SES related differences in the cognitive profile of ASD children. There is significant correlation with demographic variable and cognitive measures in children with Autism spectrum disorder. The study provides evidence that demographic factors influence the cognitive functions in children with ASD.
Key words: Autism, cognition, gender, Region