Article:

Description:

Imagination drawing is such an interesting topic for the individuals with ASD as it does not involve language or social communication to master it. Researchers tested whether cognitive capability (Executive Functioning, Generativity, and Local Processing Bias (LPB)) has an effect on imagination drawing performance. Group of Neurotypically Developing (NT) children were used for comparison. The result is as below:

NT Group

1. EF positively influences drawing for younger group
2. EF negatively influences drawing for older group
3. Generativity positively influence drawing human, but not house
4. LPB positively influences drawing for younger group, but Global Processing Bias positively influences drawing for older group

ASD group:

1. EF positively influences drawing
2. no other factors were found to be associated with drawing.

Note:

This really explains that for typically developing group, imagination drawing is qualitatively changing throughout the mental maturity. For example, EF is predominately used at the younger age but then it becomes a barrier for imagination. The possible explanation is that EF may be more mature throughout the years and transform into a constraint that reminds the individual that some imagination may not be acceptable. This, really is a process of socialization. On the other hand, ASD group does not change in the way they process imagination. EF dominates throughout.

Assessments:

Screening :

1. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
2. Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI)
3. Gilliam Autism Rating Scale – 2 (GARS-2)
4. Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test – 2 (KBIT II)

Variables:

1. Karmiloff-Smith drawing task
2. Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT) for EF
3. Tower of Hanoi (ToH) for EF
4. Children’s Embedded Figure Task (CEFT) for LPB
5. Tichener Circles Illusion for LPB
6. Objects Task, Category fluency task and Design fluency task for Generativity.