Autism
Effective understanding of research findings on children with autism form the best method for psychologists ability to comprehend processes involved in perception processes. Notably with about 1 of the total US children between ages of three to seventeen years being diagnosed with autism, understanding of these researches is further considered being very crucial in delving methods of addressing the problem. It is from this consideration that this paper evaluates findings from researches on autistic children face perception and compares them with those of non-autistic children. Besides, it further extrapolates the implications of these researches and their quality too.
Relationship between childrens emotional experience and face perception
Reiko and Labar (2007) studied the relationship of gaze processing as exhibited by autistic children and facial expression. The researchers found out that gaze and expression of autistic childrens faces were modulated by discriminability. Reiko and Labar continues to indicate that while expression interferes with the autistic childrens judgment from gaze, the direction of the gaze further modulates the processing of expression but only when the confronted with difficulties in discriminating facial emotions. To psychologists, this study results were crucial in that it emphasized on the need to facilitate the correct environment for the autistic children especially in relation to their gaze and emotions. Besides providing a better platform for their development, children adaptability would become smoother due to minimal interferences.
Study on face-coding in children with autism
Elizabeth, Linda and Gillian (2007) investigated children with autism face adaptation by requiring them to differentiate different faces with variant identities. This study found out that although many children suffering from autism can learn simplistic discrimination for differing identities, their adaptive capacities on face coding are highly compromised. This study provided a new view on the previously held consideration on face perception difficulties. It presented psychologists with the need to establish further researches on face perception by autistic children.
Studies on effectiveness of early intervention on autistic children and face perception
Understanding of autism has over the years remained a center of a major debate mainly due to its varied characteristics depicted by people at different stages. Being a neurodevelopmental disorder that characterizes mainly communication and social disorder, Linda (2007) sought to evaluate the effectiveness of early intervention on communication development for children suffering from autism. Linda found out that effective early identification of children with autism is very helpful in facilitating early intervention in improving face perception. Linda (2007) further indicated that parents and caregivers must then employ effective pre-language skills such as eye contact, babbling, and gestures as immediate simplistic steps for children to create confidence and cumulative memory for their face perception.
The findings on early intervention effectiveness for autistic children have been of great help to psychologists in facilitating early detection and treatment of the problem (Mottron and Burack, 2001). Further more, it is critical in creating an effective behavioral trajectory on a child to determine their progresses. Notably, direct involvement of the parents and guardians made the findings to be very crucial in addressing the problem from the local setting.
Studies on the importance of joint attention on face perception in autistic children
Effective understanding of autism as Roger (2000) indicates is the most critical consideration in facilitating its identification and generation of possible intervention methodologies. Particularly, the notions of behaviors which characterize autistic people as well as the underlying contributing factors are very crucial in creating a long term focus in autism management.
Studies assessing the association of joint attention especially for the pre-school children and their latter language as well as their social development indicate that autistic children gain the necessary experience as a precursor to their behavior improvement. In his study, Charman (2003) found that facilitation of joint attention is critical in addressing social and communication impairment such as gaze monitoring. Face perception as Charman found out, is easily overcomed by children in joint intervention settings. In a control experiment, he found out that with effective joint attention, autistic children can be able to improve their face perception close to those of non-autistic children. He concluded his research by indicating that the role and potential of joint attention will always remain irrespective of the psychological and neurological antecedents.
Siller and Sigman (2002) further found out that joint attention strongly facilitates the childrens social abilities especially when it takes place in their familiar environment and individuals. However, they caution that this model should be employed with great care to facilitate progressive memory development. In an exclusive analysis of children with different toys, Siller and Sigman (2002) indicated that they soon developed easy identification and association with specific sizes, colors and types of toys. They related the memory consideration to face perception which he indicated that would equally develop.
To psychologists, this study enriches their understanding on mechanisms of improving face perception of children with autism. Geraldine (2005) indicates that many psychologists are using this method in assessing the levels as well as creating particularistic demands for autistic children and them building on it to promote communication and social interactions.
Studies on building childrens strengths in addressing autism
Autistic people are characterized with key deficits in their socialization, imagination and even communication which make it hard for them to effectively fit with others in the society. However, Pamela, Amanda and Debi (2007) found out that most of the autistic people have specifically enhanced or circumscribed sections of cognitive functioning. In their research on color discrimination, Pamela et al (2007) found out that some autistic children were able to effectively identify with specific colors in their daily events.
Earlier on, Plaigsted (2001) had found out that the key problem in children with autism is the difficulty encountered in categorization resulting from their tendency of processing unique as opposed to shared aspects for different visual arrays. Deruelle et al (2004) further built on Plaigstead study on facial expression in their study on spatial frequency in face processing for children with autism. From their study, Deruelle et al (2004) concluded that unlike it was constantly believed, children with autism have high performance when the frequency of matching is employed in their different activities.
In their study on vision in autism, David et al (2009) results appear to concur with the prior studies on the need to emphasize the strengths of the autistic children and then developing on them in an outward model in addressing the disorder. Through a review of the existing literature, David et al (2009) concluded that there is need to view the problem of autism especially for the children on a more specific outset to prevent possible implications of cormorbidity and therefore increase the chances of employing the correct mechanism in addressing the problem.
These studies as David et al (2009) indicate have been regarded as key breakthrough for psychologists seeking to address the problem of autism in the society. As the recommendations indicate, psychologist are required to work in conjunction with the parents in identifying the cognitive strengths of their children, and then build on it to improve their social and language development. Notably, it is easier to assess and address the problem of autism especially in face perception especially through building on their preferences, a consideration that makes it self propelling.
Implications of using children in autism
While using children in autism has been credited for providing real time results, it has greatly been criticized for its negative implications. Geraldine (2005) indicates that it subjects children under investigations to stressing conditions in trial to establish their reaction to specific treatment methods. Besides, it presents children with high possibilities of suffering the negative implications incase a certain method they were subjected to turns out to have possible negative implications. David et al (2009) indicates that it subjects the children to uncertainties of various methods even when the actual outcomes are clearly unknown. All studies in autism should be ethically constituted to ensure that the main objective of bettering the humanity is not negated.
Conclusion
From the above analysis of the existing findings on autism studies, this paper concludes by supporting the thesis statement, effective understanding of research findings on children with autism form the best method for psychologists ability to comprehend processes involved in perception processes. Researchers appear to concur on the need for early intervention strategies, importance of joint attention and emphasis on building strengths of the positive capabilities of autistic children. While psychologists have deduced new viewpoints and mechanisms to address the problem of autism, autistic children have a better chance improving their capabilities. Owing to the high prevalence of autism among children, it is considered ethical to use children during studies to promote more effective and faster resolutions. However, all the negative implications should be effectively pre-assessed and mechanisms to reduce them implemented in every study.
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment