IMITATION AND PANTOMIME IN HIGH-FUNCTIONING ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

A study was designed to test 2 alternative hypotheses-a symbolic hypot hesis and an executive function hypothesis-for the imitation and panto mime deficits found in previous studies of autism. The subjects were 1 7 adolescent high-functioning subjects with autism spectrum disorders and 15 clinical comparison subjects who were matched on chronological age and verbal IQ. Meaning and sequence were manipulated in facial and manual imitation tasks. Sequence was manipulated in the pantomime and control tasks. Recognition memory and motor control tasks were matche d to the experimental tasks. The results provided no support for the s ymbolic deficit hypothesis; meaning aided rather than hindered the per formance of the group with autism. Partial support for the executive d eficit hypothesis was found. There were no group differences on motor control tasks, and few on the memory control tasks, arguing against de ficits in motor initiation, basic motor coordination, or visual recogn ition memory.