AUTISM AS A DISORDER OF COMPLEX INFORMATION-PROCESSING

Numerous neurobehavioral models for autism have been proposed in the d ecades since a neurologic origin gained acceptance. Research related t o these models has resulted in substantial progress in the characteriz ation of the neurocognitive basis of autism. The culmination of consid erable research has resulted in support for a neurobehavioral model of autism as a disorder of complex information processing systems. This is a multiple primary cognitive deficit model proposing that the patte rn of deficits within and across domains in autism is a reflection of complex information processing demands. This article will first provid e an overview of the evolution of neurobehavioral models in autism and then present findings leading to the conceptualization of this model for autism, (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.