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The Role of Attention in the Academic Attainment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

Academic attainment in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is under-studied, with associated factors largely undetermined. Parent-reported attention symptoms, attentional-switching and sustained-attention tasks were examined to determine relationships with mathematics and reading attainment in 124 children aged 7–12 years; sixty-four with high-functioning ASD, half girls, and sixty age- and gender-matched typical children (TYP). With full-scale IQ controlled there were no differences in mathematics, reading, attentional switching or sustained attention. In regression analysis, attentional switching was related to mathematics achievement in ASD but not TYP children. Findings highlight attentional switching difficulties are linked with poorer mathematics outcomes in ASD.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank all of the families who generously participated in this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Building 1, 270 Ferntree Gully Rd, Notting Hill, VIC, 3168, Australia

    Tamara May & Nicole Rinehart

  2. Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK

    John Wilding

  3. School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Building 17, Monash University Clayton Campus, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Kim Cornish

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  1. Tamara May
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  2. Nicole Rinehart
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  3. John Wilding
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  4. Kim Cornish
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Correspondence to Tamara May or Kim Cornish.

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May, T., Rinehart, N., Wilding, J. et al. The Role of Attention in the Academic Attainment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 43, 2147–2158 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1766-2

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