Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | The Use of Eye-Tracking as an Objective Measure of Response to Treatment in Young Children with ASD |
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| Contribution code | D1.028 |
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| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
Background: The lack of sensitive and reliable measures of response to treatment is one of the current challenges in both research and clinical practice in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Head-mounted eye-tracking (HMET) is a safe, non-invasive, and affordable technology that provides an objective measure of social attention in naturalistic environments, enabling the identification of early developmental differences through quantification of gaze patterns. In this study, we will use HMET to explore and identify objective and quantifiable indicators to track response to intervention. Materials and methods: As part of a larger longitudinal randomized control trial, we recruited families with preschool ASD children that underwent a program of parental coaching. Participants were assessed before and after the intervention, as well as at 6 months follow-up. Changes in parent-child interaction were measured with the Dyadic Communication Measure for Autism (DCMA). Similarly, changes in social communication behaviors were evaluated with the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC). During both semi-structured standardized play sessions, we recorded simultaneous adult and child gaze patterns with two HMET systems. Discussion: The purpose of this project is (1) to detect early features sensitive to differences in social attention through the recording and quantification of gaze patterns of both dyad members, and (2) to link changes in HMET-based features to other phenotypic manifestations, such as parent-child social interaction, ASD symptomatology and the child’s developmental level. These insights may inform the design of more effective, evidence based therapeutic strategies. |