Cognitive profile of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic review

Abstract

Contradictory results have been found in relation to the cognitive profile that characterizes the population with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize the available evidence about the cognitive deficits associated with ASD in children and adolescents. 26 studies were selected, encompassing the findings of a total of 1,229 child-young individuals with a diagnosis of ASD and 1,052 typically developing (TD). Studies since 2018 that compared performance in cognitive domains in between those populations were included. The results suggest that ASD present cognitive functioning that differs significantly from that of their peers with TD, with specific alterations in cognitive processes and domains, which is related to the way in which they process information and involves the affectation of other cognitive domains such attention, memory, executive functions, language, and social cognition. The main limitations of this review refer to the size of the sample in relation to the great variety of cognitive domains studied and the associated theoretical constructs, as well as the existence of a gender bias in the diagnosis of ASD. This work provides useful information on the cognitive profile of ASD, because studying and defining deeply the cognitive characterization of this population can contribute to improving early detection and the effectiveness of both clinical and educational interventions.