Semantic and Structural Processing of Visual Narratives in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Date of Completion
2022
Thesis Type
College of Arts and Science Honors
Department
Neuroscience
First Advisor
Emily L. Coderre
Second Advisor
Sayamwong Hammack
Third Advisor
Michael S. Cannizzaro
Keywords
ASD, narrative structure, visual narrative comprehension, semantic processing
Abstract
Understanding a story (“narrative comprehension”) is often difficult for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), regardless of whether stories are told through language (“linguistic narratives”) or pictures (“visual narratives”). Narrative comprehension across modalities requires understanding meaning (“semantics”) and understanding grammar (“structure”). While it is well-established that individuals with ASD have difficulties with semantic processing, little is known about whether difficulties with structural processing contribute to impaired narrative comprehension. This study tested, via measurements of neural activity, our prediction of whether structural processing is impaired during visual narrative comprehension in individuals with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. Our results on semantic processing in ASD replicated what has been found in prior language studies, with the TD group showing an increased sensitivity to semantic relatedness in early time windows and the ASD group showing an increased sensitivity at later time windows. Importantly, we also observed differences in structural processing for ASD groups compared to TD groups, such that individuals with ASD showed reduced sensitivity to the presence of narrative grammar. These novel results indicate potential narrative comprehension difficulties in individuals with ASD.
Recommended Citation
Pellegrino-Wood, Julia, "Semantic and Structural Processing of Visual Narratives in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder" (2022). UVM College of Arts and Sciences College Honors Theses. 109.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/castheses/109