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. 2022 Jan;52(1):240-253.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-04932-x. Epub 2021 Mar 7.

Review of Cognitive Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Performance on Six Subtests on Four Versions of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Mizuho Takayanagi  1 , Yoko Kawasaki  2 , Mieko Shinomiya  2 , Hoshino Hiroshi  3 , Satoshi Okada  4 , Tamiko Ino  2 , Kazuko Sakai  2 , Kimiko Murakami  2 , Rie Ishida  2 , Kaoru Mizuno  2 , Shin-Ichi Niwa  3
Affiliations

Review of Cognitive Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Performance on Six Subtests on Four Versions of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Mizuho Takayanagi et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jan.

Erratum in

Abstract

This study was a systematic review of research using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to examine cognitive characteristics of children with ASD beyond the impact of revisions based on WISC and diagnostic criteria changes. The classic "islets of ability" was found in individuals with full-scale IQs < 100. The "right-descending profiles" were observed among high IQ score individuals. High levels on the Block Design and low Coding levels were consistently found regardless of the variation in intellectual functioning or diagnosis. This review identified patterns of cognitive characteristics in ASD individuals using empirical data that researchers may have previously been aware of, based on their experiences, owing to the increased prevalence of ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Cognitive function; Intelligence ability; Systematic review; Wechsler scales.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison of six subtest profiles of the three groups based on intellectual level. a Seven groups with a mean FSIQ of ≤ 85. b Sixteen groups with a mean FSIQ of ≥ 86 and < 100. c Eleven groups with a mean FSIQ of ≥ 100. The order of subtests in figures for this study followed the order in the present WISC-IV manual. ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder; PDD, Pervasive Developmental Disorder; WISC, Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparison of six subtest profiles by diagnosis by intellectual level among three groups. a A comparison of six subtest profiles by diagnosis for those with a mean FSIQ of ≤ 85. b A comparison by diagnoses for those with a mean FSIQ of ≥ 86 and < 100. c A comparison by diagnosis for those with a mean FSIQ of ≥ 100. For those, a mean FSIQ of ≤ 85, no cases corresponded to an Asperger’s diagnosis. The order of subtests in figures for this study followed the order in the present WISC-IV manual. ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder, PDD Pervasive Developmental Disorder, WISC Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children
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References

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