Atypical Pattern of Frontal EEG Asymmetry for Direct Gaze in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The final analysis included only 12 children with ASD, 10 children with ID, and 12 TD children. Eight children with ASD, seven children with ID, and seven TD children were excluded for lack of cooperation, so the sample may not represent all children in these groups. The children had severe ASD and ID, so the findings may not apply to children with milder symptoms or without intellectual disability. The EEG measure was a brain pattern interpreted as approach or avoidance tendency, not a direct behaviour or clinical outcome. Static and moving phases were always in the same order, so anticipation may have affected the comparison between static and dynamic trials. The task cued the children to look at the eyes, so the result may not match how children respond to faces in free daily interaction. The ID group showed an unexpected pattern, and the authors state that some results should be interpreted with caution.

Do not read the EEG result as proof that children with severe autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability actively avoid eye contact. The authors say the pattern is unexpected and should be interpreted with caution, and the study did not test a treatment.