Do puzzle pieces and autism puzzle piece logos evoke negative associations?
Morton Ann Gernsbacher, Adam R Raimond, Jennifer L Stevenson and 2 others
PMID 28823194WHAT IT FOUND
Adults linked puzzle pieces to negative words more readily than shapes, and gave more negative first thoughts about puzzle pieces.
The same pattern appeared for generic pieces and autism logos.
Key findings
01Adults categorized puzzle pieces paired with negative words faster than shapes paired with negative words.
02Puzzle pieces produced more negative and fewer positive explicit associations than shapes.
03Negative associations were similar for generic puzzle pieces and autism logos.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study measured public associations to images, not patient outcomes or therapy effects. Only 0.50% of participants identified as having an autism spectrum diagnosis, so the findings do not represent autistic people's own views. Participants were online adults, mostly living in the United States, so the associations may not apply to therapists or other countries.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that autism puzzle-piece logos are worse than ordinary puzzle pieces. The study found negative associations for puzzle pieces overall, and the difference between generic images and autism logos was not significant.