The Short-Term Presentation of Multiple Valid Cues Is Associated With Slower Attentional Responses in Autistic and Typically Developing Children

Abstract

Social attention is often studied in isolation, but everyday environments require the integration of multiple cues. This study examined attentional performance in autistic (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children when spatial and social cues were presented in close temporal succession. Using a modified cueing paradigm, children responded to social cues (gaze, gesture, body) presented either alone or preceded by spatial cues. Results showed longer reaction times (RTs) in the social + spatial condition than in the social-only condition, particularly among autistic children. RTs were longer for gaze cues than for gesture and body cues, with modality-related differences being more pronounced in autistic children. These findings suggest that the short-term presentation of multiple valid and repeated cues may be associated with slower attentional responses, particularly among autistic children, and highlight the importance of considering multi-cue contexts when examining attention in autism.