Michelle Dawson posts
Structured cited links
Lea-Ann Pileggi, Susan Malcolm-Smith, Michelle Hoogenhout, Kevin GF Thomas, Mark Solms (2013). Cradling bias is absent in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 25(1), 55-60. National Inquiry Services Center (NISC).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated relations among empathy and cradling bias in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). METHOD: Twenty children with ASDs and 20 typically developing (TD) children, aged 5-15 years old, cradled a doll as if it were an infant s/he was putting to sleep on three separate occasions. We recorded side preference on each occasion. RESULTS: Children with ASDs showed no preference for cradling side whereas TD children showed a strong left-sided preference. To the best of our knowledge, children with ASDs are the only population that does not exhibit cradling bias. CONCLUSION: An absence of cradling bias and empathy deficits in ASD may be related. If so, these data support the hypothesis that leftward cradling is a characteristic of enhanced quality of caregiver-infant interaction and bonding.
Study authors in this cited reference