Attention allocation to facial expressions of emotion among persons with Williams and Down syndromes

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 1189-1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Goldman ◽  
Cory Shulman ◽  
Yair Bar-Haim ◽  
Rany Abend ◽  
Jacob A. Burack
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Williams Syndrome ◽  
Attention Capture ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Social Approach ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Williams Syndrome Group ◽  
Facial Expressions Of Emotion

AbstractIndividuals with Williams syndrome and those with Down syndrome are both characterized by heightened social interest, although the manifestation is not always similar. Using a dot-probe task, we examined one possible source of difference: allocation of attention to facial expressions of emotion. Thirteen individuals with Williams syndrome (mean age = 19.2 years, range = 10–28.6), 20 with Down syndrome (mean age = 18.8 years, range = 12.1–26.3), and 19 typically developing children participated. The groups were matched for mental age (mean = 5.8 years). None of the groups displayed a bias to angry faces. The participants with Williams syndrome showed a selective bias toward happy faces, whereas the participants with Down syndrome behaved similarly to the typically developing participants with no such bias. Homogeneity in the direction of bias was markedly highest in the Williams syndrome group whose bias appeared to result from enhanced attention capture. They appeared to rapidly and selectively allocate attention toward positive facial expressions. The complexity of social approach behavior and the need to explore other aspects of cognition that may be implicated in this behavior in both syndromes is discussed.

Inference From Facial Expressions Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Down Syndrome

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Goldman ◽  
Cory Shulman ◽  
Jacob A. Burack
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Subsequent Choice ◽  
Emotion Labels

Abstract The focus of this study was the ability of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome to infer meaning from facial expressions in the absence of emotion labels and use this inference in order to adjust their behavior. Participants with Down syndrome (N = 19, mean nonverbal mental age of 5.8 years) and 4- to 7-year-old typically developing children performed a novel task in which happy and angry faces were provided as feedback for a choice made by the participants. In making a subsequent choice, the participants with Down syndrome performed similarly to the 4 year olds, indicating a difficulty using angry faces as feedback. Individual differences within the group were also apparent. Implications for the development of social competence are discussed.

scholarly journals Inhibitory Dimensions and Delay of Gratification: A Comparative Study on Individuals with Down Syndrome and Typically Developing Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 636
Author(s):  
Martina Fontana ◽  
Maria Carmen Usai ◽  
Sandra Pellizzoni ◽  
Maria Chiara Passolunghi
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Interference Suppression ◽  
Delay Of Gratification ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Two Samples

While previous research on inhibition in people with Down syndrome (DS) reported contradictory results, with no explicit theoretical model, on the other hand, a more homogeneous impaired profile on the delay of gratification skills emerged. The main goal of the present study was to investigate response inhibition, interference suppression, and delay of gratification in 51 individuals with DS matched for a measure of mental age (MA) with 71 typically developing (TD) children. Moreover, we cross-sectionally explored the strengths and weaknesses of these components in children and adolescents vs. adults with DS with the same MA. A battery of laboratory tasks tapping on inhibitory sub-components and delay of gratification was administrated. Results indicated that individuals with DS showed an overall worse performance compared to TD children on response inhibition and delay of gratification, while no differences emerged between the two samples on the interference suppression. Additionally, our results suggested that older individuals with DS outperformed the younger ones both in response inhibition and in the delay of gratification, whereas the interference suppression still remains impaired in adulthood. This study highlights the importance of evaluating inhibitory sub-components considering both MA and chronological age in order to promote more effective and evidence-based training for this population.

scholarly journals Home-Based Peer Social Networks of Young Children With Down Syndrome: A Developmental Perspective

2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 340-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Guralnick ◽  
Robert T. Connor ◽  
L. Clark Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Peer Social Networks ◽  
And Control

Abstract Numerous dimensions of the peer social networks of children with Down syndrome were examined within a developmental framework. Results revealed that for many key measures, particularly involvement in play, linkages to other settings, and control of play, children with Down syndrome have less well-developed peer networks even in comparison to a mental age matched group of typically developing children. This suggests both an absence of any social advantage in the peer context for children with Down syndrome and the existence of unusual difficulties that may be traced to underlying problems in peer-related social competence. The need for future observational studies of peer interactions for this group of children was emphasized.

Prosodic abilities in Spanish and English children with Williams syndrome: A cross-linguistic study

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
PASTORA MARTÍNEZ-CASTILLA ◽  
VESNA STOJANOVIK ◽  
JANE SETTER ◽  
MARÍA SOTILLO
Keyword(s):  
Williams Syndrome ◽  
Spanish Version ◽  
Speech Communication ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Linguistic Differences ◽  
Linguistic Study ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
The Cross

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to compare the prosodic profiles of English- and Spanish-speaking children with Williams syndrome (WS), examining cross-linguistic differences. Two groups of children with WS, English and Spanish, of similar chronological and nonverbal mental age, were compared on performance in expressive and receptive prosodic tasks from the Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech–Communication Battery in its English or Spanish version. Differences between the English and Spanish WS groups were found regarding the understanding of affect through prosodic means, using prosody to make words more prominent, and imitating different prosodic patterns. Such differences between the two WS groups on function prosody tasks mirrored the cross-linguistic differences already reported in typically developing children.

The effect of story presentation rates on story retelling by individuals with Down syndrome

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 603-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
HYE-KYEUNG SEUNG ◽  
ROBIN S. CHAPMAN
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Recall Performance ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Story Recall ◽  
Story Retelling ◽  
Matched Group ◽  
Mental Age

The current study examined the effect of story presentation rates on story recall performance in 35 individuals with Down syndrome and 3 control groups (35 mental age matched, 35 syntax comprehension matched, and 35 syntax production matched children). Three short audiotaped stories were presented to each individual at three different rates (normal, storyteller [slow with expressive inflections], and slow rate). The effect of group but not rate was significant. Individuals with Down syndrome recalled more content words than the production-matched group and the production-matched group recalled fewer content words than the mental age matched and comprehension-matched groups. The results were interpreted in relation to working memory deficits in individuals with Down syndrome, developmental change in story recall of typically developing children, and the contribution of syntax comprehension to story recall.

scholarly journals Mother–Child Play: Children With Down Syndrome and Typical Development

2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Venuti ◽  
S. de Falco ◽  
G. Esposito ◽  
Marc H. Bornstein
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Child Play ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Solitary Play ◽  
Exploratory Play ◽  
Collaborative Play

Abstract Child solitary and collaborative mother–child play with 21 children with Down syndrome and 33 mental-age-matched typically developing children were compared. In solitary play, children with Down syndrome showed less exploratory but similar symbolic play compared to typically developing children. From solitary to collaborative play, children with Down syndrome increased their exploratory play, attaining the same level as typically developing children. Pretense significantly increased from solitary to collaborative play only in typically developing children. Differences between mothers' play in the two groups mirrored those between their children. Both groups showed similar attunement and synchrony. Mothers contribute to the play development of children with Down syndrome through their own adaptation to their children's limitations and potentialities.

Receptive number morphosyntax in children with Down syndrome

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-704
Author(s):  
ROBERTO A. ABREU-MENDOZA ◽  
TANIA JASSO ◽  
ELIA E. SOTO-ALBA ◽  
NATALIA ARIAS-TREJO
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Numerical Comparison ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Mental Age

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the comprehension of plural morphosyntactic markers and its relationship with numerical comparison abilities in children with Down syndrome (DS). It evaluated 16 Spanish-speaking children with DS (mean verbal mental age = 3;6) and 16 typically developing children with similar receptive vocabulary (mean chronological age = 3;5). Children participated in two preferential looking tasks assessing their abilities to map singular and plural markers to their visual referents and to distinguish one object from more than one. Results showed that both groups of children correctly mapped plural markers to their referents but failed to map singular ones. Furthermore, results also indicated that both groups also looked at collections of more than one object with four objects but not at those with two. The eye movement patterns of children who looked at collections of more than one object suggest a counting-like strategy. These results indicate that comprehension of plural markers of children with DS is similar to that of their typically developing peers; however, it is not related to their numerical abilities.

scholarly journals The Association between Difficulties with Speech Fluency and Language Skills in a National Age Cohort of Children with Down Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 704
Author(s):  
Kari-Anne B. Næss ◽  
Egil Nygaard ◽  
Hilde Hofslundsengen ◽  
J. Scott Yaruss
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Speech Fluency ◽  
Age Cohort ◽  
Student’S T

The present study (a) addressed difficulties in speech fluency in children with Down syndrome and typically developing children at a similar non-verbal level and (b) examined the association between difficulties with speech fluency and language skills in children with Down syndrome. Data from a cross-sectional parent survey that included questions about children’s difficulties with speech fluency, as well as clinical tests from a national age cohort of 43 six-year-olds with Down syndrome and 57 young typically developing children, were collected. Fisher’s exact test, Student’s t-test, linear regression, and density ellipse scatter plots were used for analysis. There was a significantly higher occurrence of parent-reported difficulties with speech fluency in the children with Down syndrome. Higher language scores were significantly associated with a lower degree of difficulties; this association was strongest for vocabulary and phonological skills. Although difficulties with speech fluency were not reported for all children with Down syndrome, a substantially higher occurrence of such difficulties was reported compared to that for typically developing children. The significant association between difficulties with speech fluency and the level of language functioning suggests that speech fluency and language skills should be taken into consideration when planning treatment for children with Down syndrome.

Pathways to language: a naturalistic study of children with Williams syndrome and children with Down syndrome

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
YONATA LEVY ◽  
ARIELA EILAM
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Williams Syndrome ◽  
Language Delay ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Naturalistic Study ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Network Properties ◽  
Development Of Language ◽  
Language Onset

ABSTRACTThis is a naturalistic study of the development of language in Hebrew-speaking children with Williams syndrome (WS) and children with Down syndrome (DS), whose MLU extended from 1·0 to 4·4. Developmental curves over the entire span of data collection revealed minor differences between children with WS, children with DS, and typically developing (TD) controls of similar MLU. Development within one calendar year showed remarkable synchrony among the variables. However, age of language onset and pace of acquisition departed significantly from normal timing. It is argued that in view of the centrality of genetic timing and the network properties of cognition, normal schedules are crucial determinants of intact development. Consequently, with respect to neurodevelopmental syndromes, the so-called ‘language delay’ is indicative of deviance that is likely to impact development in critical ways.

scholarly journals Recognition of Emotion from Facial Expressions with Direct or Averted Eye Gaze and Varying Expression Intensities in Children with Autism Disorder and Typically Developing Children

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Tell ◽  
Denise Davidson ◽  
Linda A. Camras
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Gaze Direction ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Expression Intensity ◽  
Autism Disorder

Eye gaze direction and expression intensity effects on emotion recognition in children with autism disorder and typically developing children were investigated. Children with autism disorder and typically developing children identified happy and angry expressions equally well. Children with autism disorder, however, were less accurate in identifying fear expressions across intensities and eye gaze directions. Children with autism disorder rated expressions with direct eyes, and 50% expressions, as more intense than typically developing children. A trend was also found for sad expressions, as children with autism disorder were less accurate in recognizing sadness at 100% intensity with direct eyes than typically developing children. Although the present research showed that children with autism disorder are sensitive to eye gaze direction, impairments in the recognition of fear, and possibly sadness, exist. Furthermore, children with autism disorder and typically developing children perceive the intensity of emotional expressions differently.

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