Comparing Response Inhibition and Flexibility for Two Components of Executive Functioning in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Normal Children

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was investigating and comparing two components of executive functioning in children with high function autism with normal children. METHODS: This study was correlation descriptive (causal-comparative). There were two groups, one consisted of 15 participants of children with high function autism disorder (Intelligence quotient [IQ]>80) and the other consisted of 15 normal children, all age and education matched. They were compared with two neuro-cognitive tests, Color Word Stroop and Wisconsin Card Sorting, and one IQ test called Ravens Progressive Matrices test. FINDINGS: Analysis of data showed significant difference in both executive functionings, response inhibition (Stroop) and flexibility (Wisconsin Card Sorting) between normal children and children with autism disorder, but there was no significant relation between age and IQ and executive functioning in children with autism. CONCLUSION: The results showed that children with autism disorder have deficits in executive functions regardless of their IQ level and it can be attributed to the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.