The role of auditory process in contamination sensitivity in children with autism.

FADDA, ROBERTA;Siegal, M.;Overton, P. G.

2011-01-01

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Abstract

Contamination sensitivity is a complex ability that is influenced by socialization processes and attention to messages in conversation with caregivers that substances that appear edible may not be in reality (Rozin et al., 1987; Rozin, Fallon, & Mandell, 1984; Davey, Forster, & Mayhew, 1991). However, the role of auditory attention in the emergence of contamination sensitivity is still controversial and needs to be clarified. On the basis of these considerations, our study investigated how auditory processing skills influence the development of food contamination sensitivity in children with autism spectrum disorder, since both receptive and expressive deficits in language development in autism have been attributed, in part, to abnormalities of auditory processing, particularly in attention (Russo et al., 2009; Siegal & Blades, 2003). A group of children with autism and a group of preschooler controls were tested for contamination sensitivity with a behavioural task (Siegal & Share,1990) and auditory processing with the LIP (Archibold, 1994). Children with autism who were prepared to drink liquids that had been contaminated by insects had significantly lower auditory processing skills than children with autism and controls who refused to drink. These results are consistent with the auditory attention deficit that has been documented in autism.