Friday June 26, 2009, 4:47 pm

Autistic People Better at Problem Solving Than Non-Autistics: Research

New research suggests that autistic people are 40 per cent faster at problem solving than non-autistics.

Researchers from Universite de Montreal and Harvard University said the results will offer more effective ways to teach people with autism.

"I hope the finding will convince people that autistics have a higher intellectual potential," said lead author Isabelle Soulieres, a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard who completed this experiment in Montreal. "That way, people will expect more and give them more opportunities to learn."

The research involved two groups of people between the ages of 14 and 36 — a test group of autistics and a control group of non-autistics. Both groups were asked to complete patterns while a monitor measured brain activity and time. The pattern test, called Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices, assesses subjects' hypothesis-testing, problem solving and learning skills.

Soulieres, who is also a psychologist, said the test provides a more accurate measurement of reasoning and intelligence than others, because results are less affected by a subject's cultural and linguistic background.

In deciding how to complete the pattern, the subject has to retain information regarding shapes and colours.

Though both groups were found to complete the test with a similar level of accuracy, the autistic subjects responded faster.

"It was such a big difference, we thought we made a mistake," said Soulieres. "The next step is to find out exactly what gave them this edge, find out what made the autistics so much faster."

Brain activity monitors found that different parts of the brain were activated in the test group and the control group when they were working on solving the problems.

"We think the test subjects pay closer attention to visual details," said Soulieres.

It was a 13-year-old autistic patient of Soulieres' who motivated her to start this experiment. "When he walked in, you would immediately think he had moderate mental retardation," she said.

The patient did poorly on all intelligence tests that were administered. "Except when we gave him the RSPM," she said. "He completes it very rapidly, and without any instruction. He scored above average and demonstrated superior intelligence."

Laurent Mottron, a senior researcher and research chair in autism at Universite de Montreal, said this study builds on previous findings. "This should help educators capitalize on the intellectual abilities of autistics," he said.

Soulieres said autistic patients have taught themselves to read using patterns. "They're very good at finding patterns."

The researchers suggest adapting teaching methods to conform with an autistic person's strengths, instead of avoiding their weaknesses.

"We showed that people with autism can achieve much more than they're given the chance to," she said. "We have to work with them instead of simplifying everything for them."

Friday June 26, 2009, 5:11 pm
hmmmm... thank Raffi! :)

Friday June 26, 2009, 7:17 pm
10,000iu per day f VitD3 have proven to help Autism some have even been cured.

Friday June 26, 2009, 8:36 pm
This is interesting. Thanks Raffi.

Friday June 26, 2009, 9:20 pm
Tx Raffi

Saturday June 27, 2009, 12:43 am
interesting news From Experience and other soucres I have always felt the Autistic Persons had been denied thier potential and were very Bright in thier own way.
I hope the Combined Weight of U of M and Harvard Will Push this research into the Public Schools..

Saturday June 27, 2009, 1:55 am
Very, Very Interesting!!

Saturday June 27, 2009, 2:59 pm
Very interesting article - also forwarded this to my son - teacher at school for special needs children.
Thank you Raffi

Sunday June 28, 2009, 12:38 pm
very interesting and informative, thanks Raffi