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Eye‐Tracking as a Measure of Responsiveness to Joint Attention in Infants at Risk for Autism
Author(s) -
Navab Anahita,
GillespieLynch Kristen,
Johnson Scott P.,
Sigman Marian,
Hutman Ted
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
infancy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.361
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1532-7078
pISSN - 1525-0008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-7078.2011.00082.x
Subject(s) - autism , psychology , eye tracking , construct (python library) , joint attention , developmental psychology , construct validity , tracking (education) , cognitive psychology , psychometrics , artificial intelligence , pedagogy , computer science , programming language
Reduced responsiveness to joint attention (RJA), as assessed by the Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS), is predictive of both subsequent language difficulties and autism diagnosis. Eye‐tracking measurement of RJA is a promising prognostic tool because it is highly precise and standardized. However, the construct validity of eye‐tracking assessments of RJA has not been established. By comparing RJA an eye‐tracking paradigm to responsiveness to joint attention during the ESCS, the current study evaluated the construct validity of an eye‐tracking assessment of RJA for 18‐month‐old infant siblings of children with autism. Relations between measures of RJA and concurrent language skills and autistic symptomatology were assessed. Correlations between measures of ESCS RJA and eye‐tracking RJA were statistically significant, but few relations between either ESCS or eye‐tracking assessments of RJA and language or symptoms were observed. This study establishes the construct validity of eye‐tracking assessments of RJA.