Do high functioning autistic individuals treated in a residential setting differ in divided attention abilities from those treated in an out-patient setting?

摘要

The goal of this current study was to test divided attention abilities of a group adults with autism and normal intellectual functioning, treated in a residential setting versus those treated in an out-patient setting. Both groups were compared with a control group using the Sternberg (1969) reaction time paradigm. It appeared that the in-patient group suffered from a divided attention deficit compared to a norm group. The patients treated in an out-patient setting scored in between the norm group and the in-patient group. Findings are discussed with respect to the relevance for the day to day clinical practice.