Elsevier

Animal Behaviour

Volume 24, Issue 4, November 1976, Pages 898-906
Animal Behaviour

The social-avoidance behaviour of autistic children

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(76)80020-6Get rights and content

Abstract

Direct observation and previous studies suggest autistic children actively avoid social encounters more than normal children, and concommitantly, act as if threatened by the mere proximity or non-threatening approaches of others. A study is reported which supports this. The ‘cognitive-language handicap’ theory of autism is criticized in the light of these results.

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      Gaze aversion has long been known as a marker for ASD in infants and young children (Richer, 2001; Richer & Richards, 1975). ASD children actively avoid social contact with others, even appearing to be threatened by the social approaches of others (Richer, 1976). Interestingly, ASD children in an experimental setting displayed less avoidance behavior when adults were instructed to do nothing but look back, as compared with smiling or gaze averting (Richer & Richards, 1975).

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    Present address: The Park Hospital, Headington, Oxford.

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