Verbal Intent and Gaze Cues on Action Prediction in ASD

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China80 enrolled

Overview

A 2×2×3 mixed design (intent word × object type × group: TD, ASD, ID) was used. Age-matched children watched videos and judged which object a model would pick; their choices and eye movements were recorded.

A 2 (intent word: like, dislike) × 2 (object type: mentioned, unmentioned) × 3 (participant group: ASD, TD, ID) mixed experimental design was adopted. Children from the three age-matched groups (29 TD, 22 ASD, 24 ID) completed a video-watching task. In the video, a model was presented with two objects and uttered a sentence containing an intent word, a verb, and a noun, such as "I like to eat oranges." Based on the intent word, trials were divided into "like" and "dislike" conditions. Objects were classified as "mentioned" or "unmentioned" according to the verb and noun used. Participants were required to judge which object the model would pick while watching the video. Their choice responses and eye movements were recorded.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)Intellectual Disability

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 3 YearsMax age: 10 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: \- Children clinically diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Typically developing (TD) children with no developmental or neurological disorders. Children clinically diagnosed with Intellectual Disability (ID). Common criteria for all groups: Normal or corrected-to-normal vision, no color vision deficiencies, normal hearing, and written informed consent provided by their legal guardians. Exclusion Criteria: \- Failure to meet the study's group-specific screening cutoffs on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). Failure to meet the study's group-specific screening cutoffs on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Known genetic syndromes, significant hearing loss, or uncorrectable visual impairment.

Locations (1)

School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Percentage of Total Fixation Duration on Objects

Percentage of Total Fixation Duration on Objects = (Total time fixating on target objects ÷ Total fixation duration across the scene) × 100%. It measures how much of overall viewing time is spent attending to predefined objects, reflecting attentional priority and object-driven cognitive engagement, normalized for individual differences.

Time frame: During the full 13 seconds video presentation

The time to first fixation on an object within each defined TOI (Time of Interest)

Time to First Fixation on an Object within a TOI = time elapsed from TOI onset until the first fixation lands on that object. It measures how quickly attention is drawn to a target, reflecting salience or search efficiency. Shorter times indicate faster capture.

Time frame: During the 0-2 s, 2-6 s, and 6-8 s intervals of video

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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