Journal article
Driving Comparisons Between Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development
Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, v 39(6), pp 451-460
01 Jul 2018
PMID: 29787403
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Objective: Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are reluctant to pursue driving because of concerns about their ability to drive safely. This study aimed to assess differences in simulated driving performance in young adults with ASD and typical development, examining relationships between driving performance and the level of experience (none, driver's permit, licensed) across increasingly difficult driving environments. Method: Participants included 50 English-speaking young adults (16-26 years old) with ASD matched for sex, age, and licensure with 50 typically-developing (TD) peers. Participants completed a structured driving assessment using a virtual-reality simulator that included increasingly complex environmental demands. Differences in mean speed and speed and lane variability by diagnostic group and driving experience were analyzed using multilevel linear modeling. Results: Young adults with ASD demonstrated increased variability in speed and lane positioning compared with controls, even during low demand tasks. When driving demands became more complex, group differences were moderated by driving experience such that licensed drivers with ASD drove similarly to TD licensed drivers for most tasks, whereas unlicensed drivers with ASD had more difficulty with speed and lane management than TD drivers. Conclusion: Findings suggest that young adults with ASD may have more difficulty with basic driving skills than peers, particularly in the early stages of driver training. Increased difficulty compared with peers increases as driving demands become more complex, suggesting that individuals with ASD may benefit from a slow and gradual approach to driver training. Future studies should evaluate predictors of driving performance, on-road driving, and ASD-specific driving interventions.
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Details
- Title
- Driving Comparisons Between Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development
- Creators
- Kristina E. Patrick - Nationwide Children's HospitalFelicia Hurewitz - EdMent Consulting, Philadelphia, PA.Mark D. McCurdy - Drexel UniversityFrederic Taylor Agate - Drexel UniversityBrian P. Daly - Drexel UniversityReem A. Tarazi - Drexel UniversityDouglas L. Chute - Drexel UniversityMaria T. Schultheis - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, v 39(6), pp 451-460
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute American Psychological Association
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000452561800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85056511203
- Other Identifier
- 991019169543604721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Behavioral Sciences
- Pediatrics
- Psychology, Developmental