An evaluation of temporal discounting in neurotypical individuals and individuals with autism spectrum disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive interests and activities. While not a defining characteristic of ASD, many individuals with this diagnosis display impulsive responding. The presence of impulsivity can be pervasive and dramatically affect the intervention process. In the scientific literature, impulsivity is often conceptualized as temporal discounting. Temporal discounting refers to the decrease in the value of reinforcers as a function of the delay of their receipt. Researchers have outlined some procedures for evaluating temporal discounting in human populations. However, much of this research is limited to hypothetical choices with typically developing populations. Additionally, research has yet to be conducted comparing impulsivity of individuals with ASD who are lower functioning to typically developing controls using real as opposed to hypothetical choices. The purpose of the current investigation was to measure temporal discounting in neurotypical individuals and individuals diagnosed with ASD. In the study, participants were given choices between an impulsive choice and a self-controlled choice. Indifference points were plotted, forming discounting curves. The results suggest that individuals diagnosed with ASD respond more impulsively overall than neurotypical peers. Furthermore, it was found that in neurotypical participants, both children and adults display more impulsive responding than adolescents, while participants diagnosed with ASD remain impulsive throughout adulthood, showing no effect for age. These findings offer preliminary data on research comparing impulsivity in individuals with ASD and their neurotypical peers. Important implications of our findings are further discussed.Psy.D.Includes bibliographical reference