Determining a Common Profile Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to compare the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder with an Accompanying Language Impairment (ASD-L) to those with Autism Spectrum Disorder without an Accompanying Language Impairment (ASD-NL). Sixty-two individuals diagnosed with ASD from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V) standardization sample were compared. T tests demonstrated that those in the ASD-NL group yielded significantly higher cognitive scores than those in the ASD-L group. Chi square analyses revealed very few differences between ASD groups. This study demonstrates that those with ASD-NL have stronger cognitive abilities than those with ASD-L; however, the two groups do not have different patterns of ipsative strengths and weaknesses. Nevertheless, the results suggest some consistent patterns of strengths and weaknesses in both ASD groups, such as low processing speed. Additionally, this study highlights the challenge of generalizing knowledge for individuals with ASD