Expressive and Perceptual Motor Functioning in Adults with Autistic Traits

The DSM-5 characterizes autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a gross impairment in social cognition and functioning. Recent research indicates that motor dysfunction may be a critical component to the disorder and serve as a precursor to hallmark social deficits. Very little research has studied perceptual motor abilities (e.g. biological motion processing) compared to expressive motor behaviors (e.g. gross/fine motor skills) in autistic individuals. Further, the trajectory of ASD-related motor impairments beyond early development and into adulthood is unknown. The present study examined if adults higher in autistic traits demonstrate greater impairment in both perceptual and expressive motor domains. A total of 621 adults, aged from 18 to 73 years, were assessed on measures of autistic traits and motor functioning. Results indicated that adults with greater autistic traits also reported greater expressive motor difficulties (e.g. coordination) childhood and adulthood. Autistic traits as well as expressive motor dysfunction were predictive of biological motion processing abilities. The results also revealed sex differences in expressive motor functioning, autistic traits, and biological motion processing. Overall, these findings suggest that adults with greater autistic traits experience both deficits in motor activities as well as underlying motor perceptual abilities