Validation of Emotions as a Measure of Selective Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This research studied the validation of emotions as a measure of selective attention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their typically developing (TD) peers. Seven basic emotions such as anger, sadness, disgust, joy, surprise, fear and contempt as well as neutral emotion of participants were detected in real-time using iMotions and affectiva software. This study investigated these emotions against task performance. The result shows no significant difference in emotion between the two groups except in neutral and contempt. Also, the result revealed that there was no significant correlation between the seven basic emotions and selective attention in ASD and TD group. However, neutral emotion has a significant correlation on selective attention only in children with ASD and the group differs in neutral and contempt emotions. Thus, this study suggests that the seven basic emotions have no effect on selective attention in children with ASD and TD. Further studies need to investigate the low-level facial activity that represents neutral and contempt emotions.