Autobiographical Memory and Social Identity in Autism: Preliminary Results of Social Positioning and Cognitive Intervention

Frontiers in Psychology 12 (2021)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Autobiographical memory (AM) is closely linked to the self-concept, and fulfills directive, identity, social, and adaptive functions. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are now known to have atypical AM, which may be closely associated with social communication difficulties. This may result in qualitatively different autobiographical narratives, notably regarding social identity. In the present study, we sought to investigate this concept and develop a cognitive intervention targeting individuals with ASD. First, 13 adolescents with ASD and 13 typically developing adolescents underwent an AM interview featuring an original coding system designed to analyze the social self. We observed that the narratives produced by the ASD group focused more on the family than on extended social spheres, compared with those of the comparison group. Moreover, participants with ASD did not include themselves in the social groups they mentioned, and produced more references to others, compared with typically developing participants. Second, we designed a cognitive intervention program consisting of individual and group sessions that targeted AM. We conducted a pilot study among three adolescents with ASD aged 12, 16, and 17 years. Preliminary results showed that the program increased extra-family narrative references by the two youngest adolescents, who produced more social integration markers. Our study of autobiographical narratives yielded interesting findings about social positioning in ASD and showed how AM can be targeted in rehabilitation programs as a vector of social interaction.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,593

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Pluralism, social cognition, and interaction in autism.Anika Fiebich - 2017 - Philosophical Psychology 30 (1-2):161-184.
Multiple personality and personal identity.Mark T. Brown - 2001 - Philosophical Psychology 14 (4):435 – 447.
Nonverbal Behavior As Index of Social Class.Axel Hübler & Jens Schumacher - 2011 - American Journal of Semiotics 27 (1-4):47-79.

Analytics

Added to PP
2021-03-17

Downloads
17 (#742,076)

6 months
6 (#202,901)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

Memory and consciousness.Endel Tulving - 1985 - Canadian Psychology 26:1-12.
Self-projection and the brain.Randy L. Buckner & Daniel C. Carroll - 2007 - Trends in Cognitive Sciences 11 (2):49-57.
Five kinds of self-knowledge.Ulric Neisser - 1988 - Philosophical Psychology 1 (1):35 – 59.
Deconstructing episodic memory with construction.Demis Hassabis & Eleanor A. Maguire - 2007 - Trends in Cognitive Sciences 11 (7):299-306.

View all 9 references / Add more references