Imagination and creativity in children with ASD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Predicting imagination and creativity abilities in children with ASD using the ADOS- 2
IRAS ID
165572
Contact name
Nicky Wood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
East Kent Hospitals University Foundation NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 25 days
Research summary
Research has confirmed an impairment in the imagination and creativity of children diagnosed with ASD (Wing, Gould, Yeates, & Brierley, 1977; Riguet, Taylor, Benaroya, & Klein, 1982; Charman, Swettenham, Baron-Cohen, Cox, Baird, & Drew, 1997). However, children with ASD have also shown that in certain situations they can engage in pretend play and imaginative acts (Sigman & Ungerer, 1984; Jarrold, Boucher, & Smith, 1996; Blanc, Adrien, Roux, & Barthelemy, 2005). Recently, Honey, Leekam, Turner and McConachie (2007) found a relationship between play and repetitive and restricted behaviours (RRBs) in young children with ASD. However, many studies have also found a relationship between structural language level and imaginative play (see Honey, 2007, for a review). The present study aims to investigate factors that can predict the ability of children with ASD to demonstrate creativity and imagination. We will review the database of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS- 2) scores of children assessed in the Children’s Assessment Centre, Kent and Canterbury Hospital. We will investigate the relationship between the 'imagination and creativity' scores on the ADOS-2 (as our outcome variable) and the 'communication', 'restricted and repetitive behaviour' and 'social reciprocity'scores, and also the overall score of the ADOS. This study will clarify whether language (as measured by the social communication score) or RRBs are the greater constraint on imagination and creativity in verbally-fluent children with ASD.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0053
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion