Despite the strong evidence of executive function (EF) impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), findings in the preschool period have been inconsistent. Whereas some research has supported an early deficit, many studies have not found early differences in EF. The present study assessed simple and complex components of three EF abilities: working memory, inhibition, and shifting, using a novel battery, the Preschool EF Battery (PEFB; Garon, Smith & Bryson, Child Neuropsychology, 20, 713-736, 2014). Previous research has indicated that the PEFB is sensitive to age differences in typically developing (TD) children aged 18-60 months. Current participants were 34 preschoolers (M = 54.79 months) diagnosed with ASD and 255 TD preschoolers (M = 42.98 months). Results indicated significant differences between the two groups in the three EF abilities, but specific findings were moderated by mental and chronological age. The findings highlight the importance of testing simpler EF skills in very young children with ASD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 318-330. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research

2

1939-3792

10.1002/aur.1893