Removal of negative feedback enhances WCST performance for individuals with ASD

• Negative feedback led to perseveration in individuals with AS on the WCST.
• Performance on WCST by AS individuals was enhanced when negative feedback was removed.
• These results suggest negative feedback may impair learning in persons with AS.

Negative feedback was explored as a potential mechanism that may exacerbate perseverative behaviours in individuals with Asperger's syndrome (AS). The current study compared 50 individuals with AS and 50 typically developing (TD) individuals for their abilities to successfully complete the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) in the presence or absence of negative feedback. The results revealed that negative feedback led to perseveration in individuals with AS. When negative feedback was removed from the WCST, performance by individuals with AS was enhanced, and was no different to that of the TD individuals under the same conditions. These results suggest negative feedback may impair learning in persons with AS, and prevent the development of more effective strategies in many life domains.