Ambiguity detection in adolescents with Asperger syndrome: Is central coherence or theory of mind impaired?

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of central coherence skills and theory of mind competences in ambiguity detection in adolescents with Asperger syndrome (AS). We sought to pinpoint the level at which AS individuals experience difficulty detecting semantic ambiguity and identify the factors that account for their problems. We hypothesized that this difficulty could be related to a second-order false-belief misunderstanding and/or a weak central coherence (WCC). To test this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment investigating the processing of ambiguous idiomatic expressions (Caillies & Le Sourn-Bissaoui, 2006, 2008). Participants also performed a second-order false-belief task (Baron-Cohen, 1989) and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test. Ten adolescents with AS and 10 typically developing controls matched for age, sex and verbal IQ took part in the study. Results indicated that the individuals with AS had greater difficulty in detecting ambiguity than the controls and that this difficulty could be partially related to a WCC or to second-order false-belief misunderstanding. The findings are discussed in the light of the multiple deficits account and the role of executive functions.