A Profile of Spatial Abilities in People with Down Syndrome and Their Correlations with Everyday Behavior

项目摘要 唐氏综合症(DS)是美国智力残疾(ID)最常见的遗传原因。为 长期以来，研究人员一直认为空间能力是DS患者的一个优势领域。作为核心 智力、空间能力被广泛应用于日常活动中，并作为其他技能的基础 复杂的认知过程。研究DS患者的空间能力具有广泛的意义， 从提升他们的日常生活技能，扩大他们的就业机会，到提供关键的成果指标 在临床试验中使用。尽管这个话题很重要，但我们最近的评论表明，现在就说 根据现有研究得出的结论是，总体来说，空间能力是DS患者的一个强项。 更具体地说，以前的研究很少受到空间能力的行为理论的推动， 由于方法不同，结果不一致，并且没有评估几个关键的空间能力 在患有DS的人身上。本研究提出对空间能力进行系统、全面的评价 以及DS患者的行为。我们的理由是，对空间能力的系统调查应该是 以空间能力分类的理论框架为指导，通过严格的 方法论。此外，一个完整的DS患者的空间轮廓需要基础和应用两方面的内容 研究方法。我们提出了两个具体目标：1)。系统评价学生的空间能力 患有智力障碍(MA)的个体-与典型发育中(TD)儿童和MA匹配-以及 年龄(CA)-与ID(而不是DS)匹配的个体。2)。确定日常生活中的能力 DS患者的空间行为及其与空间能力的关系为了实现这些目标，30个人 对于16-25岁的DS，30名MA匹配的TD儿童，以及30名MA和CA匹配的ID Will 参与一系列空间任务，代表四个不同的空间类别(即，内在-静态；内在- 动态；外部-静态；外部-动态)基于空间理论框架。他们的父母/照顾者 将完成对日常空间行为和日常生活技能的评级。初步数据支持人们 患有DS的人可能在某些空间领域表现出更严重的弱点，但不是其他领域，而且有一个紧急的 DS儿童父母表示需要对空间能力进行研究。这项研究将第一次 建立空间能力的全面认知/行为概况，从而确定优势和 患有DS的个体在空间域中的弱点。这项研究也将是第一个提供 DS患者个体空间行为的生态概况。实际上，通过识别空间弱点， 拟议的研究将为临床试验铺平道路，旨在改善DS患者在 对日常运作和就业前景至关重要的空间能力和空间导向活动。 从理论上讲，这项研究将有助于识别典型和非典型空间的形成机制。 发育，以及大脑和神经差异在DS背后的作用。

Project Summary Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability (ID) in the United States. For a long time, researchers have considered spatial abilities as an area of strength in people with DS. As a core intelligence, spatial abilities are used in a wide variety of daily activities and serve as a foundation for other complex cognitive processes. Studying spatial abilities in people with DS has widespread implications, ranging from promoting their daily living skills, expanding their job opportunities, to providing key outcome measures for use in clinical trials. Despite the importance of the topic, our recent review suggests that it is too premature to conclude that spatial abilities, in general, are an area of strength for people with DS based on extant research. More specifically, previous research was seldom motivated by behavioral theories of spatial abilities, has yielded inconsistent results due to methodological variations, and has not assessed several key spatial abilities in people with DS. The current study proposes to systematically and comprehensively evaluate spatial abilities and behaviors in people with DS. Our rationale is that a systematic investigation of spatial abilities should be guided by a theoretical framework for categorizing spatial abilities and implemented through rigorous methodologies. Further, a complete spatial profile of people with DS requires both fundamental and applied approaches to research. We propose two specific aims: 1). To systematically evaluate the spatial abilities of individuals with DS relative to mental ability (MA)- matched typically developing (TD) children and MA- and chronological age (CA)- matched individuals with ID (not DS). 2). To determine the competencies in everyday spatial behaviors for people with DS and their relations with spatial abilities. To achieve these aims, 30 people with DS aged 16-25 years, 30 MA-matched TD children, and 30 MA- and CA-matched people with ID will participate in a series of spatial tasks representing four distinct spatial categories (i.e., intrinsic-static; intrinsic- dynamic; extrinsic-static; extrinsic-dynamic) based on a spatial theoretical framework. Their parents/caregivers will complete ratings of everyday spatial behaviors and daily living skills. Preliminary data support that people with DS may show more severe weaknesses in some, but not other, spatial areas and that there is an urgent need for research of spatial abilities voiced by the parents of children with DS. For the first time, this study will establish a comprehensive cognitive/behavioral profile of spatial abilities, thereby identifying the strengths and weaknesses within the spatial domain for individuals with DS. This study will also be the first to provide an ecological profile of spatial behaviors for individuals with DS. Practically, by identifying spatial weaknesses the proposed study will pave ways for clinical trials designed for improving the performance of persons with DS in spatial abilities and spatially oriented activities that are critical to everyday functioning and job prospects. Theoretically, the proposed study will help to identify the mechanisms of typical and atypical spatial development, and the roles of brain and neurological differences underlying DS.