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患者的强项。作为核心 智力，空间能力用于各种各样的日常活动，并作为其他活动的基础。 复杂的认知过程研究DS患者的空间能力具有广泛的意义， 从提高他们的日常生活技能，扩大他们的就业机会，到提供关键的成果措施， 用于临床试验。尽管这一主题很重要，但我们最近的审查表明， 根据现有的研究，我们得出结论，一般来说，空间能力是DS患者的强项。 更具体地说，以前的研究很少受到空间能力行为理论的激励， 由于方法的差异，得出了不一致的结果，并且没有评估几个关键的空间能力 在DS患者中。本研究建议对空间能力进行系统、全面的评价 和行为之间的关系我们的基本原理是，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，并通过严格的 方法论。此外，一个完整的空间轮廓的人与DS需要的基础和应用 研究方法。我们提出两个具体目标：1）。系统地评估空间能力， DS相对于心理能力（MA）的个体-匹配典型发育（TD）儿童和MA-以及 实足年龄（CA）匹配的ID（非DS）个体。2）。确定日常工作中的能力 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人 年龄在16-25岁之间的DS，30名MA匹配的TD儿童，以及30名MA和CA匹配的ID患者， 参与表示四个不同空间类别的一系列空间任务（即，固有静态的 动态的;外部静态的;外部动态的）基于空间理论框架。父母/照顾者 将完成日常空间行为和日常生活技能的评级。初步数据显示， 与DS可能会显示出更严重的弱点，在某些，但不是其他，空间领域，有一个紧迫的 DS患儿父母提出的空间能力研究的必要性。这项研究将首次 建立空间能力的全面认知/行为概况，从而确定优势， 空间域中的弱点与DS的个人。这项研究也将是第一个提供一个 DS个体空间行为的生态学特征。实际上，通过确定空间弱点， 拟议的研究将为临床试验铺平道路，旨在改善DS患者在以下方面的表现： 空间能力和面向空间的活动对日常运作和就业前景至关重要。 从理论上讲，该研究将有助于识别典型和非典型空间的机制， 发展，以及大脑和神经系统差异在DS中的作用。

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.