BACKGROUND Research on visuospatial functioning has revealed cognitive challenges for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), nonverbal learning disability (NLD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These disorders are characterized by some overlapping symptoms, making their diagnosis a challenge. AIMS The study aims to clarify the role of visuospatial abilities in their neuropsychological profiles by investigating different visuospatial domains and their interplay with the local-global processing. METHOD AND PROCEDURES Participants (N = 150) with ASD, NLD, or ADHD were compared with typically-developing (TD) children on visuospatial processing speed, visuo-perceptual abilities, visuo-constructive abilities, and visuospatial working memory. Generalized mixed-effects models were performed and receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated to express the usefulness of a local-global processing index in discriminating groups. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS The NLD group was impaired in all domains; children with ADHD revealed a heterogeneous profile, with greater impairments in visuospatial processing speed; ASD and TD groups were comparable. The local-global processing index had predictive power in discriminating among groups in visuo-constructive task. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The study of visuospatial abilities of children with ASD, NLD and ADHD might help to understand strengths and weaknesses in their neuropsychological profile and to differentiate between them. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

中文翻译：

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比较自闭症谱系障碍，非语言学习障碍，ADHD和典型发展过程中的局部全局视觉空间处理。

背景技术对视觉空间功能的研究已经揭示了患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD），非语言学习障碍（NLD）和注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的儿童的认知挑战。这些疾病的特征是一些重叠的症状，使其诊断成为挑战。目的本研究旨在通过研究不同的视觉空间域及其与局部-全局过程的相互作用，来阐明视觉空间能力在其神经心理特征中的作用。方法和程序将具有ASD，NLD或ADHD的参与者（N = 150）与典型发育（TD）的孩子进行视觉空间处理速度，视觉感知能力，视觉建构能力和视觉空间工作记忆的比较。进行了广义的混合效应模型，并估计了接收器的工作特性曲线，以表达区分组中局部全局处理指数的有用性。结果与结果NLD组在所有领域均受损。多动症儿童表现出异质性，视觉空间加工速度受损更大；ASD和TD组具有可比性。局部全局处理指数在区分视觉任务中具有预测能力。结论与意义对ASD，NLD和ADHD儿童的视觉空间能力的研究可能有助于了解他们的神经心理特征的优缺点，并对其进行区分。讨论了这些发现的临床意义。