Executive Function and Social Cognition Performance Predicts Social Difficulty for Autistic Adults

Abstract

There has been limited research aimed at understanding the cognitive features that predict outcomes in autistic adults. Difficulties in social cognition and executive function (EF) processes have been proposed as important cognitive components underlying social functioning outcomes. In this study, 305 autistic adults were administered a battery of social cognition, EF, and social functioning assessments to determine the degree to which social cognition and EF factors predicted outcomes. For social cognition, hierarchical regressions showed that EF explained neither theory of mind scores nor emotion recognition scores. We then ran several mediation models to determine whether EF explained soc..