Acting with shared intentions: A systematic review on joint action coordination in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Background: Joint actions, described as a form of social interaction in which individuals coordinate their actions in space and time to bring about a change in the environment, rely on sensory-motor processes that play a role in the development of social skills. Two brain networks, associated with "mirroring" and "mentalizing", are engaged during these actions: the mirror neuron and the theory of mind systems. People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) showed impairment in interpersonal coordination during joint actions. Studying joint action coordination in ASD will contribute to clarify the interplay between sensory-motor and social processes throughout development and the interactions between the brain and the behavior.

Method: This review focused on empirical studies that reported behavioral and kinematic findings related to joint action coordination in people with ASD.

Results: Literature on mechanisms involved in the joint action coordination impairment in ASD is still limited. Data are controversial. Different key-components of joint action coordination may be impaired, such as cooperative behavior, temporal coordination, and motor planning.

Conclusions: Interpersonal coordination during joint actions relies on early sensory-motor processes that have a key role in guiding social development. Early intervention targeting the sensory-motor processes involved in the development of joint action coordination could positively support social skills.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Cooperative behavior; Joint actions; Mentalizing system; Motor planning, mirror neuron system; Temporal coordination.