Eye Tracking as a Treatment Monitoring Tool for Autism: A Multilevel Meta‐Analysis

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting a concurrent association between attentional indices measured via eye tracking and autism symptoms. This meta‐analysis examined the utility of eye tracking within longitudinal frameworks for autism interventions, including treatment monitoring and prediction of treatment response. We conducted a multivariate random‐effects meta‐analysis with a multilevel structure on 25 studies (828 autistic participants; M age = 3–28 years) to estimate: (a) changes in eye‐tracking outcomes from pre‐ to post‐treatment ( k = 179); and (b) the correlation between baseline eye‐tracking profiles and changes in developmental outcomes following treatment ( k = 39). Our analysis revealed a moderate and significant summary effect size for changes in eye‐tracking outcomes from pre‐ to post‐treatment (Hedge's g = 0.32, p = 0.010). Additionally, a moderate but non‐significant summary effect size was revealed for the correlation between baseline eye‐tracking outcomes and changes in developmental outcomes following treatment (Fisher's z = 0.20, p = 0.115), with moderation effects observed based on developmental domain and sex. These findings highlight the potential of eye tracking as a tool for monitoring treatment‐induced changes in autistic individuals, while its predictive utility remains less supported. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Funding Information
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (T32HD007489)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P50HD105353)

This publication has 109 references indexed in Scilit: