Comparative Visual Perception Patterns in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mild Intellectual Disability: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Visual perception plays a crucial role in cognitive and behavioral development. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and mild intellectual disability (ID) exhibit distinct patterns of visual processing that influence their learning and interaction with the environment. AIM: This study aims to compare the visual perception abilities of children with ASD and those with mild ID. METHODS: This study employed an experimental comparative design. The Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test was administered to assess visual-motor integration, perceptual organization, and spatial processing abilities. It was scored based on standard qualitative and quantitative criteria. Group comparisons were conducted using descriptive statistics and cross-group performance patterns. RESULTS: A total of 15 children (8 with ASD and 7 with mild ID), aged between 7 to 12 years, participated in the study. Children with ASD demonstrated superior spatial organization and attention to local details, whereas children with mild ID demonstrated significant difficulties in perceptual coherence, spatial alignment, and motor coordination. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of developing tailored intervention strategies that address the distinct perceptual processing styles associated with ASD and mild ID. However, limitations such as a lack of detailed diagnostic criteria, absence of symptom severity differentiation, and failure to control for developmental age must be considered when interpreting the findings. Future research should aim to overcome these limitations by including standardized diagnostic measures, creating a larger and more diverse sample, and involving additional assessment tools for a more comprehensive analysis.