Language deficits are among the core impairments of autism. In most right-handed people without autism, the left hemisphere of the brain dominates the understanding and production of language. Much of the literature regarding the cognitive level of individuals with autism suggests that most individuals who have autism are also mentally retarded. Although level of cognitive functioning is not part of the criteria for autism, children with autism are often administered tests of intelligence. This occurs frequently in the school setting, where educators may develop particular intervention goals and make placement decisions depending on the perceived abilities of the child. Additionally, some researchers use improvements in IQ scores as an indicator of treatment efficacy in individuals with autism. This occurs even though others have stated that IQ scores should not increase as a function of intervention. (Aarons, M., & Gittens, T. (1999))
Despite the fact that there is disagreement regarding both the need for and the appropriate use of intellectual assessments for individuals with autism, the practice of measuring intelligence in individuals with autism is commonplace. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that the level of intelligence in individuals with autism reported in the literature may depend on the nature of the test used to measure intelligence. Most researchers agree that it is often difficult to determine the true level of intelligence in individuals with autism unless the possible interference of the symptoms of autism is recognized and controlled for in the assessment process.
That there is variability in intelligence determination according to the type of test used implies that there is likely an interaction between the nature of the symptoms of autism and the requirements of the particular test. When the test is appropriate or is modified to account for symptoms of autism, higher test scores are obtained. The most commonly used measures to assess cognitive ability are often verbal or timed tests.................
