Prospective memory in autism: theory and literature review

Sheppard, Daniel P.; Bruineberg, Jelle P.; Kretschmer-Trendowicz, Anett; Altgassen, Mareike · 2018 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2018.1435823

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Summary

This review paper addresses the state of prospective memory (PM) research in autism spectrum conditions (ASC), aiming to synthesize existing literature and propose theoretical explanations for observed deficits. PM, the ability to remember to execute intentions after a delay, is critical for independent living and is often impaired in autistic individuals, contributing to difficulties in employment, social coordination, and daily organization. The authors investigate why these deficits occur by examining the cognitive processes underlying PM, such as executive control, attention, and episodic memory, which are known to be atypical in autism. The study seeks to unify these findings under the multiprocess framework and an embodied predictive-coding account of autism. The authors conducted a systematic literature search on Web of Science for studies published up to December 2016 containing the terms “autism” and “prospective memory.” After screening, 13 studies were included for review. The paper categorizes these studies into those showing intact PM, those showing deficits, and those with mixed results. The review analyzes experimental designs, primarily distinguishing between time-based PM (TBPM) and event-based PM (EBPM), and evaluates performance based on cue salience, focality, and the cognitive demands of the ongoing task. The authors then integrate these empirical findings with theoretical models, specifically the multiprocess framework and Bayesian predictive-coding theories, to explain the mechanisms of PM failure in autism. The review finds that PM in autism is generally impaired, particularly in tasks requiring high cognitive and attentional demand. Deficits are most pronounced in TBPM tasks, which lack external cues, and in EBPM tasks involving non-focal or low-salience cues. Conversely, PM performance is often spared in EBPM tasks with highly salient, distinctive cues. The authors argue that these patterns align with the multiprocess framework, suggesting that autistic individuals struggle with the controlled, attention-demanding processes required to monitor for cues and switch tasks, rather than automatic retrieval processes. The paper further posits that these executive and attentional difficulties stem from underlying impairments in predictive coding, where atypical precision weighting affects how sensory information and motor actions are processed. The significance of this work lies in its integration of cognitive and embodied theories to explain PM deficits in autism. By linking PM failures to core autistic traits in perception and action through a predictive-coding lens, the authors provide a unified theoretical account. This perspective highlights that PM difficulties are not isolated cognitive failures but are connected to broader sensory and motor processing differences. Consequently, the authors propose holistic, embodied interventions that leverage movement and environmental cues to support PM, offering practical implications for improving independence and daily functioning in autistic individuals.

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• prospective memory interruptions