Immediate free recall in early childhood autism: another point of behavioural similarity with the amnesic syndrome.

Autistic children were compared with age and ability matched controls on a test of immediate recall of word lists. Overall performance in the two groups was very similar. However, the overall recall scores were achieved differently by the two groups, the autistic subjects recalled significantly fewer earlier presented items and more later presented items than did controls. This finding is discussed in relation to the memory disabilities of adults suffering from the amnesic syndrome.