Abstract

In a novel online study, we explored whether finger tapping differences are evident in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits in the general population. We hypothesised that those with higher autistic traits would show more impairment in finger tapping, and that age would moderate tapping output. The study included a non-diagnosed population of 159 participants aged 18-78 who completed an online measure of autistic traits (the AQ-10) and a measure of finger tapping (the FTT). Results showed those with higher AQ-10 scores recorded lower tapping scores in both hands. Moderation analysis showed younger participants with more ASD traits recorded lower tapping scores for the dominant hand. This suggests motor differences seen in ASD studies are evident in the general population.