Authors:Emre Deniz, Laura Fox, Kathryn Asbury, Umar Toseeb Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsDespite its high potential for affecting sibling relationships, few studies have explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this important family dynamic. Of these, the reported evidence has been inconsistent across cultures and lacks cross-cultural comparability. For the first time, we investigated cross-cultural variability in the impact of COVID-19, and the restrictions associated with it, on sibling relationships of autistic adolescents from a Western (United Kingdom) and non-Western (Turkey) country. We also explored how British and Turkish parents intervene in negative sibling interactions—that is, sibling bullying—when witnessed.MethodsParents of 164 British and 96 Turkish autistic adolescents, aged 9 to 20 years, were asked how they perceived the effects of COVID-19 on their children's sibling relationships, and how they were most likely to react to instances of sibling bullying. Free response data from parents were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsOur findings indicated more cross-cultural similarities than differences between British and Turkish families. The majority of both British and Turkish parents indicated that COVID-19 worsened sibling relationships between their autistic and nonautistic children. An overwhelming majority of British and Turkish parents also said that they would step in directly when witnessing sibling bullying. Despite the high volume of cross-cultural similarities generally, we also found some cross-cultural differences, for instance in relation to the most common negative impact of COVID-19 on sibling relationships and the most preferred parental responses to sibling bullying.Conclusions and implicationImplications and suggestions are discussed in more detail, drawing on the Etic approach to cross-cultural psychology. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-08-02T06:13:34Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241268242 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:C H Geveke, H J J M Veenker, H W Steenbeek Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. BackgroundIt can be very challenging for practitioners to talk with autistic children, especially when the conversation calls for self-regulation. Self-regulation is inextricably linked to awareness of oneself and others in social contexts. Encouraging the need for autonomy could help increase self-awareness and awareness of others in social events, which in turn could strengthen self-regulation. However, little is known about how autonomy influences competence in reasoning about self and others when regarding social events in which autistic children participate. This study explores the reasoning of self-other awareness on a microlevel timescale using ipsative, dynamic approaches to autism. The central question in this study is: to what extent can autonomy-provided scaffolding (APS) elicit high levels of reasoning about self-others in social events (RSS) over time'MethodWe used video-taped interaction data from three sessions between one autistic child and a practitioner, contextualized by a set of animated DSM-5-based items of social events on which the child was asked to reflect. Interaction variables were the child's level of RSS and the practitioner's level of APS. We coded the real-time interaction.ResultsFirst, when exploring the dynamics of the microdata, we found contingency over time within sessions. Second, over the sessions, the practitioner showed a stable high level of APS, whereas the child's level of RSS increased. Third, a coupling effect between the level of APS and RSS was found within and over sessions. Salient is that the child and practitioner increasingly adapted to each other over the three sessions, and over time, high-level APS of the practitioner elicited higher levels of RSS of the child.DiscussionBecause the child showed a significant improvement in RSS over time, our research question provides a promising perspective. Contrary to what one might expect in autism, APS supported the performance of the child in reasoning about self-others in social situations. These outcomes underline the importance of giving voice to autistic children. The results may encourage researchers to develop strategies and tools that can help give a voice to children, to gain more insight into the child's reasoning. This may further develop self-other awareness and self-regulation in the social events of autistic children. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-08-02T04:36:32Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241268192 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Pauline Maes, Chelsea La Valle, Helen Tager-Flusberg Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsNongenerative speech is the rote repetition of words or phrases heard from others or oneself. The most common manifestations of nongenerative speech are immediate and delayed echolalia, which are a well-attested clinical feature and a salient aspect of atypical language use in autism. However, there are no current estimates of the frequency of nongenerative speech, and the individual characteristics associated with nongenerative speech use in individuals across the autistic spectrum are poorly understood. In this study, we aim to measure and characterize spontaneous and nongenerative speech use in minimally verbal and verbally fluent autistic children and adolescents.MethodsParticipants were 50 minimally verbal and 50 verbally fluent autistic individuals aged 6 to 21 years. Spontaneous and nongenerative speech samples were derived from SALT transcripts of ADOS-2 assessments. Participants’ intelligible speech utterances were categorized as spontaneous or nongenerative. Spontaneous versus nongenerative utterances were compared between language subgroups on frequency of use and linguistic structure. Associations between nongenerative speech use and a series of individual characteristics (ADOS-2 subscale scores, nonverbal IQ, receptive vocabulary, and chronological age) were investigated over the whole sample and for each language subgroup independently.ResultsAlmost all participants produced some nongenerative speech. Minimally verbal individuals produced significantly more nongenerative than spontaneous utterances, and more nongenerative utterances compared to verbally fluent individuals. Verbally fluent individuals produced limited rates of nongenerative utterances, in comparison to their much higher rates of spontaneous utterances. Across the sample, nongenerative utterance rates were associated with nonverbal IQ and receptive vocabulary, but not separately for the two language subgroups. In verbally fluent individuals, only age was significantly inversely associated with nongenerative speech use such that older individuals produced fewer nongenerative utterances. In minimally verbal individuals, there were no associations between any of the individual characteristics and nongenerative speech use. In terms of linguistic structure, the lexical diversity of nongenerative and spontaneous utterances of both language subgroups was comparable. Morphosyntactic complexity was higher for spontaneous compared to nongenerative utterances in verbally fluent individuals, while no differences emerged between the two utterance types in minimally verbal individuals.ConclusionsNongenerative speech presents differently in minimally verbal and verbally fluent autistic individuals. Although present in verbally fluent individuals, nongenerative speech appears to be a major feature of spoken language in minimally verbal children and adolescents.ImplicationsOur results advocate for more research on the expressive language profiles of autistic children and adolescents who remain minimally verbal and for further investigations of nongenerative speech, which is usually excluded from language samples. Given its prevalence in the spoken language of minimally verbal individuals, nongenerative speech could be used as a way to engage in and maintain communication with this subgroup of autistic individuals. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-07-25T11:13:53Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241262207 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Aoife Lynam, Mary Rose Sweeney, Lisa Keenan, Sinéad McNally Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsAutistic pupils have the right to be heard in matters concerning their education and to be active agents in shaping their school experiences. Despite this, educational policies and research have rarely included the voices of autistic children, failing to identify what they consider to be beneficial and meaningful in their own education. This study aimed to (i) summarise existing literature exploring autistic pupils’ experiences at school from their own perspectives and (ii) identify gaps for future research through a consultation with autistic pupils.MethodsA scoping review was conducted to identify studies exploring first-person accounts of autistic pupils’ school experiences (primary and secondary; aged 4–18 years) published between 2005 and 2023. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify overarching thematic categories across the included studies. Review findings were discussed through a consultation with a Child and Youth Advisory Group (CYAG) comprised of autistic pupils in Ireland (N = 3), to seek feedback and inform a future research agenda.Main contributionThirty-six studies were included in the review and six themes were identified: Experiences of feeling misunderstood, of bullying and masking, of feeling excluded, of anxiety, of sensory needs in school, and of being overwhelmed during transitions. Consultation with the CYAG highlighted that these six themes were consistent with autistic pupils’ experiences but that reports of positive experiences were missing in the literature.ConclusionsThis study identified several gaps in the literature on the school experiences of autistic pupils, based on both the scoping review and consultation with the CYAG. While the CYAG validated the themes identified in existing literature, there is a need for greater diversity in the samples included and increased focus on the potential positive aspects of the school experience. Implications. These findings have important research implications. In particular, further studies are needed with autistic pupils at primary school level, including those who are minimally or non-speaking, as well as ensuring pupils with positive school experiences are also represented. Findings also highlight the need for continued collaboration with autistic pupils themselves in matters concerning their education. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-06-13T01:23:31Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241258705 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Rebecca Gray, Deirdre M Muldoon Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsThis study was conducted in a clinical setting with the aim of replicating previously used procedures for teaching receptive vocabulary. Researchers increased the number of vocabulary words and maintained use of match-to-sample (MtS), prompting, and reinforcement procedures. Researchers were also interested in the efficacy of the intervention from caregivers’ perspectives.MethodsUsing a concurrent multiple baseline design, two autistic preschoolers with receptive language impairment were taught to identify 30 common objects. MtS, prompting, and reinforcement procedures were individualized to support each child. Maintenance checks and generalization probes were completed after a predetermined number of intervention sessions (i.e. three or four clinic sessions). A social validity questionnaire was completed by parents following the final maintenance check.ResultsReceptive object identification improved significantly for both participants. Despite exposure to vocabulary targets for only three or four sessions, they generalized the vocabulary targets to non-identical pictures and maintained words at maintenance checks. Participants were most successful when researchers individualized prompting and reinforcement.ConclusionMtS, prompting, and reinforcement were effective procedures for improving object identification, even with a limited number of intervention sessions. To support varying learner profiles, modifying prompting and reinforcement procedures was necessary. Caregivers of both participants reported positive improvements in areas such as communication, attention, and behaviors.ImplicationsThis replicated study provides support for MtS, prompting, and reinforcement as means of teaching receptive vocabulary to autistic preschoolers in a clinical setting. The materials used were simple and cost-effective. Overall, this study outlines and supports a flexible and effective evidence-based practice to teach receptive language to autistic children. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-05-28T06:27:11Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241258699 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Tiffany L Hutchins, Sophie E Knox, E Cheryl Fletcher Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and AimRecently, there has been a lot of interest surrounding the term gestalt language processor (GLP) which is associated with Natural Language Acquisition (NLA): a protocol intended to support the language development of autistic people. In NLA, delayed echolalia is presumed raw source material that GLPs use to acquire language in a stage-like progression from delayed echolalia to spontaneous speech. The aim of this article is to evaluate NLA in light of relevant literatures to allow scrutiny of NLA claims.Main contributionsFirst, we review the notion of gestalt language and situate it in the broader literature on language styles to update understanding of its significance. We then review the links from gestalt language processing to autism and identify definitional and conceptual problems and clarify the construct ‘episodic memory’. We discuss the ‘raw material view of delayed echolalia’ and identify theoretical and empirical shortcomings. Finally, we review Blanc’s language stages and their accompanying assessment and language support recommendations and challenge their validity.Conclusions & ImplicationsThe term ‘gestalt language processor’ is definitionally and conceptually troubled, the assertion that autistic people are GLPs is misleading and unhelpful, and evidence is lacking that GLP represents a legitimate clinical entity. The theoretical basis of NLA lacks empirical support. NLA stages are implausible and their accompanying assessment and support recommendations lack justification. We recommend the use of alternate, individualized, theoretically-sound, evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming supports that are sensitive and responsive to the heterogeneity that defines autism. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-05-22T08:27:37Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241249944 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Megumi Hisaizumi, Digby Tantam Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsFascinations for or aversions to particular sounds are a familiar feature of autism, as is an ability to reproduce another person's utterances, precisely copying the other person's prosody as well as their words. Such observations seem to indicate not only that autistic people can pay close attention to what they hear, but also that they have the ability to perceive the finer details of auditory stimuli. This is consistent with the previously reported consensus that absolute pitch is more common in autistic individuals than in neurotypicals. We take this to suggest that autistic people have perception that allows them to pay attention to fine details. It is important to establish whether or not this is so as autism is often presented as a deficit rather than a difference. We therefore undertook a narrative literature review of studies of auditory perception, in autistic and nonautistic individuals, focussing on any differences in processing linguistic and nonlinguistic sounds.Main contributionsWe find persuasive evidence that nonlinguistic auditory perception in autistic children differs from that of nonautistic children. This is supported by the additional finding of a higher prevalence of absolute pitch and enhanced pitch discriminating abilities in autistic children compared to neurotypical children. Such abilities appear to stem from atypical perception, which is biased toward local-level information necessary for processing pitch and other prosodic features. Enhanced pitch discriminating abilities tend to be found in autistic individuals with a history of language delay, suggesting possible reciprocity. Research on various aspects of language development in autism also supports the hypothesis that atypical pitch perception may be accountable for observed differences in language development in autism.ConclusionsThe results of our review of previously published studies are consistent with the hypothesis that auditory perception, and particularly pitch perception, in autism are different from the norm but not always impaired. Detail-oriented pitch perception may be an advantage given the right environment. We speculate that unusually heightened sensitivity to pitch differences may be at the cost of the normal development of the perception of the sounds that contribute most to early language development.ImplicationsThe acquisition of speech and language may be a process that normally involves an enhanced perception of speech sounds at the expense of the processing of nonlinguistic sounds, but autistic children may not give speech sounds this same priority. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-05-16T05:32:11Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241248618 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Marjolein Muès, Sarah Schaubroeck, Ellen Demurie, Herbert Roeyers Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background & aimsLanguage abilities of autistic children and children at elevated likelihood for autism (EL-siblings) are highly heterogeneous, and many of them develop language deficits. It is as of yet unclear why language abilities of autistic children and EL-siblings vary, although an interaction of multiple influential factors is likely at play. In this review, we describe research articles that identify one or multiple of such factors associated with the receptive or expressive language abilities of autistic children and EL-siblings since the introduction of the DSM-5. Our aim was to identify and summarize factors that are linked to language development in autistic children and siblings in the recent literature to ultimately gain insight into the heterogeneity of language abilities in these children.MethodsThe search strategy of this review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The following databases were consulted: Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria for studies were the presence of a sample of autistic children no older than 7 years old who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder per the criteria of the DSM-5. Intervention studies and studies without an explicitly reported language measure were excluded. Risk of bias assessment was completed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scales. Ultimately, 55 articles were included in this review.Main contributionFifty-six factors were identified to be related to receptive or expressive language abilities of autistic children and EL-siblings. They were grouped into three main categories: biological factors; psychosocial and environmental factors; and age-related and developmental factors, each with different subcategories. Although many of the identified variables were only examined in one article, some well-researched associated factors were reported across multiple studies and were present in both autistic children and EL-siblings, in particular joint attention, nonverbal cognitive abilities and frontal EEG power. Better insight in these factors associated with language abilities in autistic children and siblings at elevated likelihood can inform future intervention strategies to reduce language deficits and its corresponding negative consequences in these children.ConclusionsOur results confirm that multiple different factors likely underlie language deficits in autism. Important aspects that should be considered are, among others, social factors such as joint attention, child characteristics such as nonverbal cognition, and neurocognitive factors. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-05-13T08:22:08Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241253554 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Lauren Denusik, Danielle Glista, Michelle Servais, Jodi Friesen, Janis Oram, Barbara Jane Cunningham Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsCaregiver-delivered programs are a recommended best practice to support young autistic children. While research has extensively explored children's outcomes quantitatively, minimal qualitative research has been conducted to understand caregivers’ perspectives of program outcomes for themselves and their children. Hearing directly from caregivers is an important step in ensuring these programs are meeting the needs of those who use them. This study explored caregivers’ perceived outcomes following one virtual caregiver-delivered program, The Hanen Centre's More Than Words® (MTW) program.MethodsThis study was a secondary analysis of data from individual interviews conducted with 21 caregivers who had recently participated in a virtual MTW program. A hybrid codebook thematic analysis approach was taken to analyze the interview data. Program outcomes were coded and analyzed within the International Classification Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework. Additionally, caregivers completed an online survey and rated Likert Scale items about perceived program outcomes, which were analyzed descriptively.ResultsFive themes were identified: (1) caregivers learned new strategies to facilitate their child's development, (2) caregivers developed a new mindset, (3) children gained functional communication skills, (4) caregiver–child relationships improved, and (5) caregivers gained a social and professional support network. These themes fell within four of five ICF framework components (activities, participation, personal factors, and environmental factors). No themes were identified under Body Structures and Functions. Survey results indicated most caregivers reported learning new communication strategies (n = 20, 95%), and identifying new teaching opportunities with their child (n = 21, 100%).ConclusionsSome reported outcomes, related to Activities and Participation, were consistent with previous reports in the literature on the MTW program. In line with previous research, caregivers learned strategies to support their child's communication development. Contrary to previous quantitative studies, caregivers in this study rarely commented on gains in vocabulary and instead focused on gains in skills that positively impacted their child's ability to engage in meaningful social interaction. Novel outcomes were identified within the Participation, Personal Factors, and Environmental Factors components of the ICF framework.ImplicationsCaregivers in this study identified important outcomes for themselves and their child that have not been the focus of prior research, suggesting it is important to integrate their perspectives in the development and evaluation of caregiver-delivered programs. Clinicians should include goals that address outcomes identified as important by caregivers, including those that address children's Participation, and those that target caregivers’ Personal and Environmental Factors. Developers of caregiver-delivered programs could integrate identified goals to ensure they are meeting families’ needs. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-05-01T04:49:27Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241244767 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Xin Qi, Qiwei Zhao, Carol K. S. To Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. PurposeParent involvement is crucial for tailored early intervention programs. The Hanen More Than Words (HMTW) program is a parent-implemented language intervention for autistic children. The current study examined the effectiveness of the HMTW program delivered online among Chinese families.MethodsUsing a randomized controlled trial design, 22 Chinese families of autistic children in Hong Kong completed the trial. Baseline and post-intervention assessments were conducted to measure changes in parent-child interaction, parents’ use of linguistic facilitation techniques (LFTs), and children's communication skills. Additionally, the influence of parental self-efficacy and parenting stress on treatment outcomes was explored.ResultsThe intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in parent-child attention synchrony. Although the treatment effect on children's spontaneous communication was not significant, the intervention group showed a larger effect size compared to the controls. The treatment outcomes were mainly influenced by the parents’ initial levels of self-efficacy but not by parenting stress.ConclusionThese findings provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of the online-delivered HMTW program for Chinese parents of autistic children. Further research involving a larger sample and focusing on long-term effects is needed. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-04-18T08:03:52Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241245096 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Muna Abd El-Raziq, Natalia Meir, Elinor Saiegh-Haddad Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsAlthough autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has not traditionally been associated with morphosyntactic impairments, some children with ASD manifest significant difficulties in this domain. Sentence Repetition (SRep) tasks are highly reliable tools for detecting morphosyntactic impairment in different languages and across various populations, including children with ASD. This study is among the first to evaluate morphosyntactic abilities of Palestinian-Arabic (PA) speaking children using a PA SRep task.MethodsA total of 142 PA-speaking children, aged 5-11, participated in the study: 75 children with typical language development (TLD) and 67 children with ASD. The PA SRep task targeted morphosyntactic structures of varying complexity (simple subject-verb-object [SVO] sentences, biclausal sentences, wh-questions, relative clauses). Children’s accuracy scores were assessed across these structures and error patterns encompassing morphosyntactic and pragmatic aspects were analyzed.ResultsTwo subgroups of ASD emerged: 43% showed age-appropriate language skills (ASD + NL) pairing up with TLD peers, while 57% showed signs of morphosyntactic impairment (ASD + LI). Children in both groups exhibited a higher frequency of morphosyntactic errors than pragmatic ones. Children with ASD + LI showed difficulties with producing complex morphosyntactic structures, such as relative clauses and object wh-questions. Error analysis revealed that children in the ASD + LI group produced sentence fragments and simplified constructions when complex structures were targeted.ConclusionsThe current study extends the cross-linguistic evidence of the heterogeneity of morphosyntactic profiles in children with ASD to Arabic-speaking children. Error analysis indicates that poor morphosyntax, rather than pragmatics, challenges children's performance on the SRep task.ImplicationsOur results emphasize the importance of comprehensive language assessment in children with ASD and underscore the need for tailored intervention plans targeting impaired morphosyntactic structures in some children with ASD. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-04-13T07:22:18Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241234649 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Lauren Powell, Gemma Wheeler, Chris Redford, Jonathan Stott Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsEvidence suggests that autistic children and young people (CAYP) can benefit from age-appropriate psychoeducation. Co-design is a methodology that iteratively involves end users and stakeholders in producing an intervention which may increase engagement and impact. Few age-appropriate co-designed psychoeducation resources for autistic CAYP exist. Therefore, a paper-based resource was co-designed for autistic CAYP who attend mainstream primary education. The resource aims to educate CAYP about their autism and provide strategies to support them to live well with their autism.MethodsThis paper describes the evaluation of the prototype resource through online workshops with 12 families and input from four specialist clinicians. The suitability and acceptability of the resource was explored, and sketch notes were taken for respondent validity and engagement purposes.ResultsA reflexive thematic analysis identified six themes and two subthemes: (1) content appropriateness (subtheme: strategies and unpredictability); (2) relating to content, (3) feelings and emotions, (4) terminology (subtheme: literal thinking); (5) positivity, and (6) communication aid. Suggested improvements were also identified. Results suggest the resource is suitable and acceptable.ConclusionsFuture intervention development research may consider individual differences of autistic CAYP and the co-design of resources for other age groups of neurodiverse populations. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-02-29T07:41:08Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241234648 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Stella Tsamitrou, Marie-Hélène Plumet Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsA growing number of autistic children have access to inclusive education programs as early as kindergarten. However, little is known about how they actually participate in social interactions and develop their communicative skills according to the parameters of this environment. The aim of this article is to review observational studies on this topic and critically analyze their methodological choices by arguing on the aspects of communication skills noted in the observation grids. Disparities in the information collected depending on the method used have implications for understanding and supporting autistic children in an inclusive school environment.MethodsObservational studies on social interactions of autistic preschoolers within inclusive preschool settings were scoped. The studies were analyzed according to the following parameters: aims of observation, method used for coding, communication partners considered (adults and peers), type of children's social engagement (initiatives and responses), diversity of communicative forms and communication functions, distinction and comparison of interactional contexts related to the activities, and whether changes linked to developmental variables are studied on an interindividual or longitudinal basis.ResultsSeventeen studies using the observation method in inclusive preschool settings were identified. Recordingmethods are mostly based on video recording. The coding grids mainly focus on autistic children while partners’ behaviors (adults, peers) are often coded in less detail, thus providing littleinformation on their dynamic role in the interactions. Overall, autistic children were found to initiate interactions much less often than they respond to it. The data generally distinguish thecommunicative forms used by children and indicate a predominance of nonverbal means at preschool level. However, a few studies coded communicative functions, whether they areaddressed to children or produced by them. In addition, very few studies compare interactions across activity contexts. In addition, very few studies compare interactions across activity contexts.Results of some studies showed that children initiated interaction more frequently during free play than during work activity, but results are heterogeneous. Developmental trajectories in socialskills seem to be associated with the severity of autism and language skills, but longitudinal designs are still rare.Conclusions and implicationsDirect and fine-grained observation in the classroom is a key source of information about how communication takes place in preschool-inclusive settings. The data, despite some methodological challenges, offer opportunities for better adjustment based on professional objectives. Our review highlights the importance of offering occasions for initiatives to autistic children and training of neurotypical peers to better interact with autistic children and promote verbal communication. Further observational studies are needed to use more microanalytic measures of the functional quality of social interactions in autistic children, including joint comparisons between partners (adults vs. peers) and across contexts (e.g., play vs. structured development) so that appropriate strategies can be proposed in inclusive preschool settings. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-02-28T08:48:37Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241227077 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:George J Bendo, Alexandra Sturrock, Graham Hanks, Christopher J Plack, Emma Gowen, Hannah Guest Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background & aimsCommunicative and sensory differences are core autistic traits, yet speech-perception abilities and difficulties among autistic individuals remain poorly understood. Laboratory studies have produced mixed and inconclusive results, in part because of the lack of input from autistic individuals in defining the hypotheses and shaping the methods used in this field of research. Little in-depth qualitative research on autistic experiences of speech perception has been published, yet such research could form the basis for better laboratory research, for improved understanding of autistic experiences, and for the development of interventions. Existing qualitative research describes widespread autistic listening differences with significant impacts, but these results rely on data gathered via oral interviews in a small sample. The present study addresses these limitations and employs a mixed-methods approach to explore autistic listening experiences.MethodsWe gathered survey data from 79 autistic individuals aged 18–55 without diagnosed hearing loss. The questionnaire included 20 closed-set questions on listening abilities and difficulties and three free-text questions on listening experiences. The free-text questions underwent deductive content analysis using a framework composed of themes from previous interview data on listening experiences (including auditory differences, contributing factors, impacts, and coping strategies). Concepts in the free-text data that were not part of the analysis framework were analyzed inductively.ResultsIn the closed-set data, participants reported listening difficulties in most specified environments, but complex background sounds and particularly background voices caused the most difficulty. Those who reported listening difficulties expressed having substantially greater difficulties than other people the same age. Participants indicated multiple impacts from listening difficulties, most prominently in their social lives. Concepts in the free-text data strongly supported previous interview data on listening differences and factors that affect listening ability, especially the diversity of types of listening difficulties. Consistent with the closed-set data, background-sound complexity and concurrent voices were especially troubling. Some concepts in the free-text data were novel, particularly difficulties with remote, broadcast, and recorded audio, prompting the creation of new themes.ConclusionsBoth forms of data indicate widespread listening differences—predominantly listening difficulties—affecting most autistic adults. Diverse types of listening difficulty are evident, potentially indicating heterogeneous underlying mechanisms, and complexity of background noise is consistently identified as an important factor. Listening difficulties are said to have substantial and varied impacts. Autistic adults are keen to share coping strategies, which are varied and usually self-devised.ImplicationsBased on both the quantitative and qualitative results, we provide recommendations to improve future research and support the autistic community. The data-revealing types of listening difficulties can guide better quantitative research into underlying mechanisms. Such research should take into account potential heterogeneity in listening difficulties. Suggestions for optimized collection of self-report data are also offered. Additionally, our results could be used to improve societal understanding of autistic listening differences and to create beneficial interventions for and with autistic individuals. Moreover, given the willingness of the autistic community to share coping strategies, systematic collation of these strategies could form the basis for self-help and clinical guidance. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-01-27T01:59:19Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241227074 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Johanna R Price, Emily C Biebesheimer, Kong Chen Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and aimsGender differences in the written language of autistic individuals are an overlooked but important area of research. We contend that the gender differences in spoken language of autistic individuals may extend to written language, mirroring the gender differences of writing in the general population and reflecting the shared dimensionality of oral and written language. Our research question was: Do autistic adolescent females demonstrate written language characteristics, across persuasive, expository, and narrative genres, that are distinct from those of autistic adolescent males and non-autistic (NA) adolescent females'MethodsWe performed a secondary, exploratory analysis on writing samples collected from 18 participants (11 autistic males, three autistic females, and four NA females) from a larger investigation of autistic adolescents’ writing skills. Each participant completed three writing samples—one persuasive, one expository, and one narrative (for a total of 54 writing samples). We compared sample length (total number of words), writing productivity (words written per minute), syntactic length (mean length of T-unit in words), vocabulary diversity (type-token ratio), and macrostructure of autistic females’ samples to autistic males’ and NA females’ samples.ResultsBased on non-parametric analyses using variable medians, autistic males, but not autistic females, wrote significantly shorter expository samples than NA females. Autistic males’ writing productivity was significantly lower in the persuasive and expository genres than both autistic females and NA females. Several other comparisons of sample length, productivity, vocabulary diversity, and persuasive and narrative macrostructure yielded large effect sizes but were not statistically significant.ConclusionsThough our small sample sizes prevent us from drawing generalizable conclusions, we observed that some gender-specific findings of the current study differ from previous findings based on a single autistic group (females and males combined). Combining data of autistic females with autistic males may cloud the distinct written language characteristics of each group.ImplicationsOur findings, especially when situated in the context of relevant literature, suggest that larger-scale investigation of gender differences in written language is essential in order to more fully describe the unique characteristics of autistic females. Clinicians should be prepared to support autistic writers’ needs for producing written language to meet their developmental, academic, social, and employment-related goals. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-01-23T08:30:58Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415241227071 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
Authors:Shulan Zeng, Afsheen Sardar, Amoneeta Beckstein, Noor Hassline Mohamed, Renhong Shen, Yunhui Xiu Abstract: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Volume 9, Issue , January-December 2024. Background and AimsA literature review of both Eastern and Western literature regarding families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) revealed limited empirical research that examines ASD in China. Furthermore, most research in this area comes from a deficit model and there is a lack of research that comes from a strengths background. No previous study in China has looked at the positive contributions of children with ASD to their families. The present study came from a strengths-based perspective and aimed to develop a new questionnaire to evaluate the positive contributions made to families by children who have ASD in China and are raised by their respective families. It considered the severity level of the children's disorder and the impact this had on the parents. Besides examining the children's impairment levels, the study also examined positive contributions and their relationship with socio-demographic elements such as family income and employment status of the parents, which also seem to be related to the positive contributions experienced by the parents.MethodsFirst, based on the literature review, an initial qualitative interview protocol was developed and administered to 10 parents of children with ASD. Then, based on the analyses of the interviews, a quantitative questionnaire was developed to assess the positive contributions of children with ASD to their families. The questionnaire was then administered to 156 parents of children with ASD. The internal structure of the questionnaire was analyzed by factor analysis. The questionnaire's reliability and validity were also examined. The data were then analyzed with multiple correlation comparisons and an independent sample T-test.ResultsSix factors emerged for families of children with ASD. The results showed that the cumulative explanatory variance of the six dimensions of the questionnaire was 65.42%. The Cronbach’s coefficient of each dimension was between 0.7 and 0.9, and the combined Cronbach’s coefficient of the total questionnaire was 0.945. This study found that the overall average positive contribution to families by children with ASD was 3.32, which is at a medium level, and all six dimensions were at a medium-to-high level. This study also found that the family's monthly income contributed to the overall positive contribution, intimacy and happiness, and gaining more special knowledge through experience dimensions. Furthermore, it was found that moderate severity of ASD, high income, and parental employment were all associated with more positive contributions.ConclusionThis new questionnaire appears to have good reliability and validity and seems suitable for assessing the positive contributions to families by children with ASD in China.ImplicationsThe present study may be helpful for the parents of children with ASD and will likely help them focus on the strengths of their children rather than their shortcomings. The study might also benefit counselors and researchers who would be able to use the new questionnaire to evaluate the positive contributions made to families by children who have ASD. Citation: Autism & Developmental Language Impairments PubDate: 2024-01-04T07:21:23Z DOI: 10.1177/23969415231221520 Issue No:Vol. 9 (2024)
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