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La Valle C, Shen L, Shih W, Kasari C, Shire S, Lord C, Tager-Flusberg H. Does Gestural Communication Influence Later Spoken Language Ability in Minimally Verbal Autistic Children? JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:2283-2296. [PMID: 38861424 PMCID: PMC11253808 DOI: 10.1044/2024_jslhr-23-00433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The current study examined the predictive role of gestures and gesture-speech combinations on later spoken language outcomes in minimally verbal (MV) autistic children enrolled in a blended naturalistic developmental/behavioral intervention (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation [JASPER] + Enhanced Milieu Teaching [EMT]). METHOD Participants were 50 MV autistic children (40 boys), ages 54-105 months (M = 75.54, SD = 16.45). MV was defined as producing fewer than 20 spontaneous, unique, and socially communicative words. Autism symptom severity (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition) and nonverbal cognitive skills (Leiter-R Brief IQ) were assessed at entry. A natural language sample (NLS), a 20-min examiner-child interaction with specified toys, was collected at entry (Week 1) and exit (Week 18) from JASPER + EMT intervention. The NLS was coded for gestures (deictic, conventional, and representational) and gesture-speech combinations (reinforcing, disambiguating, supplementary, other) at entry and spoken language outcomes: speech quantity (rate of speech utterances) and speech quality (number of different words [NDW] and mean length of utterance in words [MLUw]) at exit using European Distributed Corpora Project Linguistic Annotator and Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts. RESULTS Controlling for nonverbal IQ and autism symptom severity at entry, rate of gesture-speech combinations (but not gestures alone) at entry was a significant predictor of rate of speech utterances and MLUw at exit. The rate of supplementary gesture-speech combinations, in particular, significantly predicted rate of speech utterances and NDW at exit. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the critical importance of gestural communication, particularly gesture-speech (supplementary) combinations in supporting spoken language development in MV autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea La Valle
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Lue Shen
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Wendy Shih
- Center for Autism Research & Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Connie Kasari
- Center for Autism Research & Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | - Catherine Lord
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles
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2
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Demir-Lira ÖE, Göksun T. Through Thick and Thin: Gesture and Speech Remain as an Integrated System in Atypical Development. Top Cogn Sci 2024. [PMID: 38855879 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Gesture and speech are tightly linked and form a single system in typical development. In this review, we ask whether and how the role of gesture and relations between speech and gesture vary in atypical development by focusing on two groups of children: those with peri- or prenatal unilateral brain injury (children with BI) and preterm born (PT) children. We describe the gestures of children with BI and PT children and the relations between gesture and speech, as well as highlight various cognitive and motor antecedents of the speech-gesture link observed in these populations. We then examine possible factors contributing to the variability in gesture production of these atypically developing children. Last, we discuss the potential role of seeing others' gestures, particularly those of parents, in mediating the predictive relationships between early gestures and upcoming changes in speech. We end the review by charting new areas for future research that will help us better understand the robust roles of gestures for typical and atypically-developing child populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ö Ece Demir-Lira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
- DeLTA Center
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa
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3
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Wu D, Wolff JJ, Ravi S, Elison JT, Estes A, Paterson S, St John T, Abdi H, Moraglia LE, Piven J, Swanson MR. Infants who develop autism show smaller inventories of deictic and symbolic gestures at 12 months of age. Autism Res 2024; 17:838-851. [PMID: 38204321 PMCID: PMC11014769 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Gestures are an important social communication skill that infants and toddlers use to convey their thoughts, ideas, and intentions. Research suggests that early gesture use has important downstream impacts on developmental processes, such as language learning. However, autistic children are more likely to have challenges in their gestural development. The current study expands upon previous literature on the differences in gesture use between young autistic and non-autistic toddlers by collecting data using a parent-report questionnaire called the MCDI-Words and Gestures at three time points, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Results (N = 467) showed that high-likelihood infants who later met diagnostic criteria for ASD (n = 73 HL-ASD) have attenuated gesture growth from 12 to 24 months for both deictic gestures and symbolic gestures when compared to high-likelihood infants who later did not meet criteria for ASD (n = 249 HL-Neg) and low-likelihood infants who did not meet criteria for ASD (n = 145 LL-Neg). Other social communicative skills, like play behaviors and imitation, were also found to be impacted in young autistic children when compared to their non-autistic peers. Understanding early differences in social communication growth before a formal autism diagnosis can provide important insights for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Wu
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Jason J Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Shruthi Ravi
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Annette Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sarah Paterson
- James S. McDonnell Foundation, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tanya St John
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hervé Abdi
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Luke E Moraglia
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Meghan R Swanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
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4
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Smith LM, Yurkovic-Harding J, Carver LJ. Multimodal pathways to joint attention in infants with a familial history of autism. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 64:101325. [PMID: 37972500 PMCID: PMC10684378 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Joint attention (JA) is an early-developing behavior that allows caregivers and infants to share focus on an object. Deficits in JA, as measured through face-following pathways, are a defining feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are observable as early as 12 months of age in infants later diagnosed with ASD. However, recent evidence suggests that JA may be achieved through hand-following pathways by children with and without ASD. Development of JA through multimodal pathways has yet to be studied in infants with an increased likelihood of developing ASD. The current study investigated how 6-, 9- and 12-month-old infants with (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of ASD engaged in JA. Parent-infant dyads played at home while we recorded the interaction over Zoom and later offline coded for hand movements and gaze. FH+ and FH- infants spent similar amounts of time in JA with their parents, but the cues available before JA were different. Parents of FH+ infants did more work to establish JA and used more face-following than hand-following pathways compared to parents of FH- infants, likely reflecting differences in infant motor or social behavior. These results suggest that early motor differences between FH+ and FH- infants may cascade into differences in social coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Smith
- University of California, San Diego - Department of Psychology, Ja Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | | | - Leslie J Carver
- University of California, San Diego - Department of Psychology, Ja Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Thomas RP, Wittke K, Blume J, Mastergeorge AM, Naigles L. Predicting Language in Children with ASD Using Spontaneous Language Samples and Standardized Measures. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3916-3931. [PMID: 35930209 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05691-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
This longitudinal study examined the degree to which standardized measures of language and natural language samples predicted later language usage in a heterogeneous sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and how this relationship is impacted by ASD severity and interventions. Participants with a diagnosis of ASD (N = 54, 41 males) completed standardized assessments of language and social functioning; natural language samples were transcribed from play-based interactions. Findings indicated that standardized language measures, natural language measures, and ADOS severity were each unique predictors of later lexical use. Intervention types also appeared to impact later language; in particular, participation in mainstream inclusion accounted for significant amounts of variance in children's mean length of utterance at T3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca P Thomas
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Bousfield Psychology Building, 406 Babbidge Road Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA.
| | - Kacie Wittke
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Jessica Blume
- Human Development and Family Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Ann M Mastergeorge
- Human Development and Family Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Letitia Naigles
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Bousfield Psychology Building, 406 Babbidge Road Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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So WC, Song XK. Whose Gestures are More Predictive of Expressive Language Abilities among Chinese-Speaking Children with Autism? A Comparison of Caregivers' and Children's Gestures. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3449-3459. [PMID: 35781854 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05658-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In spite of the close relationship between gestures and expressive language, little research has examined the roles of the parents' and children's gestures in the development of expressive language abilities in autistic children. Previous findings are also inconclusive. In the present study, we coded the gestures produced by the parents and their autistic children in parent-child interactions and compared the influence of their gestures on the children's expressive language abilities (N = 35; M = 4;10). Autistic children's deictic gestures positively predicted their Mean Length Utterance (MLU), word types, and word tokens whereas parents' deictic gesture inputs negatively predicted MLU and word types. The findings shed light on the importance of the gestures made by autistic children, which may trigger parents' gesture-to-word translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wing-Chee So
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
| | - Xue-Ke Song
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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7
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Del Rosario C, Nixon E, Quigley J, Whitehouse AJO, Maybery MT. Parent-child interaction and developmental outcomes in children with typical and elevated likelihood of autism. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 71:101830. [PMID: 36848788 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early parent-child interactions have a critical impact on the developmental outcomes of the child. It has been reported that infants with a family history of autism and their parents may engage in different patterns of behaviours during interaction compared to those without a family history of autism. This study investigated the association of parent-child interactions with child developmental outcomes of those with typical and elevated likelihood of autism. METHOD This longitudinal study investigated the relationship between global attributes of parent-child interaction and the developmental outcomes of infant siblings with elevated likelihood (EL: n = 29) or typical likelihood (TL: n = 39) of developing autism. Parent-child interactions were recorded during a session of free-play when the infants were six months of age. Developmental assessments were carried out when the children were 12 and 24 months of age. RESULTS The intensity of mutuality was significantly higher in the TL group than in the EL group, and developmental outcomes were poorer in the EL group when compared to the TL group. Positive associations between parent-child interaction scores at six months and developmental outcomes at 12 months were observed only in the TL group. However, in the EL group, higher levels of infant positive affect and attentiveness paid to the caregiver is associated with lower autism symptoms. Due to the sample size and design of the study, the findings must be viewed as indicative. CONCLUSION This preliminary investigation demonstrated differences in the association between parent-child interaction quality and developmental outcomes for children with typical and elevated likelihood for autism. Future studies should combine micro-analytic and macro-analytic approaches to parent-child interaction to further examine the nature of this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelo Del Rosario
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Áras an Phiarsaigh, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Elizabeth Nixon
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Áras an Phiarsaigh, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Jean Quigley
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Áras an Phiarsaigh, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Andrew J O Whitehouse
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth Children's Hospital, 15 Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Murray T Maybery
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Australia
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8
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De Froy A, Rollins PR. The cross-racial/ethnic gesture production of young autistic children and their parents. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2023; 8:23969415231159548. [PMID: 36895829 PMCID: PMC9989386 DOI: 10.1177/23969415231159548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Early gesture plays an important role in prelinguistic/emerging linguistic communication and may provide insight into a child's social communication skills before the emergence of spoken language. Social interactionist theories suggest children learn to gesture through daily interactions with their social environment (e.g., their parents). As such, it is important to understand how parents gesture within interactions with their children when studying child gesture. Parents of typically developing (TD) children exhibit cross-racial/ethnic differences in gesture rate. Correlations between parent and child gesture rates arise prior to the first birthday, although TD children at this developmental level do not yet consistently exhibit the same cross-racial/ethnic differences as their parents. While these relationships have been explored in TD children, less is known about the gesture production of young autistic children and their parents. Further, studies of autistic children have historically been conducted with predominantly White, English-speaking participants. As a result, there is little data regarding the gesture production of young autistic children and their parents from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. In the present study, we examined the gesture rates of racially/ethnically diverse autistic children and their parents. Specifically, we explored (1) cross-racial/ethnic differences in the gesture rate of parents of autistic children, (2) the correlation between parent and child gesture rates, and (3) cross-racial/ethnic differences in the gesture rates of autistic children. METHODS Participants were 77 racially/ethnically diverse cognitively and linguistically impaired autistic children (age 18 to 57 months) and a parent who participated in one of two larger intervention studies. Naturalistic parent-child and structured clinician-child interactions were video recorded at baseline. Parent and child gesture rate (number of gestures produced per 10 min) were extracted from these recordings. RESULTS (1) Parents exhibited cross-racial/ethnic differences in gesture rate such that Hispanic parents gestured more frequently than Black/African American parents, replicating previous findings in parents of TD children. Further, South Asian parents gestured more than Black/African American parents. (2) The gesture rate of autistic children was not correlated with parent gesture, a finding that differs from TD children of a similar developmental level. (3) Autistic children did not exhibit the same cross-racial/ethnic differences in gesture rate as their parents, a result consistent with findings from TD children. CONCLUSIONS Parents of autistic children-like parents of TD children-exhibit cross-racial/ethnic differences in gesture rate. However, parent and child gesture rates were not related in the present study. Thus, while parents of autistic children from different ethnic/racial backgrounds appear to be conveying differences in gestural communication to their children, these differences are not yet evident in child gesture. IMPLICATIONS Our findings enhance our understanding of the early gesture production of racially/ethnically diverse autistic children in the prelinguistic/emerging linguistic stage of development, as well as the role of parent gesture. More research is needed with developmentally more advanced autistic children, as these relationships may change with development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne De Froy
- Adrienne De Froy, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Callier Center for Communication Disorders, 1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235, USA.
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Kellerman AM, Masters C, Schwichtenberg AJ. Are Maternal Self-Reports of Social Difficulties Apparent in Interactions with their Children? J Autism Dev Disord 2022:10.1007/s10803-022-05786-7. [PMID: 36241958 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05786-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
To inform parent-mediated intervention models, this study assessed if family affectedness (i.e., elevated autism symptoms in more than one child) was associated with maternal self-reported social difficulties (as indexed by the Social Responsiveness Scale; SRS-2), and social interactions during play. As part of a prospective study, 71 mothers completed the SRS-2 and a play session. Interactions were coded for a range of prosocial behaviors, including gaze, positive affect, and vocalizations. Overall, mothers with multiple children exhibiting autism symptoms self-reported significantly more social difficulties on the SRS-2, when compared to mothers raising only typically developing children, or one child with autism. However, even with elevated SRS-2 scores, mothers with higher family affectedness demonstrated comparable social exchanges with their children during play.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Kellerman
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, 1202 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - C Masters
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - A J Schwichtenberg
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, 1202 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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He AX, Luyster RJ, Arunachalam S. Parental tuning of language input to autistic and nonspectrum children. Front Psychol 2022; 13:954983. [PMID: 36211865 PMCID: PMC9537044 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.954983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Caregivers’ language input supports children’s language development, and it is often tuned to the child’s current level of skill. Evidence suggests that parental input is tuned to accommodate children’s expressive language levels, but accommodation to receptive language abilities is less understood. In particular, little is known about parental sensitivity to children’s abilities to process language in real time. Compared to nonspectrum children, children on the spectrum are slower to process language. In this study, we ask: Do parents of autistic children and those of nonspectrum children tune their language input to accommodate children’s different language processing abilities? Children with and without a diagnosis of autism (ages 2–6 years, N = 35) and their parents viewed a display of six images, one of which was the target. The parent labeled the target to direct the child’s attention to it. We first examined children’s language processing abilities by assessing their latencies to shift gaze to the labeled referent; from this, we found slower latencies in the autistic group than in the nonspectrum group, in line with previous findings. We then examined features of parents’ language and found that parents in both groups produced similar language, suggesting that parents may not adjust their language input according to children’s speed of language processing. This finding suggests that (1) capturing parental sensitivity to children’s receptive language, and specifically language processing, may enrich our models of individual differences in language input, and (2) future work should investigate if supporting caregivers in tuning their language use according to children’s language processing can improve children’s language outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Xiaoxue He
- Department of English and Literature, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Rhiannon J. Luyster
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Emerson College, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sudha Arunachalam
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Sudha Arunachalam,
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Thurman AJ, Dimachkie Nunnally A. Joint attention performance in preschool-aged boys with autism or fragile X syndrome. Front Psychol 2022; 13:918181. [PMID: 36003114 PMCID: PMC9393518 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.918181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Early development marks a period of rapid learning facilitated by children's natural curiosity about the people around them. In children with typical development, these early social attentional preferences set the foundation for learning about and from the surrounding world of people. Much of this learning happens using joint attention, the ability to coordinate attention between people and objects of mutual interest. It is well documented that decreased gaze use is commonly observed in individuals with autism and individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS). Despite the growing body of research comparing phenotypic similarities between individuals with autism and individuals with FXS, no studies have directly compared joint attention performance between these groups. In the present study, we considered the similarities and differences in joint attention between preschool-aged boys with autism or FXS, and the relation between joint attention, language, and other phenotypic characteristics known to differ between boys with autism and boys with FXS. Although joint attention appeared similar, between-group differences emerged when controlling for the influence of age, non-verbal IQ, and autism symptom severity. Differences were also observed when considering how joint attention performance related to other aspects of the phenotype. For example, strong positive associations were observed between joint attention and language performance in boys with autism but not boys with FXS, even after controlling for non-verbal IQ. In contrast, the negative association between joint attention and anxiety symptom severity was significant and stronger in boys with FXS than in autism. These data offer preliminary insights into the similarities and differences between the autism and FXS phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela John Thurman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Angela John Thurman,
| | - Amanda Dimachkie Nunnally
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
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Pecukonis M, Young GS, Brian J, Charman T, Chawarska K, Elsabbagh M, Iverson JM, Jeste S, Landa R, Messinger DS, Schwichtenberg A, Webb SJ, Zwaigenbaum L, Tager-Flusberg H. Early predictors of language skills at 3 years of age vary based on diagnostic outcome: A baby siblings research consortium study. Autism Res 2022; 15:1324-1335. [PMID: 35652157 PMCID: PMC9253079 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
While previous work has identified the early predictors of language skills in infants at elevated familial risk (ER) and low familial risk (LR) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no studies to date have explored whether these predictors vary based on diagnostic outcome of ASD or no ASD. The present study used a large, multisite dataset to examine associations between a set of commonly studied predictor variables (infant gesture abilities, fine motor skills, nonverbal cognition, and maternal education level), measured at 12 months, and language skills, measured at 3 years, across three diagnostic outcome groups-infants with ASD ("ASD"), ER infants without ASD ("ER-no ASD"), and LR infants without ASD ("LR-no ASD"). Findings revealed that the predictors of language skills differed across groups, as gesture abilities were positively associated with language skills in the ER-no ASD group but negatively associated with language skills in the ASD group. Furthermore, maternal education level was positively associated with language skills in the ASD and LR-no ASD groups only. Variability in these early predictors may help explain why language skills are heterogeneous across the autism spectrum, and, with further study, may help clinicians identify those in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development. LAY SUMMARY: The present study identified predictors of language skills in infants with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maternal education level and 12-month gesture abilities predicted 3-year language skills in infants with ASD. Measuring these predictors early in life may help identify infants and families in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory S. Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis
| | | | - Tony Charman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
| | | | | | | | - Shafali Jeste
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Neurology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles
| | - Rebecca Landa
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute
| | | | | | - Sara Jane Webb
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington
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Plate S, Yankowitz L, Resorla L, Swanson MR, Meera SS, Estes A, Marrus N, Cola M, Petrulla V, Faggen A, Pandey J, Paterson S, Pruett JR, Hazlett H, Dager S, John TS, Botteron K, Zwaigenbaum L, Piven J, Schultz RT, Parish-Morris J. Infant vocalizing and phenotypic outcomes in autism: Evidence from the first 2 years. Child Dev 2022; 93:468-483. [PMID: 34708871 PMCID: PMC9112828 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Infant vocalizations are early-emerging communicative markers shown to be atypical in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but few longitudinal, prospective studies exist. In this study, 23,850 infant vocalizations from infants at low (LR)- and high (HR)-risk for ASD (HR-ASD = 23, female = 3; HR-Neg = 35, female = 13; LR = 32, female = 10; 80% White; collected from 2007 to 2017 near Philadelphia) were analyzed at 6, 12, and 24 months. At 12 months, HR-ASD infants produced fewer vocalizations than HR-Neg infants. From 6 to 24 months, HR-Neg infants demonstrated steeper vocalization growth compared to HR-ASD and LR infants. Finally, among HR infants, vocalizing at 12 months was associated with language, social phenotype, and diagnosis at age 2. Infant vocalizing is an objective behavioral marker that could facilitate earlier detection of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Plate
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lisa Yankowitz
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | | | - Annette Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Natasha Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Meredith Cola
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Victoria Petrulla
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aubrey Faggen
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah Paterson
- The James S. McDonnel Foundation, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - John R. Pruett
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Heather Hazlett
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephen Dager
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tanya St. John
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kelly Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Joseph Piven
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert T. Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Julia Parish-Morris
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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14
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Belteki Z, Lumbreras R, Fico K, Haman E, Junge C. The Vocabulary of Infants with an Elevated Likelihood and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Infant Language Studies Using the CDI and MSEL. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031469. [PMID: 35162492 PMCID: PMC8834732 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically accompanied by atypical language development, which can be noticeable even before diagnosis. The siblings of children diagnosed with ASD are at elevated likelihood for ASD diagnosis and have been shown to have higher prevalence rates than the general population. In this paper, we systematically reviewed studies looking at the vocabulary size and development of infants with autism. One inclusion criterion was that infants were grouped either pre-diagnostically as elevated or typical likelihood or post-diagnostically as ASD or without ASD. This review focused on studies that tested infants up to 24 months of age and that assessed vocabulary either via the parent-completed MacArthur–Bates Communicative Developmental Inventory (CDI) or the clinician-administered Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Our systematic search yielded 76 studies. A meta-analysis was performed on these studies that compared the vocabulary scores of EL and TL infants pre-diagnostically and the scores of ASD and non-ASD infants post-diagnostically. Both pre- and post-diagnostically, it was found that the EL and ASD infants had smaller vocabularies than their TL and non-ASD peers, respectively. The effect sizes across studies were heterogenous, prompting additional moderator analyses of age and sub-group analyses of the language measure used (CDI or MSEL) as potential moderators of the effect size. Age was found to be a moderator both in the pre- and post-diagnostical groups, however, language measure was not a moderator in either diagnostic group. Interpretations and future research directions are discussed based on these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsofia Belteki
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence:
| | - Raquel Lumbreras
- Faculty of Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Kloe Fico
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Ewa Haman
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, 00-927 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Caroline Junge
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
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15
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Lv S, Xing Y, Xu Y, Liu L, Zhu H, Ye Q, Wang C, Zou X, Deng H. The role of caregiver gestures and gesture-related responses of toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:895029. [PMID: 35935429 PMCID: PMC9353329 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.895029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social communicative abnormalities. Deficits and delays in gestural communication are among the early deficits of ASD and also a major social modality in early caregiver-toddler interaction. Caregiver gestures have an important role in the cognitive and social development of children with ASD. Thus, it is urgent to further explore the role of caregiver gestures in early caregiver-toddler interaction. In this cross-sectional study, we observed the caregivers' gestures and responses of toddlers aged between 18 and 24 months during play (ASD = 44, TD = 29) and dining activities (ASD = 34, TD = 27). By observing the different frequencies and patterns of gestures by the caregiver-child interaction and the different proportions of children's responses to the caregiver's gestures, we found that, compared to caregivers of typically developing toddlers, caregivers of toddlers with ASD had fewer synchronized gestures and more unsynchronized gestures in the play activity and more supplementary gestures in dining activity. Toddlers with ASD produced more social responses to caregivers' synchronized gestures, whereas the use of synchronized gestures by the caregivers in caregiver-toddler interaction had a positive influence on social responses to toddlers with ASD. The findings suggest that effective use of gestures by caregivers during caregiver-toddler activities can improve children's social responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- ShaoLi Lv
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Xing
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - YanTing Xu
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - LinRu Liu
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - HuiLin Zhu
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - QianYing Ye
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - ChunMei Wang
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - XiaoBing Zou
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - HongZhu Deng
- Child Development and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Choi B, Shah P, Rowe ML, Nelson CA, Tager-Flusberg H. A Longitudinal Study of Parent Gestures, Infant Responsiveness, and Vocabulary Development in Infants at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:3946-3958. [PMID: 33420647 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04855-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We investigated gestures that parents used with 12-, 18-, and 24-month-old infants at high or low risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD; high-risk diagnosed with ASD: n = 21; high-risk classified as no ASD: n = 34; low-risk classified as no ASD: n = 34). We also examined infant responses to parent gestures and assessed the extent to which parent gesture relates to vocabulary development. Parents of three groups gestured in similar frequencies and proportions. Infants, in turn, responded similarly to parent gestures regardless of the infant's ASD risk and later diagnosis. Finally, parents who gestured more at 12 months had children with better vocabulary at 36 months than parents who gestured less. These findings highlight the importance of examining parent gestures when predicting language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boin Choi
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, 6th floor, Boston, MA, USA. .,Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Priyanka Shah
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meredith L Rowe
- Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, 6th floor, Boston, MA, USA.,Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Helen Tager-Flusberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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Parent-child interaction during the first year of life in infants at elevated likelihood of autism spectrum disorder. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 62:101521. [PMID: 33387898 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) likely emerges from a complex interaction between pre-existing neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities and the environment. The interaction with parents forms a key aspect of an infant's social environment, but few prospective studies of infants at elevated likelihood (EL) for ASD (who have an older sibling with ASD) have examined parent-child interactions in the first year of life. As part of a European multisite network, parent-child dyads of free play were observed at 5 months (62 EL infants, 47 infants at typical likelihood (TL)) and 10 months (101 EL siblings, 77 TL siblings). The newly-developed Parent-Infant/Toddler Coding of Interaction (PInTCI) scheme was used, focusing on global characteristics of infant and parent behaviors. Coders were blind to participant information. Linear mixed model analyses showed no significant group differences in infant or parent behaviors at 5 or 10 months of age (all ps≥0.09, d≤0.36), controlling for infant's sex and age, and parental educational level. However, without adjustments, EL infants showed fewer and less clear initiations at 10 months than TL infants (p = 0.02, d = 0.44), but statistical significance was lost after controlling for parental education (p = 0.09, d = 0.36), which tended to be lower in the EL group. Consistent with previous literature focusing on parent-infant dyads, our findings suggest that differences between EL and TL dyads may only be subtle during the first year of life. We discuss possible explanations and implications for future developmental studies.
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18
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Bottema-Beutel K, Kim SY. A Systematic Literature Review of Autism Research on Caregiver Talk. Autism Res 2020; 14:432-449. [PMID: 33377301 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Describing how caregivers' talk to their autistic children, and how their talk may influence social and language outcomes, has important implications for developmental theory and intervention research. In this systematic literature review, we examine 294 caregiver talk variables extracted from 65 studies, provide a narrative overview of research findings, and link measurement approaches to various theories of language development. The majority of variables included only talk directed to children (90%), and specified the speech act being performed (57%). More than one-third of variables measured talk that was responsive to children's attention, activities, or communication (38%), and slightly less than a third measured variables that elicited children's communication or engagement. Semantic aspects of talk were specified in 41% of variables, structural features were measured in 20% of variables, and suprasegmental features were measured in only 1% of variables. Talk quantity (without reference to other aspects of talk) was measured in 8% of variables. We found strong support that talk related to children's attention is implicated in autistic children's language development, but this construct has been measured inconsistently in terms of semantic, structural, and functional features. There is also evidence for bi-directional relationships between caregiver's talk and autistic children's development on a variety of semantic and structural variables. LAY SUMMARY: In our review, we found many differences in how researchers measured caregiver's talk, but also some promising leads. Researchers should continue examining caregiver talk related to children's focus of attention to clarify how this type of language contributes to autistic children's development. We also found interesting research on how children influence caregiver's talk, and encourage researchers to continue to study how this occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Bottema-Beutel
- Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA
| | - So Yoon Kim
- Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA
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19
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Kellerman AM, Schwichtenberg AJ, Abu-Zhaya R, Miller M, Young GS, Ozonoff S. Dyadic Synchrony and Responsiveness in the First Year: Associations with Autism Risk. Autism Res 2020; 13:2190-2201. [PMID: 32869936 PMCID: PMC8022347 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In the first year of life, the ability to engage in sustained synchronous interactions develops as infants learn to match social partner behaviors and sequentially regulate their behaviors in response to others. Difficulties developing competence in these early social building blocks can impact later language skills, joint attention, and emotion regulation. For children at elevated risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), early dyadic synchrony and responsiveness difficulties may be indicative of emerging ASD and/or developmental concerns. As part of a prospective developmental monitoring study, infant siblings of children with ASD (high-risk group n = 104) or typical development (low-risk group n = 71), and their mothers completed a standardized play task when infants were 6, 9, and/or 12 months of age. These interactions were coded for the frequency and duration of infant and mother gaze, positive affect, and vocalizations, respectively. Using these codes, theory-driven composites were created to index dyadic synchrony and infant/maternal responsiveness. Multilevel models revealed significant risk group differences in dyadic synchrony and infant responsiveness by 12 months of age. In addition, high-risk infants with higher dyadic synchrony and infant responsiveness at 12 months received significantly higher receptive and expressive language scores at 36 months. The findings of the present study highlight that promoting dyadic synchrony and responsiveness may aid in advancing optimal development in children at elevated risk for autism. LAY SUMMARY: In families raising children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), younger siblings are at elevated risks for social communication difficulties. The present study explored whether social-communication differences were evident during a parent-child play task at 6, 9, and 12 months of age. For infant siblings of children with ASD, social differences during play were observed by 12 months of age and may inform ongoing monitoring and intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh M Kellerman
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - A J Schwichtenberg
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Meghan Miller
- University of California, Davis - M.I.N.D. Institute, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Gregory S Young
- University of California, Davis - M.I.N.D. Institute, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- University of California, Davis - M.I.N.D. Institute, Sacramento, California, USA
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20
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Özer D, Göksun T. Gesture Use and Processing: A Review on Individual Differences in Cognitive Resources. Front Psychol 2020; 11:573555. [PMID: 33250817 PMCID: PMC7674851 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.573555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Speakers use spontaneous hand gestures as they speak and think. These gestures serve many functions for speakers who produce them as well as for listeners who observe them. To date, studies in the gesture literature mostly focused on group-comparisons or the external sources of variation to examine when people use, process, and benefit from using and observing gestures. However, there are also internal sources of variation in gesture use and processing. People differ in how frequently they use gestures, how salient their gestures are, for what purposes they produce gestures, and how much they benefit from using and seeing gestures during comprehension and learning depending on their cognitive dispositions. This review addresses how individual differences in different cognitive skills relate to how people employ gestures in production and comprehension across different ages (from infancy through adulthood to healthy aging) from a functionalist perspective. We conclude that speakers and listeners can use gestures as a compensation tool during communication and thinking that interacts with individuals' cognitive dispositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demet Özer
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
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21
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Gesture Development, Caregiver Responsiveness, and Language and Diagnostic Outcomes in Infants at High and Low Risk for Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:2556-2572. [PMID: 30877417 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-03980-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
We investigated gesture production in infants at high and low risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and caregiver responsiveness between 12 and 24 months of age and assessed the extent to which early gesture predicts later language and ASD outcomes. Participants included 55 high-risk infants, 21 of whom later met criteria for ASD, 34 low-risk infants, and their caregivers. Results indicated that (a) infants with ASD outcomes used fewer gestures and a lower proportion of developmentally advanced gesture-speech combinations; (b) caregivers of all the infants provided similar rates of contingent responses to their infants' gestures; and (c) gesture production at 12 months predicted subsequent receptive language and ASD outcomes within the high-risk group.
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22
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Swanson MR. The role of caregiver speech in supporting language development in infants and toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 32:1230-1239. [PMID: 32893764 PMCID: PMC7872436 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420000838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Parents play an essential role in supporting child development by providing a safe home, proper nutrition, and rich educational opportunities. In this article we focus on the role of caregiver speech in supporting development of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We review studies from typically developing children and children with autism showing that rich and responsive caregiver speech supports language development. Autism intervention studies that target caregiver speech are reviewed as are recent scientific advances from studies of typical development. The strengths and weakness of different techniques for collecting language data from caregivers and children are reviewed, and natural language samples are recommended as best practice for language research in autism. We conclude that caregivers play a powerful role in shaping their children's development and encourage researchers to adapt parent-mediated intervention studies to acknowledge individual differences in parents by using a personalized medicine approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan R Swanson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA
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23
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Wagner JB, Keehn B, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Attentional bias to fearful faces in infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder. Emotion 2020; 20:980-992. [PMID: 31355652 PMCID: PMC6986980 DOI: 10.1037/emo0000628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their first-degree relatives show differences from neurotypical individuals in emotional face processing. Prospective studies of infant siblings of children with ASD, a group at high risk for autism (HRA), allow researchers to examine the early emergence of these differences. This study used eye tracking to examine disengagement of attention from emotional faces (fearful, happy, neutral) at 6, 9, and 12 months in low-risk control infants (LRC) and HRA infants who received a subsequent clinical judgment of ASD (HRA+) or non-ASD (HRA-). Infants saw centrally presented faces followed by a peripheral distractor (with face remaining present). For each emotion, latency to shift to the distractor and percentage of trials with no shift were calculated. Results showed increased saccadic latency and a greater percentage of no-shift trials for fearful faces. No between-group differences were present for emotion; however, there was an interaction between age and group for disengagement latency, with HRA+ infants slower to shift at 12 months compared with the other 2 groups. Exploratory correlational analyses looking at shift biases to fearful faces alongside measures of social behavior at 12 and 18 months (from the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales) revealed that for HRA+ infants, 9- and 12-month fear biases were significantly related to 12- and 18-month social abilities, respectively. This work suggests that both low- and high-risk infants show biases to threat-relevant faces, and that for HRA+, differences in attention shifting emerge with age, and a stronger fear bias could potentially relate to less social difficulty. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer B. Wagner
- College of Staten Island, City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5 Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Brandon Keehn
- Purdue University, Lyles-Porter Hall, 715 Clinic Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Charles A. Nelson
- Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn St, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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24
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Zampini L, Ferrante C, Silibello G, Dall'Ara F, Rigamonti C, Zanchi P, Vizziello PG, Lalatta F, Costantino MA. Maternal input to children with sex chromosome trisomies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2020; 55:724-733. [PMID: 32634287 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although language difficulties are one of the most distinctive characteristics of the neuropsychological profile of children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCT), the analysis of the maternal input addressed to them is a neglected topic. AIMS The present study aims to analyse the lexical, morphosyntactic, and functional features of the input addressed to children with SCT comparing them with those of the input directed to typically developing children (TD). METHODS & PROCEDURES Participants were 38 mothers and their 8-month-old children, 19 with SCT and 19 TD children. Maternal utterances, collected during video-recorded play sessions, have been transcribed and coded. OUTCOMES & RESULTS No significant differences between groups have been found in the lexical and syntactic characteristics of maternal input. However, considering the input functional features, the proportion of directives and questions was significantly higher in the maternal input addressed to children with SCT than in the input addressed to TD children whereas the opposite pattern was found in the proportion of affect-salient speech. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS The awareness of a possible delay in their children's language development could influence the way the mothers speak to them. In particular, the functional features of maternal input could be affected. Support groups for parents of children with SCT at the preverbal stage could be useful to reassure the mothers about their role in their children's language development. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject Studies in the literature identified a high percentage of language delays or impairments in children with SCT. To date, according to our knowledge, there are no studies that analyse the linguistic input addressed to these children. What this study adds The lexical and syntactic features of maternal input addressed to 8-month-old children with SCT are adequate to the children's communicative skills. However, the mothers of children with SCT seem to provide additional scaffolding in their verbal input, using a lower proportion of affect-salient speech and a higher proportion of questions. In addition, a higher proportion of directives suggests the use of a more demanding style. Clinical implications of this study The awareness of possible language delays could influence the functional features of input leading mothers to use a more supportive and demanding input. Support groups for parents of children with SCT at the preverbal stage could be useful to reassure the mothers about their role in their children's language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Zampini
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Camilla Ferrante
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaia Silibello
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Dall'Ara
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Rigamonti
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Zanchi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Giovanna Vizziello
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Faustina Lalatta
- Clinical Genetic Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Antonella Costantino
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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25
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Early behavioral markers for neurodevelopmental disorders in the first 3 years of life: An overview of systematic reviews. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:183-201. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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26
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Social origins of self-regulated attention during infancy and their disruption in autism spectrum disorder: Implications for early intervention. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 32:1362-1374. [PMID: 32693862 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420000796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
To understand the complex relationships between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other frequently comorbid conditions, a growing number of studies have investigated the emergence of ASD during infancy. This research has suggested that symptoms of ASD and highly related comorbid conditions emerge from complex interactions between neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities and early environments, indicating that developing treatments to prevent ASD is highly challenging. However, it also suggests that attenuating the negative effects of ASD on future development once identified is possible. The present paper builds on this by conceptualizing developmental delays in nonsocial skills as the potential product of altered caregiver-infant interactions following the emergence of ASD during infancy. And, following emerging findings from caregiver-infant dyadic head-mounted eye-tracking (D-ET) research, it also suggests that a multiple pathway model of joint attention can provide mechanistic insights into how ASD alters the ability of caregiver and infant to create a context for infant learning. The potential for this view to inform early intervention is further discussed and illustrated through D-ET data collected prior to and following a brief, parent-mediated intervention for infant ASD. While promising, further research informing how a multiple pathway model of joint attention can inform ASD early intervention is needed.
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27
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Thurman AJ, Hoyos Alvarez C. Language Performance in Preschool-Aged Boys with Nonsyndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder or Fragile X Syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:1621-1638. [PMID: 30783899 PMCID: PMC6699941 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-03919-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, language performance on standardized assessments (e.g., overall verbal performance, receptive and expressive vocabulary) and spontaneous language produced in play was compared between preschool-aged boys with autism spectrum disorder (nASD, n = 25) and boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS, n = 16). At the group-level, we observed weaknesses in the language skills of boys with nASD relative to those with FXS (e.g., when considering raw score performance, standard score performance relative to nonverbal cognitive skills, frequency of talk in play), after controlling for nonverbal IQ and ASD symptom severity. Moreover, although individually most children in both groups demonstrated language delays relative to CA-expectations, language delays relative to nonverbal level-expectations were more common in boys with nASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela John Thurman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, USA.
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, USA.
| | - Cesar Hoyos Alvarez
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, USA
- Department of Spanish and Portuguese, University of California Davis, Sacramento, USA
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28
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Martin KB, Haltigan JD, Ekas N, Prince EB, Messinger DS. Attachment security differs by later autism spectrum disorder: A prospective study. Dev Sci 2020; 23:e12953. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - John D. Haltigan
- Department of Psychiatry Centre for Addiction and Mental Health University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Naomi Ekas
- Department of Psychology Texas Christian University Fort Worth TX USA
| | - Emily B. Prince
- Department of Psychology University of Miami Coral Gables FL USA
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29
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Choi B, Nelson CA, Rowe ML, Tager-Flusberg H. Reciprocal Influences Between Parent Input and Child Language Skills in Dyads Involving High- and Low-Risk Infants for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:1168-1183. [PMID: 32003131 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We examined the language input of parents of infants at high and low familial risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and investigated reciprocal associations between parent input and child language skills in the first 2 years of life. Parent-infant dyads (high-risk: n = 53; low-risk: n = 33), 19 of whom included an infant later diagnosed with ASD, were videotaped during free play interactions at 12, 18, and 24 months. Measures of parent input were derived from parent-child interactions. Children's language skills were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning at 12, 18, and 24 months. Results suggested that (a) parents of high- and low-risk infants produced similar word tokens, word types, and proportions of contingent verbal responses, but parents of high-risk infants used shorter mean length of utterances (MLU) than parents of low-risk infants at 18 and 24 months; (b) parents' MLU at 18 months was positively associated with their infants' language at the subsequent visit after 6 months, regardless of group; and (c) infants' language at 18 months was positively associated with parents' MLU at the subsequent visit after 6 months in the high-risk group only. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying early language learning of high-risk infants who have an increased risk for language delays and deficits. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1168-1183. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Parents provide an important source of language input to their children. In this study, we looked at parent input to infants at high- and low-risk for autism spectrum disorder and relations between parent input and child language in the first 2 years of life. We found that parents of high- and low-risk infants provided similar quantity and quality of input, except shorter average length of utterances at 18 and 24 months in the high-risk group. Also, there were bidirectional relations between parent input and child language at 18 and 24 months in high-risk pairs, suggesting that parents and children collectively shape the early language environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boin Choi
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Meredith L Rowe
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Helen Tager-Flusberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
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30
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Yoshida H, Cirino P, Mire SS, Burling JM, Lee S. Parents' gesture adaptations to children with autism spectrum disorder. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2020; 47:205-224. [PMID: 31588888 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000919000497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The present study focused on parents' social cue use in relation to young children's attention. Participants were ten parent-child dyads; all children were 36 to 60 months old and were either typically developing (TD) or were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children wore a head-mounted camera that recorded the proximate child view while their parent played with them. The study compared the following between the TD and ASD groups: (a) frequency of parent's gesture use; (b) parents' monitoring of their child's face; and (c) how children looked at parents' gestures. Results from Bayesian estimation indicated that, compared to the TD group, parents of children with ASD produced more gestures, more closely monitored their children's faces, and provided more scaffolding for their children's visual experiences. Our findings suggest the importance of further investigating parents' visual and gestural scaffolding as a potential developmental mechanism for children's early learning, including for children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Cirino
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, USA
| | - Sarah S Mire
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, USA
| | | | - Sunbok Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, USA
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31
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Bang JY, Adiao AS, Marchman VA, Feldman HM. Language nutrition for language health in children with disorders: a scoping review. Pediatr Res 2020; 87:300-308. [PMID: 31454828 PMCID: PMC6962542 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-019-0551-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The quantity and quality of child-directed speech-language nutrition-provided to typically-developing children is associated with language outcomes-language health. Limited information is available about child-directed speech to children at biological risk of language impairments. We conducted a scoping review on caregiver child-directed speech for children with three clinical conditions associated with language impairments-preterm birth, intellectual disability, and autism-addressing three questions: (1) How does child-directed speech to these children differ from speech to typically-developing children? (2) What are the associations between child-directed speech and child language outcomes? (3) How convincing are intervention studies that aim to improve child-directed speech and thereby facilitate children's language development? We identified 635 potential studies and reviewed 57 meeting study criteria. Child-directed speech to children with all conditions was comparable to speech to language-matched children; caregivers were more directive toward children with disorders. Most associations between child-directed speech and outcomes were positive. However, several interventions had minimal effects on child language. Trials with large samples, intensive interventions, and multiple data sources are needed to evaluate child-directed speech as a means to prevent language impairment. Clinicians should counsel caregivers to use high quality child-directed speech and responsive communication styles with children with these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Y Bang
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aubrey S Adiao
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Virginia A Marchman
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Hahn LJ, Brady NC, Versaci T. Communicative Use of Triadic Eye Gaze in Children With Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2019; 28:1509-1522. [PMID: 31487475 PMCID: PMC7251597 DOI: 10.1044/2019_ajslp-18-0155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study examines differences in the communicative use of triadic eye gaze (TEG) during a communicative interaction in 2 neurodevelopmental disorders: Down syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and a 3rd group of varying disabilities associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Also, the relationship between TEG use and language abilities was explored. Method Participants were 45 children, 15 in each group. The frequency of TEG was coded during a scripted communication assessment when children were between 3 and 6 years of age (37-73 months). Receptive and expressive language was measured using raw scores from the Mullen Scales of Early Learning concurrently between 3 and 6 years and again 2 years later when children were between 5 and 8 years (59-92 months). Results Descriptively, children with DS had a higher frequency of TEG than children with ASD and IDD, but significant differences were only observed between children with DS and ASD. More TEG at Time 1 in children with DS was associated with higher receptive language at Time 1 and higher expressive language at Time 2. For children with ASD, a trend for a positive association between TEG at Time 1 and language abilities at Time 2 was observed. No significant associations were observed for children with IDD. Conclusion Children with DS used TEG significantly more than children with ASD in this sample. Identifying strengths and weaknesses in TEG use is important because providing caregiver training to facilitate TEG can result in increased opportunities to respond with language models and promote language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. Hahn
- Life Span Institute, The University of Kansas, Lawrence
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
| | | | - Theresa Versaci
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
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33
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Schwichtenberg AJ, Kellerman AM, Young GS, Miller M, Ozonoff S. Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders: Play behaviors with infant siblings and social responsiveness. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2019; 23:821-833. [PMID: 29950114 PMCID: PMC6274601 DOI: 10.1177/1362361318782220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mother-infant interactions are a proximal process in early development and may be especially salient for children who are at risk for social difficulties (i.e. infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder). To inform how indices of maternal behaviors may improve parent-mediated interventions designed to mitigate autism spectrum disorder risk, the present study explored maternal social responsiveness ratings and social behaviors during dyadic play interactions. Dyads were recruited from families with at least one older child with autism spectrum disorder (high-risk group, n = 90) or families with no history of autism spectrum disorder (low-risk group, n = 62). As part of a prospective study, interactions were coded when infant siblings were 6, 9, and 12 months of age, for gaze, affect, vocalizations, and multimodal bids or responses (i.e. social smiles). Maternal social responsiveness was indexed via the Social Responsiveness Scale. Mothers in both risk groups had comparable Social Responsiveness Scale scores and social behaviors during play. Two maternal behaviors emerged as positive correlates of infant social behaviors and are thus of high relevance to parent-mediated interventions. Specifically, more maternal positive affect and the use of multimodal bids or responses were associated with more infant positive affect, vocalizations, gaze to face, and multimodal bids or responses.
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34
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Talbott MR, Young GS, Munson J, Estes A, Vismara LA, Rogers SJ. The Developmental Sequence and Relations Between Gesture and Spoken Language in Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Child Dev 2018; 91:743-753. [PMID: 30597550 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In typical development, gestures precede and predict language development. This study examines the developmental sequence of expressive communication and relations between specific gestural and language milestones in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who demonstrate marked difficulty with gesture production and language. Communication skills across five stages (gestures, word approximations, first words, gesture-word combinations, and two-word combinations) were assessed monthly by blind raters for toddlers with ASD participating in an randomized control trial of parent-mediated treatment (N = 42, 12-30 months). Findings revealed that toddlers acquired skills following a reliable (vs. idiosyncratic) sequence and the majority of toddlers combined gestures with words before combining words in speech, but in contrast to the pattern observed in typical development, a significant subset acquired pointing after first words.
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35
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Jakubowski KP, Iverson JM. Look at Mommy: An Exploratory Study of Attention-Related Communication in Mothers of Toddlers at Risk for Autism. LANGUAGE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 2018; 15:126-137. [PMID: 31602179 PMCID: PMC6786496 DOI: 10.1080/15475441.2018.1544074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Attentional difficulties are evident in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Accordingly, mothers of children with ASD may modify communication to direct their child's attention, and this pattern may generalize to later-born children. This study examined patterns of child-directed communication in eleven mothers of 18-month-old toddlers at heightened risk (HR) for ASD and compared them to eleven low-risk (LR; no first- or second-degree relative with ASD) dyads. Naturalistic interactions at home were coded for communication that captured, directed, or maintained children's attention and/or actions. Results provide preliminary evidence that LR mothers produce more utterances that involve labeling objects and gestures, while HR mothers use more suggestions. Thus, having an older child with ASD may influence maternal behavior with later-born children, even when those children do not themselves manifest obvious ASD symptomatology. Results highlight the need for further research on dyadic interactions between mothers and HR toddlers in larger samples.
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36
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Wan MW, Green J, Scott J. A systematic review of parent-infant interaction in infants at risk of autism. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2018; 23:811-820. [PMID: 29992838 DOI: 10.1177/1362361318777484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Social communicative precursors to autism spectrum disorder may influence how infants who are later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder interact with their social partners and the responses they receive, thus bidirectionally influencing early social experience. This systematic review aimed to identify a developmental timeline for parent-infant interaction in the first 2 years of life in at-risk infants and in emergent autism spectrum disorder, and to examine any parent-infant interaction associations with later social-communicative outcomes. In total, 15 studies were identified investigating parent-infant interaction in infants at familial autism risk (i.e. with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder). Starting from the latter part of the first year, infants at risk of autism spectrum disorder (and particularly infants with eventual autism spectrum disorder) showed parent-infant interaction differences from those with no eventual autism spectrum disorder, most notably in infant gesture use and dyadic qualities. While parental interactions did not differ by subsequent child autism spectrum disorder outcome, at-risk infants may receive different 'compensatory' socio-communicative inputs, and further work is needed to clarify their effects. Preliminary evidence links aspects of parent-infant interaction with later language outcomes. We discuss the potential role of parent-infant interaction in early parent-mediated intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Wai Wan
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jonathan Green
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jordan Scott
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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37
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Dimitrova N, Özçalışkan Ş, Adamson LB. Do Verbal Children with Autism Comprehend Gesture as Readily as Typically Developing Children? J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 47:3267-3280. [PMID: 28744759 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3243-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Gesture comprehension remains understudied, particularly in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have difficulties in gesture production. Using a novel gesture comprehension task, Study 1 examined how 2- to 4-year-old typically-developing (TD) children comprehend types of gestures and gesture-speech combinations, and showed better comprehension of deictic gestures and reinforcing gesture-speech combinations than iconic/conventional gestures and supplementary gesture-speech combinations at each age. Study 2 compared verbal children with ASD to TD children, comparable in receptive language ability, and showed similar patterns of comprehension in each group. Our results suggest that children comprehend deictic gestures and reinforcing gesture-speech combinations better than iconic/conventional gestures and supplementary combinations-a pattern that remains robust across different ages within TD children and children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevena Dimitrova
- Service for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (SUPEA)-Research Unit, Vaud University Hospital (CHUV), 9, Av. d'Echallens, 1004, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA.
| | - Şeyda Özçalışkan
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA
| | - Lauren B Adamson
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA
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38
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Parent–Child Interaction Synchrony for Infants At-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:3562-3572. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3624-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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39
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Özçalışkan Ş, Adamson LB, Dimitrova N, Baumann S. Do Parents Model Gestures Differently When Children's Gestures Differ? J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:1492-1507. [PMID: 29177617 PMCID: PMC5890092 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3411-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or with Down syndrome (DS) show diagnosis-specific differences from typically developing (TD) children in gesture production. We asked whether these differences reflect the differences in parental gesture input. Our systematic observations of 23 children with ASD and 23 with DS (Mages = 2;6)-compared to 23 TD children (Mage = 1;6) similar in expressive vocabulary-showed that across groups children and parents produced similar types of gestures and gesture-speech combinations. However, only children-but not their parents-showed diagnosis-specific variability in how often they produced each type of gesture and gesture-speech combination. These findings suggest that, even though parents model gestures similarly, the amount with which children produce each type largely reflects diagnosis-specific abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Şeyda Özçalışkan
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5010, USA.
| | - Lauren B Adamson
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5010, USA
| | - Nevena Dimitrova
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5010, USA
- Service for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (SUPEA)-Research Unit, Vaud University Hospital (CHUV), 9, av. d'Echallens, 1004, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie Baumann
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5010, USA
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Hahn LJ, Brady NC, McCary L, Rague L, Roberts JE. Early social communication in infants with fragile X syndrome and infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2017; 71:169-180. [PMID: 29040924 PMCID: PMC5675817 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little research in fragile X syndrome (FXS) has prospectively examined early social communication. AIMS To compare early social communication in infants with FXS, infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASIBs), and typically developing (TD) infants. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Participants were 18 infants with FXS, 21 ASIBs, and 22 TD infants between 7.5-14.5 months. Social communication was coded using the Communication Complexity Scale during the administration of Autism Observation Scale for Infants. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Descriptively different patterns were seen across the three groups. Overall infants with FXS had lower social communication than ASIBs or TD infants when controlling for nonverbal cognitive abilities. However, infants with FXS had similar levels of social communication as ASIBs or TD infants during peek-a-boo. No differences were observed between ASIBs and TD infants. For all infants, higher social communication was related to lower ASD risk. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Findings provide insight into the developmental course of social communication in FXS. The dynamic nature of social games may help to stimulate communication in infants with FXS. Language interventions with a strong social component may be particularly effective for promoting language development in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Hahn
- Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, United States; Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, United States; Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, United States.
| | - Nancy C Brady
- Speech-Language-Hearing, Sciences & Disorders, University of Kansas, United States
| | - Lindsay McCary
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, United States
| | - Lisa Rague
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, United States
| | - Jane E Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, United States
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Campbell SB, Leezenbaum NB, Mahoney AS, Moore EL, Brownell CA. Pretend Play and Social Engagement in Toddlers at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 46:2305-16. [PMID: 26931334 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2764-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk (LR) toddlers with typically-developing older siblings were observed during free play with a parent and elicited pretend with an examiner at 22-months. Functional and pretend play, children's social engagement, and parent sensitivity were assessed during free play. Complexity of play was assessed during the elicited pretend task. Toddlers with an ASD diagnosis showed less pretend play across contexts and less social engagement with parents or the examiner than either LR toddlers or high risk toddlers without a diagnosis (HR-noASD). Lower levels of pretend play and social engagement were associated with symptom severity within the high risk group, reflecting emerging ASD in toddlerhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan B Campbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
| | - Nina B Leezenbaum
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.,University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amanda S Mahoney
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Celia A Brownell
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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42
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Campbell SB, Mahoney AS, Northrup J, Moore EL, Leezenbaum NB, Brownell CA. Developmental Changes in Pretend Play from 22- to 34-Months in Younger Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 46:639-654. [PMID: 28685398 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-017-0324-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Developmental trajectories of children's pretend play and social engagement, as well as parent sensitivity and stimulation, were examined in toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, high risk; HR) and toddlers with typically-developing older siblings (low risk; LR). Children (N = 168, 97 boys, 71 girls) were observed at 22, 28, and 34 months during free play with a parent and elicited pretend play with an examiner. At 28 and 34 months, children were asked to imagine the consequences of actions pantomimed by the examiner on a pretend transformation task. At 36 months children were assessed for ASD, yielding 3 groups for comparison: HR children with ASD, HR children without ASD (HR-noASD), and LR children. Children in all 3 groups showed developmental changes, engaging in more bouts of pretend play and obtaining higher scores on the elicited pretend and transformation tasks with age, but children with ASD lagged behind the other 2 groups on most measures. Children with ASD were also less engaged with their parents or the examiner during play interactions than either LR or HR-noASD children, with minimal developmental change evident. Parents, regardless of group, were highly engaged with their children, but parents of HR-noASD children received somewhat higher ratings on stimulation than parents of LR children. Most group differences were not accounted for by cognitive functioning. Instead, lower social engagement appears to be an important correlate of less advanced pretend skills, with implications for understanding the early development of children with ASD and for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan B Campbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
| | - Amanda S Mahoney
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Jessie Northrup
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | | | - Celia A Brownell
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined the relationship between mothers' pragmatics and child language in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and non-ASD language delay (LD) mother-child dyads. METHODS Participants consisted of 20 dyads of mothers and their toddlers aged 24 to 48 months, with ASD (n = 10) or non-ASD LD (n = 10). Groups were matched on child chronological age, language, and cognition. Maternal pragmatic language was qualified based on the degree of pragmatic violations during a semistructured interview, and was examined in relation to both child language, as measured by the Preschool Language Scale-4 and maternal use of language facilitation strategies during play. RESULTS Lower rates of maternal pragmatic violations were associated with higher expressive language scores in children with ASD, and with higher receptive language scores for children with non-ASD LD. Within ASD dyads, maternal pragmatic violations were negatively related to mothers' use of linguistic expansions. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that parental pragmatics likely contribute to early language learning, and that the effects of maternal pragmatics on early language in ASD may be indirect (e.g., through parents' use of facilitative strategies). Parent-mediated language interventions for ASD should therefore consider parent pragmatics, especially given that pragmatic differences have been identified in unaffected family members of individuals with ASD.
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Chenausky K, Nelson C, Tager-Flusberg H. Vocalization Rate and Consonant Production in Toddlers at High and Low Risk for Autism. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2017; 60:865-876. [PMID: 28384664 PMCID: PMC5548082 DOI: 10.1044/2016_jslhr-s-15-0400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous work has documented lower vocalization rate and consonant acquisition delays in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We investigated differences in these variables at 12, 18, and 24 months in toddlers at high and low risk for ASD. METHOD Vocalization rate and number of different consonants were obtained from speech samples from a prospective study of infant siblings of children with ASD. Three groups were compared: 18 toddlers at low risk for ASD (low-risk control), 18 high-risk siblings without ASD (HRA-), and 10 high-risk siblings with ASD (HRA+). RESULTS All groups' mean language scores were within the normal range. HRA+ toddlers showed consistently lower vocalization rate; vocalization rate did not predict number of different consonants at 12 months for HRA+. HRA-, not HRA+, toddlers had the smallest number of different consonants and produced significantly fewer different consonants than predicted by their vocalization rate at 12 months. Consonant-acquisition trajectories differed between groups, with HRA- showing the greatest increase from 12 to 18 months. CONCLUSION Lower vocalization rate was not associated with reduced number of different consonants in these toddlers. Between-groups differences in developmental trajectories are discussed in the context of the social feedback loop and differential ability to benefit from adult feedback between groups.
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The emergence of autism spectrum disorder: insights gained from studies of brain and behaviour in high-risk infants. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2017; 30:85-91. [PMID: 28009726 PMCID: PMC5915621 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review studies of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), proposing that the earliest manifestations of disrupted brain development can shed light on prebehavioural markers of risk and mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity of ASD. RECENT FINDINGS Prospective, longitudinal studies of infants at risk for ASD have revealed that behavioural signs of ASD are generally not observed until the second year of life. The developmental signs within the first year are often subtle and rooted in processes outside the core diagnostic domains of ASD, such as motor and visual perceptual function. However, studies examining early brain development and function have identified a myriad of atypicalities within the first year that are associated with risk for ASD. SUMMARY Longitudinal studies of high-risk infants provide a unique opportunity to identify and quantify the sources of the atypical development and developmental heterogeneity of ASD. Integration of assays of behaviour and brain in the first year of life, expansion of the definition of high risk, and coordinated efforts in multisite investigations to adequately power integrative studies will lead to new insights into mechanisms of atypical development and, ultimately, the ideal timing and target for interventions that aim to attenuate delays or impairments.
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Lazenby DC, Sideridis GD, Huntington N, Prante M, Dale PS, Curtin S, Henkel L, Iverson JM, Carver L, Dobkins K, Akshoomoff N, Tagavi D, Nelson CA, Tager-Flusberg H. Language Differences at 12 Months in Infants Who Develop Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:899-909. [PMID: 26476738 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about early language development in infants who later develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We analyzed prospective data from 346 infants, some of whom were at high risk for developing ASD, to determine if language differences could be detected at 12 months of age in the infants who later were diagnosed with ASD. Analyses revealed lower receptive and expressive language scores in infants who later were diagnosed with ASD. Controlling for overall ability to understand and produce single words, a Rasch analysis indicated that infants who later developed ASD had a higher degree of statistically unexpected word understanding and production. At 12 months of age, quantitative and qualitative language patterns distinguished infants who later developed ASD from those who did not.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeWayne C Lazenby
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson Hospital, 1234 Juneau Ave, Jber, AK, 99505, USA.
| | - Georgios D Sideridis
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Noelle Huntington
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Matthew Prante
- Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Daina Tagavi
- Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Soto T, Giserman Kiss I, Carter AS. SYMPTOM PRESENTATIONS AND CLASSIFICATION OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: APPLICATION TO THE DIAGNOSTIC CLASSIFICATION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS OF INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD (DC:0-5). Infant Ment Health J 2016; 37:486-97. [PMID: 27556740 PMCID: PMC5959016 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Over the past 5 years, a great deal of information about the early course of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has emerged from longitudinal prospective studies of infants at high risk for developing ASD based on a previously diagnosed older sibling. The current article describes early ASD symptom presentations and outlines the rationale for defining a new disorder, Early Atypical Autism Spectrum Disorder (EA-ASD) to accompany ASD in the new revision of the ZERO TO THREE Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0-5) (in press) alternative diagnostic classification manual. EA-ASD is designed to identify children who are 9 to 36 months of age presenting with a minimum of (a) two social-communication symptoms and (b) one repetitive and restricted behavior symptom as well as (c) evidence of impairment, with the intention of providing these children with appropriately tailored services and improving the likelihood of optimizing their development.
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Eye-tracking measurements of language processing: developmental differences in children at high risk for ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 45:3327-38. [PMID: 26109246 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2495-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
To explore how being at high risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), based on having an older sibling diagnosed with ASD, affects word comprehension and language processing speed, 18-, 24- and 36-month-old children, at high and low risk for ASD were tested in a cross- sectional study, on an eye gaze measure of receptive language that measured how accurately and rapidly the children looked at named target images. There were no significant differences between the high risk ASD group and the low risk control group of 18- and 24-month-olds. However, 36-month-olds in the high risk for ASD group performed significantly worse on the accuracy measure, but not on the speed measure. We propose that the language processing efficiency of the high risk group is not compromised, but other vocabulary acquisition factors might have lead to the high risk 36-month-olds to comprehend significantly fewer nouns on our measure.
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Wagner JB, Luyster RJ, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Greater Pupil Size in Response to Emotional Faces as an Early Marker of Social-Communicative Difficulties in Infants at High Risk for Autism. INFANCY 2016; 21:560-581. [PMID: 27616938 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
When scanning faces, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown reduced visual attention (e.g., less time on eyes) and atypical autonomic responses (e.g., heightened arousal). To understand how these differences might explain sub-clinical variability in social functioning, 9-month-olds, with or without a family history of ASD, viewed emotionally-expressive faces, and gaze and pupil diameter (a measure of autonomic activation) were recorded using eye-tracking. Infants at high-risk for ASD with no subsequent clinical diagnosis (HRA-) and low-risk controls (LRC) showed similar face scanning and attention to eyes and mouth. Attention was overall greater to eyes than mouth, but this varied as a function of the emotion presented. HRA- showed significantly larger pupil size than LRC. Correlations between scanning at 9 months, pupil size at 9 months, and 18-month social-communicative behavior, revealed positive associations between pupil size and attention to both face and eyes at 9 months in LRC, and a negative association between 9-month pupil size and 18-month social-communicative behavior in HRA-. The present findings point to heightened autonomic arousal in HRA-. Further, with greater arousal relating to worse social-communicative functioning at 18 months, this work points to a mechanism by which unaffected siblings might develop atypical social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer B Wagner
- College of Staten Island, City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
| | | | | | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn St, Boston, MA 02215; Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138
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Tager-Flusberg H. Risk Factors Associated With Language in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Clues to Underlying Mechanisms. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2016; 59:143-54. [PMID: 26502110 PMCID: PMC4867927 DOI: 10.1044/2015_jslhr-l-15-0146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Identifying risk factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders is an important line of research, as it will lead to earlier identification of children who could benefit from interventions that support optimal developmental outcomes. The primary goal of this review was to summarize research on risk factors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD The review focused on studies of infants who have older siblings with ASD, with particular emphasis on risk factors associated with language impairment that affects the majority of children with ASD. Findings from this body of work were compared to the literature on specific language impairment. RESULTS A wide range of risk factors has been found for ASD, including demographic (e.g., male, family history), behavioral (e.g., gesture, motor) and neural risk markers (e.g., atypical lateralization for speech and reduced functional connectivity). Environmental factors, such as caregiver interaction, have not been found to predict language outcomes. Many of the risk markers for ASD are also found in studies of risk for specific language impairment, including demographic, behavioral, and neural factors. CONCLUSIONS There are significant gaps in the literature and limitations in the current research that preclude direct cross-syndrome comparisons. Future research directions are outlined that could address these limitations.
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