1
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Touati R, Guénolé F, Guillery-Girard B, Wantzen P. Exploring the development of past and future episodic memory in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A preliminary longitudinal study. Cortex 2024; 181:194-203. [PMID: 39556918 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.10.016] [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: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 10/08/2024] [Indexed: 11/20/2024]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical period where individuals build their identity and consolidate how they interact with others. However, for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the development of identity and social bounds is at stake. These challenges with the development of identity and social bonds could be linked to difficulties in autobiographical memory (AM), whether recalling past events (past episodic memory; past EM) or imagining future scenarios (episodic future thinking; EFT). To date, developmental patterns of AM over time remain poorly understood in ASD. Eleven adolescents with ASD or typical development (TD) completed an assessment of past EM and EFT once per year for three years. Preliminary results show that past EM becomes more detailed over the years for adolescents with ASD, while there is no change for TD adolescents. Interestingly, only the content elements of the narrated events are increasing, not the context elements. Furthermore, EFT evolves in the TD group but remains stable in the ASD group. This first multi-case longitudinal study of AM needs to be replicated with more participants, but it seems to indicate a heterogeneous evolution of AM in ASD. For future studies, these results will lead us to explore the hypothesis of developmental delay and the factors influencing AM development in ASD. Finally, understanding these developmental pathways highlights the importance of personalized therapeutic approaches to support social integration, identity construction, and future projects for adolescents with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rima Touati
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Fabian Guénolé
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France; Service de Psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, CHU de Caen, France
| | - Bérengère Guillery-Girard
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Prany Wantzen
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, PSL Université Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France; LEAD-CNRS UMR5022, Université Bourgogne, Dijon, France.
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2
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Adornetti I, Chiera A, Altavilla D, Deriu V, Marini A, Gobbo M, Valeri G, Magni R, Ferretti F. Defining the Characteristics of Story Production of Autistic Children: A Multilevel Analysis. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:3759-3776. [PMID: 37653117 PMCID: PMC11461702 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06096-2] [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: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Several studies suggest that a valuable tool to examine linguistic skills in communication disorders is offered by procedures of narrative discourse assessment. Following this line of research, we present an exploratory study aimed to investigate storytelling abilities of autistic children to better define the characteristics of their story production. Participants included 41 autistic children and 41 children with typical development aged between 7.02 and 11.03 years matched on age, gender, level of formal education, intelligence quotient, working memory, attention skills, theory of mind, and phonological short-term memory. Narrative production was assessed by analysing the language samples obtained through the "Nest Story" description task. A multilevel analysis including micro- and macro-linguistic variables was adopted for narrative assessment. Group differences emerged on both micro- and macro-linguistic dimensions: autistic children produced narratives with more phonological errors and semantic paraphasias (microlinguistic variables) as well as more errors of global coherence and a fewer number of visible events and inferred events (macrolinguistic variables) than the control group.This study shows that even autistic children with adequate cognitive skills display several limitations in their narrative competence and that such weaknesses affect both micro- and macrolinguistic aspects of story production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Adornetti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234-236, 00146, Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Chiera
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234-236, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Altavilla
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234-236, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Deriu
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234-236, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Marini
- Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Via Margreth, 3, 33100, Udine, Italy
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule Für Gesundheitsberufe, Bozen, Italy
| | - Marika Gobbo
- Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Via Margreth, 3, 33100, Udine, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valeri
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, The Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Magni
- Studio Polispecialistico Evò, Viale Pier Luigi Nervi 164, 04100, Latina, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234-236, 00146, Rome, Italy
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3
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Deriu V, Altavilla D, Adornetti I, Chiera A, Ferretti F. Narrative identity in addictive disorders: a conceptual review. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1409217. [PMID: 38952822 PMCID: PMC11215194 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1409217] [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: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Narrative identity allows individuals to integrate their personal experiences into a coherent and meaningful life story. Addictive disorders appear to be associated with a disturbed sense of self, reflected in problematic and disorganized self-narratives. In recent literature, a growing body of research has highlighted how narrative approaches can make a dual contribution to the understanding of addiction: on the one hand, by revealing crucial aspects of self structure, and, on the other, by supporting the idea that addiction is a disorder related to unintegrated self-states in which dissociative phenomena and the resulting sense of 'loss of self' are maladaptive strategies for coping with distress. This conceptual review identified the main measures of narrative identity, i.e., narrative coherence and complexity, agency, and emotions, and critically examines 9 quantitative and qualitative studies (out of 18 identified in literature), that have investigated the narrative dimension in people with an addictive disorder in order to provide a synthesis of the relationship between self, narrative and addiction. These studies revealed a difficulty in the organization of narrative identity of people with an addictive disorder, which is reflected in less coherent and less complex autobiographical narratives, in a prevalence of passivity and negative emotions, and in a widespread presence of themes related to a lack of self-efficacy. This review points out important conceptual, methodological and clinical implications encouraging further investigation of narrative dimension in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela Altavilla
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
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4
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Faustmann LL, Altgassen M. A matter of precision? Scene imagery in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2024; 17:529-542. [PMID: 38470059 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3119] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The ability to create mental representations of scenes is essential for remembering, predicting, and imagining. In individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) this ability may be impaired. Considering that autistic characteristics such as weak central coherence or reduced communication abilities may disadvantage autistic participants in traditional imagery tasks, this study attempted to use a novel task design to measure the ability of scene imagery. Thirty high-functioning adults with ASD and 27 non-autistic matched control adults were asked to describe imagined fictitious scenes using two types of scene imagery tasks. In a free imagery task, participants were asked to imagine a scene based on a given keyword. In a guided imagery task, participants had to imagine a scene based on a detailed description of the scene. Additionally, narrative abilities were assessed using the Narrative Scoring Scheme. Statistical analyses revealed no group effects in the free and guided imagery of fictional scenes. Participants with ASD performed worse than control participants in the narrative task. Narrative abilities correlated positively with performance in both imagery tasks in the ASD group only. Hence, individuals with ASD seem to show as good imagery abilities as non-autistic individuals. The results are discussed in the light of the differences between imagery and imagination and possible gender differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa L Faustmann
- Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mareike Altgassen
- Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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5
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Ferretti F. On the influence of thought on language: a naturalistic framework for the pantomimic origins of human communication. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1197968. [PMID: 37325764 PMCID: PMC10264627 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1197968] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper focuses on the idea that pantomime is a privileged lens for investigating the origin of language in a naturalistic framework. Two reasons support this claim. The first one concerns the motivated and iconic character of pantomime compared to the arbitrary and abstract features of linguistic signs emphasized by the conventionalist thesis. The second reason is that a pantomimic account of language origin paves the way for a rethinking of the traditional hypothesis on the relationship between thought and language. Specifically, it leads to a revision of the thesis of the unidirectional influence of language on thought in favor of a bidirectional influence. Indeed, looking at the relationship between thought and language in its nascent stage means investigating the role of thought in shaping language rather than the role of language in shaping thought. A bidirectional perspective of this type hinges on the twofold idea that thought has primarily a narrative foundation and that pantomime represents an ideal expressive means for bootstrapping the evolutionary foundations of language origins in a naturalistic framework.
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6
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Benítez-Burraco A, Adornetti I, Ferretti F, Progovac L. An evolutionary account of impairment of self in cognitive disorders. Cogn Process 2023; 24:107-127. [PMID: 36180662 PMCID: PMC9898376 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-022-01110-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent research has proposed that certain aspects of psychosis, as experienced in, e.g., schizophrenia (SCZ), but also aspects of other cognitive conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and synesthesia, can be related to a shattered sense of the notion of self. In this paper, our goal is to show that altered processing of self can be attributed to an abnormal functioning of cortico-striatal brain networks supporting, among other, one key human distinctive cognitive ability, namely cross-modality, which plays multiple roles in human cognition and language. Specifically, our hypothesis is that this cognitive mechanism sheds light both on some basic aspects of the minimal self and on some aspects related to higher forms of self, such as the narrative self. We further link the atypical functioning in these conditions to some recent evolutionary changes in our species, specifically, an atypical presentation of human self-domestication (HSD) features. In doing so, we also lean on previous work concerning the link between cognitive disorders and language evolution under the effects of HSD. We further show that this approach can unify both linguistic and non-linguistic symptoms of these conditions through deficits in the notion of self. Our considerations provide further support for the hypothesis that SCZ and ASD are diametrically opposed cognitive conditions, as well for the hypothesis that their etiology is associated with recent human evolution, leading to a deeper understanding of the causes and symptoms of these disorders, and providing new cues, which can be used for an earlier and more accurate diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
| | - Ines Adornetti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Ljiljana Progovac
- Linguistics Program, Department of English, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
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7
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Ye JY, Qin XJ, Cui JF, Ren Q, Jia LX, Wang Y, Pantelis C, Chan RCK. A Meta-analysis of Mental Time Travel in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 53:1509-1528. [PMID: 34825295 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05375-0] [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] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with cognitive dysfunctions, including mental time travel (MTT). However, findings on diminished MTT ability may be confounded by a number of factors, including the individuals' language ability, factors related to the MTT task and the demographic factors of participants. The present study provided a meta-analysis of MTT ability in people with ASD. The results showed significant overall reductions in MTT ability in people with ASD. Moderator analyses revealed that the variables examined did not explain the reduction in MTT ability. These findings suggest that MTT ability is diminished in people with ASD and that the degree of this diminishment may not depend on the characteristics of measures or demographic variables of people with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Yan Ye
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Qin
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ji-Fang Cui
- Research Center for Information and Statistics, National Institute of Education Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Ren
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu-Xia Jia
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China. .,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Christos Pantelis
- Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Florey Institute for Neurosciences and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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8
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Benítez-Burraco A, Ferretti F, Progovac L. Human Self-Domestication and the Evolution of Pragmatics. Cogn Sci 2021; 45:e12987. [PMID: 34170029 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.12987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As proposed for the emergence of modern languages, we argue that modern uses of languages (pragmatics) also evolved gradually in our species under the effects of human self-domestication, with three key aspects involved in a complex feedback loop: (a) a reduction in reactive aggression, (b) the sophistication of language structure (with emerging grammars initially facilitating the transition from physical aggression to verbal aggression); and (c) the potentiation of pragmatic principles governing conversation, including, but not limited to, turn-taking and inferential abilities. Our core hypothesis is that the reduction in reactive aggression, one of the key factors in self-domestication processes, enabled us to fully exploit our cognitive and interactional potential as applied to linguistic exchanges, and ultimately to evolve a specific form of communication governed by persuasive reciprocity-a trait of human conversation characterized by both competition and cooperation. In turn, both early crude forms of language, well suited for verbal aggression/insult, and later more sophisticated forms of language, well suited for persuasive reciprocity, significantly contributed to the resolution and reduction of (physical) aggression, thus having a return effect on the self-domestication processes. Supporting evidence for our proposal, as well as grounds for further testing, comes mainly from the consideration of cognitive disorders, which typically simultaneously present abnormal features of self-domestication (including aggressive behavior) and problems with pragmatics and social functioning. While various approaches to language evolution typically reduce it to a single factor, our approach considers language evolution as a multifactorial process, with each player acting upon the other, engaging in an intense mutually reinforcing feedback loop. Moreover, we see language evolution as a gradual process, continuous with the pre-linguistic cognitive abilities, which were engaged in a positive feedback loop with linguistic innovations, and where gene-culture co-evolution and cultural niche construction were the main driving forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts. Roma Tre University
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9
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Social Inferences in Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum and Autism: Semantic Analysis and Topic Modeling. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:569-583. [PMID: 33768420 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04957-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Impoverished capacity for social inference is one of several symptoms that are common to both agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This research compared the ability of 14 adults with AgCC, 13 high-functioning adults with ASD and 14 neurotypical controls to accurately attribute social meaning to the interactions of animated triangles. Descriptions of the animations were analyzed in three ways: subjective ratings, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, and topic modeling (Latent Dirichlet Allocation). Although subjective ratings indicated that all groups made similar inferences from the animations, the index of perplexity (atypicality of topic) generated from topic modeling revealed that inferences from individuals with AgCC or ASD displayed significantly less social imagination than those of controls.
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10
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Ferretti F, Adornetti I. Persuasive conversation as a new form of communication in Homo sapiens. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200196. [PMID: 33745315 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this paper is twofold: to propose that conversation is the distinctive feature of Homo sapiens' communication; and to show that the emergence of modern language is tied to the transition from pantomime to verbal and grammatically complex forms of narrative. It is suggested that (animal and human) communication is a form of persuasion and that storytelling was the best tool developed by humans to convince others. In the early stage of communication, archaic hominins used forms of pantomimic storytelling to persuade others. Although pantomime is a powerful tool for persuasive communication, it is proposed that it is not an effective tool for persuasive conversation: conversation is characterized by a form of reciprocal persuasion among peers; instead, pantomime has a mainly asymmetrical character. The selective pressure towards persuasive reciprocity of the conversational level is the evolutionary reason that allowed the transition from pantomime to grammatically complex codes in H. sapiens, which favoured the evolution of speech. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reconstructing prehistoric languages'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Ines Adornetti
- Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, 00146 Rome, Italy
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11
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Adornetti I, Chiera A, Altavilla D, Deriu V, Marini A, Valeri G, Magni R, Ferretti F. Self-projection in middle childhood: a study on the relationship between theory of mind and episodic future thinking. Cogn Process 2021; 22:321-332. [PMID: 33582880 PMCID: PMC8179913 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-021-01013-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that theory of mind (ToM) and episodic future thinking (EFT) are closely related at both brain and functional level. This study explored the relationship between ToM and EFT in 96 Italian-speaking children with typical development aged between 8 and 10.11 using a behavioral design. ToM was assessed through an emotional facial expression recognition task. EFT was assessed with a task where participants were required to project themselves forward in time by anticipating future states of the self; this resulted in two scores: a nonverbal measure and a verbal explanation measure. Results showed that the participants’ performance on the task assessing ToM correlated with and predicted the nonverbal measure of the EFT task. These findings are discussed in the light of theories suggesting that each of these abilities is governed by a common system devoted to self-projection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Adornetti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Chiera
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Altavilla
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Deriu
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Marini
- Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Via Margreth, 3, 33100, Udine, Italy
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule Für Gesundheitsberufe, Bozen, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valeri
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, The Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Di Sant'Onofrio, 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Magni
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, The Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Di Sant'Onofrio, 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
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12
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Benítez-Burraco A. Mental time travel, language evolution, and human self-domestication. Cogn Process 2021; 22:363-367. [DOI: 10.1007/s10339-020-01005-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Adornetti I, Chiera A, Deriu V, Altavilla D, Lucentini S, Marini A, Valeri G, Magni R, Vicari S, Ferretti F. An investigation of visual narrative comprehension in children with autism spectrum disorders. Cogn Process 2020; 21:435-447. [PMID: 32383009 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-020-00976-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The present study analyzed the comprehension of visual narrative in a group of twelve children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Their performances were compared to a control group of fifteen children with typical development (TD) matched for age, level of formal education, and IQ. Visual narrative comprehension was assessed by administering a task that required children to understand narrative's global coherence by arranging in the correct order the constituent parts of stories presented in pictures. Specifically, the task evaluated children's ability to grasp how single events connected (causally and temporally) each other and how these connections led to the ending of the story. Results showed that children with ASD obtained significantly lower scores than children with TD. These results open to alternative interpretations of narrative impairments often reported in individuals with ASD, which might not be restricted to the linguistic code but stem from a deeper deficit in narrative processing that is independent from the expressive modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Adornetti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Chiera
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Deriu
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Altavilla
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Lucentini
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Marini
- Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bozen, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valeri
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, The Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Magni
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, The Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, The Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, Roma Tre University, Via Ostiense 234, 00146, Rome, Italy
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14
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Marini A, Ozbič M, Magni R, Valeri G. Toward a Definition of the Linguistic Profile of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychol 2020; 11:808. [PMID: 32431644 PMCID: PMC7214763 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The current investigation assessed linguistic and narrative abilities in a cohort of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The linguistic assessment was performed with both traditional tests and a multilevel procedure for discourse analysis. The results showed difficulties at different stages of message planning, organization, and microlinguistic processing (i.e., lexical selection and grammatical processing). Their macrolinguistic impairments were likely related to more general difficulties in the prelinguistic conceptual phase of message planning and mental model generation. Such weaknesses included a difficulty in the non-verbal conceptualization of the story and the generation of an internal representation of the addressee's mental model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Marini
- Department of Languages, Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- Scientific Institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy
| | - Martina Ozbič
- Scientific Institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy
| | - Rita Magni
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valeri
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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15
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Schönpflug U, Küpping-Faturikova L. Bilingual Children's Narrative Comprehension: Do Pauses during Retelling Buy Time for Understanding? The Journal of Genetic Psychology 2020; 181:206-222. [PMID: 32319864 DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2020.1750337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
This study extended research on bilingual children's narrative comprehension to text processing during retelling. A cross- and monolinguistic design allowed for the investigation of the association of various aspects of narrative comprehension with two types of pause occurring during oral retelling of a story heard in one language and retold in a second or in the same language. A sample of 95 bilingual (L1 German/L2 English) fourth-graders participated in the experiment. Comprehension was predominantly accomplished during listening, as children with L1 input outperformed children with L2 input, but they did not benefit from L1 in retelling. Children's comprehension performance and corresponding pause patterns suggested that the duration of filled pauses dedicated to gist formation indicated efficiency of comprehension: The duration decreased with increasing comprehension. The findings allowed the conclusion that longer pauses during retelling did not buy time for comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Schönpflug
- Developmental Sciences, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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16
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Iandolo G, López-Florit L, Venuti P, Neoh MJY, Bornstein MH, Esposito G. Story contents and intensity of the anxious symptomatology in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH 2020; 25:725-740. [PMID: 32284668 PMCID: PMC7153759 DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2020.1737156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to analyse and compare the storytelling of 25 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with a comparison group of 25 children with typical development. Children's narratives were transcribed verbatim, and their forms and contents were analysed. The two groups were matched according to the narrative cohesion of the story using the Bears Family Projective Test, equivalent verbal age, sex, and socioeconomic level. No differences in the forms of the stories emerged, but compared with the narratives of the typical development group, the narrative contents of the ASD group showed more adaptive and maladaptive behaviours of the characters, more problems, and less use of the atmosphere outside the home. These contents are related to the intensity of the anxious symptomatology indicated by the ASD group, their family members and teachers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Iandolo
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura López-Florit
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paola Venuti
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Michelle J Y Neoh
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Marc H Bornstein
- Child and Family Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Institute for Fiscal Studies, London, UK
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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17
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Boorse J, Cola M, Plate S, Yankowitz L, Pandey J, Schultz RT, Parish-Morris J. Linguistic markers of autism in girls: evidence of a "blended phenotype" during storytelling. Mol Autism 2019; 10:14. [PMID: 30962869 PMCID: PMC6436231 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0268-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Narrative abilities are linked to social impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such that reductions in words about cognitive processes (e.g., think, know) are thought to reflect underlying deficits in social cognition, including Theory of Mind. However, research suggests that typically developing (TD) boys and girls tell narratives in sex-specific ways, including differential reliance on cognitive process words. Given that most studies of narration in ASD have been conducted in predominantly male samples, it is possible that prior results showing reduced cognitive processing language in ASD may not generalize to autistic girls. To answer this question, we measured the relative frequency of two kinds of words in stories told by autistic girls and boys: nouns (words that indicate object-oriented storytelling) and cognitive process words (words like think and know that indicate mentalizing or attention to other peoples' internal states). Methods One hundred two verbally fluent school-aged children [girls with ASD (N = 21) and TD (N = 19), and boys with ASD (N = 41) and TD (N = 21)] were matched on age, IQ, and maternal education. Children told a story from a sequence of pictures, and word frequencies (nouns, cognitive process words) were compared. Results Autistic children of both sexes consistently produced a greater number of nouns than TD controls, indicating object-focused storytelling. There were no sex differences in cognitive process word use in the TD group, but autistic girls produced significantly more cognitive process words than autistic boys, despite comparable autism symptom severity. Thus, autistic girls showed a unique narrative profile that overlapped with autistic boys and typical girls/boys. Noun use correlated significantly with parent reports of social symptom severity in all groups, but cognitive process word use correlated with social ability in boys only. Conclusion This study extends prior research on autistic children's storytelling by measuring sex differences in the narratives of a relatively large, well-matched sample of children with and without ASD. Importantly, prior research showing that autistic children use fewer cognitive process words is true for boys only, while object-focused language is a sex-neutral linguistic marker of ASD. These findings suggest that sex-sensitive screening and diagnostic methods-preferably using objective metrics like natural language processing-may be helpful for identifying autistic girls, and could guide the development of future personalized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclin Boorse
- Lehigh University, College of Education, 111 Research Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA
| | - Meredith Cola
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Samantha Plate
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Lisa Yankowitz
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Robert T. Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Julia Parish-Morris
- Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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18
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Marini A, Sperindè P, Ruta I, Savegnago C, Avanzini F. Linguistic Skills in Bilingual Children With Developmental Language Disorders: A Pilot Study. Front Psychol 2019; 10:493. [PMID: 30899235 PMCID: PMC6416160 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current pilot study compared the linguistic characteristics of a cohort of simultaneous bilingual children (Italian, L1; German L2) with developmental language disorders (DLDs) and those of bilingual peers with typical language development (TLD). Importantly, the two groups were balanced for a number of environmental variables (e.g., age of first exposure to the L2, acquisition contexts, degree of exposure to both languages) known to affect linguistic development in both TLD and DLDs. The analyses included the assessment of the participants' phonological short-term memory. Their lexical, grammatical and narrative abilities were analyzed in both languages by administering the Italian and German equivalent forms of the Battery for the assessment of language in children aged 4 to 12 - BVL_4-12 (Marini et al., 2015). The children with DLDs had reduced phonological short-term memory and lexical skills that, in turn, contributed to the reduced levels of local coherence and informativeness of their narratives. Such difficulties were found at similar levels in their two languages. These results suggest that reduced phonological short-term memory and lexical selection skills may reflect a core symptom in both mono- and bilingual children with developmental language disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Marini
- Department of Languages, Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.,Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Paola Sperindè
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Isabella Ruta
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Christian Savegnago
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bolzano, Italy.,Servizio di Neurologia e Riabilitazione Pediatrica, Ospedale di Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Francesco Avanzini
- Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bolzano, Italy.,Medico Ditrigente di Foniatria, Reparto di Otorinolaringoiatria, Ospedale di Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
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