scholarly journals The art of common ground: emergence of a complex pragmatic language skill in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
ASHLEY DE MARCHENA ◽  
INGE-MARIE EIGSTI
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Language Skill ◽  
Pragmatic Language ◽  
Narrative Paradigm ◽  
Quality Ratings ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
General Skills ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

ABSTRACTDeficits in pragmatic language are central to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we investigatecommon ground, a pragmatic language skill in which speakers adjust the contents of their speech based on their interlocutor's perceived knowledge, in adolescents with ASD and typical development (TD), using an experimental narrative paradigm. Consistent with prior research, TD participants produced shorter narrations when they shared knowledge with an interlocutor, an effect not observed at the group level in ASD. This effect was unrelated to general skills such as IQ or receptive vocabulary. In ASD, the effect was correlated with age and symptom severity: older and less severely affected participantsdidshorten their narratives. Several metrics (including explicit references to common ground, speech disfluencies, and communicative quality ratings) suggested that, although adolescents with ASD did not show implicit reductions in their narrative length, they were aware of common ground, and communicated differently in its presence.

scholarly journals Assessing language skills in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane King ◽  
Olympia Palikara
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Pragmatic Language ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Evaluative Language ◽  
Teachers And Parents ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Language abilities in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are variable and can be challenging to ascertain with confidence. This study aimed to compare and evaluate different forms of language assessment: standardized language testing, narrative analysis and parent/teacher reports. 14 adolescents with ASD and 14 typically developing adolescents matched on age, gender and nonverbal ability were assessed using a number of standardized assessments for receptive and expressive language skills, a standardized narrative test, two experimental narrative assessments and a parent/teacher report measure of pragmatics. The findings were that, although adolescents with ASD scored within the normal range on expressive and receptive language, their performance on narrative tasks revealed difficulties with both structural and evaluative language. It should be noted that both teachers and parents rated the pragmatic language skills of the young people with ASD as significantly lower than those of the typically developing group but parents were more likely than teachers to additionally identify difficulties in speech and syntax. The implications of these results for professionals in terms of assessing the language skills of adolescents with ASD and for the planning of appropriate intervention are discussed.

Let's Talk: Review of Conversation Intervention Approaches for School-Aged Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (02) ◽  
pp. 158-165
Author(s):  
Geralyn Timler
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Pragmatic Language ◽  
Conversation Skills ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Social Tasks ◽  
Nonverbal Skills

AbstractConversation skills are an important intervention focus for verbally fluent school-aged children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three sets of approaches for supporting conversation skills are reviewed. Pragmatic language approaches focus on teaching the verbal and nonverbal skills needed to initiate and maintain conversations including strategies for recognizing and repairing communication breakdowns. Social skill approaches focus on similar conversation behaviors, but these behaviors are usually taught for use within specific social tasks such as entering peer groups, maintaining interactions, and resolving conflicts. Peer-focused approaches enlist the support of peers through direct teaching of strategies to engage and maintain conversations with students with ASD (i.e., peer-mediated interventions) or through environmental arrangement strategies to promote interactions between students with and without ASD (i.e., peer networks). Conversation interventions that incorporate strategies from all three sets of approaches are most likely to promote optimal outcomes. These outcomes include opportunities for students with ASD to develop and refine conversation skills with classmates who are more open to interactions with peers of differing abilities.

Poor Sleep Quality Among Adolescents With ASD Is Associated With Depressive Symptoms, Problem Behaviors, and Conflicted Family Relationships

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice N. Phung ◽  
Maryam M. Abdullah ◽  
Wendy A. Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Adolescent Relationships ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

To better understand correlates of sleep issues for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we conducted two related studies of sleep quality in association with adolescent well-being and family relationships. In Study 1, 28 adolescents with ASD, 27 typically developing (TD) adolescents, and their mothers, participated. Mothers and adolescents independently completed questionnaires about sleep and adolescent functioning. In Study 2, 20 adolescents with ASD and their mothers participated, and actigraphy was used to measure sleep quality. Regression results from Study 1 indicated more daytime sleepiness was associated with more depressive symptoms and more discordant mother–adolescent relationships in the ASD sample. More sleep–wake problems were associated with more depressive symptoms in TD adolescents. In Study 2, more time asleep and poorer sleep efficiency were associated with more depressive symptoms and discordant sibling relationships. These findings suggest that helping adolescents with ASD with their sleep issues may confer benefits in other parts of their lives.

scholarly journals Needs for a Healthy Eating Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 164-164
Author(s):  
Acadia Buro ◽  
Heewon Gray
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutrition Intervention ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Balanced Diet ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to better understand perceptions of healthy eating and a prospective nutrition intervention in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and parents of adolescents with ASD. Methods Four focus groups (n = 11) were conducted with adolescents with ASD aged 10–17, and nine interviews were conducted with parents of adolescents with ASD aged 10–17. Questions were semi-structured. Thematic and comparative analyses were conducted with ATLAS.ti 8 software. Results Several themes emerged. Adolescents and parents expressed a need for “nutrition guidelines and education” and discussed the importance of having “social engagement,” “visual components,” and “teen-led initiatives” in a nutrition intervention. When defining a healthy diet, both parents and adolescents mentioned the concept of a “balanced diet,” while parents also mentioned “clean foods.” Conclusions Adolescents with ASD represent an appropriate target audience for a healthy eating intervention, and an intervention should include visual and social components and teen-led initiatives. Funding Sources There was no funding source.

scholarly journals Indirect Effects of Task-switching on Reading Comprehension via Decoding Skills among Adolescents with Autism

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Ober ◽  
Bruce D. Homer ◽  
Jan L. Plass
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Word Reading ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Reading Abilities ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Purpose: We examined whether variation in task-switching indirectly predicted variation in reading comprehension by way of variation in decoding, and furthermore, whether this effect differed among adolescents with ASD compared to an age-matched control group. Methods: We examined whether the association between task-switching and reading comprehension was mediated by decoding among a sample of autistic adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N = 45, Mage = 14.9 years) and an age-matched comparison group (N = 43, Mage = 14.3 years). Analyses were conducted using path models to test for direct effects of decoding and task switching on reading comprehension, as well as indirect effects of task-switching on reading comprehension by way of decodingResults: Though the indirect effect did not significantly differ between the ASD and comparison groups, the indirect effect of task-switching on reading comprehension via decoding was only significant among adolescents with ASD. This suggest that task-switching plays a particularly prominent role in decoding and reading comprehension among adolescents with ASD.Conclusion: Though further work is necessary to replicate this effect, the findings may have implications for interventions that may target improvements in word reading abilities as a means for improving reading comprehension outcomes among youth with ASD.

scholarly journals Acceptability, equity, and feasibility of using antipsychotics in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gian Loreto D’Alò ◽  
◽  
Franco De Crescenzo ◽  
Laura Amato ◽  
Fabio Cruciani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Abstract Background It is unclear whether the administration of antipsychotics to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is acceptable, equitable, and feasible. Methods We performed a systematic review to support a multidisciplinary panel in formulating a recommendation on antipsychotics, for the development of the Italian national guidelines for the management of ASD. A comprehensive search strategy was performed to find data related to intervention acceptability, health equity, and implementation feasibility. We used quantitative data from randomized controlled trials to perform a meta-analysis assessing the acceptability and tolerability of antipsychotics, and we estimated the certainty of the effect according to the GRADE approach. We extracted data from systematic reviews, primary studies, and grey literature, and we assessed the risk of bias and methodological quality of the published studies. Results Antipsychotics were acceptable (dropouts due to any cause: RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.48–0.78, moderate certainty of evidence) and well tolerated (dropouts due to adverse events: RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.55–1.79, low certainty of evidence) by children and adolescents with ASD. Parents and clinicians did not raise significant issues concerning acceptability. We did not find studies reporting evidence of reduced equity for antipsychotics in disadvantaged subgroups of children and adolescents with ASD. Workloads, cost barriers, and inadequate monitoring of metabolic adverse events were indirect evidence of concerns for feasibility. Conclusion Antipsychotics in children and adolescents with ASD were likely acceptable and possibly feasible. We did not find evidence of concern for equity.

The Effects of Social Skill Interventions for Adolescents With Autism: A Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 074193252095636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salena Babb ◽  
Tracy J. Raulston ◽  
David McNaughton ◽  
Joo-Young Lee ◽  
Rachel Weintraub
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Social Skill ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Single Case Design ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Communicating with peers often poses challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); these social interactions, however, can be especially difficult during the teenage years. For many adolescents with ASD, peer interaction is often limited or nonexistent, even for those taught in general education settings. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate social interaction interventions for adolescents with ASD within public school settings, with a focus on studies that utilized single-case design. Studies were evaluated per the What Works Clearinghouse guidelines. This meta-analysis includes 24 studies with participants with ASD ranging in ages from 13 to 21 years. The effects of social skill interventions were evaluated using visual analysis, Tau- U, and a parametric effect size ( d-Hedges–Pustejovsky–Shadish [DHPS]). Combined effect sizes were calculated and compared. Results provide evidence that interventions can produce positive change in social behavior of adolescents with ASD. Effect sizes were generally large. Interpretations and implications are discussed.

A Comparison of Natural Language Samples Collected From Minimally and Low-Verbal Children and Adolescents With Autism by Parents and Examiners

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 4018-4028
Author(s):  
Mihaela D. Barokova ◽  
Sommer Hassan ◽  
Collin Lee ◽  
Mengyuan Xu ◽  
Helen Tager-Flusberg
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Expressive Language ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Standardized Assessments ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Verbal Interactions ◽  
Lexical Diversity ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd ◽  
At Home

Purpose We aimed to compare the speech of parents and examiners as they elicited language samples from minimally and low-verbal (MLV) children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while following the same semi-structured elicitation protocol, Eliciting Language Samples for Analysis–Adolescents (ELSA-A). We also compared the speech elicited from the MLV children/adolescents by their parents at home and by trained examiners in the lab and assessed the feasibility of parents collecting language samples at home. Method Thirty-three (five female, 28 male) MLV children and adolescents with ASD between the ages of 6;6 and 19;7 (years;months) participated. All participants were administered standardized assessments, and a trained examiner collected an ELSA-A language sample from them in the lab. The parents of 22 of the children/adolescents collected an ELSA-A sample at home. All language samples were transcribed following standard procedures, and measures of expressive language were extracted to assess the quantity of speech, its syntactic complexity, and lexical diversity. At the end of the study, parents filled out a feedback survey about their experiences collecting ELSA-A. Results On average, parents produced twice as much speech as trained examiners during ELSA-A. However, their speech did not differ in syntactic complexity or lexical diversity. When with their parents, the MLV children/adolescents also produced twice as much speech than with trained examiners. In addition, their samples were more lexically diverse. Overall, parents elicited longer language samples but administered fewer of the ELSA-A activities. Nevertheless, the majority of parents rated the experience of collecting language samples at home favorably. Conclusions When parents collect language samples at home, their older MLV children/adolescents with ASD produce more speech and engage in more back-and-forth verbal interactions than when with trained examiners. Because parent-elicited language samples allow for a richer assessment of children's expressive language abilities, future studies should focus on identifying ways to encourage parents to collect data at home.

Gaming Disorder and Computer-Mediated Communication in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-122
Author(s):  
Frank W. Paulus ◽  
Charlotte S. Sander ◽  
Monika Nitze ◽  
Anne-Rose Kramatschek-Pfahler ◽  
Anette Voran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Gaming Disorder ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Abstract. Background: This study investigates how children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make use of computer gaming and computer-mediated communication (CMC) in comparison to their nonautistic peers. Method: Parents filled out a standardized questionnaire on media use, gaming disorder (GD), and CMC. Sixty-two boys with a diagnosis of ASD aged 4 to 17 years (mean = 11.5; SD = 3.2) were compared to 31 healthy control boys (mean = 11.5; SD = 3.7). Results: Children and adolescents with ASD used CMC less frequently than their nonautistic peers but played video games for longer times than the controls. They preferred playing alone rather than in company of others and less frequently in multiplayer mode. Levels of GD symptoms were higher in boys with ASD. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ASD seem to be an especially vulnerable subpopulation for GD. For them, the gaming situation (alone and in single-player mode) and CMC behavior seem to correspond to social patterns in real life. Our findings also provide support for the inclusion of offline gaming in the GD definition.

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