Social (pragmatic) communication disorder: a research review of this new DSM-5 diagnostic category

The aim of the study was to assess self-reported individual differences in the use of the inner speech of adolescents with Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SCD) and in particular to answer the questions: Do adolescent with SCD have inner speech and what is the direction of this speech? Is this a monologue and internal dialogue, i.e., do they speak to themselves (internal monologue) or to other people (internal dialogue)? We tested 22 adolescents with SCD, diagnosed according to the DSM-5 criterion. The average age was 16.48 years, SD = 2.71. The youngest patient was 12 years old and the oldest was 19 years old. The modified version of the Puchalska-Wasyl Scale of Inner Speech was used for the study. The questionnaire was tailored to the capabilities of the persons with SCD and included questions about the occurrence of internal speech and the direction of this speech, that is, internal conversations to yourself (internal monologue) or to other people (internal dialogue). The patients participating in the experiment were informed in detail about the whole procedure and they or their parents, if they were under age, provided written consent for their participation in the experiment (according to the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration, 2008). Statistical analysis showed that in adolescents with SCD there is a statistically significant relationship in the frequency of the monologue and internal dialogue. Persons who declared a more frequent occurrence of internal dialogue also declared more frequent occurrences of internal monologue, which means that they had the general ability for inner speech. A comparison of the direction of inner speech, that is the internal monologue and internal dialogue has shown that during inner speech they more often use internal dialogue than internal monologue. It was found that in adolescents with SCD, inner speech is present, and it manifests itself in the form of an internal monologue and internal dialogue. However, far more often do they use internal dialogue than internal monologue.

Download Full-text

The DSM-5 introduction of the Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder as a new mental disorder: a philosophical review

History & Philosophy of the Life Sciences ◽

10.1007/s40656-021-00460-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

Author(s):

M. Cristina Amoretti ◽

Elisabetta Lalumera ◽

Davide Serpico

Keyword(s):

Mental Disorder ◽

Communication Disorders ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Communication Disorder ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

The Social ◽

Pragmatic Communication ◽

Definition Of

AbstractThe latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included the Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SPCD) as a new mental disorder characterized by deficits in pragmatic abilities. Although the introduction of SPCD in the psychiatry nosography depended on a variety of reasons—including bridging a nosological gap in the macro-category of Communication Disorders—in the last few years researchers have identified major issues in such revision. For instance, the symptomatology of SPCD is notably close to that of (some forms of) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This opens up the possibility that individuals with very similar symptoms can be diagnosed differently (with either ASD or SPCD) and receive different clinical treatments and social support. The aim of this paper is to review recent debates on SPCD, particularly as regards its independence from ASD. In the first part, we outline the major aspects of the DSM-5 nosological revision involving ASD and SPCD. In the second part, we focus on the validity and reliability of SPCD. First, we analyze literature on three potential validators of SPCD, i.e., etiology, response to treatment, and measurability. Then, we turn to reliability issues connected with the introduction of the grandfather clause and the use of the concepts of spectrum and threshold in the definition of ASD. In the conclusion, we evaluate whether SPCD could play any role in contemporary psychiatry other than that of an independent mental disorder and discuss the role that non-epistemic factors could play in the delineation of the future psychiatry nosography.

Download Full-text

DSM-5 and the Controversy of Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder

The Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.5005/jmeds-2-1-iv ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 0-0

Keyword(s):

Communication Disorder ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Pragmatic Communication

Download Full-text

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Past, Present, and Future

Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication ◽

10.1044/aac22.3.131 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 131-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pat Mirenda

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Social Communication ◽

Diagnostic Category ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Communication Disorder ◽

Statistical Manual ◽

Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Social Communication Disorder

Abstract This paper describes recent changes to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) that may affect AAC service availability to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social Communication Disorder, a new diagnostic category. In addition, it provides a summary of research on the proportion of individuals with ASD who do not develop functional speech and, thus, rely on AAC. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of conventional literacy instruction for this population, with specific attention to the need to provide alternatives to handwriting, based on recent research.

Download Full-text

Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder and Its Relation to the Autism Spectrum: Dilemmas Arising From the DSM-5 Classification

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-016-2814-5 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (8) ◽

pp. 2821-2829 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Yael Brukner-Wertman ◽

Nathaniel Laor ◽

Ofer Golan

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum ◽

Communication Disorder ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Pragmatic Communication

Download Full-text

Applying Item Response Theory Modeling to Identify Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2020_jslhr-19-00284 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (6) ◽

pp. 1916-1932 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Haiying Yuan ◽

Christine Dollaghan

Keyword(s):

Item Response Theory ◽

Item Response ◽

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Social Communication ◽

National Database ◽

Communication Disorder ◽

Social Communication Questionnaire ◽

Autism Research ◽

The Social ◽

Pragmatic Communication

Purpose No diagnostic tools exist for identifying social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SPCD), a new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition category for individuals with social communication deficits but not the repetitive, restricted behaviors and interests (RRBIs) that would qualify them for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We explored the value of items from a widely used screening measure of ASD for distinguishing SPCD from typical controls (TC; Aim 1) and from ASD (Aim 2). Method We applied item response theory (IRT) modeling to Social Communication Questionnaire–Lifetime ( Rutter, Bailey, & Lord, 2003 ) records available in the National Database for Autism Research. We defined records from putative SPCD ( n = 54), ASD ( n = 278), and TC ( n = 274) groups retrospectively, based on National Database for Autism Research classifications and Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised responses. After assessing model assumptions, estimating model parameters, and measuring model fit, we identified items in the social communication and RRBI domains that were maximally informative in differentiating the groups. Results IRT modeling identified a set of seven social communication items that distinguished SPCD from TC with sensitivity and specificity > 80%. A set of five RRBI items was less successful in distinguishing SPCD from ASD (sensitivity and specificity < 70%). Conclusion The IRT modeling approach and the Social Communication Questionnaire–Lifetime item sets it identified may be useful in efforts to construct screening and diagnostic measures for SPCD.

Download Full-text