Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism
Published on: October 3, 2018
A meta-analysis of the association between vocalizations and expressive language in children with autism spectrum
Jena McDaniel1, Kathryn D'Ambrose Slaboch1, Paul Yoder2
1Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, USA.
Background:
Targeting the frequency or complexity of prelinguistic vocalizations might improve the language trajectory of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who exhibit continued expressive language deficits.
Aims:
This meta-analysis evaluates the strength of the association between various measures of vocalizations and expressive language in young children with ASD and five putative moderators of that association to inform prelinguistic intervention development: consonant-centricity, communicativeness, concurrent versus longitudinal research design, risk for correlated measurement error, and publication status.
Methods And Procedures:
We systematically searched databases and other sources for correlations between vocalizations and expressive language in children with ASD less than 9 years old. Using robust variance estimation, we calculated the weighted mean effect size and conducted moderator analyses.
Outcomes And Results:
Nine studies (19 reports), which included 362 participants and 109 unique effect sizes, met inclusion criteria. The weighted mean effect size between vocalizations and expressive language was significant (r=0.50, 95% CI [0.23, 0.76]). As predicted, concurrent correlations were significantly stronger than longitudinal correlations. Other moderator effects were not detected.
Conclusions And Implications:
Young children with ASD demonstrate a strong association between vocalizations and expressive language skills. Future experimental studies should investigate causal relations to guide intervention development.
More Related Videos
10:11Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking IPL: Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism
Published on: December 14, 2012
09:13Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
01:26Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
01:22Language Development
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...