Social Differences Between Monolingual English and Bilingual English-Spanish Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Bilingualism is common, but research on bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is limited.
• Understanding the impact of bilingualism on ASD presentation is crucial for accurate diagnosis and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare social skills and autistic features in monolingual English and bilingual English-Spanish children diagnosed with ASD.
• To investigate potential differences in language use and social interaction between bilingual and monolingual children with ASD.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of medical records for children aged 1-6 years diagnosed with ASD.
• Data collected included demographics, developmental assessments, and autistic characteristics from 2003-2013.

Main Results:

• 462 children were identified: 165 bilingual (English-Spanish) and 297 monolingual English.
• Parents of bilingual children with ASD reported more stereotyped/repetitive language use (66% vs. 48%).
• No significant differences were found in social interaction, nonverbal behaviors, peer relationships, or overall autism severity.

Conclusions:

• Bilingualism does not appear to increase vulnerability in children with autism spectrum disorder.
• Qualitative differences in language use, specifically repetitive language, were observed in bilingual children with ASD.