Comparing Early Pragmatics in Typically Developing Children and Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Kay H Y Wong1,2, Kathy Y S Lee3,4, Sharon C Y Tsze3
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China. kaywong@ent.cuhk.edu.hk.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|September 4, 2021
Summary
This study found that children with language impairment (LI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have significant early pragmatic language deficits. Older children with ASD showed stagnant pragmatic language development compared to peers with LI.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Early pragmatic language skills are crucial for social communication.
- Language impairment (LI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated with pragmatic deficits.
- Direct assessment (DA) is a method for evaluating pragmatic skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare early pragmatic language skills in typically developing (TD) children, children with LI, and children with ASD.
- To investigate the developmental trajectory of pragmatic language in children with ASD.
- To evaluate the utility of direct assessment (DA) in identifying pragmatic language deficits.
Main Methods:
- A direct assessment (DA) was used to evaluate early pragmatics.
- Participants included 262 TD children, 73 children with LI, and 16 children with ASD.
- Statistical analyses were performed to compare pragmatic skills across groups.
Main Results:
- Children with LI and ASD demonstrated significant pragmatic language deficits compared to TD children.
- Older children with ASD showed pragmatic impairments comparable to those with LI.
- Pragmatic language development appeared relatively stagnant in children with ASD.
Conclusions:
- Direct assessment (DA) effectively identifies pragmatic language deficits.
- Findings support the use of DA in clinical settings for diagnosing pragmatic impairments.
- The study highlights the specific challenges in pragmatic language development for children with ASD.
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