Intervention Techniques Targeting Echolalia: A Scoping Review

Although echolalic speech is found in typical development, echolalia is most commonly associated with autism. As such, echolalia has frequently been the focus of various interventions aimed at autistic children. Recent research and the voices of autistic self-advocates indicate that echolalia serves as a meaningful form of communication or functionally supports self-regulation. As a result, the literature on how, or whether, to target echolalia in therapy is full of philosophically diverse approaches. To support evidence-based practice, the purpose of this scoping review was to inform speech-language clinicians about current research on interventions targeting echolalia and how disagreement on this topic may be affecting the autistic individuals we serve.

Search terms were entered into seven databases utilizing a key word search, and 74 total articles were included in this scoping review. Data on the intervention approach, outcomes, and participant demographics were then extracted for analysis.

Most interventions utilized principles of applied behavior analysis. Nearly all studies reported decreased echolalia; very few reported increased speech output or communicative attempts. Demographically, most participants were male and White/Caucasian, if sex, race, or ethnic data were reported at all.

Overwhelmingly, the literature on interventions focused on echolalia had the explicit aim of reducing echolalic speech, a functional form of communication. Autistic self-advocates have made it clear that they are opposed to interventions that seek to eliminate autistic traits, including echolalia. When implementing evidence-based practice that considers scientific evidence alongside client values, speech-language clinicians should avoid interventions aimed at reducing echolalia.

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28536404.