29643
The Social-Communicative Abilities in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Profile and Prediction of Language
Previous studies have shown that early social-communicative abilities (i.e., joint attention, imitation) plays an important role for development of language ability in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Regarding early language ability is related to long-term outcomes and adaptive function in children with ASD. Thus, this study examines the profile of social-communicative abilities and predictors of language development in young children with ASD.
Objectives:
This study is planned to compare the abilities of joint attention and imitation in young children with ASD to young children with developmental delays (DD). In addition, we also examine the role of joint attention and imitation in language development among young children with ASD and with DD.
Methods:
There are 122 young children at 25 and 36 months of age, including 61 young children with ASD and 61 young children with DD. The Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds, Taiwan version (T-STAT) was modified and used for measuring joint attention and imitation, including initiating joint attention (IJA), responding joint attention (RJA), object imitation, and manual imitation. In addition, the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and Communication Subscale from Adaptive Behavior Assessment System -II (ABAS-II) were used to measure language abilities and communication adaptation respectively.
Results:
The results of this study showed that joint attention was core deficits in young children with ASD, especially for IJA. However, the imitation of young children with ASD was delayed instead of deficit. In addition, the profile of joint attention and imitation of young children with ASD and young children with DD could be separated. The poorest ability was IJA in young children with ASD while the poorest ability was the manual imitation in young children with DD. Both joint attention and imitation were significantly related to language ability in young children with ASD. However, only full-IJA and imitation were significantly related to language abilities in young children with DD. For young children with ASD, manual imitation was the strongest predictor of receptive language, expressive language, and communication adaptation. And, partial-IJA was the strongest predictor of expressive language. In addition, RJA was the strongest predictor of receptive language and communication adaptation. For young children with DD, only manual imitation was the strongest predictor of expressive language.
Conclusions:
This study revealed that IJA is robust challenge for young children with ASD again. This study showed that the profile of early social-communicative skills of young children with ASD and young children with DD could be different. In addition, the findings also supported that early social-communicative skills were related language in young children with ASD and with DD. However, early social-communicative skills contributed significantly development of language abilities in young children with ASD instead of young children with DD. The early social-communicative episodes provided interactive experiences and opportunities for young children with ASD and with DD to learning. Thus, it could enhance their language development through the mapping process. The results of the study provided implications for the early diagnosis and early intervention in young children with ASD.