THE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY PROFILE – 2 (LPP-2): MEASURING COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS IN AUTISM

Background: The Language Proficiency Profile-2 (LPP-2) is an informant-based rating scale that was developed by Bebko and McKinnon (1993) specifically to assess the communication skills in children who are deaf and may use a combination of communication systems, somewhat similar to the situation for autism. Individuals who are deaf may communicate using a combination of systems including: spoken language, American Sign Language (ASL), signed-English (SE), an idiosyncratic signing system, or gesture. Those with autism may also be taught to communicate through a variety of alternative methods, including: speech, a signing system, PECS, gesture, etc. Traditional language measures tend to focus solely on a single modality, and therefore, will likely underestimate the true overall communication abilities of someone who communicates through a combination of methods. The LPP-2 is now used internationally to provide a useful measure of overall communications skills in children who are deaf.

Objectives: The present study investigates the usefulness of the LPP-2 as a measure of overall communication skills in autism.

Methods: Ninety parents and caregivers of individuals with autism or PDD-NOS were administered the LPP-2, the Autism Diagnostic Interview- Revised (ADI-R), and the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavior Inventory (PDD-BI).

Results: Scores on LPP-2 are compared to language skills and severity of autistic symptomology as measured by the PDD-BI and ADI-R. Comparison is also made with LPP-2 norms for typical children.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that the LPP-2 may be an informative and useful new tool for better understanding the communicative impairments and overall communication skills for some individuals with autism.