Intentional Communication in ASD: Quantitative and Qualitative Distinctions from Typical Development?

Background: In literature often is stated that children with an ASD initiate communication less frequently compared to typically developing children, both to regulate behavior of others and to share objects and experiences with others (joint attention). Furthermore, when children with an ASD do communicate, they rather communicate for behavior regulation than for social purposes, such as joint attention (e.g., Landa, 2007; Wetherby et al., 2007; Dawson et al., 2004). However, it is still unclear whether these differences are just quantitative or also qualitative by nature.

Objectives: To explore quantitative and qualitative differences in functions of intentional communication and the forms used to communicate for these functions between children with the autistic disorder and typically developing children.

Methods: Data were collected from 20 children with the autistic disorder (confirmed by the ADOS and the DISCO-11) and 20 typically developing children. Both groups were matched on non-verbal intelligence level (developmental age range: 2;0–5;0 years), measured with the Snijders-Oomen Non-Verbal Intelligence Test – Revised (SON-R 2½-7). Videotapes of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS-DP Behavior Samples; Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) were analyzed using a standardized observation scheme distinguishing three main functions: behavior regulation, social interaction, and joint attention. Also different forms were inventoried: vocalizations, gestures and other acts.

Results: Preliminary results (n=13 AD, n=13 TD) indicate that children with the AD show significantly less intentional communicative actions than typically developing children, in particular with regard to declarative goals (social interaction and joint attention). There is no significant difference in the relative frequencies of communicative behaviors for these functions. Furthermore, typically developing children communicate more frequently for declarative goals compared to behavior regulation, whereas children with the AD communicate for each goal just as often.

Conclusions: In absolute frequencies children with the AD seem to communicate less often for declarative purposes compared to typically developing children. However, they do not show a more restricted repertoire of communicative functions, as the relative frequency of functions for which the children of both groups communicate is almost identical. These preliminary findings suggest that the differences between both groups are mainly quantitative and not qualitative by nature.

References:
Dawson, G., Toth, K., et al. (2004). Early social attention impairments in autism: Social orienting, joint attention, and attention to distress. Developmental Psychopathology, 40, 271-283.
Landa, R. (2007). Early communication development and intervention for children with autism. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 13, 16-25.
Wetherby, A., & Prizant, B. (2002). Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile – first normed edition. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Wetherby, A.M., Watt, N., et al. (2007). Social communication profiles of children with autism spectrum disorders late in the second year of life. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 960-975.