20701
Sex and ASD Risk Status Predict Both 3-Year Expressive Language and Expressive Language Growth from 1 to 3 Years in Children at High and Low Risk for ASD
Objectives: To examine the effect of sex and risk status for ASD on children’s expressive language (EL) development from 12-36 months and EL outcome at 36 months.
Methods: Expressive language was measured for HR-sibs (n=69; male=36) and LR-sibs (n=42; male=23) at 12, 24, and 36 months as age equivalency scores (in months) using the expressive language (EL) subscale from the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL; Mullen, 1995). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine both growth from 12 to 36 months in EL and 36-month level of EL
Results: The overall trajectory of EL from 12 to 36 months was best characterized by significant positive, linear growth, p<.01. EL at 12 months showed little variability across individuals; therefore, the intercept was set at 36 months. EL growth and 36-month EL level were both modeled as random effects. Sex significantly predicted EL growth and 36-month EL, with males showing decreased growth and lower EL compared to females at 36 months. Males gained 0.85 years of EL growth for every year that females gained, b=-.15, p=.01, and at 36 months, their EL was almost 4 months lower, b=-3.61, p<.01. Risk status also significantly predicted EL growth and 36-month EL level, with HR-sibs showing decreased growth and lower EL compared to LR-sibs at 36 months. HR-sibs gained 0.85 years of EL growth for every year that LR-sibs gained, b=.15, p=.02, and at 36 months had an age equivalent EL almost 5 months lower than that of LR children, (b=4.75, p<.01). Sex and risk status did not interact to predict growth in language between 12 and 36 months or level of EL at 36 months.
Conclusions: Although sex and risk status independently affect children’s expressive language, no interaction was found. Males and HR-sibs each showed slower EL growth and lower EL at 36 months relative to their counterparts. The lack of an interaction suggests that HR-sibs males are not at multiplicative risk for slower language growth and deficits by 3 years.