Development of the Mental Synthesis Evaluation Checklist (MSEC): A Parent-Report Tool for Mental Synthesis Ability Assessment in Children with Language Delay

Abstract

Background: Mental synthesis is the conscious purposeful process of synthesizing a novel mental image from objects stored in memory. In our everyday use of language, we rely on mental synthesis to communicate an infinite number of images with a finite number of words. In typical children, the timeline of mental synthesis acquisition is highly correlated with an increasing vocabulary. Children with ASD, on the other hand, may learn hundreds of words but never acquire mental synthesis. In these individuals, tests assessing vocabulary comprehension may fail to demonstrate the profound deficit in mental synthesis and the resulting inability to understand flexible syntax and spatial prepositions. Objective: We developed a 20-question parent-reported evaluation tool designed to quantitatively assess mental synthesis ability and to serve as a complimentary scale for Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). Results: Internal reliability was good (Cronbach’s alpha > .9), and the MSEC exhibited adequate test-retest reliability after a three- and nine-months follow up period. The MSEC results positively correlated with the ATEC communication subscale, providing support for construct validity. Moreover, MSEC scores were significantly different for children of different ASD severity levels confirming the known groups validity. Conclusions: This study represents the first step toward the development of an instrument to measure mental synthesis in children with ASD. Although the current empirical evaluation demonstrated strong evidence of excellent psychometric properties, such as validity and reliability, additional studies should be performed to replicate these findings.

Novel Prefrontal Synthesis Intervention Improves Language in Children with Autism

“…Once the app was downloaded, the caregiver was asked to register and to provide demographic details, including the child’s diagnosis and age. Caregivers consented to anonymized data analysis and completed the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) [ 22 ], as well as an evaluation of the receptive language using the Mental Synthesis Evaluation Checklist (MSEC) [ 24 ]. The first evaluation was administered approximately one month after the first use of MITA and once 100 puzzles had been completed.…”

“…A caregiver-completed Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) [ 22 ] and Mental Synthesis Evaluation Checklist (MSEC) [ 24 ] were used to track the efficacy of the treatment. The complete ATEC questionnaire is comprised of four subscales: (1) Speech/Language/Communication, (2) Sociability, (3) Sensory/Cognitive Awareness, and (4) Physical/Health/Behavior.…”

Imagination in Autism: A Chance to Improve Early Language Therapy

“…In addition to the LEPS test designed for psychometricians, our group has developed a parent-reported “Mental Synthesis Evaluation Checklist” or MSEC, designed to assess complex language comprehension and PFS acquisition in children [ 68 ]. The 20-item MSEC is composed of language comprehension items building steadily in difficulty: e.g., (1) Understands simple stories that are read aloud; (2) Understands elaborate fairy tales that are read aloud (i.e., stories describing fantasy creatures); (6) Understands some simple modifiers (i.e., green apple vs. red apple or big apple vs. small apple); (7) Understands several modifiers in a sentence (i.e., small green apple); (8) Understands size (can select the largest/smallest object out of a collection of objects); (9) Understands possessive pronouns (i.e., your apple vs. her apple); (10) Understands spatial prepositions (i.e., put the apple on top of the box vs. inside the box vs. behind the box); (11) Understands verb tenses (i.e., I will eat an apple vs.…”

“…The psychometric quality of the MSEC was tested with 3715 ASD children [ 68 ]. MSEC exhibited adequate test–retest reliability, good internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.9), good known group validity, and good construct validity.…”

Language evolution to revolution: the leap from rich-vocabulary non-recursive communication system to recursive language 70,000 years ago was associated with acquisition of a novel component of imagination, called Prefrontal Synthesis, enabled by a mutation that slowed down the prefrontal cortex maturation simultaneously in two or more children – the Romulus and Remus hypothesis

“…Child's non-recursive vocalizations alone cannot inform on PFS acquisition. In these children it is important to assess the PFS function directly 19,162 and administer intensive language therapy as soon as possible. We are currently conducting an observational trial of the effect of parent-administered PFS exercises in children diagnosed with ASD 163 .…”