Effect of Speaker Gaze on Word Learning in Fragile X Syndrome: A Comparison With Nonsyndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The ability to utilize a speaker's gaze during word learning is not as well developed in boys with FXS or nonsyndromic ASD as in TD boys of the same developmental level.

Verbal labels increase the salience of novel objects for preschoolers with typical development and Williams syndrome, but not in autism

“…Interestingly, however, these results contrast with those from a recent study by Benjamin et al [39] who reported that typically developing preschoolers (mean age 3.5 years), as well as school-aged children with ASD (mean age 7 years), failed to increase their attention to novel objects in response to verbal labels. In the Benjamin et al study, the labeling condition was contrasted to a condition where a speaker was talking (without labeling) about the target objects using child-directed and playful language and motion.…”

“…Similarly, using a behavioral paradigm, McDuffie et al [38] reported that preschoolers with ASD, just like their typically developing peers, increase their interest toward objects that are verbally labeled by an adult speaker—suggesting intact sensitivity to this pedagogical cue. However, another study [39] reported failure to increase attention to novel objects in response to verbal labels in both children with ASD and typically developing preschoolers. Conflicting results in this area of research might reflect methodological differences.…”

Language Skills of Males with Fragile X Syndrome or Nonsyndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…The samples included in the present study overlap with those of other previously published studies (Benjamin et al 2015; McDuffie et al 2013, 2015; Thurman et al 2015a, b). Consideration for inclusion in the present study required participants with FXS or nonsyndromic ASD to have a nonverbal IQ score less than or equal to 85, as this cut-off is inclusive of essentially all males with FXS (Hessl et al 2009), resulting in the exclusion of 6 children with FXS (3 IQ data not available, 3 IQ scores > 85) and 20 children with nonsyndromic ASD (3 IQ data not available and 17 IQ scores > 85).…”

“…Importantly, the boys with FXS also had less severe social impairments than did the boys with ASD, raising the possibility of social-cognitive contributions to word learning deficits of children with ASD. In addition, between-group differences in the ability to use social cues, such as a speaker’s direction of gaze (Benjamin et al 2015) and a speaker’s emotional reactions (Thurman et al 2015a, b), to disambiguate the novel object that the speaker intended to label have also been considered. In these studies, although initial analyses demonstrated the presence of some between-group differences favoring the FXS group in terms of overall levels of performance, no group differences were observed after controlling for ASD symptom severity, consistent with the social origins of the word learning challenges associated with ASD, although participants with ASD were more apt to utilize the emotional reaction of disappointment to infer an intended referent (Thurman et al 2015a, b).…”

“…Several publications (e.g., Benjamin et al 2015; McDuffie et al 2013, 2015; Thurman et al 2015a, b) have resulted from this study, but none have addressed the research questions addressed in this paper. Participants were recruited nationally and were assessed at one of two university sites (University of California, Davis and University of Wisconsin, Madison).…”