Joint attention, developmental level, and symptom presentation in autism

Abstract

Recent data suggest that a disturbance in the development of joint attention skills is a specific characteristic of young autistic children. This observation may have both theoretical and clinical significance. However, many pertinent issues remain to be addressed with regard to the parameters of joint attention disturbance in children with autism. This study attempted to address several of these issues. The study examines the effects of mental age and IQ on the joint attention skills of children with autism, mental retardation, and normal development. The study also examined the relation of joint attention behaviors to the parent's report of symptoms presented by children with autism. The results suggested that, differences in IQ and mental age may be related to differences in the type of joint attention skill deficits displayed by children with autism. The results also suggested that joint attention disturbance is associated with a circumscribed, but social cluster of symptoms observed among young autistic children by their parents. The implications of these findings for developmental models of autism are discussed.

Language in Low-Functioning Children with Autistic Disorder: Differences Between Receptive and Expressive Skills and Concurrent Predictors of Language

“…Furthermore, in contrast with for example specific language impairment, problems in language development seem to be amodal in ASD (Boucher et al 2007). Nonverbal children with ASD often fail to compensate their lack of verbal communication with other modalities, such as gestures (Mundy et al 1994). These findings support the hypothesis of a relationship between language development and symbolic capacities in the nonverbal domain.…”

Using Spoken Language Benchmarks to Characterize the Expressive Language Skills of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Sigman, & Kasari, 1994). The specific communication functions scored during the ESCS included commenting, requesting, and turn taking.…”

Repetitive and Stereotyped Behaviors in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Second Year of Life

“…Research with adults and older children with ASD has consistently found a close concurrent relationship among RSB and social and communication symptoms (Bodfish, Symons, Parker, & Lewis, 2000). In younger children, Mundy, Sigman, and Kasari (1994) examined the relations among joint attention and other symptoms of ASD in 30 preschoolers with ASD. They found no correlation between joint attention skills and symptoms involving sensory behaviors or stereotypies as measured on the Autism Behavior Checklist (Krug, Arick, & Almond, 1979) based on parent interview.…”