Language and Speech in Autism

Gernsbacher, Morton Ann; Morson, Emily M.; Grace, Elizabeth J.

doi:10.1146/annurev-linguist-030514-124824

Cited by 29 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…Indeed, autism is associated with a wide range of language abilities. While some autistic people are minimal or non-verbal, others have typical ( Brignell et al, 2018 ) or enhanced ( Hyltenstam, 2016 ) language skills, with or without peculiar speech patterns ( Gernsbacher et al, 2016 ). The presence of these linguistic capacities in many autistic people suggests that learning and achieving fluency in more than one language is also possible for autistic people, as it is for their non-autistic peers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences

Digard

Sorace

Stanfield

et al. 2020

Autism

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Bilingualism changes how people relate to others, and lead their lives. This is particularly relevant in autism, where social interaction presents challenges. Understanding the overlap between the social variations of bilingualism and autism could unveil new ways to support autistic people. This research aims to understand the language learning and social experiences of mono-, bi- and multilingual autistic people. A total of 297 autistic adults (mean age = 32.4 years) completed an online questionnaire including general demographic, language history and social life quality self-rating items. The sample included 89 monolingual English speakers, 98 bilinguals, and 110 multilinguals, with a wide range of language profiles. Regression models were used to analyse how bilingualism variables predicted social life quality ratings. In the full sample, age negatively predicted social life quality scores while the number of languages known positively predicted social life quality scores. In the multilingual subset, age negatively predicted social life quality scores, while third language proficiency positively predicted social life quality scores. This is the first study describing the language history and social experiences of a substantial sample of bilingual and multilingual autistic adults. It provides valuable insight into how autistic people can learn and use a new language, and how their bilingualism experiences shape their social life. Lay abstract Bilingualism changes the way people relate to others. This is particularly interesting in the case of autism, where social interaction presents many challenges. A better understanding of the overlap between the social variations of bilingualism and autism could unveil new ways to support the social experiences of autistic people. This research aims to understand the language learning and social experiences of autistic people who speak one, two or more languages. A total of 297 autistic adults (aged between 16 and 80 years) completed an online questionnaire that included general demographic questions, social life quality self-rating questions, language history questions, and open questions about the respondents’ bilingualism experience. Respondents had a wide range of language experiences: there were 89 monolingual English speakers, 98 bilinguals, 110 respondents knew three languages or more, all with a wide range of abilities in their languages. In the full group, younger respondents were more satisfied with their social life, and respondents with many languages were more satisfied with their social life than respondents with few languages. In the multilingual group, younger respondents were more satisfied with their social life, and the more skilled in their third language the more satisfied with their social life. This is the first study describing the language history and social experiences of a large group of bilingual and multilingual autistic adults. It highlights how autistic people can encounter a new language, learn it and use it in their daily life, and how their bilingualism experiences shape their social life.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences

Digard

Sorace

Stanfield

et al. 2020

Autism

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show abstract

“…Indeed, autism is associated with a wide range of language abilities. While some autistic people are minimally-or non-verbal, others have typical (Brignell et al, 2018) or enhanced (Hyltenstam, 2016) language skills, with or without peculiar speech patterns (Gernsbacher et al, 2016). The presence of these linguistic capacities in many autistic people suggests that learning and achieving fluency in more than one language is also possible for autistic people, as it is for their non-autistic peers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences

Digard

2020

Preprint

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Please note this paper has now been peer-reviewed and published.The published version can be found at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361320937845To cite, please use: Digard, B. G., Sorace, A., Stanfield, A., & Fletcher-Watson, S. (2020). Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences. Autism. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320937845Please do not cite this preprint.Bilingualism changes how people relate to others, and lead their lives. This is particularly relevant in autism, where social interaction presents challenges. Understanding the overlap between the social variations of bilingualism and autism could unveil new ways to support autistic people. This research aims to understand the language learning and social experiences of mono-, bi- and multilingual autistic people. A total of 297 autistic adults (mean age = 32.4 years) completed an online questionnaire including general demographic, language history and social life quality self-rating items. The sample included 89 monolingual English speakers, 98 bilinguals, and 110 multilinguals, with a wide range of language profiles. Regression models were used to analyse how bilingualism variables predicted social life quality ratings. In the full sample, age negatively predicted social life quality scores while the number of languages known positively predicted social life quality scores. In the multilingual subset, age negatively predicted social life quality scores, while third language proficiency positively predicted social life quality scores. This is the first study describing the language history and social experiences of a substantial sample of bilingual and multilingual autistic adults. It provides valuable insight into how autistic people can learn and use a new language, and how their bilingualism experiences shape their social life.

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“…Recent narrative reviews have sought to describe pronoun use within the context of overall language development in individuals with autism (Arunachalam & Luyster, 2018; Gernsbacher et al, 2016; Naigles & Tek, 2017; Ying Sng et al, 2018). Gernsbacher et al (2016) present evidence that suggests language development in children with autism is varied but follows a normative production-comprehension lag. Citing studies that illustrate pronoun errors and repetitive speech as evident in TD children, they conclude these phenomena are not unique to individuals with autism.…”

Section: Previous Reviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While past reviews have highlighted heterogeneous language development skills, they have also suggested the need for a more focused review that compares what is known about language development about pronoun use in children with autism compared with their TD peers (i.e. Gernsbacher et al, 2016; Naigles & Tek, 2017; Ying Sng et al, 2018).…”

Section: Present Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Production and comprehension of pronouns in individuals with autism: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Finnegan

Asaro-Saddler

Zajic

2020

Autism

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This study compared pronoun use in individuals with autism to their typically developing peers via meta-analysis and systematic review of 20 selected articles to examine differences in overall pronoun usage as well as in personal, ambiguous, possessive, reflexive, and clitic pronoun usage. Summary effects indicated significant differences between individuals with autism and their typically developing peers in the use of pronouns overall as well as in ambiguous, clitic, and reflexive pronoun usage, but not in personal and possessive pronoun usage. Results indicate wide variation in the way individuals with autism use pronouns, and individual outcomes appeared to be moderated by multiple factors, including cognitive ability, first language, and overall language development. Implications and recommendations for assessment and intervention practices are discussed. Lay abstract This research compared pronoun use in individuals with autism and typically developing peers. Meta-analysis and systematic review of 20 selected articles were used to determine whether significant differences existed in the use of pronouns overall as well as in personal, ambiguous, possessive, reflexive, and clitic pronoun usage. Summary effects indicated significant differences between individuals with autism and their typically developing peers in the use of pronouns overall as well as in ambiguous, clitic, and reflexive pronoun usage, but not in personal and possessive pronoun usage. Results indicate wide variation in the way individuals with autism use pronouns. Since individual outcomes appear to be moderated by multiple factors, including cognitive ability, first language, and overall language development, it is recommended these be considered in assessment and treatment.

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Language and Speech in Autism

Cited by 29 publications

References 48 publications

Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences

Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences

Bilingualism in autism: Language learning profiles and social experiences

Production and comprehension of pronouns in individuals with autism: A meta-analysis and systematic review

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