The Relationship Between Joint Attention and Language in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

The relationship between initiation of and response to joint attention and components of receptive and expressive language in 20 children with autism between the ages of 3 and 5 years were examined. Receptive language skills were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Expressive language skills were evaluated by examining Mean Length of Utterance and Type Token Ratio. These variables, along with data on responses to joint attention bids and initiation of joint attention were analyzed using Spearman calculations. The ability to respond to the joint attention bids of others was positively correlated with receptive language scores on the MSEL and mean length of utterance in children with autism. There was no relationship between the ability to initiate joint attention and the selected components of language examined.

Exploring the Nature of Joint Attention Impairments in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Associated Social and Cognitive Skills

“…Considering the relationship between joint attention skills and language skills, the findings were in line with previous reports, in that language abilities were related to RJA skills, but not to IJA skills (Murray et al, 2008). Although a significant correlation was found between RJA and IJA skills, this finding suggests that both joint attention skills also rely on distinct processes.…”

“…Even after controlling for mental age, a significant correlation was found between RJA and IJA skills (on a lower level). However, there are also studies with children with ASD which report nonsignificant correlations between RJA and IJA skills (e.g., Kasari, Paparella, & Freeman, 2008;Murray et al, 2008). The children with ASD in these studies were somewhat older than the children in our study, but the contradictory findings may rather be due to differences in the methods used.…”

Social-communicative abilities and language in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders: Associations differ depending on language age

“…The association of IJA and receptive language is in line with Charman et al (2003). However, several other studies that included IJA and RJA, found a unique association between RJA and receptive language, and no association between IJA and language in general (Luyster et al, 2008;Murray et al, 2008;Thurm et al, 2007). Part of the children in these studies had a language age higher than 2 years old.…”

Ciddi düzeyde otizm spektrum bozukluğu olan çocuklar ile annelerinin ebeveyn-çocuk etkileşimlerinin ebeveyn ve çocuk davranışları açısından incelenmesi

“…Accordingly, children with severe autism may be more likely to display problems with directing their attention to social activities. In this study, as a result of the analysis of the corresponding subscale, the findings suggested that the children with severe autism demonstrated low levels of joint attention behaviors during their interactions with their mothers; in general, initiating joint attention and responding to joint attention bids have been found to be inadequate in children with autism (Mundy, 1995;Murray et al, 2008). However, when joint attention problems were considered as one of the distinguishing characteristics of children with autism in comparison to typically developing children or children with language and developmental disabilities (Schertz and Odom, 2004), one can assume that this finding is expected in the line of this study.…”