Comprehending Reflexive and Clitic Constructions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Language Disorder

Autor/inn/en	Moreno-Pérez, Francisco J.; Rodríguez-Ortiz, Isabel R.; Tavares, Gema; Saldaña, David
Titel	Comprehending Reflexive and Clitic Constructions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Language Disorder
Quelle	In: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 55 (2020) 6, S.884-898 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Moreno-Pérez, Francisco J.) ORCID (Rodríguez-Ortiz, Isabel R.) ORCID (Saldaña, David)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1368-2822
DOI	10.1111/1460-6984.12568
Schlagwörter	Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Form Classes (Languages); Developmental Disabilities; Language Impairments; Language Processing; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Reaction Time; Cognitive Processes; Difficulty Level; Comprehension; Clinical Diagnosis + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Autismus; Analytischer Sprachbau; Entwicklungsstörung; Speech disorder; Speech disorders; Speech disabilities; Speech disability; Speech handicap; Speech handicaps; Speech impairment; Speech impairments; Language handicaps; Sprachbehinderung; Sprachverarbeitung; Psychiatrische Symptomatik; Reaktionsvermögen; Cognitive process; Kognitiver Prozess; Schwierigkeitsgrad; Verstehen; Verständnis
Abstract	Background: It has been established that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulties understanding spoken language. Understanding reflexive and clitic pronouns is vital to establishing reference-based inference, but it is as yet unclear whether such constructions pose specific difficulties for those with ASD. Pronoun interpretation seems be connected to the development of pragmatic abilities, and can therefore be considered a plausible marker in the differential diagnosis between ASD and developmental language disorder (DLD). Aims: To establish whether or not there are differences between ASD and DLD in relation to their understanding of pronoun constructions (both reflexive and clitic). The working hypothesis was that although no differences were expected between groups in relation to automatic (online) pronoun processing, the comprehension of reflexive pronouns would constitute a diagnostic marker between the group with ASD and language disorder and the DLD group. Methods & Procedures: The study carried out two experiments with three clinical groups (two with ASD and different levels of language proficiency and one with DLD) and two control groups with typically developing people (with equivalent language levels), analysing their on- and offline processing in pronoun resolution tasks. The first experiment uses an online method (eye-tracking) to record pronoun processing in real time. The second uses an offline method to analyse comprehension accuracy. Outcomes & Results: The results of the two experiments indicated no differences in the way in which the clinical and control groups resolved the tasks, but a shorter reaction time was observed only in the age-matched control group in comparison with the ASD group without language disorder in the first experiment, perhaps due to the fact that processing pronouns involves a greater cognitive load among the latter group. Conclusions & Implications: The comprehension of reflexive pronouns cannot be considered a diagnostic marker for distinguishing ASD from DLD. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01