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Effect of Augmented Sensorimotor Input on Learning Verbal and Nonverbal Tasks Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Thirty-four children, with autism spectrum disorders, ages 4–14 years, were matched and randomly assigned to one of two conditions for learning a novel juice-making task and producing two novel words about the event. Seventeen sighted children were manually guided to perform the task and tactually prompted during imitated productions of novel words for the event. Their matched controls heard the novel words and watched the juice-making task being performed. Performances on four verbal and two nonverbal measures right after instruction and at 24–48 h post-instruction, revealed higher scores for the “hands-on”, participation than observation group on both verbal and nonverbal tasks. This study offers a paradigm for exploring the instructional advantage of enhanced participatory experience.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a Dissertation Completion Grant from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University. The authors are indebted to the professionals (teachers, speech-language pathologists, administrators and staff) and to the families and their children with autism in Berrien County, Michigan and to the professionals and students who helped with this research at Michigan State University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Saint Mary’s College, 157 Madeleva Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA

    Susan O. Latham

  2. Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, 203 Oyer Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Ida J. Stockman

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  1. Susan O. Latham
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  2. Ida J. Stockman
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Correspondence to Susan O. Latham.

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Latham, S.O., Stockman, I.J. Effect of Augmented Sensorimotor Input on Learning Verbal and Nonverbal Tasks Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 1288–1302 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1990-9

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