Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Communicative behavior of adults with an autistic four-year-old boy and his nonhandicapped twin brother

  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sixteen female preschool teachers were videotaped playing in dyads with a nonverbal, socially unresponsive autistic 4-year-old boy and his nonhandicapped fraternal twin brother. Eight adults were informed that the autistic child had a language disability and did not talk or understand much language; eight adults were not informed about any differences between the children. Language to the autistic child was simpler, more concrete, and more often accompanied by gestures than language to his brother for both groups of subjects. Informed teachers made greater speech modifications to the autistic child and were more successful at keeping him on-task than uninformed adults. The theoretical and practical implications of communicative adjustments to children with language and social impairments are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference notes

  1. Bruck, M., & Ruckenstein, S.Teachers' talk to language-delayed children. Paper presented at the Fourth Annual Boston Conference on Language Development, 1979.

  2. MacPherson, C., & Weber-Olson, M.Mother speech input to deficient and language-normal children. Paper presented at the Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders, Madison, Wisconsin, 1980.

  3. Newhoff, M., Silverman, L., & Millett, A.Linguistic differences in parents' speech to normal and language-disordered children. Paper presented at the Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders, Madison, Wisconsin, 1980.

References

  1. Bohannon, J. N., III, & Marquis, A. L. Children's control of adult speech.Child Development, 1977,48, 1002–1008.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Brown, R.A first language. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bugental, D. B., Caporael, L., & Shennum, W. A. Experimentally-produced child uncontrollability: Effects on the potency of adult communication patterns.Child Development, 1980,51(2), 520–528.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cantor, N. J., Wood, D. D., & Gelfand, D. M. Effects of responsiveness and sex of children on adult males' behaviour.Child Development, 1977,48, 1426–1430.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cantwell, D. P., & Baker, L. The language environment of autistic and dysphasic children.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1978,17(4), 604–613.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cantwell, D. P., Baker, L., & Rutter, M. Families of autistic and dysphasic children II. Mothers' speech to the children.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1977,7, 313–317.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cramblit, N., & Siegel, G. The verbal environment of a language-impaired child.Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1977,42(4), 474–482.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. DeMyer, M. K.Parents and children in autism. Washington, D.C.: V. H. Winston, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dunn, L. M.Expanded manual for the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Minneapolis: American Guidance Service, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Edwards, H.Experimental design for the social sciences. New York: Prentice Hall, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Goldfarb, W., & Scholl, M. The speech of mothers to schizophrenic children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1966,122, 1220–1227.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Howlin, P., Cantwell, D., Marchant, R., Berger, M., & Rutter, M. Analyzing mothers' speech to young autistic children: A methodological study.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1973,1(14), 317–339.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Langlois, J. H., & Stephan, C. W. Beauty and the beast: The role of physical attractiveness in the development of peer relations and social behaviour. In S. S. Brehm, S. M. Kassin, & F. X. Gibbons (Eds.),Developmental psychology: Theory and research. New York: Oxford University Press (in press).

  14. Lederberg, A. R. The language environment of children with language delays.Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 1980,4, 161–180.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lord, C., & Baker, A. Communicating with autistic children.Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 1977,2(4), 181–186.

    Google Scholar 

  16. McLean, J. E., & Snyder-McLean, L. K.A transactional approach to early language training. Columbus: Charles E. Merrill, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  17. National Society for Autistic Children. National Society for Autistic Children definition of the syndrome of autism.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1978,8, 162–167.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Patterson, C. J., Cosgrove, J. M., & O'Brien, R. G. Nonverbal indicants of comprehension and noncomprehension in children.Developmental Psychology, 1980,16(1), 38–48.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pratt, M. W., Bumstead, D. C., & Raynes, N. V. Attendant staff speech to the institutionalized retarded: Language use as a measure of quality care.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1976,17, 133–144.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Rheingold, H. L., & Adams, J. L. The significance of speech to newborns.Developmental Psychology, 1980,16(5), 397–403.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Rondal, J. Maternal speech to normal and Down's syndrome children matched for mean length of utterance. In E. Meyers (Ed.),Quality of life in severely and profoundly mentally retarded people. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Mental Deficiency, Monograph No. 3, 1977, pp. 193–265.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Rutter, M. Diagnosis and definition of childhood autism.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1978,8, 139–161.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Scheffé, H. A method for judging all contrasts in the analysis of variance.Biometrika, 1953,40, 87–104.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Schopler, E. Towards reducing behaviour problems in autistic children. In L. Wing (Ed.),Early childhood autism. London: Pergamon Press, 1976, pp. 221–246.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Schopler, E., & Reichler, R.Psychoeducational profile. New York: Plenum, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Schopler, E., Reichler, R., DeVellis, R. F., & Daly, K. Toward objective classification of childhood autism: Childhood autism rating scale.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1980,10(1), 91–104.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Shatz, M., & Gelman, R. The development of communication skills: Modifications in the speech of young children as a function of listener.Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1973,38 5, Serial No. 152).

  28. Siegel, G. Adult verbal behaviour in “play therapy” sessions with retarded children.Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders Monograph, 1963,10, 34–38 (a).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Siegel, G. Verbal behaviour of retarded children assembled with preinstructed adults.Journal of Speech and Hearing Monograph, 1963,10, 47–53 (b).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Siegel, G., & Harkins, J. Verbal behaviour of adults in two conditions with institutionalized retarded children.Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders Monograph, 1963,10, 39–46.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Snow, C. Mother's speech to children learning language.Child Development, 1972,43, 549–565.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Spradlin, J. E., & Rosenberg, S. Complexity of adult verbal behaviour in a dyadic situation with retarded children.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964,68, 694–698.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Stutsman, R. Guide for administering the Merrill-Palmer Scale of Mental Tests. In L. M. Terman (Ed.),Mental measurement of preschool children. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1931, pp. 139–262.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Wing, L. Diagnosis, clinical description, and prognosis. In L. Wing (Ed.),Early childhood autism. London: Pergamon Press, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Glenrose Hospital, 10230-111 Avenue, T5G 0B7, Edmonton, Alberta

    Catherine Lord

  2. University of Minnesota, USA

    David J. Merrin, Linda O. Vest & Kim M. Kelly

Authors
  1. Catherine Lord
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David J. Merrin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Linda O. Vest
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kim M. Kelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

A portion of this paper was submitted as a master's colloquim paper to the University of Minnesota by the second author and presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Los Angeles, April 1981. The research was supported by a Graduate Research Grant to the first author and by the Center for Research in Human Learning.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lord, C., Merrin, D.J., Vest, L.O. et al. Communicative behavior of adults with an autistic four-year-old boy and his nonhandicapped twin brother. J Autism Dev Disord 13, 1–17 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531355

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531355

Keywords

Search

Navigation