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Autobiographical Narratives in Williams Syndrome: Structural, Process and Content Dimensions

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Abstract

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, with an intriguing cognitive phenotype. Previous studies found support for an atypical profile of fictional narrative production in WS (Gonçalves et al. The British Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 56(111), 89-109, 2010). This study aimed at testing if the same profile is observed when individuals with WS tell autobiographical narratives. Using a new scoring system, structural (coherence), process (complexity) and content (multiplicity) aspects of autobiographical narrative production were analyzed in WS. Results suggest that individuals with WS produce autobiographical narratives that are significantly less coherent and complex than typically developing controls, although similar to controls in terms of content diversity. These findings point out to deficits in autobiographical narrative production in WS, suggesting the relative preservation of the social dimension of narrative production. These results also support the hypothesis that fictional and autobiographical narrative production may rely on different neurocognitive mechanisms.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the grants SFRH/BD/35882/2007 and PIC/IC/83290/2007from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuropsychophysiology Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Óscar F. Gonçalves, Ana P. Pinheiro, Adriana Sampaio & Montse Férnandez

  2. Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Nuno Sousa

  3. Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Margarida Henriques

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  1. Óscar F. Gonçalves
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  2. Ana P. Pinheiro
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  3. Adriana Sampaio
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  5. Montse Férnandez
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  6. Margarida Henriques
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Correspondence to Óscar F. Gonçalves.

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Gonçalves, Ó.F., Pinheiro, A.P., Sampaio, A. et al. Autobiographical Narratives in Williams Syndrome: Structural, Process and Content Dimensions. J Dev Phys Disabil 23, 289–302 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-011-9228-2

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