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Language Growth in Young Children with Autism: Interactions Between Language Production and Social Communication

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Abstract

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with a broad range of spoken language abilities, as well as delays in precursor skills such as gesture production and joint attention skills. While standardized assessments describe language strengths, the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS-DP) is a particularly robust measure as it additionally characterizes precise aspects of social communication. This study provides a unique contribution by assessing the interactional effects of CSBS-DP Social Composite performance with early language samples on later language outcomes. Our results indicate that multiple social communication elements significantly interact with early spoken language to predict later language. Our findings also highlight the transactional relationship between early spoken vocabulary and social communication skills that bolster language development growth.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by NIH R01 MH089626-1. We sincerely appreciate the collaborative support of the research team at the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) (MIND) Institute and the families that have participated in the Autism Phenome Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Texas Tech University, 1301 Akron Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA

    Jessica Blume & Ann M. Mastergeorge

  2. Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, 2 Alethia Drive, U-1085, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    Kacie Wittke

  3. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    Letitia Naigles

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  1. Jessica Blume
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  2. Kacie Wittke
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  4. Ann M. Mastergeorge
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All authors contributed to the study design and development. Data collection was performed by the UC Davis MIND Institute team, including AMM and LN. Data preparation was completed by JB and KW and all analyses were performed by JB. Manuscript writing was led by JB and the senior author, AMM. All authors contributed to the manuscript writing, revisions, and approval of the final manuscript submitted.

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Blume, J., Wittke, K., Naigles, L. et al. Language Growth in Young Children with Autism: Interactions Between Language Production and Social Communication. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 644–665 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04576-3

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