Exploring Trajectories of Language Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Across Multiple Measures
Date
2020-09-06
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Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects the cognitive development of up to 1 in 59 children globally, particularly in language abilities (Baio et al., 2018). With increasing prevalence and research showing the benefits of early intervention, there is value in diagnosing ASD as soon as possible. However, ASD is typically not diagnosed until after age two, when many developmental milestones should have passed and parental concerns may have already risen (Falck-Ytter, 2012; Landa et al., 2013). Research must include measures from earlier in childhood to improve diagnosis methods and capture a full picture of this disability. This study examined how different language measures capture the range of expressive and receptive language vocabulary in children from 6 to 36 months of age; longitudinally comparing children eventually diagnosed with ASD to typically developing peers. Children were assessed repeatedly using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL; Mullen, 1995), MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI; Fenson et al., 2007), and One-Word Picture Vocabulary Tests (PVT; Martin & Brownell, 2011a; 2011b). Results from mixed regression analysis showed that most measures could distinguish children with ASD as a group by 24 months. However, the Expressive PVT did not distinguish the ASD group from typically developing groups, despite being correlated with all other measures. Further examination of individual trajectories for children with ASD showed high, but inconsistent heterogeneity from scale to scale. This combination of varying group and individual differences suggests that these common assessments may not capture children’s abilities in the same way or to the same extent. Thus, this study supports that, to accurately observe the wide range developmental trajectories seen in ASD, professionals must consider the characteristics of the tools being used. Capturing this developmental variability is vital for creating effective targeted early interventions.
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Keywords
Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vocabulary
Citation
Hart, C. M. (2020). Exploring Trajectories of Language Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Across Multiple Measures (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.