Conversational Abilities Among Children with Autism and Children with Developmental Delays

TLDR

Autism is widely recognized to impair conversational ability, yet systematic examination of children with autism in informal conversation has been limited. The study compares the behavior of 15 children with autism and 15 with developmental delays matched on language ability in semi‑structured conversation, and discusses pragmatic impairment, theory of mind, and practices to promote communicative competence. Participants were observed in a semi‑structured conversation, allowing comparison of conversational behaviors between the two matched groups. Children with autism more frequently failed to respond, offered fewer relevant contributions, and produced fewer personal narratives, but gesture use did not differ, with some autistic children enhancing communication through dramatization and pointing.

Abstract

While it is widely recognized that autism undercuts conversational ability, there has been little systematic examination of the involvement of children with autism in informal conversational interaction. This study compares the behaviour of 15 children with autism and 15 children with developmental delays matched on language ability within the context of a semi-structured conversation. Children with autism more often failed to respond to questions and comments, less often offered new, relevant contributions, and produced fewer narratives of personal experience. In contrast to prior research findings, groups did not differ with respect to use of gesture: several children with autism enhanced their communication through dramatization and pointing. Discussion focuses on the nature of pragmatic impairment in autism; factors underlying the development of conversational ability, including theory of mind; and practices that may promote communicative competence.