Studies of Prosody in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders Disorders

Pragmatics and Prosody in High-Functioning Speakers with Autism Spectrum Disorders

FAQs

• What is the purpose of this study?
• Who will be studied?
• What will the study require?
• What is the time commitment?
• What do I and what does my child get out of this study?
• Could my child be in this study?
• What safeguards are in place to ensure that the study is conducted ethically and the children who participate in the study are not harmed in any way?
• Who is funding the study?
• Who are the members of the research team conducting this study?
• How can I get further information?

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What is the purpose of the study?

This study will examine two abilities that are known to be the most troublesome aspects of communication in high functioning individuals with ASD who speak — their ability to use and understand 'tone of voice,' and their ability to follow the rules of conversation, known as 'pragmatics' — in children from 9-17 with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) who speak in full sentences. Prosody refers to intonation, tone of voice, emphasis, pauses, and changes in speech rate that carry much of the emotional information in language. Prosodic features of speech carry grammatical, affective, and social (or pragmatic) information. They are used grammatically to differentiate nouns from verbs (convict vs. convict), to differentiate statements from questions, and to bracket grammatical units in sentences (with pauses, which function like commas in writing). These same features can also be used in different contexts to convey social information, by, for example, signaling whether the speaker means to convey a sincere or sarcastic tone.

The proposed research will test the hypothesis that pragmatic and affective aspects of prosody are more impaired in individuals with ASDs than are the same prosodic features when used to convey grammatical information. It will investigate how people with ASD use and understand grammatical, pragmatic, and affective information in speech, when compared to typically developing and language delayed peer groups. Studying how people with ASD perceive and use prosody will make important contributions to our understanding of the core features of their communicative deficits and to designing intervention programs that can improve their ability to partake in the emotional and interpersonal meanings of language.

In addition, this study will also examine the relationship of these prosodic skills to the conversational pragmatics in high functioning speakers with ASD. Pragmatics refers to the ability to manage turns and topics in conversation, to choose the most polite and appropriate way to express an intention, to adjust speech style to the characteristics of the listener, and to judge correctly what a listener already knows and wants to know, in order to convey just the right amount of information for the conversational context. The study will use a structured interview format to quantify pragmatic errors. The information derived from this study will be used to develop a valid and reliable assessment tool for describing pragmatic function in ASD. In addition, in 2007-08, an experimental treatment program will be developed to attempt to improve the conversational skills of children who participate.

Who will be studied?

Individuals between 9 and 17 years of age who function at the higher end of the ASD spectrum and use full sentences as their primary means of communication. Children in the same age range who are in their correct grade for age at school and have either typical development or language/learning disorders will also be included.

What will the study require?

Participants will complete three tasks. The first task is a language and cognitive assessment completed by a speech-language pathologist and psychologist. The participant will be asked to answer questions, define words, and point to pictures. The second task is a computer game. During the computer game participants will listen to words and repeat them, listen to sentences and repeat them, and listen to various sounds and state whether they are the same or different. The third is an interview, which will be videotaped. During the interview, children will challenged, for example, by asking them a question to which they cannot know the answer. Their ability to deal with these conversational challenges will be the focus of the pragmatic assessment. Some children will also be asked to participate in additional tests and assessments.

Additionally, parents of participants will be asked to complete questionnaires and a parent interview about their child's behavior.

What is the time commitment?

The study will require three to four sessions, each 1-2 hours in length, provided there are no extenuating circumstances that prolong the study. Some children may need more time to complete the tasks. We will schedule all meetings at your convenience.

What do I and what does my child get out of this study?

Parents will receive oral feedback and a brief written report on their child's communication skills. Additionally, children will receive a gift certificate to a local merchant.

Could my child be in this study?

If your child is between the ages of nine (9) and seventeen (17) years of age, has normal hearing, speaks in full sentences and uses language fluently, and has a documented history of autism, Asperger's Syndrome, or PDD-NOS, s/he may be screened for participation in this research study. Children with language and learning disabilities who meet the same criteria and are in the correct grade in school for their age may also be screened for participation. Children with typical development who are in the correct grade for age in school may also participate.

What safeguards are in place to ensure that the study is conducted ethically and the children who participate in the study are not harmed in any way?

The study has been approved by the Human Investigations Committee, protocol #0506000136.

Who is funding the study?

This study is being funded by the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and by the National Institute of Child Health and Development.

Who are the members of the research team conducting this study?

The members of the research team include: Rhea Paul, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Moira Lewis, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Lauren Berkovits, B.A. Dr. Fred Volkmar and Dr. Ami Klin are also collaborating on this study.

How can I get more information?

For more information about this study, please contact Lauren at (203) 764-8455 or by email at lauren.berkovits@yale.edu.