Use of context in pragmatic language comprehension by children with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism.
Utilizing relevance theory, this study investigated the ability of children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) to use context when answering questions and when giving explanations for their correct answers. Three groups participated in this study: younger AS/HFA group (age 7-9, n=16), older AS/HFA group (age 10-12, n=23) and a normally functioning control group (age 7-9, n=23). The results indicated that the younger AS/HFA group did less well when answering contextually demanding questions compared to the control group, and the performance of the older AS/HFA group fell in between the younger AS/HFA group and the control group. Both AS/HFA groups had difficulties explaining their correct answers, suggesting that they are not always aware of how they have derived answers from the context.
Loukusa
Soile
S
Department of Finnish, Information Studies and Logopedics, University of Oulu, PO Box 1000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland. soile.loukusa@oulu.fi
Leinonen
Eeva
E
Kuusikko
Sanna
S
Jussila
Katja
K
Mattila
Marja-Leena
ML
Ryder
Nuala
N
Ebeling
Hanna
H
Moilanen
Irma
I
D001076:Aptitude; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D032882:Comprehension; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D011340:Problem Solving; D012660:Semantics; D013067:Speech Perception; D014705:Verbal Behavior