title: When asking questions is not enough: an observational study of social communication differences in high functioning children with autism.
abstract: This investigation examined communication patterns between high functioning children with autism and their families and typically developing children and their families within traditional dinner time conversation. Twenty families with a child with autism (3.5-7 years.) and ten families with typically developing children (3.5-6 years) were video recorded during dinner and their interactions were coded. Results revealed that children with autism initiated fewer bids for interactions, commented less often, continued ongoing interactions through fewer conversational turns, and responded less often to family member communication bids. Results are interpreted with respect to how communication patterns may be indicative of social communication deficits not previously examined in high functioning children with autism. Strategies for social communication interventions within the family and other natural contexts are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Warner, Tacoma, WA 98115, USA. cjones@ups.edu
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ilene S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods; D012919:Social Behavior; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014743:Videotape Recording / Q000379:methods
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2001 Apr;31(2):119-30
references.pmid: 11450811
references.citation: J Consult Clin Psychol. 1987 Feb;55(1):3-9
references.pmid: 3571656
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2005 Feb;35(1):15-23
references.pmid: 15796118
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2006 Jul;36(5):655-64
references.pmid: 16810564
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 1998 Apr;28(2):129-42
references.pmid: 9586775
references.citation: Monogr Soc Res Child Dev. 1999;64(1):1-114
references.pmid: 10412222
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 1990 Mar;20(1):115-28
references.pmid: 2324051
references.citation: Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2004;10(3):169-75
references.pmid: 15611988
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;47(6):611-20
references.pmid: 16712638
references.citation: Res Dev Disabil. 2006 Mar-Apr;27(2):138-50
references.pmid: 15979843
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2004 Oct;34(5):495-505
references.pmid: 15628604
references.citation: Autism. 2007 Jan;11(1):63-71
references.pmid: 17175574
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2006 Feb;36(2):185-97
references.pmid: 16502142
references.citation: Time. 2006 Jun 12;167(24):50-2, 55-6
references.pmid: 16792212
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 2003 Spring;15(2):277-95
references.pmid: 12931828