Behavioral and physiological responses to child-directed speech as predictors of communication outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the extent to which behavioral and physiological responses during child-directed speech (CDS) correlate concurrently and predictively with communication skills in young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).


METHODS
Twenty-two boys with ASD (initial mean age: 35 months) participated in a longitudinal study. At entry, behavioral (i.e., percentage looking) and physiological (i.e., vagal activity) measures were collected during the presentation of CDS stimuli. A battery of standardized communication measures was administered at entry and readministered 12 months later.


RESULTS
Percentage looking during CDS was strongly correlated with all entry and follow-up communication scores; vagal activity during CDS was moderately to strongly correlated with entry receptive language, follow-up expressive language, and social-communicative adaptive skills. After controlling for entry communication skills, vagal activity during CDS accounted for significant variance in follow-up communication skills, but percentage looking during CDS did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Behavioral and physiological responses to CDS are significantly related to concurrent and later communication skills of children with ASD. Furthermore, higher vagal activity during CDS predicts better communication outcomes 12 months later, after initial communication skills are accounted for. Further research is needed to better understand the physiological mechanisms underlying variable responses to CDS among children with ASD.
Watson
Linda R
LR
Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, CB 7190, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7190, USA. lwatson@med.unc.edu
Baranek
Grace T
GT
Roberts
Jane E
JE
David
Fabian J
FJ
Perryman
Twyla Y
TY
D002652:Child Behavior; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007808:Language Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome