title: The contribution of two categories of parent verbal responsiveness to later language for toddlers and preschoolers on the autism spectrum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined longitudinal associations between 2 categories of parent verbal responsiveness and language comprehension and production 1 year later in 40 toddlers and preschoolers with a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Parent-child play samples using a standard toy set were digitally captured and coded for child engagement with objects and communication acts and for parent verbal responses to play and communication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for parent education, child engagement, and initial language level, only parent directives for language that followed into the child's focus of attention accounted for unique variance in predicting both comprehension and production 1 year later. A series of exploratory analyses revealed that parent comments that followed into the child's focus of attention also accounted for unique variance in later comprehension and production for children who were minimally verbal at the initial time period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Child developmental level may warrant different types of linguistic input to facilitate language learning. Children with ASD who have minimal linguistic skills may benefit from parent language input that follows into the child's focus of attention. Children with ASD who are verbally fluent may need more advanced language input to facilitate language development.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. ehaebig@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haebig
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDuffie
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ellis Weismer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D055815:Young Adult