title: Perseveration in the connected speech of boys with Fragile X syndrome with and without autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: Verbal perseveration is a frequently reported language characteristic of males with Fragile X syndrome and may be a defining feature or hallmark of the syndrome. We compared the verbal perseveration of boys with Fragile X syndrome with (n  =  29) and without (n  =  30) autism spectrum disorder, boys with Down syndrome (n  =  27), and typically developing boys (n  =  25) at similar nonverbal mental ages. During a social interaction, boys with both Fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder produced significantly more topic perseveration than all other groups. In social interaction as compared to narration, boys with Fragile X syndrome (regardless of autism status) produced significantly more topic perseveration. These findings suggest that autism status, as well as language sampling context, affect perseveration in boys with Fragile X syndrome.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. gary.martin@unc.edu
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Helm-Estabrooks
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sideris
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanderbilt
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology