title: The utility of Thin Slice ratings for predicting language growth in children with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: Literature on "Thin Slice" ratings indicates that a number of personality characteristics and behaviors can be accurately predicted by ratings of very short segments (<5 min) of behavior. This study examined the utility of Thin Slice ratings of young children with autism spectrum disorder for predicting developmental skills and language gains over time. A total of 22 preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder participated in a battery of developmental assessments and a video-taped therapist-child interaction at Time 1. They then participated in follow-up testing of language skills and a second therapist-child interaction 6 months later (Time 2). Groups of approximately 25 naïve undergraduate students provided impression ratings ("Thin Slice ratings") about each child's skills and behaviors during 2-min segments taken from the therapist-child interaction videos at each time point. Thin Slice ratings at Time 1 were highly correlated with child scores on several developmental assessments at Time 1. In addition, Thin Slice ratings at Time 1 predicted gain in parent-reported expressive vocabulary over the course of 6 months, over and above the predictive utility of Time 1 vocabulary size. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the concurrent and predictive validity of Thin Slice ratings in young children with autism spectrum disorder.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University, USA Michigan State University, USA Katherine.walton@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, USA.
authors.forename: Brooke R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ingersoll
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D014743:Videotape Recording
keywords: autism spectrum disorder; communication and language