title: Atypical Cross-Modal Profiles and Longitudinal Associations Between Vocabulary Scores in Initially Minimally Verbal Children With ASD.
abstract: We tested the relative levels (i.e., age equivalencies) of concurrent cross-modality (receptive and expressive) vocabulary and the relative strength of the longitudinal, cross-modality associations between early and later vocabulary sizes in minimally verbal preschoolers with ASD. Eighty-seven children participated. Parent-reported vocabulary was assessed at four periods separated by 4 months each. Expressive age equivalent scores were higher than receptive age equivalent scores at all four periods. Cross-lagged panel analysis was used to rule out common, but trivial, explanations for differences between the longitudinal associations of interest. Key associations were tested across intervals that varied from 8 to 12 months. In two of the three tested panels, the associations between early expressive vocabulary size and later receptive vocabulary size were stronger than the associations between early receptive vocabulary size and later expressive vocabulary size, providing evidence that is consistent with the hypothesis that expressive vocabulary size drives receptive vocabulary size in minimally verbal preschoolers with ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Woynaroski
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yoder
authors.affiliation: Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Linda R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D014825:Vocabulary
keywords: autism; longitudinal; minimally verbal; spoken language; useful speech; vocabulary