Social-communicative abilities and language in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders: Associations differ depending on language age

Abstract

The aim of this study was to look at the unique contributions of imitation, pretend play and joint attention to differences in receptive and expressive language. Associations between social-communicative and language abilities were assessed thoroughly in a large sample (n=83) of preschoolers with ASD. We hypothesized that these associations are dependent of language age. Therefore the sample was divided in two subsamples based on either the receptive or expressive language age for each of the analyses. Results revealed that imitation, pretend play, response to joint attention and imperative and declarative joint attention, were all uniquely associated with language. However, these relationships were different for receptive and expressive language and they also differed depending on the language age of the children. While imitation and pretend play showed unique associations with language in children with a language age under 2 years old and children with a language age above 2 years old, joint attention abilities were only uniquely associated with language in children with the youngest language age. These findings lend support to the idea that social-communicative abilities are important intervention targets for children with ASD.