Verbal Ability Research Articles

Participatory design of augmented reality games for word learning in autistic children: the parental perspective

The use of participatory design (PD) to inform the design of games and learning technology seems to be appropriate for marginalized groups of people, including children with autism. However, specific traits of the autism phenotype can create a barrier in facilitating participation of autistic children during PD activities, especially when their verbal abilities are limited. Involving parents in PD projects can help address challenges related to the communication abilities of the children. We have facilitated the design augmented reality (AR) games by including four autistic children and 9 parents. We analyzed qualitative data using an inductive approach using affinity diagrams and thematic analysis. We present insights from the parents on the use of AR technology and how it can be incorporated at home to enhance word learning activities. We report on (1) a set of five games based on learning by repetition, learning by classification and learning by association; (2) novel insights and knowledge about learning strategies and (3) tools to support autistic children in learning new words. We conclude our study by discussing the relevance of involving parents of autistic children in PD activities, offering design implications.

Neural underpinnings of memory encoding and retrieval: Validation of a novel ecologically valid fMRI paradigm

Cognitive impairment is prevalent in affective disorders. Currently, there is a lack of effective treatment options, which is partly due to limited insight into their neural underpinnings and poor transfer to everyday life. Integrating neuroimaging measures in cognition trials to identify neurocircuitry biomarkers is crucial for treatment development. We pooled baseline data from two clinical trials to validate a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm simulating real-life verbal learning and memory tasks. Healthy participants with no psychiatric history (n = 34) underwent fMRI and an ecologically valid virtual reality-based verbal memory task. During fMRI, they performed an ecologically valid paradigm involving encoding and recognition of a grocery shopping list. Whole-brain analyses assessed task-related activation in key neural networks. Neural underpinnings of memory encoding involved the hippocampus, prefrontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal regions, and caudate. Recognition task activation encompassed a network of frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions. Positive associations were found between encoding-related activity in the inferior temporal gyrus and lateral occipital cortex and the number of correctly recalled grocery items. This study introduces and validates a novel fMRI paradigm for assessing real-life verbal learning and memory abilities. The identified neural underpinnings highlight the involvement of diverse brain regions in encoding and recognition processes that may be implemented in future investigations of the neural correlates of memory impairment and improvement.

The Effect of Using Verbal Thinking Skills on Enhancing Effective Verbal Communication Among Ninth-Grade Female Students in Jordan

This research examined how students' levels of verbal thinking correlated with their ability to communicate effectively in ninth grade among Jordanian females. A control group and an experimental group were established in accordance with a semi-experimental design. The students were recruited from Yarmouk University Model School utilizing a preexisting strategy. The research included 40 students, with 20 in the experimental group getting training in verbal thinking abilities and the other 20 in the control group receiving teaching in traditional ways. A validated and reliability-assessed 30-item multiple-choice test was used to accomplish the study's goals. The experimental and control groups were evaluated at the beginning and end of the trial, respectively, using this instrument. The study's results showed statistically significant differences, demonstrating the beneficial influence of training verbal thinking skills on developing competent oral communication.

Effects Of Jolly Phonics Strategy on Pupils’ Reading Achievement and Attitudes in Lagos State Lower Basic Schools

This study investigated the effectiveness of implementing the Jolly Phonics strategy on pupils’ reading achievement and attitude within the context of lower basic schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the quasi-experimental pre-testing, post-test, control group experimental design. The population of the study consisted of all basic 1 pupil in public lower basic schools in Lagos State. While the sample size was Three hundred and twenty-four (324) pupils of Lower Basic 1 and Nine (9) teachers who were randomly and purposively selected using Simple Random sampling technique. The sample size was drawn from three schools from three Local Government Education Authority Areas (LGEAs) in Lagos State public lower basic schools. Two research questions were used and three instruments used for eliciting responses were Achievement Test in Reading (ATR), Pupils’ Attitude to Reading Questionnaire (PARQ) and Pupils’ Verbal Ability Test (PVAT). The instruments were validated by experts in early childhood and measurement and evaluation. The test re-test method was adopted for instrument reliability at 0.75. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean and Standard deviation) Variance and Analysis Covariance (ANCOVA) Findings revealed that Jolly Phonics had significant effect on the academic achievement in reading of basic 1 pupil in lower basic schools and their attitude. Pupils taught with Jolly Phonics strategy performed better in reading achievement and had positive attitude than those taught with conventional method. It was recommended that Jolly phonics instructional strategies should be incorporated into basic school reading curriculum. This will help them develop reading skills easily. Individual differences in pupils’ reading ability should be identified and addressed through variation of reading strategies as was provided for in the experimental groups with jolly phonics strategy. Government, school managers and administrators should provide adequate instructional materials that will motivate pupils to easily adapt to jolly instructional strategy.

A Survey Study on the Maturity of Schooling of Young Children in Rural Sichuan Province:Taking the Rural Area of Meishan City,Sichuan Province as An Example

The admission maturity level of preschoolers can predict their performance after entering schools to a certain extent. Therefore, how to prepare for children’s admission to primary school has become a key issue of social concern. In order to improve the admission maturity level of rural preschoolers in Sichuan Province, it is necessary to understand the admission maturity level of 5-6-year-old children in Sichuan Province, so as to provide theoretical and practical basis for taking targeted measures. In this study, the measurement method was used to investigate the admission maturity level of children in rural areas of Meishan City, Sichuan Province as the research sample. It was found that rural children's motor coordination ability did not differ significantly from the national average, and their scores in visual perception ability, auditory perception ability, motor coordination ability, perceptual conversion ability, mathematical preparation ability, verbal communication ability, social adaptation ability and learning quality were significantly lower than the national average, but in auditory perceptual ability, rural children's scores were significantly higher than the national average. The differences in eight abilities between males and females were compared. Except for motor coordination, perceptual conversion ability, and verbal communication ability, there were significant differences in all other aspects, and girls scored higher than boys in all abilities. In addition to this, there is also some discussion on mother's occupation and young children's maturity in school. Based on the findings, targeted improvement measures were proposed to provide a reference for home and school to improve children's admission to primary school.

A Critical Thinking Profile Based on Sex Differences: A Case Study on High School Students in Palu City, Indonesia

This study aims to describe students' critical thinking in solving derivative problems in terms of gender. The subjects in this study were male students, S1 and female students, S2 who had high mathematical abilities. This type of research is a descriptiv research with a qualitative approach. The research instrument consists of the main instrument (researchers themselves) and supporting instruments including the provision of written assignments and interviews. The results of this study indicate that S1 and S2 in solving derivative problems according to the criteria for critical thinking starting from the indicators of focus, reason, inference, situation, clarity and overview. However, S1 and S2 have different thinking activities, S1 completed the task with a more concise completion in a more logical way of thinking, while S2 completed the task with a longer completion with his verbal abilities with precision. and careful thinking. This shows that even though S1 and S2 have equal mathematical abilities, there are differences in thinking activities in solving problems. These findings are supported by written answer data and interview results. This research provides important insights into the influence of gender on critical thinking in mathematics contexts, which can be used as a basis for developing more effective and inclusive teaching strategies.

A Review of Developmental Scales in Pediatric Practice: Recent Guidelines.

Imitation, fine motor abilities, eye-to-hand coordination, perception, gross motor abilities, mental abilities, and verbal cognitive abilities are assessed on the developmental scale. The behavioral scale also assesses social interaction, emotional expression, activity, curiosity, sensory reactivity, and language. The current developmental scales in pediatrics are discussed in this paper. These scales have evolved. International scales for Indian children are difficult to administer due to cultural differences in self-care and gender roles. If parental awareness and demand are raised, postnatal growth interventions for psychosocial development will benefit infants in developing nations. Routine screening involves identifying an appropriate opportunity, acquisition, tool selection, administration, interpreting data, scoring, counseling, and training.

A transdiagnostic examination of cognitive heterogeneity in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders

ABSTRACT Children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders demonstrate extensive cognitive heterogeneity that is not adequately captured by traditional diagnostic systems, emphasizing the need for alternative assessment and classification techniques. Using a transdiagnostic approach, a retrospective cohort study of cognitive functioning was conducted using a large heterogenous sample (n = 1529) of children and adolescents 7 to 18 years of age with neurodevelopmental disorders. Measures of short-term memory, verbal ability, and reasoning were administered to participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), comorbid ADHD/ASD, and participants without neurodevelopmental disorders (non-NDD) using a 12-task, web-based neurocognitive testing battery. Unsupervised machine learning techniques were used to create a self-organizing map, an artificial neural network, in conjunction with k-means clustering to identify data-driven subgroups. The study aims were to: 1) identify cognitive profiles in the sample using a data-driven approach, and 2) determine their correspondence with traditional diagnostic statuses. Six clusters representing different cognitive profiles were identified, including participants with varying forms of cognitive impairment. Diagnostic status did not correspond with cluster-membership, providing evidence for the application of transdiagnostic approaches to understanding cognitive heterogeneity in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, the findings suggest that many typically developing participants may have undiagnosed learning difficulties, emphasizing the need for accessible cognitive assessment tools in school-based settings.

Analisis Kemampuan Representasi Matematis Siswa Ditinjau dari Kemampuan Awal Matematis Siswa pada Materi Himpunan

This study aims to describe students' mathematical representation abilities in terms of students' initial mathematical abilities in solving problems on set material. This type of research is a qualitative description. The subjects in this study were class VII D at SMPN 04 Singkawang. The instrument used in this research is a mathematical representation ability test. As well as interviews to support the test results in this study. Based on the results of the data analysis, it can be seen that 1) Students who have initial mathematical abilities in the upper group have moderate level of mathematical representation skills with moderate level of verbal representation skills, moderate level of symbol representation skills and moderate level of visual representation abilities. 2) Students who have early middle group mathematical ability have moderate level of mathematical representation ability with moderate level of verbal representation ability, medium level of symbol representation ability and medium level of visual representation ability. 3) Students who have early mathematical abilities in the lower group have moderate level of mathematical representation skills with moderate level of verbal representation skills, moderate level of symbol representation skills and moderate level of visual representation abilities.

Diurnal cognitive functioning in patients with myasthenia gravis with the role of chronotype and depression: a pilot study.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease manifested by fatigue and weakness of the skeletal muscles. Recent research has indicated that MG patients perform significantly worse than healthy controls in cognitive domains such as attention, verbal fluency, visual learning, and memory. This study aimed to investigate the diurnal fluctuations in cognitive performance in patients with myasthenia gravis in relation to selected clinical and socioeconomic parameters of the disease course, along with the role of chronotype and depression. The participants were recruited from a neurology outpatient clinic. Patients' cognitive functions were assessed twice: in the morning and the evening of the same day. Neuropsychological diagnosis included attention, memory, executive, verbal, and visuospatial abilities. Mood was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire was used to examine chronotype. The analyses performed showed no significant differences between subjects and within subjects, apart from semantic fluency. Patients receiving antidepressant treatment obtained better results on attention and working memory tasks. The data obtained show that diurnal neuropsychological performance in MG patients is associated with depression. Routine assessment and treatment of mood disorders could significantly improve cognitive functioning in myasthenia gravis patients.

Revealing The Influence of English Curriculum, Verbal Ability and Self-Efficacy Toward English Proficiency in Senior High School (Study on Senior High School Students in Bandung)

This quantitative study examines the influence of self-efficacy, verbal ability, and the English curriculum on English language proficiency among senior high school students. The research involved 96 respondents who completed questionnaires designed to measure their self-efficacy, verbal ability, perceptions of the English curriculum, and their English language proficiency levels. The data collected were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Squares (PLS) version 4.0 to determine the relationships among the variables. The analysis revealed that self-efficacy, often considered a crucial factor in academic performance, does not significantly impact English language proficiency in this context. This finding suggests that students' beliefs in their own capabilities to learn English might not directly translate into improved language skills. On the other hand, verbal ability was found to have a significant positive influence on English language proficiency. This indicates that students with higher verbal skills tend to perform better in English, highlighting the importance of enhancing these abilities through targeted instructional strategies. Moreover, the English curriculum also showed a significant positive effect on language proficiency. A well-structured curriculum that effectively integrates language learning objectives with practical applications appears to be a key determinant of students' success in mastering English. These results underscore the importance of curriculum development and verbal ability enhancement in educational practices. In conclusion, the study provides valuable insights into the factors that contribute to English language proficiency among senior high school students. While self-efficacy alone may not be a decisive factor, the significant roles of verbal ability and curriculum quality suggest that educational stakeholders should prioritize these areas to foster better English language outcomes. Future research could explore additional variables and longitudinal effects to further understand the dynamics of language learning in educational settings.

Active and Authentic Learning in Remote Laboratory: Means of Improving Prospective Physics Teachers’ Multiple Representation Ability

Remote laboratories are a new domain that allows students and teachers to conduct experiments in hands-on exploration remotely. We studied how constructing an active and authentic learning in a remote laboratory affects prospective physics teachers' multiple representation ability. The research method used is based on the development procedures of the ADDIE research and development model. We have designed and validated a learning design with a remote laboratory environment with 2 physics experiment apparatuses, active and authentic learning stages, multi-representation ability assessment, and remote laboratory application evaluation tools. This study implemented design-based research with a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The research was conducted on 28 prospective physics teacher students. In terms of effectiveness, this learning design was able to improve significantly [t (28) = 7.480, p.05] in verbal, visual, and mathematics representation ability. Therefore, it can be used by lecturers and those in other science fields to improve the quality of learning and developing prospective physics teachers’ multiple representation Skills.

A Novel Dual-Language Touch-Screen Intervention to Slow Down Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Bilingualism has been suggested to protect older adults from cognitive aging and delay the onset of dementia. However, no studies have systematically explored bilingual usage as a tool to mitigate age-related cognitive decline. We developed the Dual-Language Intervention in Semantic memory-Computerized (DISC), a novel cognitive training program with three training tasks (object categorization, verbal fluency, and utility of things) designed specifically for older adults that featured two modes: single-language (SL) exposure mode and dual-language (DL) exposure mode. The final sample included 50 cognitively healthy (CH; 33 female, M age = 72.93 years, range = 53.08-87.43 years) and 48 cognitively impaired (CI; 35 female, M age = 80.93 years, range = 62.31-96.67 years) older adults, randomly assigned them into oneof threegroups: SL group, DL group, and control group (no training). Participants in SL and DL groups used DISC in either SL mode (i.e., training instructions were spoken in only one language throughout the entire training) or DL mode (i.e., training instructions alternated between two languages), respectively, for24 sessions. Participants in the control group were asked to continue with their normal daily activities (e.g., playing bingo and reading newspapers). For CH older adults, we found significant improvements in the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Trial 5 score and the Clock Drawing Test score in the DL group but not in the SL and control groups posttraining compared with pretraining. For CI older adults, there was a delayed improvement in the RAVLT Trial 1, sixmonths later. Our findings provided novel evidence that implementing DL cognitive training benefits CH older adult's late verbal learning and visuospatial construction skills, and a delayed improvement in CI older adults' early verbal learning abilities.

Modification of ABA VB Therapy Methods with Pomodoro to Improve Verbal Communication in Autism Children

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder in children characterized by disturbances and delays in cognitive, language, behavioral, and social interactions. Verbal Behavior approach is one of the methods of ABA which is used to increase desired behavior and reduce unwanted problems, while pomodoro is a timing technique. This article describes the implementation of an intervention program for children with autism, this program modifies ABA VB therapy and combines it with a timing technique, namely POMODORO. The author implemented the program for 4 meetings. At the first meeting until the fourth meeting there was an increase in the child's verbal ability although it was not so visible. The intervention program developed by the author had good results, because at the first meeting the results were already visible. This intervention should be done repeatedly or routinely so that children get used to it and get maximum results.

Cognition in children with arachnoid cysts - A five-year follow-up after microneurosurgical fenestration.

In recent years there has been a re-evaluation regarding the clinical implications of temporal lobe arachnoid cysts (temporal arachnoid cysts) in children. These cysts have often been considered asymptomatic, or if symptomatic, only causing focal neurological symptoms or signs of increased intracranial pressure. However, several studies have more recently reported on cognitive symptoms improving after surgery. This study aimed to evaluate if reported cognitive improvement after surgery of temporal arachnoid cysts were stable after five years. Ten consecutive children (m = 14.65; range 12.1-19.415 were assessed cognitively five years after micro-neurosurgical fenestration of a temporal arachnoid cyst. Results were compared to results from their pre- and post-surgical evaluations. Evaluations included the Wechsler-scales, Boston Naming Test (BNT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), verbal fluency test (FAS) and Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT). The analysis revealed significant postsurgical improvement compared to baseline on the Wechsler-scales measures of general intelligence (FSIQ), verbal abilities (VCI) and processing speed (PSI). Mean differences after surgery were 8.3 for FSIQ, (p = 0.026), 8.5 for VI (p = < .01) and 9.9 for PSI (p = 0.03). There were no significant differences in mean test results when comparing postsurgical scores with scores five years after surgery, indicating long-term stability of improvements. The results indicate that affected cognitive functions in children with temporal arachnoid cysts improve after surgery and that the improvements remain stable five years later. The improvements and long term stability were also consistent with the experience of both parents and children. The findings provide a strong argument for neurosurgical fenestration of temporal arachnoid cysts in children.

Beyond words: an investigation of fine motor skills and the verbal communication spectrum in autism.

This study investigated the associations between fine motorskills and expressive verbal abilities in a group of 97 autistic participants (age 8-17, mean=12.41) and 46 typically developing youth (age 8-17, mean=12.48). Participants completed assessments of motor and verbal communication skills, including finger tapping speed, grooved pegboard, grip strength, visual-motor integration tasks, and measures of speech and communication skills. ASD group performance on motor tests was compared to controls. Non-parametric tests were used to analyze group differences and correlations between motor and verbal communication skills. Based on prior research, we hypothesized that individuals on the autism spectrum would exhibit deficits in fine motor speed, dexterity, pencil motor control, but not manual motor strength. Additionally, we expected that impaired fine motor skills would be linked to poorer performance on standardized measures of verbal abilities. The results indicated that 80% of autistic participants demonstrated an impairment on at least one measure of motor skills, and as a group, they exhibited significantly poorer fine motor performance compared to the non-ASD group in dominant hand finger tapping speed, bilateral fine motor dexterity measured via the grooved pegboard task, and pencil motor coordination and visual-motor integration measured on the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-Sixth Edition. Moreover, impaired fine motor skills were associated with poorer performance on standardized clinical measures of verbal abilities, including articulation errors, receptive and expressive language and vocabulary, rapid naming, oromotor sequencing, and parent reported functional communication skills and social communication symptoms. Overall,our findings suggest there is a high prevalence of fine motor impairments in ASD, and these impairments were associated with a range of verbal abilities. Further research is warranted to better understand the underlying mechanisms of these associations and develop targeted interventions to address both fine motor and verbal impairments in ASD.

The impact of goal saliency and verbal information on selective imitation in 16- to 18-month-olds.

This study aimed to assess which action component (movement or goal) infants prioritize in their imitation behavior when they get information about its relevance from two important sources: perceptual goal saliency and experimenter's verbal information. 16- to 18-month-olds (N=72) observed how the experimenter moved a toy mouse with a hopping or sliding movement onto one of two empty spaces (low goal saliency) or 2D circles (medium saliency), or inside one of two 3D houses (high saliency). Before the demonstration, the experimenter verbally announced the movement style or the goal. Results showed that verbal action descriptions did not influence infants' imitation. However, matching previous findings, infants imitated the goal more often than the movement in the high-saliency condition, and the movement more often than the goal in the low-saliency condition. Moreover, in the novel medium-saliency condition, infants imitated both components equally often. Thus, selective imitation varied as a function of perceptual goal saliency, but not of verbal cues. This suggests that perceptual features can enhance infants' bottom-up processing and imitation of action components, while the impact of top-down processes based on verbal cues may vary depending on task characteristics and infants' verbal abilities, inducing a need for further research.

The performance of large language models on quantitative and verbal ability tests: Initial evidence and implications for unproctored high‐stakes testing

AbstractUnproctored assessments are widely used in pre‐employment assessment. However, widely accessible large language models (LLMs) pose challenges for unproctored personnel assessments, given that applicants may use them to artificially inflate their scores beyond their true abilities. This may be particularly concerning in cognitive ability tests, which are widely used and traditionally considered to be less fakeable by humans than personality tests. Thus, this study compares the performance of LLMs on two common types of cognitive tests: quantitative ability (number series completion) and verbal ability (use a passage of text to determine whether a statement is true). The tests investigated are used in real‐world, high‐stakes selection. We also examine the performance of the LLMs across different test formats (i.e., open‐ended vs. multiple choice). Further, we contrast the performance of two LLMs (Generative Pretrained Transformers, GPT‐3.5 and GPT‐4) across multiple prompt approaches and “temperature” settings (i.e., a parameter that determines the amount of randomness in the model's output). We found that the LLMs performed well on the verbal ability test but extremely poorly on the quantitative ability test, even when accounting for the test format. GPT‐4 outperformed GPT‐3.5 across both types of tests. Notably, although prompt approaches and temperature settings did affect LLM test performance, those effects were mostly minor relative to differences across tests and language models. We provide recommendations for securing pre‐employment testing against LLM influences. Additionally, we call for rigorous research investigating the prevalence of LLM usage in pre‐employment testing as well as on how LLM usage affects selection test validity.

Development of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors from 2-19: Stability and Change in Repetitive Sensorimotor, Insistence on Sameness, and Verbal Behaviors in a Longitudinal Study of Autism.

This study examined trajectories of repetitive sensorimotor (RSM), insistence on sameness (IS), and verbal RRBs from ages 2-19 in a well-characterized longitudinal cohort. We also tested the factor structure of the ADI-R restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) domain at age 19 and the inclusion of a verbal RRBs factor, in addition to previously identified RSM and IS factors, at ages 9 and 19. The ADI-R was administered to 193 participants at five timepoints from 2 to 19. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of ADI-R RRB data. Change in RRB subtypes was examined using group-based trajectory modeling and multilevel modeling. RSM and IS behaviors generally decreased from 2 to 19, with some participants experiencing increases from ages 2-9. 46.46% of participants experienced increasing verbal RRBs from 2 to 9, followed by a plateau from 9 to 19. The remaining participants had few to no verbal RRBs throughout development. Multilevel modeling indicated ADOS CSS scores were associated with change in RSM trajectories only. Child IQ was not associated with change in any RRB trajectories. CFA indicated previously-derived RSM and IS factors fit age 19 ADI-R data well. The inclusion of a third factor, verbal RRBs, worsened goodness-of-fit statistics and was ultimately omitted. Our findings suggest the RRB factor structure of the ADI remains consistent into early adulthood and illustrate developmental continuity and change in RRBs. For autistic individuals with fluent speech, RRB presentation may be influenced by verbal ability in ways that are highly variable, but clinically meaningful.

Wishes, beliefs, and jealousy: use of mental state terms in Cinderella retells after traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) negatively impacts social communication in part due to social cognitive difficulties, which may include reduced mental state term (MST) use in some discourse genres. As social cognitive difficulties can negatively impact relationships, employment, and meaningful everyday activities, assessing and treating these difficulties post-TBI is crucial. To address knowledge gaps, the present study examined MST use in the narrative retells of adults with and without severe TBI to compare between-group performance, evaluate changes over the first two years post-TBI, and investigate the impact of participant and injury-related variables. The total number of MSTs, ratio of MSTs to total utterances, and diversity of MSTs were identified in the Cinderella narratives of 57 participants with no brain injury and 57 with TBI at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24-months post-TBI. Reduced MST use in participants with TBI was found at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post-TBI, but these reductions disappeared when story length (total utterances) was accounted for. Further, MST diversity did not differ between groups. Similarly, although the total number of MSTs increased over time post-TBI, no changes were observed in the ratio of MSTs to total utterances or MST diversity over time. Injury severity (post-traumatic amnesia duration), years of education, and verbal reasoning abilities were all related to MST use. Overall, although individuals used fewer MSTs in complex story retells across the first year following severe TBI, this reduction reflected impoverished story content, rather than the use of a lower ratio of MSTs. Further, key prognostic factors related to MST use included injury severity, educational attainment, and verbal reasoning ability. These findings have important implications for social communication assessment and treatment targeting social cognition post-TBI.