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Collaborative competence in dialogue: Pragmatic language impairment as a window onto the psychopathology of autism

Larkin, F; Hobson, JA; Hobson, RP; Tolmie, A; (2017) Collaborative competence in dialogue: Pragmatic language impairment as a window onto the psychopathology of autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders , 43-44 pp. 27-39. 10.1016/j.rasd.2017.09.004. Green open access

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pragmatic language, including conversational ability, can be difficult for people with autism. Difficulties with dialogue may reflect impairment in interpersonal engagement more than general language ability. METHOD: We investigated conversational abilities among children and adolescents with and without autism (n = 18 per group) matched for language proficiency and productivity. Videotaped conversations from the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule (ADOS, Lord, Rutter, DiLavore, & Risi, 2001) were rated according to the Collaborative Competence in Dialogue (CCD) scale featuring six verbal and non-verbal ‘cues’ that conversational partners use to sustain dialogue. RESULTS: Participants with autism produced significantly fewer ‘typical’ communicative cues and more cues rated as intermittent or rote/stereotyped, even when non-verbal items (gaze) were removed from consideration. Within the autism group, competence in dialogue was not correlated with ‘general’ language ability, but was correlated with a measure of pragmatic ability. CONCLUSIONS: Difficulties with collaboration in dialogue may mirror the intermittent or incomplete interpersonal engagement of children with autism. IMPLICATIONS: Assessment of language ability in autism should include observation in unstructured social settings.

Type: Article
Title: Collaborative competence in dialogue: Pragmatic language impairment as a window onto the psychopathology of autism
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2017.09.004
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2017.09.004
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Social Sciences, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Education, Special, Psychology, Developmental, Psychiatry, Rehabilitation, Education & Educational Research, Psychology, Autism, Pragmatic language, Conversation, Identification, ADOS, High-Functioning Autism, Spectrum Disorder, Joint Action, Typical Development, Children, Communication, Conversation, Discourse, Adolescents, Motivation
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10043633
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