A Psycholinguistic Training to Improve Expressive Language Among Children with ASD

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose was to investigate the effect of a psycholinguistic training to improve expressive language among children with ASD. Methods. Data were collected from children during the academic year 2021-2022. The participants were 20 children with ASD, aged 7 to 10 years, who were enrolled in a school for children with ID. All children attended the same semester inside the school. Parent consent forms were sent home by the principal and school psychologist to the parents of the prospective participants to inform them about the study and ask them to give permission for their children to participate. Demographic information was obtained from school records and as reported by families. Children were divided randomly into two groups: one experimental (n=10) and other was the control group (n=10). These children were matched as a group with cases on the basis of age, IQ, social class and general level of language ability. A 24 items, six-dimensional Questionnaire was developed in particular for this study. The intention was to identify expressive language skills for children with ASD. The six dimensions are: speaking and questioning skills in correct language (4 items), the ability to verbally express things, needs, and desires (4 items), the skill of pronouncing and imitating words, letters and sounds (4 items), repetition and arranging skill (4 items), the ability to verbally express feelings (4 items), the ability to respond to the speech and questions of others. Results. Results indicated increased speaking and questioning skills in correct language, the ability to verbally express things, needs, and desires, the skill of pronouncing and imitating words, letters and sounds, repetition and arranging skill, the ability to verbally express feelings and the ability to respond to the speech and questions of others. Conclusions. Overall, results from this study contribute to the growing literature on the effect of a psycholinguistic training to improve expressive language among children with ASD. The present study lends empirical support to the notion that expressive language of children with ASD can be improved through a psycholinguistic training.