Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T23:33:12.589Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Tense marking in children with autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2004

JENNY A. ROBERTS ,
MABEL L. RICE  and
HELEN TAGER–FLUSBERG
JENNY A. ROBERTS
Affiliation:
Temple University
MABEL L. RICE
Affiliation:
University of Kansas
HELEN TAGER–FLUSBERG
Affiliation:
Boston University School of Medicine
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A recent large-scale study identified a subgroup of children with autism who had a language profile similar to that found among children with specific language impairment (SLI), including difficulties with nonsense word repetition, an ability that has been implicated as one clinical marker for SLI. A second clinical marker for English-speaking children with SLI is high rates of omission of grammatical morphemes that mark tense in obligatory contexts. This study used experimental probes designed to elicit third person and past tense morphology with a large heterogeneous sample of children with autism. The subgroup of children with autism who were language impaired showed high rates of omission of tense marking on the experimental tasks. In addition, some of the children with autism made performance errors that were specific to the autistic population, such as echolalia. These findings further refine the characteristics of language impairment found in a subgroup of children with autism.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , June 2004 , pp. 429 - 448
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association. 1994. DSM-IV: Diagnostic and statistic manual of mental disorders (4th Ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Bartlett C., Flax J., Logue M., Vieland V., Bassett A., Tallal P., & Brzustowicz L. 2002. A major susceptibility locus for specific language impairment is located on 13q21. American Journal of Human Genetics, 71, 45– 55.Google Scholar
Bartolucci G., Pierce S. J., & Streiner D. 1980. Cross-sectional studies of grammatical morphemes in autistic and mentally retarded children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 39– 49.Google Scholar
Bartolucci G., & Albers R. J. 1974. Deictic categories in the language of autistic children.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 4, 131– 141.Google Scholar
Bartolucci G., & Pierce S. 1977. A preliminary comparison of phonological development in autistic, normal, and mentally retarded subjects. British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 12, 137– 147.Google Scholar
Bartoclucci G., Pierce S., Streiner D., & Eppel P. 1976. Phonological investigation of verbal autistic and mentally retarded subjects. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 6, 303– 315.Google Scholar
Bishop D. 1992. The underlying nature of specific language impairment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 1– 64.Google Scholar
Bishop D. 2000. Pragmatic language impairment. In D. V. M. Bishop & L. B. Leonard (Eds.), Speech and language impairments in children: Causes, characteristics, intervention and outcome (pp. 99– 113). East Sussex, UK: Psychology Press Ltd.
Bishop D., Chan J., Hartley J., Adams C., & Weir F. 2000. Conversational responsiveness in specific language impairment: Evidence of disproportionate pragmatic difficulties in a subset of children. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 177– 199.Google Scholar
Bishop D., North T., & Donlan C. 1996. Nonword repetition as a behavioural marker for inherited language impairment: Evidence from a twin study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 36, 1– 13.Google Scholar
Bishop D., & Rosenbloom L. 1987. Classification of childhood language disorders. In W. Yule & M. Rutter (Eds.), Language development and disorders: Clinics in developmental medicine. London: MacKeith Press.
Bolton P., MacDonald H., Pickles A., Rios P., Goode S., Crowson M., Bailey A., & Rutter M. 1994. A case-control family history study of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35, 877– 900.Google Scholar
Botting N., & Conti–Ramsden G. 2003. Autism, primary pragmatic difficulties, and specific language impairment: Can we distinguish them using psycholinguistic markers? Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 45, 515– 524.Google Scholar
Chiat S. 2001. Mapping theories of developmental language impairment: Premises, predictions and evidence. Language and Cognitive Processes, 16, 113– 142.Google Scholar
Collaborative Linkage Study of Autism. 1999. An autosomal genomic screen for autism. Collaborative linkage study of autism. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 88, 609– 615.
Collaborative Linkage Study of Autism. 2001. Incorporating language phenotypes strengthens evidence of linkage to autism. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 105, 539– 547.
Conti–Ramsden G., Botting N., & Faragher B. 2001. Psycholinguistic markers for specific language impairment (SLI). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 741– 748.Google Scholar
Conti–Ramsden G., Crutchley A., & Botting N. 1997. The extent to which psychometric tests differentiate subgroups of children with SLI. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 40, 765– 777.Google Scholar
Dollaghan C., & Campbell T. 1998. Nonword repetition and child language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 41, 1136– 1146.Google Scholar
Dunn L. M., & Dunn L. M. 1997. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third Edition. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Elliott C. D. 1990. Differential Ability Scales: Introductory and technical handbook. New York: Psychological Corporation.
Fisher S. E., Vargha–Khadem F., Watkins K. E., Monaco A. P., & Pembrey M. E. 1998. Localisation of a gene implicated in a severe speech and language. Nature Genetics, 18, 168– 170.Google Scholar
Folstein S. E., Santangelo S. L., Gilman S. E., Piven J., Landa R., Lainhart J., Hein J., & Wzorek M. 1999. Predictors of cognitive test patterns in autism families. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 40, 1117– 1128.Google Scholar
Fombonne E., Bolton P., Prior J., Jordan H., & Rutter M. 1997. A family study of autism: Cognitive patterns and levels in parents and siblings. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 667– 683.Google Scholar
Gathercole S., & Baddeley A. 1990. Phonological memory deficits in language disordered children: Is there a causal connection? Journal of Memory and Language, 29, 336– 360.Google Scholar
Goldman R., & Fristoe M. 1986. Goldman–Fristoe Test of Articulation. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Howlin P. 1984. The acquisition of grammatical morphemes in autistic children: A critique and replication of the findings of Bartolucci, Pierce, and Streiner, 1980. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 14, 127– 136.Google Scholar
International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium. 1998. A full genome screen for autism with evidence for linkage to a region on chromosome 7q. Human Molecular Genetics, 7, 571– 578.
Kjelgaard M., & Tager–Flusberg H. 2001. An investigation of language profiles in autism: Implications for genetic subgroups. Language and Cognitive Processes, 16, 287– 308.Google Scholar
Korkman M., Kirk U., & Kemp S. 1998. NEPSY: A developmental neuropsychological assessment. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation, Harcourt Brace.
Landry S. H., & Loveland K. A. 1989. The effect of social context on the functional communication skills of autistic children. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 19, 283– 299.Google Scholar
Lee A., Hobson R. P., & Chiat S. 1994. I, you, me and autism: An experimental study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 155– 176.Google Scholar
Leonard L. B. 1989. Language learnability and specific language impairment in children. Applied Psychlinguistics, 10, 179– 202.Google Scholar
Leonard L. B., Bortolini U., Caselli M. C., McGregor K. K., & Sabbadini L. 1992. Morphological deficits in children with specific language impairment. The status of features in the underlying grammar. Language Acquisition, 2, 151– 179.Google Scholar
Lord C., & Paul R. 1997. Language and communication in autism. In D. J. Cohen & P. R. Volkmar (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders (2nd ed., pp. 195– 225). New York: Wiley.
Lord C., Risi S., Lambrecht L., Cook E. H., Jr., Leventhal B.L., DiLavore P.C., Pickles A., & Rutter M. 2000. The autism diagnostic observation schedule-generic: A standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 30, 205– 223.Google Scholar
Lord C., Rutter M., & LeCouteur A. 1994. Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised: A revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 659– 668.Google Scholar
Loveland K., McEvoy R., Tunali B., & Kelley M. L. 1990. Narrative story telling in autism and Down's syndrome. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 8, 9– 23.Google Scholar
Norbury C. F., Bishop D. V. M., & Briscoe J. 2001. Production of English finite verb morphology: A comparison of SLI and mild-moderate hearing impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 44, 165– 178.Google Scholar
O'Brien E., Zhang X., Nishimura C., Tomblin J. B., & Murray J. 2003. Association of specific language impairment (SLI) to the region of 7q31. American Journal of Human Genetics, 72, 1536– 1543.Google Scholar
Paradis J., & Crago M. 2000. Tense and temporality: A comparison between children learning a second language and children with SLI. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research,43, 834– 847.Google Scholar
Pierce S., & Bartolucci G. 1977. A syntactic investigation of verbal autistic, mentally retarded and normal children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 7, 121– 134.Google Scholar
Piven J., & Palmer P. 1997. Cognitive deficits in parents from multiple incidence autism families. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 1011– 1021.Google Scholar
Rapin I. (Ed.). 1996. Preschool children with inadequate communication. London: MacKeith Press.
Rapin I., & Allen D. 1983. Developmental language dirsorders: A clinical update. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 643– 655.Google Scholar
Rice M. L. 2000. Grammatical symptoms of specific language impairment. In D. V. M. Bishop & L. B. Leonard (Eds.), Speech and language impairments in children (pp. 17– 34). East Sussex, UK: Psychology Press.
Rice M. L. 2003. A unified model of specific and general language delay: Grammatical tense as a clinical marker of unexpected variation. In Y. Levy & J. Schaeffer (Eds.), Language competence across populations: Towards a definition of specific language impairment in children (pp. 63– 94). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Rice M. L., & Wexler K. 1996. Toward tense as a clinical marker of specific language impairment in English-speaking children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 39, 239– 257.Google Scholar
Rice M. L., & Wexler K. 2001. Test of early grammatical impairment. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Rice M. L., Wexler K., & Cleave P. L. 1995. Specific language impairment as a period of extended optional infinitive. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 38, 850– 863.Google Scholar
Rice M. L., Wexler K., & Hershberger S. 1998. Tense over time: The longitudinal course of tense acquisition in children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 41, 1412– 1431.Google Scholar
Rice M. L., Wexler K., Marquis J., & Hershberger S. 2000. Acquisition of irregular past tense by children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, & Hearing Research, 43, 1126– 1145.Google Scholar
Stark R.E., & Tallal P. 1981. Selection of children with specific language deficits. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 46, 114– 122.Google Scholar
Stone W., & Caro–Martinez L. M. 1990. Naturalistic observations of spontaneous communication in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 437– 454.Google Scholar
Tager–Flusberg H. 1989. A psycholinguistic perspective on language development in the autistic child. In G. Dawson (Ed.), Autism: New directions in diagnosis, nature and treatment (pp. 92– 115). New York: Guilford Press.
Tager–Flusberg H. 1994. Dissociations in form and function in the acquisition of language by autistic children. In H. Tager–Flusberg (Ed.), Constraints on language acquisition: Studies of atypical children (pp. 175– 194). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Tager–Flusberg H. 1997. The role of theory of mind in language acquisition: Contributions from the study of autism. In L. Adamson & M. A. Romski (Eds.), Communication and language acquisition: Discoveries from atypical development (pp. 133–158). Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes.
Tager–Flusberg H. 1999. A psychological approach to understanding the social and language impairments in autism. International Review of Psychiatry, 11, 325– 334.Google Scholar
Tager–Flusberg H. 2000. The challenge of studying language development in autism. In L. Menn & N. Bernstein Ratner (Eds.), Methods for studying language production (pp. 313– 332). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Tager–Flusberg H., & Anderson M. 1991. The development of contingent discourse ability in autistic children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 1123– 1134.Google Scholar
Tager–Flusberg H., & Calkins S. 1990. Does imitation facilitate the acquisition of grammar? Evidence from a study of autistic, Down syndrome and normal children. Journal of Child Language, 17, 591– 606.Google Scholar
Tager–Flusberg H., Calkins S., Nolin T., Baumberger T., Anderson M., & Chadwick–Dias A. 1990. A longitudinal study of language acquisition in autistic and Downs syndrome children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 1– 21.Google Scholar
Tager–Flusberg H., & Cooper J. 1999. Present and future possibilities for defining a phenotype for specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 42, 1275– 1278.Google Scholar
Tomblin J. B., Hafeman L., & O'Brien M. 2003. Autism and autism risk in siblings of children with specific language impairment. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 38, 235– 250.Google Scholar
Tomblin J. B., & Zhang X. 1999. Language patterns and etiology in children with specific language impairment. In H. Tager–Flusberg (Ed.), Neurodevelopmental disorders (pp. 361– 382). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press/Bradford Books.
Wetherby A., Prizant B., & Hutchinson T. 1998. Communicative, social/affective, and symbolic profiles of young children with autism and pervasive developmental disorders. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 7, 79– 91.Google Scholar
Wetherby A., & Prutting C. 1984. Profiles of communicative and cognitive–social abilities in autistic children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 27, 364– 377.Google Scholar