The Ability to Map Differentially Stressed Labels to Objects Predicts Language Development at 24 months in 12‐month‐olds at High Risk for Autism

Bibliographic Data

ID16782355
AuthorsJennifer Ference (University of Calgary), Suzanne Curtin (0000-0003-1509-7960, University of Calgary, corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume20
Issue3
Pages242-262
Publication date2015-05-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInfancy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1525-0008 • E-ISSN: 1532-7078
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/infa.12074
OpenAlexW2073126871
LanguageEN
References cited42

Sensitivity to language‐specific stress patterns during infancy facilitates finding, mapping, and recognizing words, and early preferences for the predominate stress pattern of the infant's native language have been argued to facilitate language relevant outcomes (Ference & Curtin, 2013 Journal of Experimental Child Psychology , 116, 891; Weber et al., 2005 Cognitive Brain Research , 25, 180). We examined 12‐month‐old infant siblings of typically developing children ( SIBS ‐ TD ) and infant siblings of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ; SIBS ‐A) on their ability to map differentially stressed labels to objects. We also examined whether success at this task relates to infants’ vocabulary size at 12 months, and more specifically to SIBS ‐A's vocabulary at both 12 and 24 months. SIBS ‐ TD successfully mapped the word–object pairings, which related to their vocabulary comprehension at 12 months. In contrast, SIBS ‐A as a group did not map the word–object pairings, which was unrelated to vocabulary size at 12 months. However, success on this task for SIBS ‐A predicted expressive language abilities at 24 months using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning ( MSEL ; Mullen, 1995 Mullen Scales of Early Learning . Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance) and the MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Development Inventory ( MB ‐ CDI ; Fenson et al., 1993 MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Users Guide and Technical Manual . San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Company). Our study is the first to demonstrate that 12‐month‐old SIBS ‐A who succeed at word mapping using lexical stress are more likely to have stronger expressive language abilities at 24 months

Autism · Autism spectrum disorder · BATES · Cognition · Cognitive development · Cognitive psychology · Comprehension · Developmental psychology · Language acquisition · Language development · Linguistics · Vocabulary · Vocabulary development · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research · Infant Development and Preterm Care · Language Development and Disorders · Psychology