Inference from academic texts in children with autism

Bibliographic Data

ID20484656
AuthorsElisabeth Engberg-Pedersen (0000-0001-5017-0305, University of Copenhagen, corresponding author)
Year2018
Volume25
Issue2
Pages363-383
Publication date2018-12-31
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePragmatics & Cognition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0929-0907 • E-ISSN: 1569-9943
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/pc.18011.eng
OpenAlexW2991521307
LanguageEN
References cited39

Children and adults with autism do worse on tests of inferences than controls. This fact has been attributed to poor language skills, a tendency to focus on detail, and poor social understanding. This study examines whether children with autism with age-appropriate language and cognitive skills have difficulties drawing inferences from academic, expository texts. Sixteen children with autism and a control group of twenty-four children were matched on language skills, nonverbal cognitive ability, and auditory and nonverbal working memory and compared on their responses to questions that require inferences. The children with autism scored significantly lower on inference questions than the controls. Although language skills explain much of the variance in inference scores, diagnostic background also made a contribution. The results are discussed in the light of theories of suppression of irrelevant information and recognition of text writers’ communicative intention

Autism · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Inference · Nonverbal communication · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research · Computer Science · Psychology · Reading and Literacy Development · Writing and Handwriting Education · Artificial Intelligence

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Open DOIOpen Access