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Su PL, Yoo H, Ramsay G, Long HL, Bene ER, Klaiman C, Pulver SL, Richardson S, Pileggi ML, Brane N, Oller DK. Foundations of Vocal Category Development in Autistic Infants. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06267-9. [PMID: 38403868 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06267-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The present study compared the infant's tendency in the first year of life to produce clusters of particular vocal types (squeals, vocants, and growls) in typically developing (TD) and autistic infants. Vocal clustering provides evidence of vocal category formation and may establish a foundation for speech development. Specifically, we compared the extent of vocal clustering across outcome groups and age groups. We also examined the associations between the extent of vocal clustering and later outcomes at 2 years within the autistic group. Randomly selected 5-min segments (27,153 5-min segments total) from 1293 all-day home recordings from 103 TD infants and 44 autistic infants across the first year were humancoded (about 9.75 h of data coded per infant on average) to derive vocal clustering patterns. Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the occurrence of squeals versus vocants, as well as growls versus vocants, across coded segments. Infants in both groups demonstrated clear clustering patterns of squeals and growls across all age groups. The extent of vocal clustering in the autistic group did not correlate significantly with later language, repetitive behavior, or autism severity outcomes. These findings highlight the robustness of the systematic production of vocal categories across the first year of life. The similarity of the clustering patterns in the TD and autistic groups suggests that vocal category formation through active infant vocal exploration is a robust feature of early speech development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pumpki Lei Su
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.
- Callier Center for Communication Disorders, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Hyunjoo Yoo
- Department of Communicative Disorders, College of Arts & Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Gordon Ramsay
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Helen L Long
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Edina R Bene
- Origin of Language Laboratories, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Cheryl Klaiman
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stormi L Pulver
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shana Richardson
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Moira L Pileggi
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Natalie Brane
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - D Kimbrough Oller
- Origin of Language Laboratories, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
- Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Klosterneuburg, Austria
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Pickard K, Hendrix N, Guerra K, Brane N, Islam N. Examining provider decisions around the delivery and adaptation of a parent-mediated intervention within an Early Intervention system. Autism 2023; 27:2384-2396. [PMID: 36950904 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231162149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Parent-mediated interventions are an evidence-based practice for autism in which providers support caregivers in learning and applying strategies that support their child's development. Research has begun to study whether parent-mediated interventions can be effectively delivered in Part C Early Intervention systems. This research has been promising; however, it has been difficult to determine how Early Intervention providers deliver and adapt parent-mediated interventions to meet the needs of the families they serve. Examining how parent-mediated interventions are delivered and adapted may help us understand whether parent-mediated interventions are a good fit in these systems. The current study examined the delivery of an evidence-based parent-mediated intervention, Project ImPACT, when delivered by providers within an Early Intervention system. Results from 24 Early Intervention providers demonstrated that, on average, providers delivered Project ImPACT with higher quality during their time in training and consultation. However, there was also variability in how providers delivered Project ImPACT, with some delivering the program inconsistently, some increasing their quality throughout consultation, and others having consistently high-quality delivery. In addition, qualitative data demonstrated that a variety of events arose within Project ImPACT sessions that drove providers to adapt the program. Results suggest the importance of carefully examining how and why providers deliver evidence-based interventions within Early Intervention systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Hendrix
- Emory University, USA
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA
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Bradshaw J, McCracken C, Pileggi M, Brane N, Delehanty A, Day T, Federico A, Klaiman C, Saulnier C, Klin A, Wetherby A. Early social communication development in infants with autism spectrum disorder. Child Dev 2021; 92:2224-2234. [PMID: 34786700 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Social-communication differences are a robust and defining feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but identifying early points of divergence in infancy has been a challenge. The current study examines social communication in 9- to 12-month-old infants who develop ASD (N = 30; 23% female; 70% white) compared to typically developing (TD) infants (N = 94, 38% female; 88% white). Results demonstrate that infants later diagnosed with ASD were already exhibiting fewer social-communication skills using eye gaze, facial expression, gestures, and sounds at 9 months (effect size: 0.42-0.89). Moreover, three unique patterns of change across distinct social-communication skills were observed within the ASD group. This study documents that observable social-communication differences for infants with ASD are unfolding by 9 months, pointing to a critical window for targeted intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Moira Pileggi
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Natalie Brane
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Abigail Delehanty
- John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Taylor Day
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Cheryl Klaiman
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Celine Saulnier
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Neurodevelopmental Assessment & Consulting Services, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ami Klin
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amy Wetherby
- Autism Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.,Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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Pileggi ML, Brane N, Bradshaw J, Delehanty A, Day T, McCracken C, Stapel-Wax J, Wetherby AM. Early Observation of Red Flags in 12-Month-Old Infant Siblings Later Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2021; 30:1846-1855. [PMID: 33989505 PMCID: PMC8702865 DOI: 10.1044/2020_ajslp-20-00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Valid and reliable screening tools are needed to improve early detection and optimize developmental outcomes for toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study aimed to evaluate the utility of the Systematic Observation of Red Flags (SORF) for ASD at 12 months of age in a sample of high-risk infant siblings of children with ASD. Method As part of a prospective, longitudinal study, we examined the sensitivity and specificity of the SORF at 12 months for predicting a diagnosis of ASD at 24 months in a sample of 122 infants, 31 of whom were diagnosed with ASD. Results The optimal SORF Composite cutoff score of 18 correctly identified 24 of the 31 twelve-month-olds who were diagnosed with ASD, yielding a sensitivity of .77 and a specificity of .76. The optimal SORF Red Flags cutoff score of 7 correctly identified 20 of the 31 infants, yielding a sensitivity of .65 and a specificity of .75. Conclusion This preliminary study demonstrates the potential of the SORF as an effective observational screening measure for 12-month-olds at risk for ASD with good discrimination, sensitivity, and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalie Brane
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, GA
| | - Jessica Bradshaw
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Abigail Delehanty
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Taylor Day
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | - Courtney McCracken
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | | | - Amy M. Wetherby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee
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Bradshaw J, Klaiman C, Gillespie S, Brane N, Lewis M, Saulnier C. Walking Ability is Associated with Social Communication Skills in Infants at High Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Infancy 2018; 23:674-691. [PMID: 30271278 PMCID: PMC6159946 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Achievement of early motor milestones in infancy affords new opportunities for social interaction and communication. Research has shown that both motor and social deficits are observed in infants who later develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined associations between motor and social-communication skills in 12-month-old infant siblings of children with ASD who are at heightened risk for developmental delays (N=86) and low-risk, typically developing infants (N=113). Infants were classified into one of three groups based on their walking ability: walkers (walks independently), standers (stands independently), or pre-walkers (does not yet stand or walk independently). Social-communication and cognitive skills were assessed with two standardized assessments (Communication and Symbolic Behaviors Scales [CSBS] and Mullen Scales of Early Learning) and compared across the three walking groups. Results demonstrated that high-risk walkers showed superior social-communication skills, but commensurate cognitive skills, compared to high-risk pre-walkers. In contrast, social-communication and cognitive skills were largely comparable for low-risk infants, regardless of walking status. Findings suggest that for high-risk infants, who are already vulnerable to developmental delays and ASD, independent walking may facilitate the emergence of social-communication abilities. Pivotal motor milestones may serve as useful indicators of social-communication delays and targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bradshaw
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Cheryl Klaiman
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Scott Gillespie
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Natalie Brane
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Moira Lewis
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Celine Saulnier
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
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