Predicting Useful Speech in Children With Autism

描述(由申请人提供)：采用纵向相关设计，将解决九个目标。前三个目标考察了早期词汇发展的独特预测因素，以及父母的输入在这个预测模型中可能起到的中介作用。在目标1中，我们检验了(A)儿童早期有意交流、注意跟踪和物体游戏、(B)儿童早期运动能力和(C)儿童词汇理解随时间变化对交际词汇使用增长速度的预测是否存在递增(即显著高于其他预测因素)的效度。在目标2中，我们检验了(A)早期儿童有意交流、注意力跟随和目标游戏，(B)对儿童定向言语的注意，以及(B)父母变量在预测理解发展速度方面是否存在递增效度。在目标3中，我们检验了早期父母因素与儿童交际词汇使用的发展之间的联系是否通过儿童词汇理解的发展而起中介作用。接下来的三个目标包括测试纵向相关性，如果得到证实，这与儿童对父母推定的促进行为的使用的影响是一致的。在目标4中，我们检验了儿童的早期意向交流频率和注意跟随频率是否正向预测父母语言映射的后期频率。在目标5中，我们检验了儿童早期的客体游戏对以后的父母同步非强制性谈话是否有正向预测作用。在目标6中，我们检验了儿童的早期请求是否正向地预测了以后父母使用反应策略的倾向。最后三个目标涉及对照图1所示模型的关键预测来测试替代模型。在目标7中，我们测试早期父母变量和后期理解变量之间的关联是否大于早期理解变量和后期父母变量之间的关联。在目标8中，我们测试早期理解和后期表达之间的关联是否大于早期表达和后期理解之间的关联。在目标9中，我们测试了早期对儿童定向言语的注意和后来对儿童定向言语的注意之间的关联是否大于早期理解和后来对儿童定向言语的注意之间的关联。将使用混合水平建模、多元回归和改进的皮尔逊-菲隆统计量来检验目标。要求提供五年的资金。与公共卫生相关：目前自闭症的发病率估计为1：150。在年轻人和成年人中，小学交际词汇的使用是社会和就业结果的重复预测因子。预测习得交际性词语使用的差异可以确定作为适当早期治疗目标的先兆。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Using a longitudinal correlational design, nine aims will be addressed. The first three aims examine the unique predictors of early lexical development and the potential mediating role that parental input may play in this predictive model. In Aim 1, we test whether there is incremental (i.e., significant prediction above and beyond other predictors) validity of (a) early child intentional communication, attention following, and object play, (b) early child motor ability and (c) time-varying child vocabulary comprehension in predicting growth rate of communicative word use. In Aim 2, we test whether there is incremental validity of (a) early child intentional communication, attention following, and object play, (b) attention to child-directed speech, and (b) parental variables in predicting growth rate of comprehension. In Aim 3, we test whether the association between early parental factors and the child's growth of communicative word use is mediated through the child's development of vocabulary comprehension. The next 3 aims involve testing longitudinal correlations that, if confirmed, are consistent with child effects on parental use of putative facilitative behaviors. In Aim 4, we test whether children's early frequency of intentional communication and attention following positively predict later frequency of parental linguistic mapping. In Aim 5, we test whether children's early object play positively predicts later parental synchronous nonobligatory talk. In Aim 6, we test whether children's early requesting positively predicts later parental tendency to use responsive strategies. The final 3 aims involve testing alternative models against key predictions of the model presented in Figure 1. In Aim 7, we test whether the association between early parent variables and later comprehension is greater than the association between early comprehension and later parent variables. In Aim 8, we test whether the association between early comprehension and later expression is greater than the association between early expression and later comprehension. In Aim 9, we test whether the association between early attention to child directed speech and later comprehension is greater than the association between early comprehension and later attention to child-directed speech. Mixed level modeling, multiple regression, and the modified Pearson-Filon statistic will be used to test the aims. Five years of funding are requested. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The incidence of autism is now estimated to be 1:150 births. Communicative word use by elementary school is a replicated predictor of social and employment outcomes in young adults with adults. Predicting variance in acquiring communicative word use may identify precursors that are appropriate early treatment targets.