CONTRIBUTORS TO COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN AUTISM

这个项目将确定的前兆，相关性，和后果 自闭症儿童的社交和沟通能力。 第一 研究将具体说明家庭和学校的特点， 与沟通和语言技能相关的环境 在很小的自闭症儿童中， 这些技能在一年的时间里。 核心假设是 测试是，虽然自闭症是由生物决定因素， 环境因素有助于这些社会沟通技能， 这对自闭症儿童的后期发展至关重要。 一个更具体的假设是， 自闭症儿童的发展既需要反应性的认知， 以及提供结构化的经验。 的识别 社会沟通技能的环境相关性对于 规划干预措施。 第二项研究继续纵向 对51名3-5岁时接受测试的自闭症儿童样本进行随访 岁以及一岁和八岁以后。 的目标 这一后续行动是为了绘制疾病的进程， 青春期后期和成年早期的影响， 早期的个体差异，为后来的沟通，社会， 适应能力。

This project will identify the precursors, correlates, and consequences of social and communicative skills in children wit autism. The first study will specify the characteristics of the home and school environment that are associated with communication and language skills in very young children with autism and are predictive of their gains in these skills over the course of a year. The central hypothesis to be tested is that, while autism is caused by biological determinants, environmental factors contribute to those social communication skills, which crucially determine the later development of children with autism. A more specific hypothesis to be examined is that the optimal development of children with autism requires both responsive caregiving and the provision of structured experiences. The identification of environmental correlates of social communication skills is crucial for the planning of interventions. The second study continues the longitudinal follow-up of a sample of 51 children with autism who were tested at 3-5 years of age as well as one and eight years later. The objectives of this follow-up are to chart the course of the disorder into the period of late adolescence and early adulthood and determine the consequences of earlier individual differences for later communicative, social, and adaptive abilities.