SPEECH AND INTERACTION OF PREADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER : focus on prosody,... disfluencies and comprehension problems

"The book focuses on the interaction of persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurobiological developmental disorder, characterized by problems with social interaction, over-sensitivity to sensory stimuli and restricted interest (APA 2013). Problems with social interaction being a core feature of ASD, there is a scientific and a societal need for a book focusing on this topic. The book approaches the interaction of persons with ASD from a new angle. Firstly, where most studies on ASD are based on data coming from experimental settings, this book is based on naturally occurring data coming from group therapy sessions where 11-13-year-old Finnish- and French-speaking boys with ASD talk with each other and with their therapists. Secondly, the book treats a variety of themes that have so far been studied much less than, for example, the pragmatic problems of persons with ASD. These themes include the following aspects: speech prosody (characteristic features, perception of atypicality by neurotypical listeners), disfluencies of speech (comparison with neurotypical controls), comprehension problems (role of prosody, role of disfluencies, other causes), gaze behavior (eye contact avoidance strategies, using gaze as a source of feedback) as well as therapists' response strategies and teaching orientations. The book is intended for researchers working in the field of autism, professionals working with persons with ASD as well as for families of persons with ASD."-- Provided by publisher Preface 6 Contents 7 1 Introduction 9 1.1 Background 10 1.2 Data 13 1.2.1 Finnish Data on Participants with ASD 13 1.2.2 French Data with Participants with ASD 16 1.2.3 Control Group Data 17 1.2.4 Experimental Data 18 1.3 Methods 19 References 20 2 Prosody 25 2.1 Overview of Previous Research on the Prosody of Persons with ASD 26 2.2 Prosodic Characteristics of Preadolescent Boys with ASD and Perception of Atypicality by Neurotypical Listeners 30 2.2.1 Sing-Song-Like Pitch 32 2.2.2 Bouncing Pitch 33 2.2.3 Disconnected Speech Rhythm 35 2.2.4 Large Pitch Excursions 36 2.2.5 Flat Pitch 37 2.3 The Role of Prosodic Features in the Creation of Comprehension Problems 38 2.4 The Use of Prosody in Questions and Statements 43 2.5 Conclusion 53 References 56 3 Disfluencies 61 3.1 Overview of Previous Research on Disfluencies in the Speech of Persons with ASD 61 3.2 Disfluencies in the Speech of Preadolescent Boys with and Without ASD 65 3.3 The Role of Disfluencies in the Creation of Comprehension Problems 70 3.4 Conclusion 78 References 79 4 Comprehension Problems 82 4.1 Overview of Previous Research on Conversational Repairs in the Interaction of Persons with ASD 82 4.2 Causes of Comprehension Problems in Group Therapy Sessions Involving Preadolescent Boys with ASD 84 4.2.1 Overly Literal Interpretation of Speech 85 4.2.2 Topical Discontinuities 89 4.2.3 Non-verbal Features Associated with Trouble-Source Turns: The Role of Eye Contact 93 4.3 Conclusion 97 References 99 5 Gaze Behavior 101 5.1 Introduction 101 5.2 Three Main Patterns Used for Avoiding Eye Contact in Group Therapy Sessions Involving Preadolescent Boys with ASD 103 5.2.1 Fixing One’s Gaze Straight Ahead 103 5.2.2 Letting One’s Gaze Wander Around 107 5.2.3 Looking at One’s Own Hands When Speaking 113 5.3 Conclusion 119 References 120 6 Therapists’ Response Strategies and Teaching Orientations 122 6.1 Therapists’ Response Strategies in a Group Therapy Session Involving Preadolescent Boys with ASD 122 6.1.1 Introduction 123 6.1.2 Five Most Common Response Strategies 126 6.2 Therapists’ Teaching Orientations in Group Therapy Sessions Involving Preadolescent Boys with ASD 137 6.2.1 Introduction 137 6.2.2 Implicit Teaching Orientation 139 6.2.3 Explicit Teaching Orientation 144 6.2.4 Prosodic Problems: Beyond Teaching Orientations? 147 6.3 Conclusion 149 References 151 List of Transcription Conventions 156 Conclusion 157 References 160