Speech and Interaction of Preadolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Focus on Prosody, Disfluencies and Comprehension Problems

ISBN-13: 9789811981166 / Angielski / Twarda / 2023 / 159 str.

Mari Wiklund

Opis

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.

Spis treści

Preface

1. Introduction

1.1. Background

1.2. Topics treated in the book

1.3. Data

1.4. Methods

2. Prosody

2.1. Overview of previous research on the prosody of persons with ASD

2.2. Prosodic characteristics of preadolescent boys with ASD

2.3. Perception of atypicality by neurotypical listeners

2.4. The role of prosodic features in the creation of comprehension problems

2.5. Conclusion

3. Disfluencies

3.1. Overview of previous research on disfluencies in the speech of persons with 

        ASD

3.2. Disfluencies in the speech of preadolescent boys with and without ASD

3.3. The role of disfluencies in the creation of comprehension problems

3.4. Conclusion

4. Comprehension problems

4.1. Overview of previous research on conversational repairs in the interaction of 

        persons with ASD

4.2. Causes of comprehension problems in group therapy sessions involving 

        preadolescent boys with ASD

4.2.1. Overly literal interpretation of speech

4.2.2. Topical discontinuities

4.2.3. Non-verbal features associated with trouble-source turns: the role of eye contact

4.2.4. Other causes of comprehension problems

4.3. Conclusion

5. Gaze behavior

5.1. Overview of previous studies on the role of gaze in interaction from a conversation analytic point of view 

5.2. Overview of previous studies on gaze-related features in the interaction of persons with ASD.

5.3. Three main patterns used for avoiding eye contact in group therapy sessions involving preadolescents boys with ASD

5.3.1. Fixing one’s gaze straight ahead

5.3.2. Letting one’s gaze wander around

5.3.3. Looking at one’s own hands when speaking

5.4. General remarks on the gaze behaviour of preadolescents boys with ASD

5.5. Conclusion

6. Therapists’ response strategies and teaching orientations 

6.1. Therapists’ response strategies in group therapy sessions involving preadolescent boys with ASD

6.1.1. Introduction

6.1.2. Five most common response strategies

6.1.2.1. Approval 

6.1.2.2. Comment on the contents of a turn / turns 

6.1.2.3. Question addressed to the whole group 

6.1.2.4. Question concerning the contents of a turn / turns 

6.1.2.5. Rephrasing the contents of a turn / turns 

6.2. Therapists’ teaching orientations in group therapy sessions involving preadolescent boys with ASD

6.2.1. Introduction

6.2.2. Implicit teaching orientation

6.2.3. Explicit teaching orientation

6.2.4. Prosodic problems: beyond teaching orientations?

6.3. Conclusion

7. Conclusion

Bibliography 

List of transcription conventions

Index of key words 

O autorze

Mari Wiklund (Ph.D.) is University Lecturer at the Department of Languages of the University of Helsinki. She is currently (2020–2023) working as University Researcher funded by the Maija Lehtonen Fund at the University of Helsinki. She has also worked as University Researcher at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (2015–2019). Her current research interests relate mainly to speech prosody, interaction of persons with autism spectrum disorder, disfluencies of speech, comprehension problems, asymmetric interaction, and foreign accent. She has worked on different types of data, including cases of spontaneous interaction, texts read aloud, as well as various interpretive contexts (audio description, speech-to-text, and telephone interpreting). Her methodological background is mainly in conversation analysis and prosodic analysis.