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. 2017 Apr;47(4):947-960.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-016-3016-x.

A Path Model of Expressive Vocabulary Skills in Initially Preverbal Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Jena McDaniel  1 , Paul Yoder  2 , Linda R Watson  3
Affiliations

A Path Model of Expressive Vocabulary Skills in Initially Preverbal Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Jena McDaniel et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

We examined direct and indirect paths involving receptive vocabulary and diversity of key consonants used in communication (DKCC) to improve understanding of why previously identified value-added predictors are associated with later expressive vocabulary for initially preverbal children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 87). Intentional communication, DKCC, and parent linguistic responses accounted for unique variance in later expressive vocabulary when controlling for mid-point receptive vocabulary, but responding to joint attention did not. We did not confirm any indirect paths through mid-point receptive vocabulary. DKCC mediated the association between intentional communication and expressive vocabulary. Further research is needed to replicate the findings, test potentially causal relations, and provide a specific sequence of intervention targets for preverbal children with ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Language; Path modeling; Predictors; Preverbal; Vocabulary.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Path model for expressive vocabulary skills in initially preverbal preschool children with autism spectrum disorder. DKCC = diversity of key consonants used in communication. RJA = responding to joint attention.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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