Meredith Pecukonis1, Gregory S Young2, Jessica Brian3, Tony Charman4, Katarzyna Chawarska5, Mayada Elsabbagh6, Jana M Iverson7, Shafali Jeste8, Rebecca Landa9, Daniel S Messinger10, A J Schwichtenberg11, Sara Jane Webb12, Lonnie Zwaigenbaum13, Helen Tager-Flusberg1. 1. Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA. 3. Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 4. Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK. 5. School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. 6. Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 7. Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. 8. Department of Pediatrics, Department of Neurology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA. 9. Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 10. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA. 11. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. 12. Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. 13. Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Abstract
While previous work has identified the early predictors of language skills in infants at elevated familial risk (ER) and low familial risk (LR) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no studies to date have explored whether these predictors vary based on diagnostic outcome of ASD or no ASD. The present study used a large, multisite dataset to examine associations between a set of commonly studied predictor variables (infant gesture abilities, fine motor skills, nonverbal cognition, and maternal education level), measured at 12 months, and language skills, measured at 3 years, across three diagnostic outcome groups-infants with ASD ("ASD"), ER infants without ASD ("ER-no ASD"), and LR infants without ASD ("LR-no ASD"). Findings revealed that the predictors of language skills differed across groups, as gesture abilities were positively associated with language skills in the ER-no ASD group but negatively associated with language skills in the ASD group. Furthermore, maternal education level was positively associated with language skills in the ASD and LR-no ASD groups only. Variability in these early predictors may help explain why language skills are heterogeneous across the autism spectrum, and, with further study, may help clinicians identify those in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development. LAY SUMMARY: The present study identified predictors of language skills in infants with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maternal education level and 12-month gesture abilities predicted 3-year language skills in infants with ASD. Measuring these predictors early in life may help identify infants and families in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development.
While previous work has identified the early predictors of language skills in infants at elevated familial risk (ER) and low familial risk (LR) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no studies to date have explored whether these predictors vary based on diagnostic outcome of ASD or no ASD. The present study used a large, multisite dataset to examine associations between a set of commonly studied predictor variables (infant gesture abilities, fine motor skills, nonverbal cognition, and maternal education level), measured at 12 months, and language skills, measured at 3 years, across three diagnostic outcome groups-infants with ASD ("ASD"), ER infants without ASD ("ER-no ASD"), and LR infants without ASD ("LR-no ASD"). Findings revealed that the predictors of language skills differed across groups, as gesture abilities were positively associated with language skills in the ER-no ASD group but negatively associated with language skills in the ASD group. Furthermore, maternal education level was positively associated with language skills in the ASD and LR-no ASD groups only. Variability in these early predictors may help explain why language skills are heterogeneous across the autism spectrum, and, with further study, may help clinicians identify those in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development. LAY SUMMARY: The present study identified predictors of language skills in infants with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maternal education level and 12-month gesture abilities predicted 3-year language skills in infants with ASD. Measuring these predictors early in life may help identify infants and families in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development.
Authors: Sally Ozonoff; Gregory S Young; Alice Carter; Daniel Messinger; Nurit Yirmiya; Lonnie Zwaigenbaum; Susan Bryson; Leslie J Carver; John N Constantino; Karen Dobkins; Ted Hutman; Jana M Iverson; Rebecca Landa; Sally J Rogers; Marian Sigman; Wendy L Stone Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2011-08-15 Impact factor: 7.124