Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Language impairment is a key characteristic of many developmental disorders, with\nthe relationship between linguistic and cognitive ability a critical topic for research in this\nfield. Speech (articulation and phonology) and prosody have largely been absent from these\ndiscussions, perhaps because they are not universally impaired. The portfolio of published\nresearch critically appraised here addresses the relationships between speech and prosody\nand other domains, such as language and cognition, in two conditions in which disordered\nspeech is common: primarily at the suprasegmental level in autism and at the segmental level\nin Down’s syndrome.\nSpeech disorders were found in both conditions, though speech was much more\nseverely impaired in Down’s syndrome. Errors were typically categorised as delayed\nphonological processes, implying a linguistic cause. However, through fine phonetic\ntranscription and instrumental techniques it was shown that both conditions also presented\nwith distortions that were more phonetic in nature and with non-developmental errors.\nSeverity of speech disorder was not related to cognitive or linguistic ability as measured by\nstandardised assessments, suggesting that a generalised delay in language or cognition was\nnot the cause of disordered speech. In autism minor delays and distortions may be due to a\nlack of ability to identify with peers and impaired theory of mind, whereas in Down’s\nsyndrome anatomical differences and difficulty with motor planning are likely causes. Both\nlinguistic and paralinguistic prosody were found to be disordered in children with autism and\ncorrelations with linguistic ability were found. However, disordered prosody is more likely\nto be due to impaired theory of mind or weak central coherence than a result of delayed\nlanguage.\nBoth autism and Down’s syndrome present with speech that is disordered rather than\nsimply delayed and this is unlikely to be due to delayed language, suggesting that specific,\ntargeted intervention may be warranted.
Author: Joanne Cleland
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W45625792