Forms and functions of communication in a population of students with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Despite the fact that limitations in the use of gestures may persist throughout the life of people with autism spectrum disorder, by reviewing the available literature, we have gained the impression that this issue has been insufficiently researched when it comes to school-age children. Therefore, in this study we set a dual objective. First, we wanted to examine the representation and importance of various forms and functions of communication in a population of students with autism spectrum disorder. Te second objective was to investigate the association between particular individual characteristics of these students with the identified forms and functions of communication. Te sample included 43 students with autism spectrum disorder, ranging in age from seven years and four months to 19 years and two months. Te representation of different forms and functions of communication was assessed by a modified Scale for the evaluation of expressive communication forms and functions (Cascella, 2005). In the study, we also used the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale - Second Edition (Gilliam, 2006), to assess the prevalence of autistic behavior in the assessed students. In our study, the informants were special educators who worked directly with the assessed students. Tere were marked variations among the respondents regarding the total number of registered communication forms and functions, with non-verbal forms of communication being more prevalent than verbal ones, while protesting was the most represented communication function. Most of the informants consider all of the evaluated communication behaviors as important or very important. Te total number of forms and functions of communication was not significantly related to the chronological age of the students, but it was related to the class. Furthermore, communication functions were significantly associated with the severity of the manifestation of autistic symptoms. In general, students with autism spectrum disorder have a wide range of communication forms and functions, which are recognized and highly valued in the school context.

Uprkos tome što ograničenja u korišćenju gestova mogu perzistirati tokom čitavog života osoba s poremećajem iz spektra autizma, uvidom u dostupnu literaturu stiče se utisak da se ovoj problematici nedovoljno posvećuje pažnja kada su u pitanju deca školskog uzrasta. Stoga je naše istraživanje imalo dvostruki cilj. Prvo, želeli smo da utvrdimo zastupljenost i važnost pojedinih oblika i funkcija komunikacije u populaciji učenika s poremećajem iz spektra autizma. Drugi cilj nam je bio da utvrdimo povezanost pojedinih individualnih obeležja ovih učenika s identifkovanim formama i funkcijama komunikacije. Uzorkom je obuhvaćeno 43 učenika s poremećajem iz spektra autizma, uzrasta od sedam godina i četiri meseca do 19 godina i dva meseca. Zastupljenost različitih oblika i funkcija komunikacije procenjena je modifkovanom Skalom za procenu ekspresivnih komunikacionih formi i funkcija (Cascella, 2005). U istraživanju smo koristili i Gilijamovu skalu za procenu autizma - drugo izdanje (Gilliam, 2006), za procenu zastupljenosti autističkog ponašanja kod ispitivanih učenika. U našem istraživanju informanti su bili specijalni edukatori koji su neposredno radili sa procenjivanim učenicima. Među ispitanicima su zabeležene izražene varijacije u pogledu ukupnog broja registrovanih komunikacionih formi i funkcija, pri čemu su neverbalni oblici komunikacije bili zastupljeniji od verbalnih, dok je protestovanje bila najzastupljenija funkcija komunikacije. Većina informanata smatra važnim ili vrlo važnim sva procenjivana komunikaciona ponašanja. Ukupan broj formi i funkcija komunikacije nije bio značajno povezan sa hronološkim uzrastom učenika, ali jeste sa razredom. Nadalje, funkcije komunikacije su bile značajno povezane s težinom ispoljavanja autističkih simptoma. Generalno, učenici s poremećajem iz spektra autizma poseduju širok spektar komunikacionih formi i funkcija, koje su prepoznate i visoko vrednovane u školskom kontekstu.