A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Could linguistic and cognitive factors, degree of autistic traits and sex predict speech disfluencies in autistic young adults and controls?
Authors: Pirinen, Veera; Loukusa, Soile; Eggers, Kurt; Sivonen, Jari; Mäkinen, Leena; Mämmelä, Laura; Ebeling, Hanna; Mattila, Marja-Leena; Hurtig, Tuula
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Publication year: 2024
Journal: Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics
Journal name in source: Clinical linguistics & phonetics
Journal acronym: Clin Linguist Phon
First page : 1
ISSN: 0269-9206
eISSN: 1464-5076
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2024.2357158
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2024.2357158
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HZ2VZ20ZN0672C5JRM273KQD
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of linguistic complexity and individual background variables (i.e. linguistic and cognitive abilities, degree of autistic traits, and sex) on speech disfluencies in autistic young adults and controls. Thirty-two 19- to 33-year-old autistic adults and 35 controls participated in this study. The frequency of disfluencies and stuttering severity were evaluated based on a narrative speech task. Linguistic complexity was assessed by evaluating the syntactic structures of the narratives. Cognitive and linguistic abilities were assessed using the General Ability Index (GAI), Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV. Autistic traits were measured using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Multiple-linear regression analyses (syntactic complexity, GAI, AQ, sex, and group status as predictors) showed that (a) syntactic complexity predicted total and stuttering-like disfluencies and stuttering severity, (b) GAI predicted typical disfluencies, and (c) sex predicted total, typical, and stuttering-like disfluencies. Additional correlation analyses revealed negative association between PRI and disfluencies in the control group but not in the autistic group. No connection was found between AQ and disfluencies. It seems that while some connections between disfluencies and individual cognitive features were found, some of the possible contributing factors for greater speech disfluency might differ between autistic and typical speakers.
Funding information in the publication:
The work was supported by the Academy of Finland, the Eudaimonia Institute of the University of Oulu, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Olvi Foundation, Oskar Öflund’s Foundation, the University of Oulu Scholarship Fund, the Alma and K. A. Snellman Foundation, and the Finnish Brain Foundation.
