Figures of speech in Autistic Spectrum Disorder: a look at the Brazilian bibliography

Abstract

Introduction: Studies on autism point to a variety of behavioral changes and language impairments. Subjects with Autistic Spectrum Disorder face difficulties in understanding the subjectivity of language; stand out: facial expressions, idiosyncrasies and figures of speech. Objective: To analyze how the Brazilian bibliography addresses the use of figures of speech by individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Materials and methods: Qualitative bibliographic research carried out in a database, seeking only articles, monographs and other scientific publications, between 2008 and 2018, originating from the Brazilian bibliography. Results: Fifteen works were identified that resulted in the construction of four categories: Characterization of the document source consulted; Are there difficulties and limitations in figurative language for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder? What do people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and/or their family members say about figurative language? Is it possible to work figurative language with people who have Autistic Spectrum Disorder? The use of figures of speech in autism is not much studied or argued because the subject ends up classified as a speaker or non-speaker and his difficulty in the social function of language inhibits the exploration of figures of speech. Conclusion: It was verified in the Brazilian bibliography a low number of works that approach the subject studied. When it comes to studies in speech therapy, only three studies address figures of speech. This finding indicates the need for further studies on the subject, as there is nothing, scientifically proven, that contradicts the use of figures of speech as part of the therapeutic follow-up of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.