Qualitative analysis of verbal fluency in school-age children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Associations with age and IQ

Zarokanellou, Vasiliki; Papanikolaou, Κaterina; Tafiadis, Dionysios; Kolaitis, Gerassimos

doi:10.1080/21622965.2022.2090255

Cited by 2 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Four studies compared the total number of clusters produced between groups. Three of these studies did not report any differences (Inokuchi & Kamio, 2013; Tóth et al, 2022; Zarokanellou et al, 2022). One study reported fewer clusters produced by autistic participants (Pastor‐Cerezuela et al, 2016).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Nine studies reported data specifically focused on the number of intrusions. Of these, six studies found no significant difference in the number of intrusions produced between groups (Begeer et al, 2014; Dunn et al, 1996; Foldager et al, 2022; Tóth et al, 2022; Turner, 1999; Zarokanellou et al, 2022), while two studies found the autistic group produced more intrusions than the comparison group (Dichter et al, 2009; Inokuchi & Kamio, 2013). Tang et al (2022) found only autistic individuals with a co‐occurring diagnosis of ADHD produced more intrusions than the comparison group.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gonzalez‐Barrero and Nadig (2017) also found no significant differences in TNCW produced by autistic and non‐autistic bilinguals but did find differences between autistic and non‐autistic monolinguals. The remaining twelve studies reported the average TNCW produced by the autistic group was significantly smaller than the comparison group (Carmo et al, 2015, 2017; Dichter et al, 2009; Dunn et al, 1996; Ehlen et al, 2020; Foldager et al, 2022; Inokuchi & Kamio, 2013; Pastor‐Cerezuela et al, 2016; Spek et al, 2009; Tang et al, 2022; Turner, 1999; Zarokanellou et al, 2022). The standard deviation for the autistic group was larger across nine of the 13 studies where a standard deviation was reported, indicating greater variation in groups of autistic participants for the majority of the studies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The studies that reported lower TNCW for autistic participants concluded this performance was reflective of reduced cognitive flexibility and linguistic generativity (Dichter et al, 2009;Ehlen et al, 2020;Inokuchi & Kamio, 2013;Pastor-Cerezuela et al, 2016;Tang et al, 2022). Other authors used these results to suggest slower processing or retrieval abilities (Carmo et al, 2015(Carmo et al, , 2017Spek et al, 2009;Zarokanellou et al, 2022).…”

Section: Current Interpretations and Conclusion: The Medical Model (D...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of those 10 studies that included 27 or fewer participants in each group and could detect a difference with a large effect size, five found no significant differences in terms of TNCW (Begeer et al, 2014;Boucher, 1988;Dunn et al, 1996;Prud'hommeaux et al, 2017;T oth et al, 2022) and five found autistic participants produced fewer total words than the non-autistic population (Carmo et al, 2015(Carmo et al, , 2017Gonzalez-Barrero & Nadig, 2017;Turner, 1999;Zarokanellou et al, 2022). Four of these studies found no difference in cluster size and/or number of switches (Carmo et al, 2015;Gonzalez-Barrero & Nadig, 2017;T oth et al, 2022;Zarokanellou et al, 2022). Turner (1999) found that autistic participants produced smaller clusters, while Begeer et al (2014) found autistic participants produced larger clusters and fewer switches.…”

Section: Demographics Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Verbal fluency and autism: Reframing current data through the lens of monotropism

Grissom,

Finke,

Zane

2023

Autism Research

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The purpose of this study was to reexamine research that used verbal fluency tasks to reinforce assumed deficits in word knowledge and retrieval in the autistic population. We identified seventeen articles that compared the performance of autistic and non‐autistic people on verbal fluency measures and provided an interpretation of the observed performance. In this narrative review, we summarize many components of these studies, including a comprehensive account of how authors framed their research findings. Overall, results of the studies showed variation both between and within groups in terms of total number of correct words, how many subsequent words fell into subcategories, and how frequently participants switched between subcategories. Despite wide variation in findings across studies, authors consistently interpreted results as revealing or reinforcing autistic deficits. To contrast the deficit narrative, we offer an alternative interpretation of findings by considering how they could provide support for the autistic‐led theory of monotropism. This alternative interpretation accounts for the inconsistencies in findings between studies, since wide individual variation in performance is an expected feature of the monotropic theory. We use our review as an exercise in reframing a body of literature from a neurodiversity‐affirming perspective. We propose this as a case example and model for how autism research and clinical practice can move away from the consistent narrative of autism deficits that has pervaded our field for decades. Accordingly, we offer suggestions for future research and clinical practice.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Current Interpretations and Conclusion: The Medical Model (D...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Demographics Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Verbal fluency and autism: Reframing current data through the lens of monotropism

Grissom,

Finke,

Zane

2023

Autism Research

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Clustering and Switching in Semantic Verbal Fluency: Their Development and Relationship with Word Productivity in Typically Developing Greek-Speaking Children and Adolescents

Karousou,

Economacou,

Makris

2023

J. Intell.

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Performance in semantic verbal fluency (SVF) tasks, mainly measured by the number of words of a particular semantic category produced within a limited time, is a widely accepted measure of cognitive functioning used in the neuropsychological assessment of children and adults. Two strategic processes, Clustering and Switching (C&S) have been proposed to underlie fluency processes and affect performance in the task. However, few studies have reported on the development of those cognitive strategies and their relationship with word productivity in typically developing children. Even fewer studies have covered a broad developmental period from preschool to adolescence or measured the effect of contextual factors in this relationship. Based on a sample of 472 typically developing Greek-speaking children aged 4;0 to 16;11 years, we investigated the development of SVF performance and reported on the degree to which it is affected by C&S strategies, children’s sex, and level of parental education. Results revealed a large effect of age on word productivity and on the use of C&S strategies. Two switching factors (number of clusters and number of switches) and two clustering factors (mean cluster size and a novel measure, maximum cluster size), appeared to be significantly associated with word productivity, with the largest effect being attributed to the two switching factors. C&S factors, together with children’s age and parental education, predicted 91.7% of the variance in the SVF score. Children’s sex was not found to have a significant effect on either word productivity or C&S strategies. Results are discussed for their theoretical implications on the strategic processes underlying word production in typically developing children.

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Qualitative analysis of verbal fluency in school-age children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Associations with age and IQ

Cited by 2 publications

References 20 publications

Verbal fluency and autism: Reframing current data through the lens of monotropism

Verbal fluency and autism: Reframing current data through the lens of monotropism

Clustering and Switching in Semantic Verbal Fluency: Their Development and Relationship with Word Productivity in Typically Developing Greek-Speaking Children and Adolescents

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