The Relationship between Several Aspects of Vocal Behaviour and Scores on an Autism Behaviour Checklist in Autistic and Autistic-Like Children

Abstract

In an attempt to characterise the nature and ‘importance’ of the communication deficit among low functioning autistic and autistic-like children, thirty-one children were administered an autism behaviour checklist. In addition, each child contributed a sample of vocal behaviour. The behaviour checklist was scored twice; once including language questions and once with these questions omitted. The vocal behaviour sample was scored along four dimensions: repetitiveness, non-communicativeness, babbling and unintelligibility. These four scores were entered into two multiple regression analyses in which the two forms of the behaviour checklist served as the respective critgeria. When language questions were included in the behaviour checklist score, the multiple R was .72 and the best predictor was the child's babbling score. When language questions were omitted, the multiple R was relatively unchanged (.70) but the best predictor was non-communicativeness. These findings were considered to demonstrate that communication is central to the autistic syndrome among low functioning children.