Imitation and communication skills development in children with pervasive developmental disorders

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic characteristics, ADI-R and CARS mean scores of the total sample (n = 64)

Variable	AD children	PDDNOS children	p-value
N	34	30
Boy/girl	29/5	26/4
Age (years)
M	4.1	4.1
SD	0.8158	1.2998
Age distribution (years)
3	14	17
4	15	4
5	3	8
6	2	–
7	–	–
8	–	1
ADI-R, ADOS, and CARS scores
ADI-RSI (cut-off for autism = 10)
M	18.4	12.5	p < 0.001
SD	5	5.8
ADI-C (NVC cut-off for autism = 7; VC cut-off for autism = 8)
M	11.6	8.4	p < 0.001
SD	2.5	2.9
ADI-R-RSB (cut-off for autism = 3)
M	4.8	3.4	p < 0.001
SD	1.1	2
ADI-R Developmental deficit evident before 36 months (cut-off for autism = 1)
M	4	3.1	p = 0.001
SD	0.8	1.4
ADOS module ½ comm. (cutoff for autism = 4/5; cutoff for autism spectrum disorder = 2/3)
M	6.7	2.5	p < 0.001
SD	1.7	0.5
ADOS module ½ soc. (cutoff for autism = 7/6; cutoff for autism spectrum disorder = 4/4)
M	9.0	4.7	p < 0.001
SD	1.7	0.7
ADOS module ½ comm + soc. (cutoff for autism = 12/12; cutoff for autism spectrum disorder 7/8)
M	15.5	7.2	p < 0.001
SD	3.3	1.0
CARS (cut-off for autism = 30)
M	36.1	29.4	p < 0.001
SD	4.7	3.4

Abbreviations: ADI-R, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised; ADOS, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; CARS, Childhood Autism Rating Scale; CI, confidence interval; comm, Communication Domain; NVC, Nonverbal and Verbal Communication Domain; RSI, Reciprocal Social Interaction Domain; RSB, Repetitive and Stereotyped Behavior Domain; SD, standard deviation; soc, Social Domain.

Table 2 Mean imitation and pointing items scores for the ADI-R and CARS of the Verbal and Nonverbal Groups

	Verbal group (N = 31)			Nonverbal group (N = 33)
	M	95% CI for Mean	SD	M	95% CI for Mean	SD	F	p
CARS Imitation	2.07	1.468–1.887	0.570	2.803	2.54–3.05	0.7174	47.845	<0.05
ADI-R Imitation	0.71	0.46–0.96	0.693	1.64	1.40–1.87	0.653	30.369	<0.05
Observed Imitation	1.54	0.43–0.98	0.66	0.77	1.30–1.78	0.73	22.6	<0.05
ADI-R Pointing	0.35	0.13–0.58	0.608	1.36	1.13–1.60	0.653	40.777	<0.05

Note: There is a significant difference for all variables.

Abbreviations: ADI-R, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised; CARS, Childhood Autism Rating Scale; CI, confidence interval; SD, standard deviation.

Table 3 Mean imitation and pointing items scores for the ADI-R and CARS of the children with AD

	AD Verbal group (N = 13)			AD Nonverbal group (N = 21)
	M	95% CI for Mean	SD	M	95% CI for Mean	SD	F	p
CARS Imitation	1.92	1.536–2.310	0.6405	2.976	2.712–3.240	0.5804	24.437	<0.05
ADI-R Imitation	1.08	0.62–1.54	0.760	1.81	1.54–2.08	0.602	9.738	<0.05
ADI-R Pointing	0.62	0.15–1.08	0.768	1.43	1.12–1.74	0.676	10.475	<0.05

Note: There is a significant difference for all variables

Abbreviations: ADI-R, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised; CARS, Childhood Autism Rating Scale; CI, confidence interval; SD, standard deviation.

Table 4 Mean imitation and pointing items scores for the ADI-R and CARS of the children with PDDNOS

	PDDNOS Verbal group (N = 18)			PDDNOS Nonverbal group (N = 12)
	M	95% CI for Mean	SD	M	95% CI for Mean	SD	F	p
CARS Imitation	1.500	1.274–1.726	0.4537	2.500	1.958–3.042	0.8528	17.530	<0.05
ADI-R Imitation	0.44	0.19–0.70	0.511	1.33	0.92–1.75	0.651	17.483	<0.05
ADI-R Pointing	0.17	0.53–1.07	0.383	1.25	0.86–1.64	0.622	35.052	<0.05

Note: There is a significant difference for all variables.

Abbreviations: ADI-R, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised; CARS, Childhood Autism Rating Scale; CI, confidence interval; SD, standard deviation.